Ground Beef Skillet Enchiladas

at a glance
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 5 servings
4.3 — Votes 23 votes

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These ground beef skillet enchiladas have all of the delicious flavors of traditional enchiladas but require none of the fuss! Plus, we’ve included a hidden veggie for an added nutritional boost!

the top view of a skillet filled with skillet enchilada casserole topped with diced avocados and cilantro sitting on a marble surface

“I’ll have the ground beef enchilada plate, please!” I have said that sentence more times than I can count (enchiladas are 100% my go-to Mexican order), but I haven’t ever actually tried to make my own ground beef enchiladas. I’ve always just assumed that REALLY good enchiladas (good enough to rival the enchiladas from the tiny, always-packed Mexican restaurant in my hometown) require a lot of work, ingredients, and skill. These ground beef skillet enchiladas, on the other hand, require simple ingredients, very little actual cooking, and have all of the flavors of my long-time favorite Mexican dish!

Our Favorite Ground Beef

Before we dig into these enchiladas, let’s chat ground beef! We always opt for grass-fed and finished beef when we can…here’s why: grass-fed and finished beef contains higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fats, conjugated linoleic acid, vitamins, and minerals than conventional beef. Consuming grass-fed and finished beef also allows us to skip out on the trace hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides that are often found in conventional beef. Click HERE to find out more about WHY we choose grass-fed beef!

ButcherBox is our favorite source for high-quality grass-fed and finished beef. We love that ButcherBox delivers this quality meat straight to your doorstep so that you don’t have to worry about finding it at your local grocery store (we know that can be tough!). Right now (through September 23rd, 2020), when you sign up as a new ButcherBox member, you can get FREE ground beef for life! Sounds too good to be true, right? It isn’t! With each future box, you’ll receive 2 pounds of high-quality, grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef for the duration of your membership…SCORE! ButcherBox is our favorite way to get high-quality proteins because it is convenient, cost-effective, and we know we can trust their sourcing. We’ve used them for the majority of our monthly proteins for nearly 4 years here, and remain huge fans.

Get your free grass-fed ground beef HERE.

the side view of a skillet of ground beef enchilada casserole topped with diced avocado and cilantro sitting on a marble surface

Ground Beef Skillet Enchiladas Ingredients

This recipe calls for some pretty basic enchilada ingredients (think: enchilada sauce, tortillas, etc.), plus a few veggies that may surprise you – after all, we’re all about food that tastes good and is good for you! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Ground Beef – for this recipe, you’ll need 2 pounds of lean ground beef. If you’d prefer to use ground turkey or chicken, feel free to make that swap!
  • Yellow Onion – you’ll also need 1 small yellow onion,…
  • Red Bell Pepper – …1 red bell pepper, and…
  • Olive Oil – …2 teaspoons of olive oil to saute your veggies in!
  • Cauliflower Rice – this ingredient may surprise you, but just 10 ounces of cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen, just be sure to defrost the rice if you’re using frozen) packs a huge punch of nutrition without altering the flavors of this skillet at all.
  • Enchilada Sauce – you’ll also need 2 (15-ounce) cans of enchilada sauce,…
  • Black Beans – …1 (15-ounce) can of black beans,…
  • Spices + Seasonings – …2 teaspoons of chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Corn Tortillas – enchiladas aren’t enchiladas at all without tortillas! You’ll need 6 corn tortillas cut into 1-inch strips here.
  • Shredded Cheese – finally, you’ll top your skillet with about 2 cups (we won’t tell if you add a little extra!) of shredded Mexican-blend cheese.

This dish is as easy as it sounds, y’all! Here’s how you’ll use one skillet to throw this meal together:

  1. Brown the Ground Beef – first, heat a large oven-safe skillet (a cast iron skillet works great here!) over medium-high heat, and add the ground beef and salt. Cook the meat for 5-8 minutes, until browned, then remove it from the pan, and drain off the excess fat.
  2. Chop + Saute the Pepper and Onion – while the ground beef is cooking, chop the onion and bell pepper. Once the ground beef has finished browning and has been removed from the skillet, return the pan to medium heat, and add the olive oil to the skillet along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook the veggies for 5-6 minutes, until the onion and pepper have softened.
  3. Combine the Rest of the Ingredients – add the ground beef back to the skillet along with the cauliflower rice, enchilada sauce, broth, beans, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir everything together until fully combined, then stir in the corn tortilla strips.
  4. Bake – sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the dish, then bake at 425 F for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned (hello, cheesy goodness!).
  5. Garnish + Enjoy – garnish the skillet with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado or guacamole, sour cream, and any of your other favorite toppings, and enjoy!
the side view of a serving of skillet enchilada casserole in front of a skillet of more enchilada casserole sitting on a marble surface

What to Serve with Skillet Enchiladas

This meal is loaded with veggies, protein, and energizing carbs, so it’s a pretty well-balanced meal all on its own, but if you’d like to add a side, beans (black, pinto, or refried), rice, or a simple salad or slaw would all be great here. To keep things really festive, serve this skillet alongside tortilla chips and homemade salsa verde!

