Beef & Bean Enchiladas

Homemade enchiladas may look like a lot of ingredients and steps, but I promise that the whole process goes WAY quicker than you expect. But pretty please don’t skip the step of making your own enchilada sauce! It will be well worth the tiny bit of extra effort, and will be way tastier + healthier than the store-bought stuff. For this recipe, the enchilada filling has ground beef + beans, but you can totally substitute with other proteins like shredded pork or chicken, or make them vegetarian by subbing with sautéed veggies like mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, etc.

BEEF & BEAN ENCHILADAS

Photo Credit: The Beach House Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

For the Enchilada Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons flour (GF flour works too)

  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

  • 1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder (use more or less based on your spice tolerance!)

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano

  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

  • ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 2 cups broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef)

  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Enchiladas

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste

  • 1 lb ground beef

  • 1 can (14-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 can (14-oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

  • 8 tortillas (or burrito wraps)

  • 1.5-2 cups shredded cheese

  • Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. First make the enchilada sauce – Measure out the dry ingredients (the flour, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, cinnamon and salt) into a small bowl. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s sizzling, then pour in the flour + spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with additional salt and/or pepper.

  2. Make the beef and bean enchilada filling – Preheat your oven 350F. Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Add onion, garlic, and salt and cook for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up as you go, until most of the meat has browned. Next add the rinsed and drained black + pinto beans to the skillet, as well as 1/4 cup of your enchilada sauce. Stir to combine and continue cooking until the ground beef is fully cooked. Taste and add additional salt if needed.

  3. Assemble and bake the enchiladas – Smear a bit of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pyrex baking dish. Assemble the enchiladas by scooping the enchilada filling on the lower third of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and then place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with the shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot and enjoy!