The Best Authentic Beef Enchiladas
These beef enchiladas are Mexican comfort food at its finest. Shredded beef simmers in a homemade red enchilada sauce for ultimate flavor, then is mixed with jalapenos, cheese, and cilantro. Rolled up in tortillas and topped with more sauce and cheese, these enchiladas are sheer perfection. It’s a classic recipe that deserves a spot in everyone’s dinner rotation.
Who else becomes crippled with indecision when trying to choose a restaurant for dinner out? Do you head to an old favorite, try something new that you’ve heard nothing but raves about, or do you take a shot in the dark at a place that intrigues you but you know nothing about?
When I can’t decide, my default decision is either a place where I can get a fantastic burger or… Mexican! I find it hard to go wrong with a meal when it starts with a huge complimentary basket of fresh tortilla chips and salsa, guac or queso to dip them in. I don’t have a consistent go-to order, but I have never, ever been disappointed with authentic enchiladas – they’re always a home run.
While honest-to-goodness shredded beef enchiladas aren’t super quick to make at home, but they ARE easy, and 100% worth your time once you taste them.
A long, long, long time ago, I was on a fajita/enchilada kick, where I would basically make the filling for chicken fajitas (chicken, onions, peppers, sometimes mushrooms), then roll it up in tortillas and bake it in a very bland, sorry-tasting enchilada sauce. (What was I thinking?!)
My tastes have definitely evolved over the years, so that wasn’t going to cut it for me anymore. Once I read this enchilada recipe, I knew it was beyond promising. While the cooking time is lengthy, it doesn’t take much effort and it has a fantastic, authentic flavor. The sauce totally makes it!
How to Make Authentic Beef Enchiladas
Here’s a quick review of how we’re going to make these amazing enchiladas:
- Sear chuck steaks until well browned on each side.
- Saute onions with a seasoning mixture that includes garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, sugar, and salt.
- Add tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil, return the meat to the pan and simmer until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- Strain the sauce, then shred the beef and mix with shredded cheese, jalapenos, and cilantro for the filling.
- Assemble the enchiladas, pour over more sauce and top with more shredded cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is golden brown, then dig in!
So to recap – not quick, but absolutely worth it, and you can make the components ahead of time (see recipe notes!).
My husband and I polished off half of this pan between the two of us during a Sunday afternoon of football-watching, and I think we were both secretly jockeying for leftovers the next day. This recipe has definitely earned itself a spot in my list of favorite go-to recipes and is absolutely one that I will be making again and again.
If you love Mexican food, you need to have these enchiladas in your rotation!
Five years ago: Creamy Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Dip
Six years ago: Cinnamon Babka
Seven years ago: Homemade No-Bake Clif Bars
Twelve years ago: Beef Mushroom Barley Soup
The Best Authentic Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1¼ pounds (566.99 g) boneless chuck steaks, trimmed of fat
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
- 15 ounce (425.24 g) can tomato sauce
- ½ cup (125 ml) water
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- ⅓ cup (5.33 g) chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup (39.25 g) chopped canned pickled jalapeños
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, sugar and salt.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sprinkle the meat with salt and cook until browned on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the meat is tender and can be broken apart easily, about 1½ hours.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Strain the beef mixture over a medium bowl. Transfer the meat and any other solids to a separate medium bowl and break the beef into small pieces. Mix together with half of the shredded cheeses, the cilantro and the jalapeños.
- Spread ¾ cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Microwave the tortillas according to package directions to soften. Spread about ⅓ cup of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll up tightly, and place in the baking dish seam-side down. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas and spread to ensure that all of the ends are covered in sauce.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top of the enchiladas, cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in September 2014; updated in September 2019 with new photos, a video, and extra recipe tips.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
what kind of chili powder? it drives me grazy when a recipe say’s chili powder but never say what kind of chili powder
Can you make this in the instapot?
These turn out wonderful. I did make with different combinations. Streak, ground meat, chicken chunk, ground chicken, and a vegetable style with cheese. Some corn and flour tortilla.
