When you’re craving beef enchiladas but have no interest in rolling and stuffing each one, this easy casserole is the answer. With just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes of prep, you’ve got a cheesy, saucy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
More Easy Mexican-Inspired Dinners
Photography by BEA MORENO.
Before You Get Started
A few tips that make a real difference with this recipe:
- Season the beef. The base recipe keeps things simple by design, but stirring in a pinch of cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder with the ground beef takes the flavor up a notch with very little effort.
- Watch the tortillas. Corn tortillas soften as the casserole bakes. That’s totally normal and expected. If you prefer a little more texture, assemble the casserole right before it goes in the oven rather than ahead of time.
- Don’t over-bake. All of the ingredients are already cooked, so you’re really just heating everything through. Pull the casserole from the oven as soon as it’s hot and bubbly. Leaving it in too long can dry it out.
⭐️ Looking for More Like This? → Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
How to Make Beef Enchilada Casserole
Instead of rolling individual enchiladas, this recipe layers all the same ingredients straight in the baking dish. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Prep Your Dish
Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
Spread about ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in a thin layer across the bottom of the dish. This keeps the first tortilla layer from sticking and adds flavor to every bite.
Step 2: Cook the Ground Beef
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off the excess fat.
Stir in ¾ cup of enchilada sauce and ½ cup of the shredded cheese. The mixture should look saucy and cohesive, not dry.
⇢ Season now if you want more depth. Add a pinch of cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder before you stir in the sauce. Even a little seasoning goes a long way here.
Step 3: Layer the Casserole
Arrange 4 corn tortillas in the bottom of the prepared dish, tearing or overlapping them as needed to cover the base. Spread half of the beef mixture evenly on top, then drizzle with about ¼ cup of enchilada sauce.
Repeat with another layer of 4 tortillas, the rest of the beef, and another drizzle of sauce.
⇢ Don’t skip the sauce between layers. It’s what keeps the tortillas pliable and gives every forkful that saucy, restaurant-style flavor.
Step 4: Bake Covered, Then Uncover
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top, and return to the oven for 5 to 10 more minutes, just until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly at the edges.
⇢ You’ll know it’s ready when the cheese is fully melted and you can see the sauce bubbling around the edges. Don’t wait for the top to brown.
Ways to Mix It Up
This recipe is easy to adapt. Here are some simple swaps and additions to try:
Change the protein. Ground turkey or ground chicken works just as well as beef. For a chicken spin on this same concept, try my Chicken Enchilada Casserole or creamy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.
Switch up the sauce. Red enchilada sauce is the classic choice here, but green enchilada sauce works beautifully too, giving the dish a slightly tangier, milder flavor. See how it’s used in this Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole for reference.
Bulk it up. Stir a drained can of black beans, corn, or diced green chiles into the beef mixture before layering. It adds texture and stretches the dish a bit further.
Try a different tortilla or cheese. Corn tortillas are the traditional choice and hold up well here, but flour tortillas work if that’s what you have on hand. For the cheese, a Mexican blend is the easy go-to, but Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar, or Pepper Jack all melt nicely.
Scale it up. Need to feed a crowd? Double all the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch dish. If you love layered Mexican casseroles in general, this Mexican Lasagna with seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, and salsa is another great option.
This was AWESOME. Used Rhee Drummond’s enchilada sauce recipe (plus a Jalepeno) and it was amazing. Super easy and healthy. Highly recommend it. Will definitely make it again.
-DHOFF
Serving Ideas
Round out the meal with a simple side or two. Some easy pairings:
- Ranch-Style Beans or Black Bean and Corn Salad
- Red Rice or a simple green salad
- Tortilla chips with Homemade Salsa, Queso Dip, or Easy Guacamole
Pile on the toppings! Sour cream, diced avocado, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices, lime wedges, chopped tomatoes, and sliced black olives all make great additions.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
Make-Ahead: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Let it come closer to room temperature on the counter before it goes in the oven.
Storage: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm individual servings in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. To reheat the whole casserole, cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.
Freezing: Assemble the casserole, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for a bit before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use flour tortillas instead of corn?
Yes, flour tortillas work fine here. They’ll be softer and a bit sturdier than corn tortillas, though they won’t have quite the same authentic enchilada flavor. Either option makes a delicious casserole.
What’s the best enchilada sauce to use?
Any store-bought red enchilada sauce will work well. Brands range from mild to medium-hot, so check the label if you’re cooking for kids or heat-sensitive folks. You can also substitute with an equal amount of taco sauce or your favorite salsa if that’s what you have on hand.
Can I freeze this casserole?
Yes. Assemble it, wrap tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, let it rest at room temperature briefly, then bake as directed.
