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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Jump to:
- Why you'll love this easy beef enchiladas recipe
- Simple ingredients
- Variations
- Step-by-step directions to make cream cheese beef enchiladas
- Kitchen Tools for making Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
- What to serve with beef enchiladas
- Can you freeze this enchilada casserole?
- Storage
- More Cinco de Mayo Recipes
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.
Kitchen Tools for making Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
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
