Beef Enchiladas

Shredded beef enchiladas start with tender pull-apart chuck roast with sliced onions and a green chile sour cream mixture snuggled inside soft tortillas.

Why this recipe works

Beef enchiladas are a family-favorite casserole that even picky eaters reach for. This recipe is made with a whole chuck roast tossed with onions then topped with a creamy, cheesy, green chile sauce that adds even more moisture to the beef.

The best part about these enchiladas is that they make a great base for any additions or substitutions you’d like. Don’t want to cook a whole roast? Sub it out for some ground beef, shredded chicken, or leftover brisket. Want more variety in the filling? Add some corn, jalapenos, or beans to the mix. Red sauce or green sauce? Pick your choice!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

BEEF – We used chuck roast, but you can swap it with brisket if desired. We’ve provided a recipe for tender pull-apart chuck roast below, but if you want something a little quicker feel free to swap the beef out with ground beef or shredded rotisserie chicken. Realistically, you can use whatever type of filling you want for them!

TORTILLAS – Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but we opted for flour as they’re stronger and hold in the ingredients better without falling apart.

SAUCE – You can use either store-bought, homemade salsa verde, or our homemade enchilada sauce. All of which are delicious!

How to Make Beef Enchiladas

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Trim fat from meat. In a small bowl, combine 4 teaspoons of the chili powder, the cumin and oregano. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over all sides of beef, rubbing it in with your fingers.
2. Place beef in a shallow roasting pan or dutch oven and top with sliced onions. Pour broth and vinegar over the meat.
3. Roast in oven, covered, for about 3 hours or until meat is fork tender.
4. Let meat stand in pan juices about 15 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.
5. Remove meat from pan. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and reserve the pan juices.
   
   EXPERT TIP – If you trimmed the meat well you shouldn’t have too much fat on the surface, but if you do, skim off with a spoon or use a fat separator. 
   
   
6. Halve the meat crosswise then shred it using two forks.
7. Stir onions into the shredded meat then add in enough of the reserved pan juices to moisten (1/2 to 1 cup). Set meat mixture aside and discard remaining pan juices.
8. In a medium saucepan, combine undrained chile peppers and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; cook about one minute or until heated through. Stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute more.
9. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
10. Increase oven temperature to 350 F. Grease or spray a 13×9 baking dish and set aside.
11. Divide the shredded meat mixture among tortillas, placing the meat mixture along one edge. Top with sour cream mixture and roll up tortillas (they will be full).
12. Arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
13. Uncover and spoon salsa verde over the enchiladas, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Beef enchiladas go great with classic Spanish rice, beans, or roasted corn served with a lime wedge on the side. We like to add a drizzle of thinned sour cream (mix with a little bit of water in a bowl), fresh chopped tomatoes, and sliced green onions on top for garnish.

More Mexican Inspired Recipes

• Quesadillas
• Quesados
• Carne Asada
• Mexican Corn
• Sopa de Fideos
• Crockpot Mexican Chicken
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Beef Barbacoa

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Beef Enchiladas

This recipe is made with a whole chuck roast tossed with onions then topped with a creamy, cheesy, green chile sauce that adds even more moisture to the beef.

5 from 5 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 7 servings

3 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Calories: 695

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 lb beef brisket I used chuck roast
• ▢ 4 ½ tsp chili powder divided
• ▢ 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp dried oregano crushed
• ▢ 2 medium onions thinly sliced
• ▢ 14 oz beef broth 1 can or homemade beef stock
• ▢ ¼ cup white wine vinegar
• ▢ 8 oz diced green chile peppers undrained, two 4 oz cans
• ▢ 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
• ▢ 8 oz sour cream
• ▢ 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ▢ 12 flour tortillas 7-8 inches each
• ▢ 1 cup salsa verde or enchilada sauce

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  13×9 baking dish
• ▢
  roasting pan or dutch oven
• ▢
  Measuring cups and spoons
• ▢
  Saucepan

Before You Begin

• This recipe will make 7-8 enchiladas. Easily double the recipe to feed more or to freeze for later.
• To freeze – place the prepared enchiladas, cooked or uncooked, in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag, seam side down. Freeze for up 3 months. Allow enchiladas to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then bake according to directions, adding a few extra minutes if needed.
• Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Trim fat from meat. In a small bowl, combine 4 teaspoons of the chili powder, the cumin, and oregano.
• Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over all sides of beef, rubbing it in with your fingers.
• Place beef in a shallow roasting pan or dutch oven and top with sliced onions. Pour broth and vinegar over the meat. Roast in oven, covered, for about 3 hours or until meat is fork tender.
• Let meat stand in pan juices for about 15 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.
• Remove the meat from the pan. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions and reserve the pan juices. If you trimmed the meat well you shouldn't have too much fat on the surface, but if you do, skim off with a spoon or use a fat separator. 
• Halve the meat crosswise then shred it using two forks.
• Stir onions into the shredded meat then add in enough of the reserved pan juices to moisten (1/2 to 1 cup). Set meat mixture aside and discard remaining pan juices.
• In a medium saucepan, combine undrained chile peppers and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder; cook about one minute or until heated through. Stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute more.
• Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
• Increase oven temperature to 350 F. Grease or spray a 13×9 baking dish and set aside.
• Divide the shredded meat mixture among tortillas, placing the meat mixture along one edge. Top with sour cream mixture and roll up tortillas (they will be full).
• Arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Uncover and spoon salsa verde over the enchiladas, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1enchiladas | Calories: 695cal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 168mg | Sodium: 1332mg | Potassium: 1000mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1090IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 398mg | Iron: 7mg

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Adapted from Ultimate Mexican magazine. This recipe was originally published on this blog on Aug 30, 2010 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.