Shredded Beef Enchiladas start with slow-cooked, tender beef. The beef is layered in soft tortillas with beans and cheese, then baked in a rich red sauce.
Easy Shredded Beef Enchiladas
My kids love these Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas so much that I make two pans—one for dinner and one for after-school snacks. Yes, they really love them that much!
When I made these Shredded Beef Enchiladas, they were disappointed it wasn’t the vegetarian version. But after one bite, they were hooked! Rave reviews all around!
To keep it easy, I use a slow cooker or pressure cooker for the beef, making it mostly hands-off. You can prep the beef and sauce one day, then assemble the enchiladas the next.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Oil is used for browning beef and cooking onions before they go in the slow cooker.
- Beef Chuck Roast: Look for a cut with good marbling to get the most tender meat.
- Yellow Onion: Dice small and evenly so it will cook quickly.
- Taco Seasoning: My homemade blend is the best!
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Taste first to check for spice and flavor. Old El Paso® mild sauce is my favorite to use here.
- Diced Green Chiles: Optional if you’d like a mild kick of heat.
- Refried Beans: Use your favorite store-bought; make sure they aren’t watery!
- Flour Tortillas: Soft tortillas work best. TortillaLand® unbaked tortillas are my personal favorite—cook them in a skillet before filling.
- Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese: Freshly grate for better melt and flavor.
How To Make Shredded Beef Enchiladas
- Sear Beef: Pat beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown in hot oil. Move to slow cooker. This adds layers of flavor to the enchiladas!
- Cook Onions and Sauce: In the same pot, cook onions, add seasoning, and stir in sauce. Pour over beef in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook Beef: Cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or HIGH for 5-7 hours until tender. Shred beef and mix with some sauce.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Spread beans on tortillas, add beef and cheese, then roll up. Place in a greased baking dish.
- Bake: Pour sauce over tortillas, cover with foil, and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover, add cheese, and bake until melted.
- Serve: Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with toppings.
Using Leftover Enchilada Sauce
You may have some leftover sauce; here’s how I like to use it:
- Drizzled over scrambled eggs
- Drizzled over rice and beans
- In one of these recipes: Quinoa Enchilada Bake, Pozole, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Quinoa Enchilada Crockpot
- Use in your favorite chilaquiles recipe.
Quick Tip
Use leftover tortillas in my favorite easy Tortilla Pie!
Toppings
Anything you usually enjoy on enchiladas will work great with these Shredded Beef Enchiladas. Here are some of my go-tos:
- Lime Juice: Squeeze some fresh lime on top for a fresh citrus flavor.
- Cilantro: Chop it up or just tear off a few leaves to sprinkle over.
- Sour Cream: Regular, fat-free, or light all work well.
- Avocado: Add thin slices of ripe avocado for creaminess—or try guacamole!
- Cherry Tomatoes: Dice a few or add a spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo for freshness.
Shredded Beef Enchiladas FAQs
What’s The Secret To Great Enchiladas?
-Use Beef Chuck Roast: A well-marbled cut makes the beef tender and delicious.
-Sear The Beef: Searing the beef first adds flavor and creates a delicious crust. It helps lock in juices and makes the beef more flavorful and tender in the slow cooker.
Should I Bake Enchiladas Covered Or Uncovered?
Start by covering the enchiladas with foil and baking until hot. Then, uncover, add cheese, and bake again. Covering them first makes sure they cook through without drying out.
What Is The Red Sauce On Enchiladas Made Of?
I use store-bought enchilada sauce. Just make sure it’s one you like and not too spicy.
What Is The Best Cheese To Use For Enchiladas?
I recommend a mix of sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack. Using only Cheddar can make the enchiladas a bit oily.
More Delicious Recipes:
- Ground Beef Quesadillas with corn and red peppers
- Chicken Fajitas the best fajita marinade ever!
- Mexican Rice Recipe made in one pan!
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas with green enchilada sauce
- Navajo Tacos made with Fry Bread
Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Shredded Beef Enchiladas feature slow-cooked, tender beef wrapped in soft tortillas with beans and cheese, all baked in a rich red sauce!
Equipment
- Large Dutch-oven or large oven-safe pot
- Crock-Pot
- Baking pan 9 x 13-inch
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2.25 to 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 batch taco seasoning see note 1
- 20 ounces mild red enchilada sauce 2 (10-ounce) cans
- 1 (4-ounce can) mild diced green chiles optional
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 8 medium flour tortillas see note 2
- 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Toppings as desired see note 3
Instructions
- See note 4 for Instant Pot method. Remove the chuck roast from packaging and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 5–7 minutes on each side until a crust forms and it releases easily from the pan. Transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
- Reduce heat to low. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the Dutch oven and sauté the diced onion for 3 minutes. Add taco seasoning and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in 20 ounces enchilada sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker along with the optional green chiles.
- Cover and cook on low for 7–9 hours or on high for 5–7 hours, until the beef is tender and shreds easily. Once cooked, transfer the beef to a large bowl and let it cool slightly. Shred the beef with two forks, discarding any fat. Whisk the sauce in the slow cooker and adjust seasoning if needed. Add 1 cup of the sauce to the shredded beef and, using tongs, gently toss to combine.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and spread 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom. In a medium bowl, toss together the Cheddar and Monterey Jack. Set aside 1 cup of cheese for topping. Lay out tortillas and spread about 2 tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each. Divide shredded beef evenly on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Roll up each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
- Pour 2 cups of the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas (see note 5). Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, top with the reserved cheese, and bake an additional 5–10 minutes until cheese is melted.
- Let enchiladas rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Top with your favorite garnishes like cilantro, lime, avocado, or sour cream.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Homemade taco seasoning: Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.
Note 2: For best results, use high-quality tortillas like TortillaLand®. If using unbaked tortillas, cook them in a pan before assembling.
Note 3: Optional toppings for serving include fresh cilantro, fresh lime, avocado or guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream.
Note 4: Instant Pot Method: Sear the beef in the Instant Pot on “sauté” mode. After browning, add the remaining oil and sauté the onion. Stir in seasonings and enchilada sauce. Whisk really well and make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom so you don’t get a burn notice. On manual mode, pressure cook the beef for 45 minutes. Allow a natural release for 25 minutes.
Note 5: You might have extra enchilada sauce. Don’t reduce the amount—it’s needed for cooking the beef. Check the post for ideas on using the leftover sauce!
Storage: Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 888kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.5g | Protein: 67.1g | Fat: 40.1g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 2566mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 13g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Used the slow cooker & the meat turned out well! Made the homemade taco seasoning described with the mild enchilada sauce and it was good although a little spicy (too much so for the kids). Do you have any suggestions to cut back on the heat? We thought the chuck and sauce were the stars of this dish and will be making mexican beef bowls next time! Cheese and tortillas just didn’t do it for us.
You could try reducing the chili powder to 1 or 2 teaspoons!
I have an air fryer could I cook the steak on Roast setting?
I also have a Dutch oven would that be an option?
I don’t believe the Air Fryer would be the best option! I’d stick to a dutch oven instead 🙂
Recipe look great, but I live on a very tight budget, and rise in beef prices would exclude me on this one, but it gave me an idea for Pork Butt Chili Verde enchiladas.
Thank you for the free idea’s. You are the best!
You’re so kind! I’ll definitely look into it! Thanks for your comment! 🙂