In your photo it appears you are using flour. I have used flour in the past with white sauces and Chichén enchiladas. These all turned out great. The sauce is the bomb and the key.
Best enchiladas EVER!! So much flavor, I just couldn’t get enough! Will definitely be making this again and again…well my son will anyway since he’s claimed this as one of his recipes to make for family dinner. 😊 I topped with sour cream, it was DELICIOUS!
How do you think these will freeze? I’m looking for some freezer recipes.. thanks a bunch!!
We don’t eat beef so I used chicken, but did everything else the same. These are AMAZING!! Family was fighting over who got to take the lone enchilada left for lunch tomorrow 💕
I may be mistaken but iy sure looks like you’re using flour tortillas in the assembly photo yet you call for corn in the discerption.
This was the best best enchilada dish I’ve ever made!!! Even better than any restaurant I’ve been too! This will be my “go to” recipe from now on.
Loved the recipe. Everything turned out perfect except for the steak. It was tough. I had to cut it up really fine at the end. I used church steak and cooked for 1 1/2 hours. Maybe I used the wrong cut or I didn’t cook long enough. Next time maybe I will use a pot roast instead of steaks.
Your beef enchiladas recipe is my absolute go-to when I’m trying to please a crowd. My neighbor drove me and my pup to the animal hospital yesterday and waited there the whole time with me. I’d like to make him a tray of enchiladas to say thank you, but I’m unsure about how to give them to him.
Would I be able to prepare the entire dish, cover it with foil then refrigerate and give to him cold to heat in the oven? Or is it best to give him all the components and have him assemble it himself? (Sauce, meat mixture, tortillas, pre-portioned cheese)
Oh my goodness, how kind of you! I think if you knew he’d bake it that same day, you could assemble it for him. If you weren’t sure, then I would give him the components separately, just so the tortillas wouldn’t get too mushy.
I used some large pieces of elk stew meat I had in the freezer, and doubled the recipe. The long simmer time tenderized the meat nicely and I really liked the enchiladas sauce this made. Thank you for another great recipe.
Michelle, love Mexican food especially enchiladas, thank you for the recipe.
I used the cheapest roast I could find. Pan seared it first then transferred to crock-pot. Cooked onion and added spices…cooked until fragrant, added tomato sauce and substituted beef stock for water. Deglazed pan then dumped into crock-pot along with roast….6.5 hrs on low. The liquid is then reserved and put on heat to reduce a little until it thickens a bit and that was our “Enchilada sauce”. It was delicious
This recipe was fantastic! I couldn’t find the steaks but I had a chuck roast that was twice the weight so I doubled everything and I simmered the roast in the sauce in the oven on low until it was falling apart. I made two pans and froze one of them. This recipe will go in my recipe box! Delish!
pfelix3688@aol.com
Everything about this recipe sounds delicious except the fact that authentic enchiladas are made with corn tortillas
I know. The recipe calls for corn tortillas but clearly they’re flour tortillas in the photos. I suppose you could just use whichever ones you prefer.
These are the best enchiladas I have ever made and so easy
Such a delicious recipe. I liked thesteak vs ground beef and you didn’t need to buy a lot to make it go far. The sauce was delicious! I added some pickled jalapenos and it was tasty but you could go without if that was too spicy. My kids even liked the spice though. The only complaint was that there wasn’t enough sauce, I would’ve doubled the sauce next time to use more on top.
My family loves this recipe! Best enchiladas I’ve ever had and believe me I’ve tried a lot of them!
HELP!!! I am simmering the sauce and the beef, and it is burning on the bottom and there is not enough…. any suggestions?
So so so good and fairly easy by using my slow cooker. Cooked on high for 6 hours, used brisket meat, so had some leftovers. Used the suggest 1/3 cup serving size per tortilla when assembling and that worked perfect! I didn’t use as much sauce on the bottom and I think it worked fine. I will definitely make these again!
