Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce are a big hit in my house full of men. Perfectly tender beef wrapped in flour tortillas, all topped with an amazing homemade enchilada sauce and shredded Mexican cheese! Yes please.
Beef Enchiladas
It’s often a Tex-Mex fiesta in my kitchen. All the tacos, tortilla soup, skillet meals, refried beans, guacamole, and margaritas. Mexican food is one of my favorite things to make, which is why I keep my kitchen stocked with beans, tortillas, cilantro, limes, avocados, and jalapeños AT ALL TIMES.
But here’s the thing about enchiladas. I NEVER order them when we go out, because they are always swimming in cheese sauce. No thank you. I’d rather go light on the cheese and heavy on the filling.
Why we LOVE these enchiladas:
- Full of fall-apart beef.
- With the best homemade enchilada sauce.
- Topped with Mexican shredded cheese.
- And worth the time it takes to make them!
Ingredients needed:
The ingredient list is a bit long, but most are just seasonings and veggies. You can adjust these if so desired.
- For the beef – You’ll need a beef chuck roast, olive oil for sautéing, seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes), sliced onion, tomato paste, and beef broth.
- For the enchilada sauce – A simple mixture of olive oil, onion, jalapeño, seasonings (chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper), flour, tomato paste, chicken broth, and tomato sauce.
- Tortillas – I used medium-sized flour tortillas (I like the carb-balance ones) for this recipe, but you could use whatever you prefer.
- Mexican Cheese – You’ll want to add a generous amount to the tops of the enchiladas.
How to cook a beef roast:
For all of these options, be sure to brown the roast first. Slice the roast in chunks and sprinkle liberally with seasonings. Heat a skillet (or you can do this in the instant pot if using that method) to medium heat and add oil. Then add roast (in batches if necessary) and brown pieces on all sides. Remove the roast from heat, and use one of the methods below to continue cooking.
- Instant Pot – After browning, add the tomato paste and beef broth to cover the roast. Pressure cook on high for 55 minutes, and do a natural release for 15 minutes. Remove roast, cool slightly, and shred.
- Slow Cooker – Once browned, add the roast to a slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, and beef broth to cover the roast. Cook on high for about 5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.. When it falls apart easily, it’s done.
- Stove Top – After browning the roast, use the same stock pot to make soup. Deglaze the pan as you add the tomato paste and then add beef broth to cover then roast. Cook, with lid on, at medium-high heat for 2 to 3 hours, or until beef falls apart easily.
- Oven – Once browned, add the roast to a roaster or dutch oven. Add tomato paste and beef broth to cover. Cook, with lid on, on 350 degrees for 2 to 3 hours, or until beef is very tender.
How to make shredded beef enchiladas:
Step 1
Cook the beef. Choose one of the methods above to cook your beef. You’ll want to do a quick sauté of the onions and garlic after browning the beef.
Step 2
Make the enchilada sauce. Follow my simple directions to make the most flavorful enchilada sauce that goes so well on many of my Tex-Mex Recipes.
Step 3
Assemble casserole. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dishes. (You’ll need two casserole dishes for this recipe.) Then take one tortilla at a time and spoon some beef and onions down the center. Wrap it up tightly and arrange in pan, placing them side-by-side as you go.
Then add a generous amount of enchilada sauce (about two cups per casserole) to the top. Sprinkle some Mexican Cheese on top of the sauce, and cover with foil to bake.
Step 4
Bake. Bake for 30 minutes, and then remove foil and bake another 10 minutes or so, or until browned on top to your liking.
Step 5
Serve. Serve these enchiladas over some rice along with some freshly chopped cilantro.
These would also be delicious over some Mexican Quinoa Salad!
Storing and Freezing:
- Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To freeze beef enchiladas, wrap the entire dish tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil for extra protection against freezer burn. Thaw and reheat.
What to serve with these enchiladas:
We often enjoy these beef enchiladas over plain rice, but you could shake it up and go with one or two of the following as well.
Other Tex-Mex dishes to make next:
Like I’ve said, Tex-Mex is one of our favorites, so give one of these a try next!
Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)
xoxo ~Sue
Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil – or avocado oil
- 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast – cut into chunks
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 large onion – sliced thin
- 3 cups beef broth – or enough to cover the meat
For the enchilada sauce:
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 1 large jalapeno – diced (with or without seeds)
- 1 clove garlic – diced
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
Other ingredients:
- 14 medium flour tortillas – I use lower-carb tortillas
- 10-12 oz. Mexican cheese
- cooked rice and sliced avocados – to serve
Instructions
For the beef:
- OTHER METHODS TO COOK BEEF BELOW!
- Slice beef into 2-inch chunks. Season beef on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Rub spices into meat.
