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

Yes, I would recommend not adding the salsa verde or any sauce on top if you plan on freezing them, so when they thaw they don’t become soggy. 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 airtight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven.

Yes, absolutely. I would recommend warming your corn tortillas in the microwave before beginning to help prevent them from splitting.

For enchiladas, the most common type of beef used is either chuck roast or ground beef. What you use is entirely up to you! You can even swap the chuck roast for brisket if preferred. This is also an excellent base for shredded rotisserie chicken.

Yes, you can prepare, roll, and cover the enchiladas with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap before baking. Store them in the refrigerator 24 hours ahead of time, then bake as normal.

Serving Suggestions

Beef enchiladas go great with Mexican 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

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

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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.