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up close of a slice of beef enchilada casserole showing the different layers
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Beef Enchilada Casserole

This Beef Enchilada Casserole is cheesy, saucy, meaty, Mexican comfort food at its most addicting!  Juicy meat, creamy beans and sweet corn are enveloped in the BEST bold, smoky, quick and easy homemade enchilada sauce then layered between corn tortillas, cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese then baked to bubbling perfection. This Enchilada Casserole is always a crowd-pleaser, can be prepped in the morning and baked at night, made in mass quantities, and/or frozen for later for the ultimate make-ahead dinner.   It also makes terrific leftovers – should you be so lucky. 
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

BEEF FILLING

ADD LATER

  • 1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz. can sweet corn, drained
  • 1 6 oz. can chopped black olives, drained
  • 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • salt and pepper to taste

LAYERS

  • 15 corn tortillas (cut 9 in half)
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • OPTIONAL: char tortillas over the flame of a gas burner or in a cast iron skillet until lightly charred in spots.
  • PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a deep 9X13-inch baking dish; set aside. Toss cheeses together; set aside.
  • COOK BEEF: Brown beef and onions in a Dutch oven or very large saucepan until almost cooked through. Sprinkle in flour and seasonings and cook for two minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook for one minute.
  • FILLING INGREDIENTS: Stir in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, cocoa powder, sugar and cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a simmer and continue to simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 15 minutes. After the sauce has thickened, stir in beans, corn, olives and apple cider vinegar then remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper).
  • ASSEMBLE: Spread 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan (layer will be thin). Place 2 whole tortillas in the middle and surround them by by 6 tortilla halves (see photos) to cover. Top evenly with ⅓ of the remaining meat mixture (about 2 cups), followed by 1 cup of cheeses.
  • Repeat with another layer of tortillas, ⅓ meat mixture, and 1 cup cheeses. Finish with final layer of tortillas, remaining mixture and remaining cheeses.
  • BAKE: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 20 more minutes or until the cheese is melted and casserole is heated through. Garnish with fresh tomatoes, olives, avocados, cilantro and sour cream if desired.

Video

Notes

Tips and Tricks

  • Use corn tortillas. Do not use flour tortillas or they will be soggy/mushy.
  • Use inexpensive corn tortillas.  Save your favorite La Tortilla Factory corn tortillas, they are actually too thick for this recipe. 
  • Pre-measure seasonings.  Measure out the seasonings before you start cooking so you can add them all at once.
  • Don’t skip cocoa!  The sugar, cocoa powder and the cinnamon (simulating Mexican chocolate) really enhance the authentic enchilada sauce recipe so please don’t skip them!
  • Grate your own cheese.  Please use freshly grated cheeses because pre-shredded packaged cheeses use anti-clumping chemicals which prevent them from melting as well. 
  • Customize ingredients.  You can customize the add-ins – see post for ideas.

Prep ahead

  • Assemble and refrigerate: make and assemble the entire Enchilada Casserole in advance, tightly cover and refrigerate (without baking) for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, bake according to recipe directions, increasing the baking time (with the foil on) by approximately 10 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and completely heated through.  Note, that the longer the enchiladas are refrigerated, the softer the tortillas will become so it is a good idea to char the tortillas first.
  • Make meaty enchilada sauce:  make the meaty sauce complete with all the add-ins up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate or freeze for up to 3 months.  If you use cold sauce in your casserole, you will need to bake it an addition 10 minutes or so with the foil on.
  • Prep toppings: chop and store toppings in airtight containers or baggies in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

HOW to store and reheat

  • To store: tightly cover or transfer the enchilada casserole to an airtight container.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • To freeze: it is a good idea to char the tortillas or use thicker tortillas if you plan on freezing.  Either way, be aware that the tortillas will soften once frozen and thawed.  To freeze, wrap the cooled casserole securely with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil.  Freeze for up to 3 months.   When ready to eat, cover tightly with foil and bake from frozen at 425 degrees F for 60 minutes, uncovered and bake an additional 15-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  • To reheat in the oven: cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
  • To reheat in the microwave: reheat individual servings in the microwave by transferring to a microwave safe plate and microwaving for 60 seconds.  Continue to microwave at 20 second intervals until heated through.