Flour tortillas stuffed with seasoned beef and Spanish rice then topped with enchilada sauce and lots of cheese, these Ground Beef Enchiladas are an easy weeknight recipe that are about to become your family’s new favorite dinner!
We like to serve these with refreshing Esquites salad and Horchata to wash it down!
Easy Beef and Rice Enchilada Recipe
These ground beef and rice enchiladas are so hearty and satisfying, with perfectly seasoned meat, flavorful Spanish rice, and, of course, lots of cheese! This is not an authentic Mexican recipe but it surely does have some of that great Mexican (or Tex-Mex) flavors we love.
You can keep things simple by using store-bought ingredients or you can make your own taco seasoning and enchilada sauce. You can even use our homemade corn tortillas recipe if you don’t want to make these with flour tortillas.
There’s lots of flexibility with this recipe, which is great when you’re feeding a family. You can make it as spicy (or not) as you like and even add other ingredients. But the base – rice, ground beef, cheese, and tortillas is a total winner.
Ingredients Needed
These homemade enchiladas are made with a Spanish rice mix, ground beef, and a handful of other ingredients.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Spanish rice and pasta mix – I used Rice-A-Roni.
- Butter – Adds a richness to the rice.
- Rotel – Mild Rotel adds flavor to the rice mix.
- Water
- Olive oil – For sauteeing the beef.
- Onion – For aromatics and flavor.
- Lean ground beef – Use lean beef to avoid extra greasiness.
- Seasonings – The ground beef is flavored with taco seasoning (I love my homemade taco seasoning), garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Enchilada sauce – It’s not enchiladas without enchilada sauce! Grab it at the store or make this easy homemade enchilada sauce.
- Tortillas – Warm them slightly so they’re less likely to crack when you roll them.
- Cheddar cheese – Freshly shredded off the block for the best results.
- Cilantro – For garnish.
- Sour cream – For serving.
Recipe Variations
There are endless variations and customizations you can make to this recipe. Here are a few ideas:
- Add some beans. Refried beans or canned beans make an easy addition to any enchilada recipe. You can mix them in with the beef and rice or even use them in place of one of the two. Bean and rice enchiladas are a great vegetarian option.
- Use chicken instead of beef. If you prefer chicken enchiladas, simply replace the ground beef in the recipe with some cooked shredded chicken. (Or see my chicken enchilada recipe for enchiladas without rice.)
- Make them spicy. If you want spicy enchiladas, you can use spicy enchilada sauce, add some cayenne pepper to the meat, and/or add some diced jalapenos. You can also find spicy Rotel to use.
- Try corn tortillas. If you prefer corn tortillas to flour, try this enchilada recipe with homemade corn tortillas. Note that they are smaller than flour tortillas so you may need a few extras.
How to Make Ground Beef Enchiladas
You can have this easy enchilada recipe prepared and on the table in under an hour. Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner!
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)
- Prepare the rice. Cook the Spanish rice mix according to the package instructions.
- Prepare the beef. Sauté the onion in olive oil until tender, then cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain off any grease. Stir in the seasonings.
- Combine the ingredients. Add the cooked rice and a can of enchilada sauce to the ground beef. Stir to incorporate.
- Assemble the enchiladas. Spoon 2/3 cup of the mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla. Top with shredded cheese. Roll tightly. Place seem side down into the casserole dish. Top with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tortillas are slightly crisp and the cheese has melted.
- Serve. Top with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream.
Tip! Warm the tortillas first
Enchilada Topping Ideas
When it comes to serving this beef enchilada casserole, I like to offer up a handful of toppings so everyone can customize it to their preferences. Here are a few suggestions of toppings to serve:
- Sour cream
- Pico de gallo
- Salsa verde
- Shredded lettuce
- Jalapeno slices
- Guacamole or avocado
- Tabasco or other hot sauce
Video: Ground Beef Enchiladas
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Storing leftovers. Leftover beef enchiladas can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep them tightly covered or in an airtight container.
- Reheat. You can either pop a couple into the microwave for a few minutes to reheat them or reheat the entire pan in the oven. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350F until warmed through.
- Can You Freeze Beef Enchiladas? Yes, enchiladas make a great freezer meal. You can actually freeze these before or after baking. (1) To freeze before baking, assemble as directed and then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and also foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let the pan sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or so, before baking as directed. (2) To freeze leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container or cover the pan tightly once they’ve cooled. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge, and reheat in the oven (covered) until hot.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes:
- Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell Copycat)
- Chile Relleno Casserole
- Salsa Verde Chicken
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Ground Beef Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 6.8 ounce box Spanish rice and pasta mix (such as Rice-A-Roni)
- 2 tablespoons butter (for the rice)
- 1 can mild Rotel (for the rice )
- 2 cups water (for the rice)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion , diced small
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cans (10 ounce each) enchilada sauce
- 10 (8-inch) flour tortillas , warmed
- 1 & 2/3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese , divided
- fresh chopped cilantro , for garnish
- sour cream , for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 15×10 inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Prepare the rice according to package directions.
- In the meantime, warm the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Then add in the beef and brown until no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes more. Drain off the grease. Season with the taco seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Stir the cooked rice and 1 can of the enchilada sauce into the cooked beef until incorporated.
- On a clean, flat work surface, spoon 2/3 cup of the beef mixture onto the lower third of of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the shredded cheese. Roll up.
- Place, seam side down, into the casserole dish (You should be able to fit 8 in a row and 2 along the longer side.) Top with the other can of enchilada sauce and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until everything is warmed through, the tortillas are slightly crisp around the edges, and the cheese has melted, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
So good! Thank you for sharing. I’m a huge fan.
Wow, these were YUMMY! The ground beef and spanish rice mixture is genius. Even my picky kids finished their dinner. Going in the regular rotation – thanks for this one!
Five stars. I used pork in mine and they came out absolutely terrific. The flexibility with these makes this a constant staple in our house because we can vary it so much! Love it.