Beef Enchiladas
I use leftover meat from my shredded BBQ beef recipe (minus the sauce) to get these together quickly. Make the sauce a few days ahead to help speed things along.
I use leftover meat from my shredded BBQ beef recipe (minus the sauce) to get these together quickly. Make the sauce a few days ahead to help speed things along.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 1/4 pounds cooked shredded beef
- 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese or cheddar
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup canned pickled jalapenos chopped
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
- Carbohydrate 57.6233566973858 g
- Cholesterol 156.773625 mg
- Fat 59.1852716351332 g
- Fiber 10.7784950787473 g
- Protein 44.5627313936201 g
- Saturated Fat 25.0641683974751 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (486g)
- Sodium 1078.22629558534 mg
- Sugar 46.8448616186385 g
- Trans Fat 10.5264149545892 g
- Calories 924 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oil in a saucepot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine beef with 1/3 cup sauce, 1 cup of the cheese, the cilantro and the jalepenos. Set aside.
- Spread 3/4 cup sauce in a 9x13 pan. Microwave 6 tortillas until soft, about 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup beef mixture down the center of each tortilla, roll tortillas tightly, and set in baking dish seam side down. Repeat with remaining 6 tortillas and beef mixture.
- Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and spread to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over enchiladas, wrap with foil, and bake until heated through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until cheese browns slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Serve.
Chili powder functions as the primary aromatic driver in this dish, anchoring the savory profile of the sauce through a measured blend of ground chilis and spices. Cooking the onions over medium heat for roughly 5 minutes allows them to soften and turn golden without scorching the minced garlic added shortly after. Adjusting these core ingredients requires careful attention to moisture levels and fat ratios to achieve successful results.
Adapting for Dietary Restrictions
Modifying this preparation for different nutritional requirements involves targeted ingredient swaps. Substituting store-bought gluten-free corn tortillas requires warming them thoroughly in the microwave for 60 seconds so they bend without cracking along the edges. Dairy-free melts or plant-based cheddar alternatives can replace Monterey Jack, though plant fats melt differently and may require an extra 5 minutes uncovered under the oven heat to achieve proper browning at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For vegetarian adaptations, cooked lentils or black beans substitute cleanly for shredded beef at a one-to-one volumetric ratio without altering the thickness of the filling mixture.
- Warm tortillas in small batches to prevent them from drying out and tearing during the rolling process.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil for the initial 20 to 25 minutes to trap steam and heat the interior evenly.
- Remove the foil during the final 5 to 10 minutes of baking to monitor surface browning closely.
