Beef Enchiladas Homemade Sauce (Printer-friendly)

Tender tortillas filled with seasoned beef and topped with a rich homemade red sauce and melted cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Red Enchilada Sauce

01 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
02 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
03 - 3 tablespoons chili powder
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
08 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 tablespoon tomato paste

→ Beef Filling

12 - 1 pound ground beef
13 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
14 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
17 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
18 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
19 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
20 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
21 - 1/4 cup water

→ Assembly

22 - 8 medium (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas
23 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
24 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
25 - 1/4 cup diced red onion (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 375°F.
02 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano; cook for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown ground beef for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it apart. Drain excess fat if needed. Add onion and garlic; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and water. Cook 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
05 - Briefly warm tortillas in a microwave or dry skillet to soften for rolling.
06 - Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of beef filling in the center of each tortilla. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese over the filling, then roll tortillas tightly.
07 - Place enchiladas seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
08 - Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over rolled enchiladas. Top with remaining shredded cheese.
09 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
10 - Optionally garnish with chopped cilantro and diced red onion. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The homemade sauce tastes nothing like the jarred versions and takes barely longer to make.
  • You can brown the beef and make the sauce while your oven preheats, so dinner comes together faster than you'd expect.
  • There's something deeply satisfying about rolling each tortilla knowing exactly what's going into it.
02 -
  • Don't skip warming the tortillas or they'll crack and make rolling miserable. A cold tortilla is your enemy here.
  • The sauce thickens as it cools, so it should look slightly looser than you want it to be when it comes off the heat.
  • Whisking the flour in first prevents lumps that ruin the texture of your sauce.
03 -
  • Use freshly shredded cheese instead of pre-shredded, which doesn't melt as smoothly because of the anti-caking powder.
  • If your sauce breaks or looks grainy, strain it through a fine mesh sieve and it will smooth right out.

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