These skillet enchiladas are SO delicious and make for the perfect easy weeknight meal – we hope you love them!

a white bowl filled with beef chili topped with sour cream, green onion, and shredded cheese sitting on a marble surface

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ground beef skillet enchiladas

Ground Beef Skillet Enchiladas

By: Cassy Joy Garcia
4.3 — Votes 23 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
These ground beef skillet enchiladas have all of the delicious flavors of traditional enchiladas but require none of the fuss! Plus, we’ve included a hidden veggie for an added nutritional boost!

Ingredients  

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef (turkey works well here, too!)
  • 1 teaspoon salt to taste
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 10 ounces cauliflower rice defrosted if frozen
  • 2, 15-ounce cans enchilada sauce
  • 1, 15- ounce can black beans
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 6 corn tortillas cut into 1-inch strips
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
  • 1 avocado diced, for garnish
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Heat a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron works great here!) over medium-high heat and add the ground beef and salt. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until browned, then remove from pan and drain off the excess fat.
  • While the ground beef is cooking, dice the onion and bell pepper. Once the ground beef has finished browning and has been removed from the skillet, return it to medium heat and add the olive oil to the skillet along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the onion and pepper have softened.
  • Add the ground beef back to the skillet along with the cauliflower rice, enchilada sauce, beans, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir everything together until fully combined, then stir in the corn tortillas.
  • Sprinkle cheese over the top of the dish, then transfer it to the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and browned, then remove from the oven.
  • Serve garnished with the cilantro and diced avocado. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Ground Beef Skillet Enchiladas
Amount per Serving
Calories
546
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
18
g
28
%
Saturated Fat
 
7
g
44
%
Cholesterol
 
102.6
mg
34
%
Sodium
 
2263.9
mg
98
%
Carbohydrates
 
50.4
g
17
%
Fiber
 
14.7
g
61
%
Sugar
 
14.9
g
17
%
Protein
 
46.9
g
94
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Recipe Notes

  • For vegetarian: replace the ground beef with an additional can of black beans.
  • For grain-free: use grain-free tortillas, such as Siete, in place of the corn tortillas.
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Brandi Schilhab

Brandi leads our efforts on content audits, outline construction, website calendar management, and a great deal of writing. She could unashamedly watch reruns of Friends + Harry Potter movies and never get bored!⁠ ⁠ ⁠
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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sara says

    Sara —  09/21/2020 At 17:21

    This looks seriously delicious. What brand enchilada sauce do you recommend? The few I’ve seen in the store here in VA have some funky ingredients. Would love to be able to have a clean one on hand.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  09/22/2020 At 12:37

      We just used a canned store-bought enchilada sauce, Sara! Nothing too special! We do have a quick homemade enchilada sauce that you can find HERE if you’d like to go that route!

  2. Kathi Lowry says

    Kathi Lowry —  09/23/2020 At 07:19

    Is the cauli rice necessary? Can I sub regular rice? Cauli rice and my tummy are not friendly!! Thanks for another delicious recipe!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  09/23/2020 At 09:15

      Not necessary, Kathi! You can totally sub an equal amount of cooked rice to help thicken up your skillet!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  09/28/2020 At 11:09

      YAY! Such a great meal prep lunch idea!!

  3. Joy Sederwall says

    Joy Sederwall —  09/28/2020 At 12:38

    Primal kitchen Has enchilada sauce now in a jar.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  09/28/2020 At 14:05

      Thanks for letting us know!

  4. Sherry Urffer says

    Sherry Urffer —  09/29/2020 At 20:37

    5 stars
    Made this recipe exactly as is and loved it! Full of veggies and easy to prep. A wonder dish for a family. Thank you!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  09/30/2020 At 09:31

      So glad you enjoyed this one, Sherry! Thank you for sharing!

  5. Kortnee says

    Kortnee —  10/09/2020 At 08:11

    Looks
    Great! I don’t see the nutritional info, am I missing it? Thanks so much!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  10/09/2020 At 09:17

      I just added it, Kortnee!!