- FOR INSTANT POT (my preferred method): PRESS SAUTE FUNCTION. Add olive oil, and when hot, add 1/2 of the roast beef chunks. Brown on ALL sides until crusty brown. Remove meat from pot and repeat with remaining meat.
- Add some beef broth to deglaze the bottom of pot slightly. Then add onions, tomato paste, and the remaining beef broth. Stir and add beef back to pan, nestling the beef into the broth. Make sure the meat is almost fully covered with broth. Clear the IP and then PRESS PRESSURE COOK FUNCTION. Make sure the vent is closed and adjust time to 55 minutes. After the cook is complete, let the instant pot do a 15 minute natural release (don't touch it). Then open the vent, and when able, remove lid.
- Remove the meat from the pot and let cool slightly. Shred with two forks and remove visible fat. Using a slotted spoon, remove as much onion as possible from liquid. Add onions to meat and stir.
For the sauce:
- Heat a medium-sized saucepan to medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, and jalapeño and cook until soft. Add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, and stir for one minute, allowing spices to soak in.
- Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes. Mixture will appear to be dry. Add chicken broth tomato paste, and tomato sauce, and cook for 15-20 minutes, allowing sauce to thicken. Remove and let cool slightly.
- Take immersion blender and puree enchilada sauce until smooth.
To assemble enchiladas:
- ** This recipe makes about 14 enchiladas so you'll need two casserole dishes. I usually freeze about half of them (unbaked).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9×13 casserole dish (plus another dish as you'll have about 14 enchiladas total) by spreading a thin layer of the enchilada sauce all over the bottom.
- Take one tortilla at a time, spoon beef mixture (and onions) along middle of tortilla. Roll up and place in casserole dish. Repeat for all tortillas.
- Pour about 2 to 2½ cups of enchilada sauce on top of tortillas, or enough to liberally coat. Sprinkle top with shredded cheese and cover with foil.
- Bake enchiladas for 30 minutes (covered), and then remove foil and let the top brown up, approximately 10 minutes.
- Add some chopped cilantro over enchiladas. Serve over rice with avocado slices, if desired.
Notes
-
How to cook a beef roast:
For all of these options, be sure to brown the roast first. Slice the roast in chunks and sprinkle liberally with seasonings. Heat a skillet (or you can do this in the instant pot if using that method) to medium heat and add olive oil. Then add roast (in batches if necessary) and brown pieces on all sides. Remove the roast from heat, and use one of the methods below to continue cooking.- Instant Pot – After browning, add the tomato paste and beef broth to cover the roast. Pressure cook on high for 55 minutes, and do a natural release for 15 minutes. Remove roast, cool slightly, and shred.
- Slow Cooker – Once browned, add the roast to a slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, and beef broth to cover the roast. Cook on high for about 5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.. When it falls apart easily, it’s done.
- Stove Top – After browning the roast, use the same stock pot to make soup. Deglaze the pan as you add the tomato paste and then add beef broth to cover then roast. Cook, with lid on, at medium-high heat for 2 to 3 hours, or until beef falls apart easily.
- Oven – Once browned, add the roast to a roaster or dutch oven. Add tomato paste and beef broth to cover. Cook, with lid on, on 350 degrees for 2 to 3 hours, or until beef is very tender.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice! Is it possible to freeze and serve later? Thank you! 😊
Thanks Barbara! Yes, you can definitely freeze this for later!
I cannot wait to my these Enchiladas, they sound delicious.
Let me know how you like them!
I love anything Mexican and these were top notch. The beef is so tender and the sauce makes the dish. So delicious and worth the the time to make.
Thanks Shari!
This recipe is delicious! You HAVE to make the homemade enchilada sauce – absolutely worth it. Family went back for seconds. I used both regular flour tortillas and gluten- free cassava tortillas. The gluten-free tortillas didn’t hold up as well and got a little mushy, but I’d do it again. SO scrumptious!
Thanks so much Jackie!
Word of advice, this recipe works with beef, brisket, pork, chicken, turkey, everything 🙂
Love the pairing with the HOMEADE sauce and beans!
We haven’t tried it with anything but beef but that’s a great idea!
Mexican is my favorite cuisine an these this dish was fabulous. I’m the only member of my family that loves Mexican food but we all thoroughly enjoyed this dish. I’ll come back to this one regularly.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas, Dave! Thanks for the feedback!
Can I make this ahead of time and heat it up for dinner?
Yes, you can make this one even a day in advance, and then bake before dinner time. Enjoy!
I have made this enchalada recipe twice, along with the homemade sauce, and found it to be super easy and it was a big hit! I really appreciate all of the detailed instructions and photos.
Oh, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! The sauce is the key, and it’s great in my Chicken Tortilla Soup too! 🙂 Thanks for your feedback.
Great dish. Family loved it !!
Hi Lori! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it! 🙂
Hey, I get the WHY, but hiding food is my trick! These are awesome! More please.
Coming right up!