It was super easy to follow! I used boneless chicken thighs instead of the steak. Will do again, family loved it
These are the best enchiladas ever. It definitely makes more than what the recipe says though.
These are AMAZING!!!!!!! Thank you for the recipe.
I have made these several times sometimes with using beef and today with chicken. SO GOOD!!! I put my meat and sauce ingredients into a crockpot to simmer after browning the beef, for the chicken I put it all in the crockpot. Cook for several hours till tender and then and the cheese, cilantro and green chilies. Serve with home made salsa, Mexican rice and refried beens. YUM!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!
I made this last night and the meat was extremely tough. I bought the recommended kind and followed the recipe with the exception of letting it simmer more like 2 hrs than 1.5. I can’t imagine that would have made the meat tough. Any ideas? I loved the rest of the recipe, though. Great flavor!
This is an amazing recipe! Simple enough. Just give yourself the time to make it. Yum!!!
If any Mexican recipe calls out for cheddar cheese then it’s NOT AUTHENTIC nor is using chili powder. Chili powder gives a distinct Southwestern flavor which is not the same as Mexican. And the only place you’ll find cheddar cheese in Mexico is in the Gringo section of a grocery chain store. I know, I grew up in Mexico. So please call it anything but ‘authentic’.
My sister in law is pure Mexican…she puts cheese in her authentic dishes as does her mother. Maybe different parts of Mexico? I have not made these for her but I think she would say “Not bad for a gringo!”
In my experience you always dip the tortillas the sauce before filling…agre about the cheese!
Just browsing this recipe; however I’ve made beef enchiladas before. I’ve made my own sauce from dried chilies but if I don’t have time I’ve used chili powder. No flavor issues. My grandmother used cheddar cheese. She learned from my great grandparents, who were from Sinaloa and Sonora Every region in Mexicó has distinct flavors and recipes. Knowing this I would never criticize a recipe simply because it was not made the way I cook. I would just make suggestions. I personally only use flour tortillas for burritos. Or, When I cook Mexican for my husband, he uses warm flour tortillas to scoop up his food. I personally only use corn tortillas for enchiladas, lightly frying them before rolling. And I love the slow cooker to cook tough meats like chuck steaks/roasts. And I’m definitely not a gringa!
I appreciate your perspective <3
Me too, I so agree. We can make suggestions nicely without being critical.
Part of the fun in reading these posts from readers (most of them) is learning and reading about variations and other ideas. Sheesh, let’s be more supportive and encouraging to one another.
First time making enchilada’s and I really liked the flavour of this sauce. I did mine with a shoulder roast in the the slow cooker and had lots of meat left over for a pot of taco soup. I didn’t read through all the comments first and I did have the problem of my corn tortilla’s dissolve in the sauce when it baked. The flavour was still great, but the consistency got a little mushy. I heated my tortilla’s in a warm pan first so they rolled ok. Will definitely make again and maybe try frying them in oil, use flour ones or the uncooked ones!. Thanks for all the tips!
I made this for our weekly family dinner, it was a hit. I actually bought some pulled pork from a local BBQ place, plain no sauce and used the pork instead of beef. Everyone loved them and they were not too spicy, which can be altered depending on whether you use Hot or Mild peppers, etc. Will make again.
This was fantastic! I did up the tomato sauce and substituted chicken stock fit the water since I wanted addition Al sauce to go with my rice and beans…
Can this recipe be doubled?
So do you recommend corn tortillas over flour? I usually use flour.
Corn is traditional. Flour makes it more a Burrito.
These were absolutely delicious!!! Like a previous commenter, I made the meat in my Instant Pot. I followed the directions as is up to the point of simmering the meat and set the Meat/Stew pressure mode for 55 minutes. I removed the meat from the pot with a slotted spoon and it was perfectly cooked and shredded easily. I used the Tortilla Land uncooked corn tortillas that are available in the Dairy/Refrigerated section of my grocery store. They are a little thicker than the packaged, cooked tortillas. They held up perfectly for assembly and cooking. I will definitely be making these again!
