Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce Recipe

Name: Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Sauce: 3 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp oregano, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt; Filling: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 1 onion diced, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt; 10 corn tortillas; 3 tbsp oil, for softening the tortillas; 3 cups shredded cheddar-jack, divided; To serve: cilantro, diced onion, sour cream, lime

Prep Time: 25 min Cook Time: 25 min Total: 50 min Servings: 5

Beef enchiladas rolled and baked in red sauce with melted cheese

Beef enchiladas with from-scratch red sauce sound like a project and take forty-five minutes: seasoned beef rolled in softened corn tortillas, smothered in a ten-minute homemade red chile sauce that embarrasses every can on the shelf. The sauce is just chili powder, flour, and broth whisked in a skillet — the technique Tex-Mex restaurants have used forever — and once you've made it you'll never go back. A quick pass of the tortillas through hot oil keeps them from cracking or dissolving; it's the step canned-sauce recipes forget to mention.

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Ingredients

Sauce: 3 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp flour, 3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp oregano, 2 cups chicken broth, 1 tsp salt
Filling: 1 1/2 lbs ground beef, 1 onion diced, 2 cloves garlic minced, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt
10 corn tortillas
3 tbsp oil, for softening the tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar-jack, divided
To serve: cilantro, diced onion, sour cream, lime

Instructions

Make the sauce: heat the oil, whisk in the flour and spices for 1 minute until fragrant, then gradually whisk in the broth. Simmer 5 minutes until it coats a spoon; salt it.
Brown the beef with the onion; drain, add the garlic, cumin, and salt, plus 1/4 cup of the sauce.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Soften each tortilla 10 seconds per side in hot oil (or 30 seconds wrapped in the microwave).
Spread a ladle of sauce in a 9x13. Fill each tortilla with beef and a pinch of cheese, roll, and place seam-down.
Pour the remaining sauce over, cover with the rest of the cheese, and bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling.
Finish with cilantro and diced onion; serve with sour cream and lime.

Ingredient Substitutions

Ingredient	Substitute	Notes
Corn tortillas	Flour tortillas	Softer Tex-Mex style; no oil pass needed
Ground beef	Shredded chicken or beans + cheese	The same sauce carries everything
Homemade sauce	2 cans (10 oz) red enchilada sauce	The 5-minute retreat, no judgment
Cheddar-jack	Oaxaca or asadero	Meltier and more traditional

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days — enchiladas reheat into their best selves as the sauce soaks the tortillas.

Freeze baked or unbaked up to 3 months (sauce them fully first so nothing dries). Bake from thawed, covered, plus 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my corn tortillas crack when I roll them?

They're cold and dry. The 10-second oil dip (or a steamy microwave wrap) makes them pliable — this single step is the difference between enchiladas and casserole rubble.

Is the homemade sauce spicy?

Standard American chili powder is mild — the sauce is flavorful, not hot. Add cayenne or swap in New Mexico chile powder for genuine heat.

Can I stack instead of roll?

New Mexico-style stacked enchiladas (tortilla, filling, sauce, repeat like lasagna) are legitimate and faster. Same oven time.

What sides complete the plate?

Cilantro-lime rice and refried beans — or keep it simple with a chopped salad and call the enchiladas the whole show, because they are.