Enchiladas are tortillas stuffed with a filling then baked in a sauce smothered with cheese. The fillings can be meat, cheese, beans, vegetables or any combination. This version includes beef, black beans and cheese.
This recipe includes a homemade sauce but feel free to make Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas with store bought sauce if you’re short on time. You can buy enchilada sauce in cans or jars in most grocery stores. Some are hot and some are mild so choose the right level of heat for your preference. If you prefer chicken, these Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas are made with a creamy white sauce instead of tomato sauce and also have the added nutrition in the form of white beans.
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How to make Enchiladas
Making Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas is pretty simple. In one large skillet you make the beef and bean filling. In another pan you make the sauce while the meat is browning. Shred some cheese, then roll the filling into the tortillas and arrange them in the baking dish over some of the sauce. Top with more sauce. And some cheese. It’s basically that easy. But here are a few tips to help the assembly go well.
A smooth tomato purée works best if you’re making your own Enchilada sauce. My go to is Passata which is simply puréed and strained tomatoes. Crushed tomatoes in a can will work too. I like to use chicken broth which has a fairly generic flavour. I find most store bought beef broth has a very artificial taste, but if you have real beef broth, go ahead and use it! Make sure you let the sauce simmer away so the flour, which is needed to thicken the sauce, gets a chance to cook. If you like some heat, add a little hot sauce. You only need a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent the enchiladas from sticking.
The meat mixture includes black beans which adds to the nutritional value. And, the beans add some bulk so you can get a decent amount of filling in each tortilla without using tons of meat. A full can is too much so you only need a half a can for one batch. So you can make a double batch or save the other half a can for Chicken Fajita Soup or a Rice and Black Bean Bowl. I’ve also included some Jalapeño peppers in the meat mixture but again, it’s up to you. Sometimes they’re hot and sometimes they’re not so taste them before adding to pan in case they’re too hot for your preference. And a little enchilada sauce helps hold the filling together.
Here’s a tip to getting the right amount of beef filling in each tortilla. Using too much or too little filling, then having to unroll your enchiladas and start again is a pain. So, use your spatula or spoon and divide the meat mixture in the pan in half, then divide each half in two parts. Then you can easily eyeball the amount for each of 8 tortillas by using half of each pile. Pretty tricky huh? I use this method for lots of other filled or layered dishes.
Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas. They offer an authentic flavour but they’re not as soft and pliable as a flour tortilla. If you choose corn tortillas, heat them in a dry pan on both sides which should soften them enough to roll easily. You might even get a little charring which adds even more flavour. I usually use flour tortillas. Just make sure to choose a size that’s about the same width as your baking dish. If you’re making smaller sized servings you may have to lay the tortillas sideways instead of crosswise.
I prefer to just roll the tortillas and not fold in the outside edges so there isn’t an overload of carby stuff. Spread the filling across the centre of each tortilla, sprinkle some cheese over top, roll up and place in the baking dish. If any filling falls out, just poke it back into the end of the roll. Lay them nestled together in the baking dish over the sauce. Then cover the top with the rest of the sauce. You don’t want to use too much but make sure you’ve covered all the exposed tortillas. Now top with the rest of the cheese.
Many types of cheese work great in Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas. I like a combination of old and mild, crumbly and stretchy, orange and white. Think Monterey Jack, Old Cheddar, Gouda etc. You can go for something Spanish like Manchego or even try a cheese from Mexico if you want to be really authentic. Did you know there’s a cheese produced in Mexico called Chihuahua? Not to be confused with a Cheese Dog, Chihuahua or “Queso Menonita” was named for the mennonite communities in northern Mexico that originally produced the cheese. What’s extra fascinating for me is that the Mennonite communities right here in Norfolk County have strong ties to that exact area, many of whom were born or have lived there!
You can make Beef Enchiladas in advance and bake later or the next day. Best of all, enchiladas freeze well so you can make 2 batches, one to bake and one for another day. Or, if you’re a small family, split the full recipe into 2 dishes so you have one small dish to serve right away and one for another day. Cover the second dish well with plastic wrap and foil and freeze unbaked. I recommend leaving the cheese off the top of the frozen version and adding it right before baking.
Covering the pan with foil for the first part of baking helps prevent the top from getting too brown. To avoid the cheese sticking to the foil, make a tent-like shape and cover lightly, then remove after about 20 minutes. Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is all melty and gooey.
These Enchiladas need to rest for a few minutes before serving. They’re very filling so you probably don’t need to serve anything else with them. Except maybe a Margarita!
If you make Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas, consider leaving a comment or rating below. Here’s the recipe:
Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas
- 8 medium corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups mixed grated cheeses any combination of cheddar, monterey jack, mexican or spanish cheeses
Enchilada Sauce
- ¼ cup butter
- ½ large onion, very finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups beef or chicken broth
- 1 ¼ cups tomato passata or plain tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 2-3 drops tobasco sauce if desired for heat
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
Enchilada Filling
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1-2 jalapeños, minced optional
- 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup enchilada sauce
Garnishes
- fresh chopped cilantro
- sour cream
- sliced jalapeños
- fresh lime wedges
Instructions
- In large skillet over medium heat, sauté onions until soft and golden. Add garlic and jalapeño (if using) and cook for about a minute. Add ground beef and cook until browning. Spoon off fat if there is more than a spoonful or so.
- Drain and rinse black beans. Reserve half the can for another use. Add beans to meat mixture along with salt and pepper. Heat through and set aside.
- In second pan, sauté onion in butter until very soft and golden, adding garlic for the last minute. Stir in flour. Allow to cook for a minute, then add beef broth, tomato sauce and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat and cook, stirring often until thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of prepared sauce to meat mixture and stir to combine.
- Ladle about 1 cup of sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and ensure rack is set to middle of oven.
- Divide filling into 8 equal parts. Lay in a line across tortilla and top with about 1 - 2 Tbsp shredded cheese. Roll tightly in a tube and place seem side down in baking dish over sauce. Repeat with remaining tortillas. If using corn tortillas, heat on both sides in a dry skillet to soften.
- Pour remainder of sauce over top, spread to edges and sprinkle remainder of cheese over sauce.
- Cover lightly with foil, avoiding touching the cheese and sauce, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 20-25 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted.
- Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving, garnishing as desired.
I prefer the red (tomato) sauce over the white sauce used for chicken. I’ll try this recipe.
If you do, let me know what you think!
Outstanding!