Beef Cream Cheese Enchiladas are a delectable and creamy twist on traditional enchiladas. You will love serving this casserole at your next friends and family fiesta. Ole!
If you love Mexican food, try these Easy Taco Empanadas for a quick weeknight dinner.
Original Recipe May 2020 | Update: July 2023
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Why you'll love this easy beef enchiladas recipe
Family Favorite - My college roommates and I started making a variation of this recipe when we were broke and starving. Now this recipe ranks as one of my family's top 10, with the addition of cilantro, Rotel, and a fabulous spice combination.
A Simple recipe full of flavor- You'll love how quickly and easily this recipe comes together, and all you need is chips and salsa to serve with the casserole.
Versatile and customizable: Personalize your beef enchilada casserole to suit your preferences. Adding extra ingredients like black beans, black olives, bell peppers, or jalapenos enhances the flavors and textures. Additionally, you can top the casserole with your favorite taco toppings.
Simple ingredients
- Ground Beef
- Tomatoes with Green Chiles - Rotel is my preference.
- Flour Tortillas - Corn tortillas can be substituted. Adjust the number accordingly.
- Cream Cheese - Light or full fat will work great.
- Colby Jack Cheese - A mixture of cheddar cheese and Monterey jack cheese is a great substitution. If you like it spicy, use pepper jack cheese.
- Red Enchilada Sauce - Mild or hot, it's up to you. I love this homemade enchilada sauce recipe if you want to make your own.
- Spices - Including cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. You could substitute a package of taco seasoning in place of the spices I've included.
- Corn - Any kind, including fresh, frozen, and canned corn, will work.
- Optional Garnish - Green Onions, cilantro, and black olives.
Variations
- Make the enchiladas vegetarian by skipping the ground beef and adding black beans, sauteed red onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms.
- Instead of traditional red enchilada sauce, use a green sauce made from roasted green chilies, tomatillos, and spices. The tangy and slightly spicy flavor of the sauce pairs well with beef.
- Spice them up with smokey chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. This will give the casserole a smokey unique flavor.
- Trade out the ground beef for shredded pork or chicken.
- Add a layer of refried beans over the cream cheese when assembling the enchiladas.
Step-by-step directions to make cream cheese beef enchiladas
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2: Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain and return to the skillet. Pour enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes with green chilies, corn, and spices into the skillet. Give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes.
Step 3: Spread 1 oz of cream cheese over half of each tortilla and fold in half.
Step 4: Add ½ cup of the meat mixture to the bottom of a 9 x 13 prepared baking dish—layer four tortillas over the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Spread ⅓ of the beef mixture over the tortillas. Add the remaining four tortillas and cover with the remaining sauce.
Step 6: Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole.
Step 7: Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 8: Garnish with green onions and cilantro.
What to serve with beef enchiladas
My thoughts go straight to the cocktail to serve with the enchiladas! Try my Tequila Gimlet or Strawberry Puree Margarita. Outside the cocktail, you only need chips and salsa to go with this enchilada bake.
A side of rice or beans is also a good option.
Can you freeze this enchilada casserole?
Yes, you can freeze this casserole. Like so many of my recipes, you can make this beef casserole in big batches and freeze it for a last-minute dinner at home or for a sure hit when it's your turn on the meal train!
Storage
Fridge: Store leftover enchilada casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
This casserole can be frozen before baking or after. Thaw in the fridge overnight and bake as directed if baking before freezing. If the casserole goes from the fridge to the oven, add 10 - 15 minutes to the baking time.
Rewarm the cooked casserole in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
More Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Cream Cheese Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef cooked and drained
- 1 10 oz Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles Rotel works great
- 1 11 oz Corn canned, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups Enchilada Sauce
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 8 8" Flour Tortillas
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
- 1 ½ cup Colby Jack Cheese
- Cilantro
- Green Onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain and return to the skillet. Pour enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes with green chilies, corn, and spices into the skillet. Give everything a good stir with a wooden spoon and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes.1 lb Ground Beef, 1 10 oz Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles, 1 11 oz Corn, 2 cups Enchilada Sauce, 1 tsp Cumin, 2 tsp Chili Powder, ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Pepper, ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- Spread 1 oz of cream cheese over half of each tortilla and fold in half.8 8" Flour Tortillas, 8 oz Cream Cheese
- Add ½ cup of the meat mixture to the bottom of a 9 x 13 prepared baking dish—layer four tortillas over the bottom of the pan.
