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Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Beef and bean enchiladas make an easy family dinner with seasoned ground beef, beans, rice, cheese and red enchilada sauce rolled inside tortillas and baked until hot and bubbly.
This is also a useful make-ahead meal. Assemble the enchiladas earlier in the day or the night before, refrigerate them until dinner, or prepare an extra batch to freeze for another meal.
Start Here: Beef & Bean Enchiladas
- Ready to make dinner? Start with the Beef and Bean Enchiladas Recipe.
- Want homemade sauce? Jump to the Red Enchilada Sauce.
- Planning ahead? See Make-Ahead & Freezer Enchiladas.
- Want more Mexican-inspired meals? Explore the Mexican Cooking Recipes farther down the page.
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Beef and Bean Enchiladas
These beef and bean enchiladas combine ground beef, refried beans, rice and cheese inside tortillas, then bake everything together with red enchilada sauce. They work well for family dinner and can also be assembled ahead of time.
Ingredients
- 1 can refried beans
- Ground beef
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 medium onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Whole wheat tortillas
- Red enchilada sauce
- Sour cream, diced onion, shredded lettuce, salsa or guacamole, for serving, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Grate the onion into a large skillet, then add the ground beef.
- Cook over medium heat, breaking the beef apart as it cooks, until the ground beef reaches 160F on a food thermometer.
- Drain excess grease if needed, then stir in the refried beans and cooked rice until well combined.
- Spread a few spoonfuls of enchilada sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish.
- If desired, briefly fry each tortilla in a small amount of oil, then dip it in warm enchilada sauce.
- Place a large spoonful of the beef and bean mixture on each tortilla and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish.
- Continue filling and rolling the remaining tortillas.
- Spoon additional enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with more shredded cheese.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is melted.
- Serve with sour cream, diced onion, shredded lettuce, salsa or guacamole, if desired.
Add Vegetables to the Filling
Finely chopped or grated vegetables can be mixed into the beef filling before the enchiladas are assembled. See our Hidden Vegetable Recipes for more ideas.
Kids Cooking Tip: Kids can grate the cheese, measure the rice and beans, spoon filling onto tortillas and help roll the enchiladas. An adult should handle browning the beef, hot sauce and casserole dish.
Make-Ahead & Freezer Enchiladas
Beef and bean enchiladas are a good make-ahead dinner because you can assemble the casserole before you need it. Prepare one for tonight or make an extra pan to save for another meal.
Make Enchiladas Ahead
Prepare and roll the enchiladas, arrange them in the casserole dish and cover. Store in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. Add the sauce and cheese as directed and bake until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is melted.
Freeze Enchiladas for Later
- Prepare the Beef and Bean Enchiladas and arrange them in a freezer-safe baking dish.
- Cover the dish well and label it with the recipe name and date.
- Freeze the enchiladas for a future family dinner.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
- Bake until the enchiladas are heated completely through and the cheese is hot and melted.
Make Two Pans at Once
When you're already cooking the beef, rice and bean filling, prepare two pans of enchiladas. Serve one for dinner and freeze the second for another night. Find more make-ahead dinner ideas on our Freezer Meals page.
Kids Cooking Tip: Kids can help fill and roll the tortillas, sprinkle cheese over the casserole and label the freezer meal with the recipe name and date.
Bean & Vegetable Enchilada Variations
The basic Beef and Bean Enchiladas are easy to change depending on what your family likes or what you already have in the kitchen. Try a different type of bean, add vegetables or combine several ingredients in the filling.
Black Bean Enchiladas
Replace the refried beans with drained black beans. Leave them whole for more texture or lightly mash some of the beans before mixing them with the beef and rice.
Pinto or Kidney Beans
Try drained pinto or kidney beans in place of the refried beans. This is an easy way to change the texture of the filling while keeping the basic enchilada recipe the same.
Add Vegetables
Mix finely chopped, shredded or pureed vegetables into the beef filling. Try bell peppers, corn, zucchini or other vegetables your family enjoys. Find more ideas in our Hidden Vegetable Recipes.
Use Your Favorite Toppings
Set out shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, onions, salsa, sour cream or guacamole and let everyone add their favorite toppings after the enchiladas are baked.
Don't Overfill the Tortillas
Leave enough room to roll each tortilla around the filling. If the tortillas are too full, they are more likely to tear or come apart when you place them in the casserole dish.
Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce
This homemade red enchilada sauce starts with butter, flour and seasonings, then combines tomato sauce and chicken broth for a smooth, flavorful sauce. Use it with the Beef and Bean Enchiladas or chicken enchilada recipes.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, divided
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano and salt. Stir until well combined.
- Add the tomato sauce and 1 cup of the chicken broth. Stir until the sauce is completely smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Gradually add the remaining chicken broth, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring until the sauce reaches the consistency you want.
- Keep the sauce over low heat while preparing the enchilada filling and assembling the enchiladas.
Enchilada Sauce Thickens as It Sits
The sauce will continue to thicken as it rests. If it becomes thicker than you'd like while assembling the enchiladas, stir in a little additional chicken broth until it reaches the desired consistency.
Kids Cooking Tip: Kids can measure the flour, spices, tomato sauce and chicken broth before cooking begins. An adult should handle the hot skillet and supervise stirring the sauce on the stove.
Tex-Mex Enchiladas Video
Watch another way to prepare enchiladas and see how the tortillas, filling, sauce and cheese come together for a baked family meal.
More World-Inspired Recipes
Continue exploring foods, traditions and family-friendly recipes from Mexico and other countries with our printable World Studies cooking curriculum.
More Easy Beef Recipes
Ground beef can be turned into many easy family dinners. Try homemade hamburger patties, meatballs, meatloaf or Sloppy Joes for more ways to practice cooking with beef.
More Mexican-Inspired Dinner Recipes
Use many of the same tortillas, seasonings, meats, beans and toppings to make enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, nachos, taquitos and other family-friendly Mexican-inspired meals.
Beef & Bean Enchilada FAQ
Can beef and bean enchiladas be made ahead?
Yes. Assemble the enchiladas, cover the casserole dish and refrigerate until you're ready to bake. Add sauce and cheese as directed and bake until hot throughout.
Can you freeze beef enchiladas?
Yes. Assemble the enchiladas in a freezer-safe dish, cover well and freeze. Thaw them in the refrigerator before baking for the most even reheating.
What beans can you use in beef enchiladas?
Refried beans work well, but black beans, pinto beans or kidney beans can also be used. You can also combine two kinds of beans for a different texture.
Do you have to fry tortillas before making enchiladas?
No. Frying the tortillas briefly is optional. You can soften them and dip them in warm enchilada sauce before filling and rolling.
What can you serve with beef enchiladas?
Try shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes or onions, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, rice or beans alongside the enchiladas.
How can kids help make enchiladas?
Kids can grate cheese, measure ingredients, spoon filling onto tortillas and help roll the enchiladas. An adult should handle raw meat, the hot skillet and the hot casserole dish.
Continue Exploring Mexican Cooking
Ready to cook something new? Continue practicing with these family-friendly taco night favorites and homemade toppings.
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