Cheesy Beef Enchiladas Skillet
This beef enchiladas skillet has all the flavor of rolled enchiladas without the rolling. One pan, melted cheddar, and dinner in about 35 minutes.
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Rolling actual enchiladas isn’t something I have patience for most nights, so this skillet version lets me get that flavor without any rolling or baking.
The tortillas soften right in the sauce as everything simmers, so there’s no extra step, just one pan the whole way through.
My family cleans out the skillet every time I make this, cheese and all.
It’s turned into one of the dinners I reach for when I want real flavor without a long ingredient list or a sink full of dishes.
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Cutting the tortillas into triangles instead of using tortilla strips means they break down just enough to thicken the sauce like a real pan of enchiladas.
- Simmering everything together instead of baking it lets the tortillas soak up the sauce without turning to mush the way they can in the oven.
- Dividing the cheese and adding half partway through, then more at the end, gives you melted cheese mixed all through the dish plus a fully melted layer on top.
- A partial packet of taco seasoning keeps things balanced. The enchilada sauce is doing a lot of the seasoning work too, so a full packet pushes it into straight taco-filling territory.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning (about half a packet)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 12 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
- 2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
- Cilantro, for garnish
How to Make It
Prep the vegetables
Dice the bell pepper and onion, and cut the tortillas into triangles, about 8 pieces per tortilla. I don’t measure this part. Close enough is close enough.
Brown the beef
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, bell pepper, and onion over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until the beef is no longer pink. This is the only pan you’ll use for the whole recipe. Everything else happens right here.
Season it
Stir in the taco seasoning, minced garlic, and black beans. This is about where the kitchen starts smelling like taco night.
Add the tortillas and simmer
Stir in the cut tortillas, half of the cheese, and the enchilada sauce. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, then stir. This step is doing the work an oven would normally do. Cover again and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
Melt the cheese
Top with the remaining cheese, cover, and simmer for a few more minutes until it’s melted. I usually lift the lid once just to watch it happen.
Garnish and serve
Top with chopped cilantro before serving. It cuts the richness and adds a little color.
Ingredient Highlights
- Corn tortillas hold up to simmering better than flour. They soften without turning to complete mush.
- A partial packet of taco seasoning is enough here. A full packet makes the dish too salty once the enchilada sauce is in there too.
Make It Your Way
- Swap the ground beef for ground turkey or shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Use pinto beans instead of black beans if that’s what’s in the pantry.
- Add a diced jalapeño with the bell pepper for more heat.
- Swap in a pepper jack and cheddar blend if you want more heat from the cheese too.
What to Serve With It
- Mexican rice fills out the plate.
- A simple green salad works well alongside it.
- Tortilla chips and guacamole are good for scooping up extra sauce.
- Sour cream, lime wedges, and sliced avocado are easy to set out for topping individual plates.
Simple Tips
- Give the tortillas a few extra minutes if you like them fully broken down instead of holding some shape.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
- This isn’t a great candidate for freezing, since the tortillas can turn mushy once thawed.
Final Thoughts
This is the dinner I make when I want real Tex-Mex flavor without rolling a single enchilada. It’s become one of the meals my family asks for most, and the one-pan cleanup means I never mind putting it back into the rotation.
More Tex-Mex Dinners to Try
- If you like a good skillet meal, Easy Weeknight Taco Skillet hits similar flavors and comes together just as fast.
- For the classic rolled version, Easy Kid-Friendly Chicken Enchiladas is worth making when you have a little more time.
- Amazing Green Enchilada Chicken Soup takes the same flavors in a different direction, good for a cooler night.
Cheesy Beef Enchiladas Skillet
A one-pan take on beef enchiladas with black beans, melted cheddar, and cilantro.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning (about half a packet)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 12 corn tortillas, cut into triangles
- 2 (10 oz) cans enchilada sauce
- Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Dice the bell pepper and onion, and cut the tortillas into
triangles, about 8 pieces per tortilla. - In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, bell pepper, and
onion over medium heat, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until the beef is
no longer pink. - Stir in the taco seasoning, minced garlic, and black beans.
- Stir in the cut tortillas, half of the cheese, and the
enchilada sauce. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes, then stir. - Cover again and simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Top with the remaining cheese, cover, and simmer for a few
more minutes until melted. - Top with chopped cilantro to serve.
