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
Scale
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 small onion, diced - about 1/2 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 1/2 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, 1/2 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, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir the sauce and continue cooking for 2 minutes.
- To assemble the enchiladas, add 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and 1/2 of the shredded cheese to the browned meat mixture and stir to combine.
- In a pie plate, add 1/2 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 1/4 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.Â
- 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