- Spread ⅓ of the beef mixture over the tortillas. Add the remaining four tortillas and cover with the rest of the beef mixture.1 ½ cup Colby Jack Cheese
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with green onions and cilantro.Cilantro, Green Onion
Notes
Nutrition
Allie
This is good but it doesn’t tell me what to use the corn for 🙂😕
Jill
You can not know how much time I put into editing this post and I still forget the corn! You add the corn to the ground beef mixture. Thanks for letting me know, I fixed the post.
Thomas N.Kelly
It was very good and not all that hard to make and did not take long. TK
Jill
Awesome! Thank you, TK.
Grissell
Absolutely outstanding!
Jill
Thank you!
Randi
My good friend made this for a gathering of 15 people. It was a hit!!
We all loved it and the leftovers were gone before I got any.
I made it today, it was very easy to make and turned out just as good!!
Jill
That's awesome! So glad you guys liked it!
Amy
Yummy and even good the next day!
Jill
Thank you Amy!
Wilma Todd
I. I made this for my family and everyone really really liked it!!! Definitely will make again often!!!
Jill
I’m so glad you all enjoyed! Thanks for for the comment!❤️
Anonymous
I added rinsed and drained a can of black. It was great
Kristin
I made this gluten free with corn tortillas- it was fabulous! Thanks for the recipe - it will make it into the monthly rotation.
Mathew Bolles
I made this tonight and it was a real hit!
Jill Machovsky
I'm so glad! Thank you for the comment!
Anonymous
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lisa
I haven't made this yet, hence the no stars cuz it says fold tortillas in half and put cream cheese on half? I don't understand, is it meat mixture in the pan first or tortillas??
Jill Machovsky
Yes, you will put the cream cheese on half of the tortilla and then fold it in half. Add just a bit of the meat mixture to the bottom of the pan to keep the tortillas from sticking.
Bobbe
what is Rotel? is it tomatoes.or chilies. need clarfication. thanks
Jill Machovsky
Yes, you can find it with the tomatoes.
Katrina
Rotel is a brand name for diced tomatoes and chiles.
Jill Machovsky
You are correct! I naturally say Rotel, but really should be more clear. I'm actually updating that recipe now with new pictures and content. I'll be sure to be more clear. Thanks for your comment Katrina!
sammie coffman
what can I substitute for enchilada sauce?
Jill Machovsky
Hi Sammie. Salsa would work as a substitute. Might need to thin it out a bit with tomato sauce and spice it up with cumin and chili powder. Another option would be to use tomato paste with water and add spices to create a homemade enchilada sauce. Let me know how it turns out.
Anonymous
Delicious easy customization convenient. Thanks for doing the hard work for us.
Maria Meskell
thanks for the recipe will try it tonight
Jill Machovsky
Hi Maria! It's a family favorite. I hope you love it too.
Scott
We loved this casserole. Not too spicy!
Beverly
I was feeling like my family was getting tired of the same old meals, so it was time to try something new. Luckily, I came across this recipe! I made it for my family tonight and they loved it! I've seen some other recipes I will be trying. Thank you so much!
Jill Machovsky
Thank you Beverly for stopping by my site. I'm so glad you are here!
Cristie Kirkland
This sounds so good. I've made Enchilada recipe before but this one just caught my eye. Can't wait to try it. 1 question what is your favorite Enchilada sauce in a can if you had to choice one ? I always try to make homemade and I have your homemade recipe but I was just curious if you recommend one. thanks
Jill Machovsky
Hi Cristie! I like the Red Gold or Hatch brands of enchilada sauce. Enjoy the recipe!
Kathy Harada
I loved this recipe and so did my friends that I shared it with. So easy to make, I did put refried beans on one side and cream cheese on the other. I will definitely be making this again
Anonymous
I can cook really Enchiladas with Chile mexicanos not this white stuff that is not authentic Mexican food if your a real Mexicana you cook with Chile's pods & you don't use flour tortillas we use corn
Mexicana!
Jill Machovsky
Hello! This recipe was created by four hungry college students who threw ingredients together on a budget. It certainly is not authentic Mexican food. I have updated the recipe for busy families who need to get a quick and easy casserole on the table. I hope you might try it. It is really delicious and well received by my readers, family and friends.
Mel
Why so rude? There are other forms of cooking Mexican food that is not authentic. How boring would it be not to be able to try different dishes that are different from the authentic dishes? Just relax. Google the word … scroll. Use it. Scroll on by.
Jill Machovsky
Thanks Mel!
Linda
In step 5 you say "add the remaining sauce" do you mean the rest of the meat mixture? or what ever sauce from the can you have remaining after taking out 2 cups?
Jill Machovsky
You'll add the rest of the meat mixture over the top of the flour tortillas. Thank you for your questions. I updated the recipe card to be more clear.