  6. Julia says

    Julia —  10/09/2020 At 09:30

    What makes this recipe so high in sodium? Is it the enchilada sauce, and if so can you recommend a brand that doesn’t have as much? Thanks!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  10/09/2020 At 10:08

      That must be it! We just use a regular ole grocery store brand, Julia. We do have a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce on THIS post.

  7. Savina Thomsen says

    Savina Thomsen —  10/13/2020 At 18:39

    5 stars
    We loved this! I used the skinny taste enchilada sauce recipe as well. The only minor thing I would change for next time is to cook the cauliflower rice a bit more. We could taste it a bit too much.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  10/14/2020 At 08:14

      Glad you loved it, Savina!!

  8. Liz says

    Liz —  01/03/2021 At 10:30

    4 stars
    Taste was delicious, but next time I’ll skip the cauliflower rice. It added an unpleasant, raw crunchy texture which we didn’t love.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  01/04/2021 At 12:24

      Oh no! So sorry about that, Liz!

  9. Leah says

    Leah —  07/14/2021 At 15:40

    Wondering if it could be made ahead and frozen?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  07/15/2021 At 07:57

      Yes! This is a great meal to freeze!

  10. Anita Baker says

    Anita Baker —  07/14/2021 At 18:14

    For those of us not in the US and don’t have access to enchilada sauce, can you tell me what’s in it so I could still try and make it? Is it like a tomato passata with cumin, coriander and smoked paprika?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  07/15/2021 At 08:01

      Hi Anita! We have an enchilada sauce recipe in THIS post. I hope that helps!

  11. Jess says

    Jess —  07/15/2021 At 19:27

    5 stars
    This was so good! I doubled the recipe, used spanish rice instead of cauliflower, and added corn because we had some on hand. The extra freezed really well and was such an easy meal for later.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  07/16/2021 At 14:11

      Yay, so glad to hear that, Jess! Thank you for sharing this with us!

    • Tara says

      Tara —  04/20/2023 At 17:04

      Hi there! This may be a silly question but what constitutes a serving in this recipe? Asking for macro tracking purposes.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  04/21/2023 At 14:53

      Hi Tara! This recipe makes 5 total servings. The nutrition facts are for 1 serving (so 1/5 of the total recipe).

  12. Stephy says

    Stephy —  08/24/2021 At 15:44

    Do you drain the beans?

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  08/26/2021 At 08:19

      Yes, we drained the beans!

  13. Elizabeth Mucaria says

    Elizabeth Mucaria —  10/08/2021 At 18:14

    5 stars
    I never ate enchiladas before. I did prepare it with inly one can of the sauce. I really enjoyed it. There is llenty if leftiver for lunch or dinner tomorrow. Thanks.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  10/12/2021 At 08:40

      I’m so glad, Elizabeth! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

  14. Amanda says

    Amanda —  07/13/2022 At 18:59

    Should I drain the beans?

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  07/19/2022 At 10:27

      Hi Amanda, yes! We recommend draining the beans. Thanks for asking! -Team F&F

  15. Ashley says

    Ashley —  10/18/2022 At 10:01

    2 stars
    Unfortunately, this wasn’t a winner for us. The cauliflower rice overpowered everything in texture and flavor, which is saying a lot because enchilada sauce is so flavorful. We ended up crushing some tortilla chips and adding a ton of toppings which was fine for one meal, but we tossed what was left. Perhaps worth trying if you cut the cauliflower in half.

    • Melissa Guevara says

      Melissa Guevara —  10/19/2022 At 19:29

      We are sorry to hear that this recipe didn’t turn out to your liking, Ashley. We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback with us. -Team FF

  16. Courtney says

    Courtney —  04/20/2023 At 00:17

    Can’t wait to try this! Brandi, do you (or Cassy) have a favorite, clean corn tortilla brand? Thank you!

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  04/20/2023 At 09:53

      Hi Courtney! We just use whichever corn tortillas we can find at HEB. Sometimes HEB brand, sometimes Guerrero, and sometimes Mission! I hope that helps.

  17. Annette Harris says

    Annette Harris —  05/16/2023 At 12:50

    5 stars
    This is such an easy and delicious recipe! My toddler, husband and sister all approved! It makes a ton and holds up great as left overs.

    • Brandi Schilhab says

      Brandi Schilhab —  05/16/2023 At 13:12

      Wahooo! Toddler approved is the best!