Finally an authentic tasting enchilada sauce! This was freaking amazing.
Hi Michelle~ when you say “chuck steaks”, to what cut of meat are you referring? I’ve never heard of chuck steaks. Could I use a chuck roast? Also, from your photos it looks like you’re using flour tortillas instead of corn. I think that flour tortillas hold up better when baking. Corn tortillas tend to fall apart and would be better fried for tacos. Wondering if you would explain both the meat and tortillas. Thanks!
Corn tortillas turn to mush everytime I make enchiladas. They soak up all the sauce and fall apart, with an unpleasant texture. Is there a specific brand of corn tortilla that I can use that will not fall apart? What am I doing wrong?
You need to fry the tortillas for a few seconds on each side in a little oil. I’m sure any kind is fine..vegetable, canola, probably even olive oil would be ok. I pat as much grease off as I can…..never come out soggy.
I use Mission brand tortillas, but you could absolutely use flour tortillas if you’d like!
This looks delicious! This post came just in time because we are having a Cinco de Mayo celebration next week at work. Question – once you get all the enchiladas put together, could you put them in a 9×13 crock pot to cook? No oven at the office = crock pot for pot lucks.
This recipe was delicious! I was wondering if I double the meat in this recipe, how long should I cook for tender beef?
I made these last night for dinner and they were great. I like the use of chuck steaks (or possibly a small chuck roast) instead of ground beef. It gives the enchiladas an authentic look and taste. The sauce came together well and the dish came together well, except the tortillas soaked up all the sauce. Next time, I’ll drop them in hot oil for a few seconds before filling & rolling them up. This is my new beef enchilada recipe.
Way too much chili powder. It was too over powering.
Jeez, calm down Melissa, when i made this recipe it was good. maybe you have a bad taste for GOOD FOOD! your wasting your time if you don’t like Mexican food. think before you do, MEANIE. give the Michelle lady some slack!
I don’t have coriander, can I leave it out?
Or sub with something else?
I don’t have time to go to the store.
Hi Liana, You can leave it out. Enjoy!
I loved this recipe! The sauce made the dish have an authentic feeling and my family was impressed. I am the only one who eats spicy in the house so I saved the fresh jalapenos and served with mine for some heat. Thank-you so much for this amazing dish my family will be adding to our regular meals.
This is Mexican? I think I need to make a blog to help people make real Mexican food!
Hey Jose, why don’t you just do that and hopefully no one will go on it! Go away!!!!!
Hey, Donna? Relax, hon. Mexico has so many different styles of cooking, but most Americans are only familiar with the Tex-Mex or Call-Mex styles, so it can be frustrating for people who are familiar with the other types to have their native cuisines shoved into the beans-cheese-beef-flour tortilla heading. This isn’t a bad recipe, but it’s definitely Americanized. Jose has a valid point; most Americans have no idea of what the majority of food is like in Mexico. Instead of invalidating him, recognize that he’s right. He’s not insulting your taste, he just wants you to expand your palate. Look, the U.S. has given the world some pretty heinous stuff:. McDonald’s, KFC, Coke, Funyuns, high fructose corn syrup, and trickle down economics. Maybe we can learn to appreciate other cultures.
It’s obvi Tex-Mex. Mexico is huge and has lots of different cuisines, so chill a little. I love eating in Mexico City, where the food is totally different from that on the border or in the Yucatan, but it doesn’t mean that the “Mexican” food from TX, NM, AZ, and CA is bad. After all, they were once part of Mexico. Americans get a little squeamish with some of the “authentic”stuff. I love escamoles, but they’re not for everyone. Look, some of these people are probably from Wisconsin or North Dakota, so cut them some slack. They’re used to kinda gross stuff, like German food, which is fine. Let people eat what they want and try not to judge.
Very good! I will definitely be making this recipe again!