More Enchilada-Style Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 ½ cups enchilada sauce, divided
- 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Optional garnish: sour cream, sliced green onion, sliced olives, chopped tomatoes, diced avocado or guacamole
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in a thin layer in the bottom of the prepared dish. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain off the excess fat. Return the beef to the skillet and stir in ¾ cup of enchilada sauce and ½ cup of the cheese.
- Arrange 4 of the tortillas in the bottom of the dish, tearing or overlapping them as needed to cover the base.
- Spread half of the beef mixture over the tortillas, then drizzle with ¼ cup of enchilada sauce. Repeat with a second layer of 4 tortillas, the remaining beef mixture, and another drizzle of sauce.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- Garnish with optional toppings and serve.
Notes
- To serve a larger crowd: Double all ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch dish.
- For more flavor: Stir a pinch of cumin, chili powder, or garlic powder into the ground beef mixture before layering.
- Tortilla texture: Corn tortillas will soften as the casserole bakes. That’s expected. For slightly firmer tortillas, assemble the casserole just before baking rather than ahead of time.
- Don’t overbake: All the ingredients are cooked before going in the oven. Pull the dish out once it’s hot and bubbly. Overbaking can dry it out.
- Sauce swap: Substitute an equal amount of taco sauce or your favorite salsa for the enchilada sauce if that’s what you have on hand.
- Cheese options: A Mexican blend is the easy choice, but straight Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar, or Pepper Jack all work well.
- Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Let sit at room temperature briefly before baking.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Assemble, wrap tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Nutrition
Originally published in January, 2016, this post was updated in April, 2026.
where is the recipe
Hi, Denise! I created the recipe for the Recipe Chatter blog as a guest post, so I linked to the recipe in my post here. This is the direct link, in case you missed it: https://www.recipechatter.com/healthy-4-ingredient-enchilada-casserole/
Enjoy! 🙂
Next time please include the recipe itself in the post. Very frustrating to keep scrolling and wonder where the actual recipe was.
I like your baking dish with the big loop handles. Where did you get it? Or what company makes it?
Hi, Pam! That’s the Aspen Square Baking dish from Crate and Barrel. Here’s the link: https://www.crateandbarrel.com/aspen-square-baking-dish/s183124?localedetail=US&a=1552&campaignid=10461646755&adgroupid=103999389299&targetid=pla-299177363991&pla_sku=183124&pcat=HSW&ag=adult&scid=scplp183124&sc_intid=183124&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq5meBhCyARIsAJrtdr6Qmjc2R0rJ4cIpIWlruEws5y-gWaEkiY0oP2sE1nlTiRmdbi6mh9IaAi5yEALw_wcB
Where is the recipe?
Hi, Meryl! I created the recipe for the Recipe Chatter blog, so I linked to the recipe in my post. Here’s the direct URL in case you missed it. 🙂 Enjoy!
https://www.recipechatter.com/healthy-4-ingredient-enchilada-casserole/
This casserole sounds so good, Blair! I can’t believe it is only 4 ingredients and healthy!!
Thanks, Jen! Simple is always best, right?! 🙂
lol
Looks great I like the enchlada one
This was AWESOME. Used Rhee Drummond’s enchilada sauce recipe (plus a Jalepeno) and it was amazing. Super easy and healthy. Highly recommend it. Will definitely make it again.
Thank you! 🙂
This is a wonderful recipe Blair! So easy and so good! I have made the fried and rolled tortilla type of enchiladas for years and I have been trying various other methods (stacking, rolling but not softening in oil first, etc.) to make them a little healthier but the results have been disappointing. This tastes just like my standard enchiladas but is so easy, definitely healthier and makes little mess to clean up compared to traditional enchiladas. I did use a larger package of beef because that’s what I had on hand (Costco’s 24 oz. organic ground beef) and used an entire jar of Wegman’s Red Chile Sauce (16 oz.). This dish is also great leftover!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Norma! 🙂
This was so easy and delicious. This is my second time making it. !
Thanks, Candice! I’m so glad that you love it! 🙂
Do you bake for 30 or 50 minutes?
Hey, Stephanie! You bake the casserole for 30 minutes, then uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and pop it back in the oven for 5-10 more minutes to allow the cheese to melt. The total cooking time is listed as 50 minutes because you’ll need to spend about 10 minutes browning the ground beef in the skillet (step #2). Hope that helps clarify. Enjoy!
Can I use flour instead of corn tortillas?
Yes, you can! Enjoy!
Would the leftovers freeze fairly well? Thanks!
Yes, this will freeze nicely! 🙂
This delicious and simple 4 ingredient Enchilada Hotdish is a weeknight must! It made my rotation! Haha!
Thank you so much, Mysti!
I love this recipe and make it often! It is a favorite in this Texas home! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Lynn Dee! That makes me really happy to hear. 🙂
The entire family loves this and it’s so simple. I always use a green enchilada sauce and it’s so good
We’re so happy to hear this, Kristy! Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave a review.