This simple beef enchilada casserole recipe is layered with seasoned ground beef, black beans, red enchilada sauce, and plenty of melty cheese. Tortilla chips take the place of tortillas. It all comes together in one skillet and one dish in about 45 minutes, giving you all the warm comfort of enchiladas with much less effort.
The Easiest Beef Enchilada Casserole Ever
What do you do when you have a hankering for enchiladas but no tortillas in the house? Well, I could make tortillas, but it takes extra time … so how about a casserole? I grabbed a half-empty bag of tortilla chips to see if those would work instead of tortillas with some of my homemade enchilada sauce. They did, and it made the whole casserole super easy to assemble, too!
You might be wondering, like I did, whether you really need even tortillas for an enchilada casserole. And you DO need a starchy layer of some kind, because that’s what soaks up the sauce and keeps the casserole together when you slice it, just like noodles in lasagna. Tortilla chips do exactly that here, softening into tender, saucy layers as they bake.
Greg took one bite and he loved it, said it “checked all his flavor boxes.” And I snuck a little extra onto my plate before the leftovers even hit the refrigerator. (Also, we gobbled up the leftovers quickly!) It’s just SO GOOD, and I think you’ll love it, too!
Let’s dig in!
Tips and Variations from the Maker Farm Kitchen
- The sauce makes the casserole. My homemade enchilada sauce really made it wonderful, but store-bought sauce works just great too, so use whichever you have.
- Tortilla chips work! Tortilla chips in place of tortillas give it great texture, and you never had to dip a single tortilla. The chips soak up the sauce perfectly on their own.
- Have everything ready before you layer. The process works like a lasagna, so have your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start assembling it.
- Possible variations. It’s easy to make this your own: swap corn for the beans, shredded chicken for the beef, pepper jack for the cheddar, or add hot chiles or a pinch of cayenne for extra heat.
- Want it saucier? Keep a little extra on the side to drizzle on after you slice it to maintain the structure of your casserole.
- Perfect to bake later. It freezes really well, so you can put it together now and bake it later.
What You Need to Make This
Ground beef. I use 85/15. You need enough fat so the filling tastes rich and beefy, but not so much that you have to drain a puddle of grease. If your beef is leaner, stir in a spoonful of sauce to keep it moist.
Red enchilada sauce. This is the heart of the dish, so use a sauce you like. I use my homemade red enchilada sauce, which is smooth, tomato-forward, and not too spicy for me. One batch makes about 4 cups, so half goes here and the rest freezes for later. Don’t have homemade? A couple of cans of store-bought works great.
Tortilla chips. Use plain, salted corn tortilla chips. Thick, sturdy restaurant-style chips hold up best and stay slightly crunchy, while thin chips soften more in the sauce. Both are delicious, so use what you have. (I used a half-empty slightly stale bag of chips, and it worked out great!)
Black beans. They stretch the filling, add heartiness, and keep the casserole from being all meat. Drain and rinse them first so the liquid doesn’t water down the sauce. Don’t like beans? A cup of frozen corn is a good swap.
Green chiles. A small can of mild diced green chiles adds gentle warmth without much heat. I use mild, but use hot chiles if you prefer. Growing chili peppers in your garden? Use one or two instead: remove the seeds and ribs, dice them small, and sauté them with the beef to soften them (the seeds and ribs hold most of the heat). Taste a small piece first, because garden peppers like jalapeños can be very hot. I used some very mild Anaheim peppers I grew. They are optional either way.
Cheese. Colby jack is my favorite for a gooey, stretchy melt, but a Mexican blend or mild cheddar works too. Shred it yourself from a block if you can, because it melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
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Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 baking dish 13×9, 11×7, 9×9, or 8×8
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 pound ground beef (I use 85/15)
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 can (4 ounces) mild diced green chiles or 1 fresh Anaheim pepper (optional)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce divided (half a batch of my homemade sauce, or store-bought)
For the layers:
- 6 ounces tortilla chips (roughly half a 12-ounce bag, or about 6 cups) or 12 small corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded colby jack cheese (or a Mexican blend or mild cheddar)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13 inch (or similar size) baking dish and set it aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion, salt, and pepper, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until cooked through (it takes about 6 to 8 minutes). Drain off the fat.
- Stir the green chiles, black beans, and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce into the beef. Warm together for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce across the bottom of the prepared dish. Add a single overlapping layer using about half the tortilla chips.
- Top with half the beef mixture, drizzle with about 1/2 cup of the sauce, and sprinkle on about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.
- Repeat the layers: the remaining chips, the remaining beef mixture, the last 1/2 cup of sauce, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are golden.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving so it stays intact.
Nutrition
Notes
Proper Storage
- Make Ahead. Assemble the entire dish and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 to 48 hours, or freeze it for a few months. To bake from frozen, use a freezer-to-oven safe dish or disposable aluminum pan, cover it tightly with foil, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for about one hour before uncovering it and continue baking for 10-15 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Leftovers. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within four days. If you haven’t had them within three days, pop them in the freezer to thaw and enjoy another day.
- How to reheat. Heat single portions on a plate in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes.
We ate casserole with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh parsley from the garden. Mmm mmm good.
I am keeping this recipe post lighter than usual … less reading, more cooking. But if you need or want more information, let me know!
This is really just so easy and satisfying. If you make it, let me know what you think of it!
Love,
Jennifer
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Meet Jennifer
Jennifer cooks and experiments in the kitchen at Maker Farm, where she focuses on simple pantry cooking, homemade staples, and practical recipes that make everyday meals easier. Over the years she has tested many ways to make cooking simpler and more dependable, and shares the methods that work best in her own kitchen, occasionally showing them on her Heart to Home at Maker Farm vlog.