Shredded Beef Enchiladas With Red Sauce

Looking down on a pan of shredded beef enchiladas on a brown wooden surface with cilantro, red onion and lime slices to the left.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas With Red Sauce

For your next Tex-Mex feast, everyone will love these very best shredded beef enchiladas with a spicy red chile sauce! After filling corn tortillas with succulent, tender beef chuck roast and Hatch green chilies, these meaty enchiladas are covered with plenty of melted cheese and your favorite toppings. Whether you’re hosting a Cinco de Mayo party or just a casual evening with friends, these enchiladas always meet rave reviews.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 495kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

Red Enchilada Sauce

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
3 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt to taste starting with about ½ teaspoon and adding more if necessary

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

1 ½ cups red enchilada sauce divided
Canola oil
8 corn tortillas not flour tortillas
1 ½ cups shredded beef
3 cups white melting cheese divided (see notes)
¼ cup roasted green chilies jarred, frozen, canned or freshly roasted
Desired toppings such as avocado slices, lime wedges, red onion, cilantro, sour cream and salsa

Instructions

Red Enchilada Sauce

Over medium heat, add flour and chili powders in a dry small saucepan and whisk constantly for about five minutes.
Slowly stir in stock. Continue to whisk to keep the flour from clumping.
Add tomato sauce, cocoa powder, cumin, garlic powder, espresso powder, onion powder, oregano and cinnamon. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and add salt.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread about ½ cup of the red enchilada sauce on the bottom of a greased baking dish. Set the rest of the enchilada sauce aside.
Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a clean skillet and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Place a corn tortilla in the oil and cook for 30 seconds. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds.
While the corn tortilla is still warm, add 2 tablespoons shredded beef, 1 tablespoon shredded cheese and ½ tablespoon green chilies to the center of the tortilla. Fold each side of the tortilla toward the center to roll the enchilada and place seam-side down in the baking pan. Repeat with all tortillas. If necessary, add more oil to the skillet.
Top the enchiladas with the remaining 1 cup enchilada sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let sit for about five minutes to set and prevent the enchiladas from falling apart when serving. Garnish with desired toppings. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

If you need a recipe for shredded beef, try my Mexican shredded beef or Instant Pot shredded beef.
For the enchilada sauce, you can substitute the chipotle chili powder for another tablespoon of the regular chili powder.
The enchilada should give you about enough for two batches of enchilada sauce. You can freeze the leftovers for three to six months.
Fresh tortillas roll more easily without breaking than old tortillas.
To make ahead, fry and fill the tortillas as originally directed. Instead of placing the enchiladas in a baking dish with a layer of sauce, store them in a dry baking dish. Cover and refrigerate the enchiladas for up to a day or two. Remove the enchiladas from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking to remove the chill for more even cooking. Spread the enchilada sauce in a separate baking dish. Carefully move the enchiladas to the sauce-covered dish, and then proceed with the original directions for topping with more sauce, cheese and baking.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition