Beef Enchilada Casserole with Corn Tortillas
This easy beef enchilada casserole is a hearty, cheesy one-pan dinner perfect for busy weeknights. Ready in 40 minutes, it’s a family fave packed with bold Tex-Mex flavors.
If you love easy Tex-Mex casseroles like this one, you’ll also want to try my Cowboy Cornbread Casserole and White Chicken Enchiladas.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy weeknight dinner – layering corn tortillas instead of rolling enchiladas keeps prep simple and stress-free.
Hearty, flavor-packed comfort food – savory beef, melty cheese, and bold taco flavors in every bite.
Perfect for busy nights – assemble quickly and let the oven do the rest.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Substitutions
Ground beef – you can substitute ground turkey, chicken or even a plant-based meat substitute.
Black beans – Pinto beans or kidney beans would work well too.
Spices – If you don’t have cumin or chili powder, you could use a few tablespoons of taco seasoning as a subsitute.
Corn Tortillas – Flour tortillas can be used but they will be a bit softer.
Cheeses – Colby jack cheese can replace the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
How to Make Beef Enchilada Casserole
STEP ONE – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
STEP TWO – In a skillet over mediume heat, brown the ground beef, onion and garlic. Drain off any excess fat.
STEP THREE – Next, add the enchilada sauce, tomatoes, black beans, ground cumin and chili powder.
Stir to combine, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
STEP FOUR – Place 4 corn tortillas on the bottom of the greased baking dish. You may need to overlap them.
STEP FIVE – Spread half of the beef mixture over the tortillas, spread out evenly. Sprinkle half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the beef mixture.
STEP SIX – Add another layer of 4 corn tortillas, then spread the remaining beef mixture over the tortillas.
STEP SEVEN – Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheeses on top.
STEP EIGHT – Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.
STEP NINE – Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.
If desired, garnish with fresh cilantro before serving & enjoy!
Sandra’s Top Tips
Let it rest – allowing the casserole to sit for a few minutes after it’s done cooking will make it much easier to cut and serve.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Storage – allow the casserole to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with aluminum foil or place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing instructions – cover cooled casserole with aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 350°F until heated through or in the microwave on a plate for 30 second interals until heated through.
Make Ahead – this is an easy casserole to prep in advance and have it ready in the fridge. Pop it into the oven when you come home and give it an extra few minutes since it will be cold from the fridge.
Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
This easy Beef Enchilada Casserole is a hearty one-pan dinner that’s ready in just 40 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights. It’s a family favorite made with layers of red enchilada sauce, seasoned ground beef, corn tortillas, and plenty of ooey-gooey cheese.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion and garlic. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, cumin and chili powder to the skillet. Stir to combine and season with and pepper to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Place 4 corn tortillas on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. You may have to overlap them slightly.
- Spread half of the beef mixture over the tortillas, spread out evenly. Sprinkle half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the beef mixture.
- Add another layer of 4 corn tortillas. Spread the remaining beef mixture over the tortillas.
- Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheeses on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top.
- Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving.
- Optional – garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley before serving.
Notes
Storage – Allow the casserole to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with aluminum foil or place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Freezing instructions – cover cooled casserole with aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat in the oven at 350°F until heated through or in the microwave on a plate for 30 second interals until heated through.
Make Ahead – this is an easy casserole to prep in advance and have it ready in the fridge. Pop it into the oven when you come home and give it an extra few minutes since it will be cold from the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American/Mexican
This is very good! Easy to make, I followed the recipe and garnished with green onions and sour cream. Thank you!
So, so good & so easy!!
Made this casserole & it is a new family favorite. My family of 3 teenage boys & 2 adults finished it all in one sitting, no leftovers!! Only made 2 revisions (cuz that’s what I had on hand) used 1 1/2 lbs ground beef and made 3 layers instead of 2 (had a few leftover corn tortillas). Next time I make this I will make a double batch. Thank you so much will check out more of your recipes. Happy Holidays from the Janis Family.
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback about this casserole recipe! Happy New Year!
Great. Good to eat.
Made this tonight, adding some sour cream and salsa. Delicious, even without the extras. Thank you. So much easier than making rolled enchiladas.
That’s great to hear and I agree – so much easier!
Followed your recipe with a minor change. Zero net carb tortillas and using my crock pot on low. Smelled good when I got home from work and was ready for eating. Clean-up and leftovers was so much easier with a crock pot liner.
Thanks so much for sharing your subsitutions and also that you made it in a crockpot!! I really appreciate you trying out my recipes!
Delicious and so easy to make! I will definitely make it again.
It was easy, I was able to follow the recipe while on a phone call. The recipe is very good, I used rotel tomatoes to add a little flavor. I realize this is an enchilada casserole but I added some tortilla chips on mine just before eating for that little crunch. I am sure I could’ve used fried onions or jalapeños too.
We enjoyed this casserole last night. It was very easy to put it together. I used seasoned black beans, which add additional flavor. We topped it off with some sour cream. Thank you!
Fast and easy to put together and really good. I used red gold tomatoes with diced green chilies for a little extra kick. I used four and a half inch tortillas so I used a total of 12 not 8. Topped with sour cream chopped fresh tomatoes and black olives. Everyone loved it!
I made this tonight and my dear hubby gives it 2 thumbs up! I did add one small can of whole kernel corn, a can of green enchilada sauce, along with the red, diced tomatoes with green chilies and a layer of refried beans because we love them. To make serving a bit easier, I quarter each corn tortilla
Your additions sound delicious! I’m so happy to hear you (and hubby!) enjoyed this casserole 🙂
I have made this many times. I substitute MorningStar Chorizo Veggie Crumbles for beef. Absolutely delicious. A crowd pleaser.
Great recipe! I added a second can of black beans and a can of corn. I also made three layers, so a total of 12 tortillas. We really enjoyed this recipe! I have made it twice and will definitely continue making it.
Easy to make. I know it’s good when my grandson goes back for seconds!
Will definitely make it again.