Beef and Cheese Enchiladas are loaded with seasoned ground beef, zucchini, sweet corn, and shredded cheddar cheese. The homemade enchilada sauce contains the "secret ingredient" of peanut butter giving the dish its genuine Mexican flavor.
While working in a small gourmet restaurant, I became friends with my co-workers. Sharing stories about our families, gathering to enjoy a meal, and even swapping recipes were daily occurrences.
There was a quiet gentleman from Mexico who washed the dishes. He rarely spoke except for the few words of Spanish he taught me and when he shared his authentic red enchilada sauce recipe. The savory and slightly spicy sauce is essential in making my Beef and Cheese Enchiladas.
I have great memories of my days working at the restaurant. Think Barefoot Contessa, but on a much smaller scale. The cafe was full of cases with hot out of the oven baked goods, delicious and fresh salads and grab and go comfort food dinners for busy families.
I was 1 of 2 chefs who keep the kitchen running. Mainly we were a breakfast and lunch spot. We made and served everything from thick slices of pound cake to all-American burgers to New England clam chowder to these tasty beef enchiladas.
Unfortunately, my stint ended all too soon as the owners decided the business was just not for them. I am grateful for the time in that kitchen as some of the customers of the restaurant became my first personal chef clients.
Easy and delicious Beef and Cheese Enchiladas were frequently on the menu at the restaurant. I have tweaked the recipe over the years to the one I make today.
ingredients
- canola oil
- onion
- zucchini
- corn
- ground beef
- garlic powder
- cumin, smoked paprika, chipotle powder
- kosher salt
- tomato sauce
- smooth peanut butter
- corn tortillas
- cheddar cheese
- fresh cilantro
- sour cream
chef cooking tips
Easy and Delicious Beef Enchiladas come together with relative ease. A little sautéing, a little sauce making, a little filling and rolling, and a little baking are the basic steps to the recipe.
- A few vegetables to the recipe to add a freshness to the filling. Sauté the onion, zucchini and sweet corn before adding the ground beef and the Mexican spices of cumin, garlic, smoked paprika and chipotle powder.
- The authentic tasting sauce comes together in less than 5 minutes. Heat tomato sauce along with the Mexican spices with the "secret ingredient" of smooth and creamy peanut butter to give the enchilada sauce its genuine Mexican flavor.
- Corn tortillas are my preferred tortilla. They have more flavor than their flour counterparts. Also, many of my personal chef client families like to eat gluten free so they check that box. But if you are a flour tortilla fan, by all means use them in the recipe.
- Dip the tortillas in the enchilada sauce to make them more pliable and easy to roll.
- Use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish as it can go from oven to table and is a little more fancy than a metal or glass dish.
can beef enchiladas be made ahead of time?
Easy and Delicious Beef Enchiladas can be made ahead of time and heated just before serving. After assembling the enchiladas, cool completely and cover the baking dish with plastic wrap. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just take them out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking and follow the heating instructions.
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Recipe
Beef and Cheese Enchiladas
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
Easy and Delicious Beef Enchiladas are loaded with seasoned beef, zucchini and corn along with shredded cheddar cheese. They are topped with a homemade and authentic red enchilada sauce made with the "secret ingredient" of peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, diced - about ½ cup
- 1 small zucchini, diced - about 1 cup
- 1 cup of corn (from 1 large ear of fresh corn - slice niblets from cob)
- 1 pound ground beef (93/7 blend)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons cumin, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 (14 ounce) can of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
- 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Set aside.
- To make the filling, heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion, zucchini and corn and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. The vegetables should be just slightly softened.
- Add the ground beef to the pan. Break apart the meat with a spatula.
- Continue cooking the ground beef until it thoroughly browned about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the browned meat mixture and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
- To make the enchilada sauce, heat a small pot over medium heat. Add the peanut butter and allow it to melt for about 30 seconds. This makes it easier to stir into the sauce. Add the tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of cumin, ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder and ½ cup warm water. Stir the sauce and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- To assemble the enchiladas, add ½ cup of the enchilada sauce and ½ of the shredded cheese to the browned meat mixture and stir to combine.
- In a pie plate, add ½ cup of the enchilada sauce. Dip 1 tortilla in the sauce and scrap off any excess sauce. You want the tortilla lightly coated with the sauce. Place the tortilla on a work surface and fill with about a scant ¼ cup of the meat mixture. Make sure not to over fill the tortillas. Carefully roll up the tortilla and place it in the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and shredded cheese.
- Bake the enchiladas for 25 - 30 minutes or until bubbly hot.
- Remove from oven and top with chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream.
Notes
- A few vegetables to the recipe to add a freshness to the filling. Sauté the onion, zucchini and sweet corn before adding the ground beef and the Mexican spices of cumin, garlic, smoked paprika and chipotle powder.
- The authentic tasting sauce comes together in less than 5 minutes. Heat tomato sauce along with the Mexican spices with the "secret ingredient" of smooth and creamy peanut butter to give the enchilada sauce its genuine Mexican flavor.
- Corn tortillas are my preferred tortilla. They have more flavor than their flour counterparts. Also, many of my personal chef client families like to eat gluten free so they check that box. But if you are a flour tortilla fan, by all means use them in the recipe.
- Dip the tortillas in the enchilada sauce to make them more pliable and easy to roll.
- Use a 9 x 13 inch baking dish as it can go from oven to table and is a little more fancy than a metal or glass dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top and bake in oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 enchiladas
- Calories: 507
- Sugar: 6.6 g
- Sodium: 1233 mg
- Fat: 25.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 12.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.1 g
- Fiber: 6.2 g
- Protein: 35.4 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
MissyG
Made this sauce for Easter Enchiladas and it was so very good. Thank you for sharing the recipe. My MexiRican husband and I were in a little legit’ mom & pop Mexican restaurant last week and it had an allergy notification on their menu that the enchilada sauce had nuts in it. My husband suggested peanut butter as it’s sometimes used in Mole sauce. I was intregued and found your recipe.
It was truly delicious. I cut the Chipotle powder in half this time because I had people coming over that don’t deal with spicy well, but it still came out great.
I did make a mistake when I went to make more though. I didn’t have anymore tomato sauce so I used used tomato puree the second time…. Yeah, don’t do that. It tasted different, almost sweet and had a different stronger tomato flavor that didn’t work well with this sauce. The tomato sauce that the recipe calls for was spot on however.
This recipe went in my recipe box and I’ll be making this one as my go-to Enchilada sauce. Loved it!
Amy Casey
Hi Missy ~ I'm so glad you enjoyed my recipe, and thanks for all the feedback. I appreciate it!! The peanut butter really gives the enchilada sauce that authentic flavor. but I love that you can't taste it.
Terri
Can you freeze these?
Amy Casey
Terri ~ definitely! Just make sure they are totally cool before covering with plastic wrap and then foil. Defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then heat.