Beef Skillet Enchiladas
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This simple recipe for Beef Skillet Enchiladas packs in all the rich flavors and textures you love, with a fraction of the time and effort involved in traditional versions. It’s got lean ground meat, black beans, corn, pepper, zucchini, enchilada sauce of course, and tortilla wedges baked right in.
Enchiladas, but easy.
Who doesn’t love enchiladas, but let’s be honest — sometimes the effort of preparing the filling, rolling them individually, and baking is just more than we can muster at the end of the day. Fortunately, just as in this tasty enchilada casserole, you can enjoy all the same flavors with less effort and fewer dishes to wash at the end.
Another bonus: it’s easy to pack this skillet with a variety of veggies. My favorites are corn, bell pepper, red onion, and zucchini, but this is flexible depending on what you like and have lingering in the fridge. Pretty much anything is going to be delicious when doused in all those delicious Tex-Mex seasonings and rich enchilada sauce. Whip this up for a weeknight dinner, then enjoy any extra for a satisfying lunch over the next day or two!
Enchilada Skillet Recipe Highlights
- Easy to make: Everything comes together in one skillet only, and once you chop the veggies the recipe is fairly hands-off.
- Family-friendly: Everyone can enjoy the flavorful enchilada mixture with their choice of toppings, keeping this flexible and accessible.
- Great for reheating: Leftovers heat up well and still have terrific flavor and texture, so it’s actually nice to have some extra for a future lunch or two.
Ingredient & Substitution Notes
This is just an at-a-glance overview of the main things you will need. Find the complete list and amounts in the recipe card below.
- Lean ground beef. As noted below, you can substitute ground chicken or turkey if you prefer.
- Vegetables: fresh zucchini, bell pepper, red onion; frozen corn. Add to or swap these at will.
- Spices: ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and kosher salt.
- Black beans. Substitute pinto beans or red kidney beans for an alternative legume that is still full of healthy plant protein and fiber.
- Enchilada sauce. This easy homemade enchilada sauce has forever ruined me on store-bought versions, but really you just need about 1 and 1/2 cups of a sauce that you love.
- Shredded Mexican cheese. Use Colby Jack or cheddar in a pinch.
- Soft corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are the traditional choice for enchiladas, but flour tortillas do work, as well.
- Extras for serving: avocado, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lime wedges, sour cream, etc. as you like.
How To Make Ground Beef Skillet Enchiladas
I’ve included a few step-by-step photos here to make this recipe extra easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Brown the ground beef, then add in veggies and spices. You can do this directly in the skillet, no extra fat required unless you are substituting ground chicken or turkey.
Add beans, sauce, corn, and cheese. Once the veggies are tender, stir in the bulk of the remaining ingredients until the mixture is even.
Add tortilla wedges. Cut roughly four medium corn tortillas into quarters, then tuck the wedges into the skillet and stir gently so that they are all submerged or lightly coated in the sauce mixture.
Top with cheese and bake until bubbly. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top, then bake for about 12 minutes in an oven set to 425°F.
The cheese should fully melt and the filling will be nice and bubbly around the edges. For a lightly browned top, turn the oven to broil for 1-2 minutes at the end of the cooking time.
Top as desired and dig in!
What To Serve with Skillet Enchiladas
Once you pop this skillet in the oven, it’s time to concentrate on your favorite toppings. We like all the usuals: creamy avocado, crisp green onions, fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, lime wedges, and dollops of rich sour cream for my husband.
This definitely suffices as a one-and-done meal, with carbohydrates, protein, and veggies all packed in, but if you want to stretch it further, my favorite pairings include this everyday Mexican salad or a Mexican three-bean salad, which also makes a great lunch on its own the next day.
Chips, guacamole, and blender salsa as an appetizer are always welcome, as well!
Variations, Tips, & Tricks for Success
- Use ground chicken or ground turkey. These lean meats work interchangeably with ground beef in this recipe; just add a swirl of olive oil to the pan prior to adding the meat to prevent sticking, since they will render relatively less fat.
- Swap the veggies. Not a zucchini fan? Substitute yellow squash or just leave it out. Have extra shredded carrots or cabbage to use up? Toss them in.
- Leave out the tortillas. If you’re not sure you’ll enjoy the texture of tortillas baked into the skillet, leave them out and serve as an optional accompaniment for scooping out the beef and veggie mixture, or forego tortillas altogether and serve the skillet family-style with tortilla chips for dipping.
Storage & Reheating
Extras of this enchilada skillet will keep well for up to 5 days if tightly-covered in the refrigerator. I am lazy and like to use a lidded cast iron skillet, so that once it approaches room temperature, I can just pop the lid on and store the whole thing in the fridge!
Reheat portions on the stovetop on low heat or in the microwave for 90-120 seconds, adding another 20-30 seconds if needed depending on the power of your microwave.
You also can freeze leftovers in any freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Emergency dinner, covered! Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm as indicated above.
More Tex-Mex Dinner Ideas
- Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Baja Chicken Tacos
- Sheet Pan Chipotle Lime Shrimp Fajitas
- Chickpea Tacos with Sunset Slaw
- Quick and Healthy Fish Tacos
- Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas
Beef Skillet Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 bell pepper any color, chopped
- 1 small zucchini chopped
- 1/2 red onion peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano
- kosher salt
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 and 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- 4 medium-sized soft corn tortillas
- avocado, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lime wedges, sour cream, etc. as desired for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then directly add the ground beef and start breaking it apart into small pieces.1 pound lean ground beef
- When the meat starts to render a bit of fat, stir in the bell pepper, zucchini, onion, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well and continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, until the veggies are tender and the meat is well-browned.1 bell pepper, 1 small zucchini, 1/2 red onion, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon each chili powder, garlic powder, and dried oregano, kosher salt
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add black beans, enchilada sauce, corn, and 1/2 cup of the cheese to the skillet. Stir well to combine.1 (15 ounce) can black beans, 1 and 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 and 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- Cut the tortillas into 4 wedges each, then tuck the wedges into the skillet, stirring and pressing them down gently so that they are all coated with sauce. Sample and season with more salt to taste, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese evenly on top.4 medium-sized soft corn tortillas
- Transfer skillet to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- While the skillet bakes, prepare whatever toppings you like—avocado, lime wedges, green onions, fresh cilantro, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.avocado, green onions, cilantro, tomatoes, lime wedges, sour cream, etc.
- Remove from the oven, top, and serve straight from the skillet or scooped into bowls, as desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ground chicken or ground turkey. These lean meats work interchangeably with ground beef in this recipe; just add a swirl of olive oil to the pan prior to adding the meat to prevent sticking, since they will render relatively less fat.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge, tightly-covered, for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Nutrition Estimate
For the best results, I highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. I am a real person who personally writes, tests, and photographs all of these recipes in my own kitchen, and I appreciate the time and energy that you put into feeding your family, too. These tips will help you enjoy the best results.
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