Ground Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Queso
Ground Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Queso
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a 9 x 13 casserole dish by adding 2 tablespoon of olive oil and spreading over the bottom and sides with a paper towel. You could also use a cooking spray.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add your ground beef. I don’t add oil to the pan. The beef will render out its fat. Cook the ground beef, breaking up with a spatula until cooked through about 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the diced onions, cook another 3-4 minutes until onions have softened.
- Next, add in your garlic and cook another minute.
- Finish by adding in the black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt and enchilada sauce. Give it a stir to combine. Let the flavors marry for 2-3 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and now it’s time to assemble your dish. (I reserve half of the filling to freeze for a later date).
- Start by taking one tortilla and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese right down the middle of the tortilla.
- Next, add approximately one quarter cup of the filling mixture right on top of the cheese.
- Fold the tortilla over and place in your prepared casserole dish, seam side down.
- Continue filling and folding your tortillas until your pan in full. I think 8 to 10 tortillas is perfect for each dish.
- Top with the queso.
- Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!
- Note for a future meal: You can store the extra filling in the freezer. Just defrost in the refrigerator the night before. Prepare the enchiladas as in the recipe above. You could also just top with more enchilada sauce (instead of making queso). I would then add a layer of shredded cheese over the top. Enjoy!
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat.
- Once the butter has melted, add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir the sauce until all the ingredients have combined and the cheese has melted and is smooth.
- Note: this recipe makes enough for one pan of enchiladas.
Video
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Make-Ahead & Freezing
Reserve half of the cooked filling and store it in the freezer for a future meal. Defrost the frozen filling in the refrigerator the night before using it. When ready, assemble the enchiladas and bake as directed. If you prefer not to make the queso when reheating, top the assembled pan with extra enchilada sauce and a layer of shredded cheese before baking.
About the Queso (Yield & How to Use)
The homemade queso yields enough sauce for one 9 x 13 pan of enchiladas. Use it to top the assembled enchiladas before placing the dish in the oven to bake.
Why this recipe uses white American cheese for the queso
This recipe calls for ½ pound of shredded white American cheese in the homemade queso. Processed American cheese contains emulsifiers and a consistent fat‑to‑protein balance, which helps it melt into a smooth, stable sauce that resists separation. That produces the glossy, creamy queso used to top the assembled enchiladas and keeps the sauce texture even while allowing the diced mild green chiles and spices in the queso to come through without an overly assertive cheese note.
Enchilada sauce vs. queso — what’s the difference and how they act in the oven
Enchilada sauce and queso serve different roles when used on baked enchiladas:
- Enchilada sauce is typically chile‑ and tomato‑based and contributes savory, tangy chile flavor while helping keep the dish moist as it bakes.
- Queso is a cheese‑based sauce that gives a rich, creamy, melty finish and a velvety mouthfeel rather than the bright acidity of a red or green enchilada sauce.
This recipe tops the assembled enchiladas with the homemade queso to create a creamy, cheesy finish; both styles of sauce are commonly used on baked enchiladas and differ mainly in the final flavor and texture they provide.
Watch Dr. J Make Ground Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Queso
Watch Dr. J make Ground Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Queso and see how it comes together.
