I love Tex-mex! When ever we eat out at a restaurant I always order cheese enchiladas with meat sauce; they are my favorite. So, I came up with my own homemade version. My mom always made a cheese enchilada casserole but the meat sauce was not like the one from the restaurants. So I experimented and came up with a meat sauce recipe that is very similar to the Tex-mex restaurants. This is basically my moms cheese enchilada casserole but with my meat sauce. My husband and Tex-mex loving family all agree this recipe is a winner!
One thing I really love about my recipe is no need to warm and soften the tortillas in oil before placing them in the baking pan. By lining the bottom of the pan with the meat sauce liquid it softens the tortillas while they bake in the oven.
I use gluten free all purpose flour when I cook because that’s how we roll around here. But, the recipe is the same with GF or regular flour. The flour just thickens the sauce.
- 12 corn tortillas
- 4 cups shredded cheddar or American cheese
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 Tbs minced onions
- 2 Tbs chili powder
- 2 Tbs paprika
- 1 Tbs ground cumin
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 8oz can tomato sauce
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Brown ground beef and drain grease.
- Season beef with minced onions, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Add the tomato sauce and water and bring to a boil. Add flour and mix until completely dissolved. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Spoon the meat sauce (try to get mostly sauce) and line the bottom of your 9x 13 pan. Fill your tortillas with a handful of cheese wrap and place in pan.
- Pour the meat sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
This post was shared on the following: Gluten-Free Wednesday, Gluten Free Recipe Round-Up, Gluten Free Fridays
YUM! These look soooo good. LOVE mexican fare!
Also, can I use your photo on my site? I want to feature your recipe this week!
Made these tonight!
I live in Muskogee, OK and we have a little restaurant that’s been famous since wayyyyyyy back. They make these enchiladas and I’ve never been to another Mexican restaurant that makes them this way. So thanks for the recipe! It was really good!
I’m so glad you liked them Amanda! They are a family favorite!
What restaurant?
This looks awesome. Thanks for sharing. We are gonna try this.
This looks and sounds amazing! My niece just found out she needs to be gluten free and I can’t wait to make this for her! Thanks for the recipe!
I know you said to use either Cheddar or American cheese, but can you tell me the cheese you use (ie brand & kind)? Thanks!
Hello Katy, I use Kroger brand mild cheddar cheese. I buy as a block and shred the cheese with my Kitchen Aid Stand attachment.
Best recipe for Cheeses Enchildas! Loved them!
This looks delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Very tasty and super easy prep. My husband loved them and so did my 3 and 5 year olds. Now THAT’S saying something!
Brittany, I am so happy your family enjoyed them!
These look amazing!!
Oooh these sound fantastic!! My hubby loves corn tortillas so he will be excited that I include them in a dish!! The meat sauce sounds like it really makes this dish!! Can’t wait to try it!
I’ve never had an enchillada, perhaps at Taco Bell. But I would love to try this recipe, and seeing that you really know your enchilladas, it really makes me want to try yours!!!
I have been looking for a recipe for cheese enciladas with
A chili meat sauce but could not find an easy tasty version
Until yours.cant wait to try it.i will comment then
These look sooo tasty! I have had major Mexican food cravings lately!
What do you think about substituting flour tortillas for the corn? Just trying to think of what I have on hand…I can’t wait to try these!!
This is my go to recipe for cheese enchiladas and my husband always ask for flour tortillas. I make 1/2 corn and 1/2 flour. They’re both very tasty however I find the flour gets a bit more soggy.
Currently going to the grocery store to get a few things I need to make this for tonights dinner! I can’t wait, I’m super excited!!! Lol . Thanks for sharing! This looks scrumptious
I made this Chile Con Carne a couple of weeks ago for my husband’s birthday dinner. It was excellent and will definitely be my new “go to” Enchilada sauce. We prefer chili con carne over “red enchilada sauce” any day. Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hey Laurie, I’m so glad you liked my recipe! I also prefer chile con carne! I appreciate you leaving a comment!
Grew up eating these enchiladas. My dad used to make them all the time. He passed away and never gave us the recipe. Will try this recipe to see if its the same. Thank you.
Yay! I’m so happy to find a chile con carne recipe! I do not like the “red enchilada sauce” that comes in a can. Chile con carne is what I always request when I go out to eat. Thank you!
Just make these, they are really good. Thanks.
Glad you liked them!
Omg thank you soooooo much for sharing this recipe. Its absolutely delicious!!!
Made these and they were very good. The downfall is I didn’t want to stop eating them.
I just made this recipe and That’s way too much flour
Going to try it today… Z1
Looks great! Can you make these ahead of time? Or even just the sauce?
Thank you for your page layout. The pictures laid out chronically, and not interspersed with a lot of useless gab, are very easy on the eyes.
I always look for good enchilada recipes and i have to say these are hands down the best recipe i have found so far! I did tweak it a bit and instead of adding raw flour to the sauce i made a roux instead (oil and flour browned for about 5 minutes) then added everything in. This will be my go to recipe from now on it’s that amazing!
Made these last night turned out amazing! Will never buy canned red sauce again! Thank you❤️❤️
This is the BEST CON CARNE/enchilada sauce. I have tried so many recipes and this is the closest to uncle julios, pappasitos, and local tex-mex restaurants I love. Make this now! You won’t regret it!
This recipe is great and very tasty! However, I’m always using my kitchen as a culinary laboratory. LOL! I’m curious how it would be if I puréed a can of Rotel with a small can of red enchilada sauce instead of the tomato sauce, made a roux with some of the beef drippings and thinned it with that mixture; adding water or beef broth as/if needed, then add my beef back in🧐 I think I’ll try that and post how it comes out. Wish me luck!
OMG! Thank you for this recipe. We moved to Pennsylvania over a year ago and haven’t been able to find a suitable Mexican restaurant yet. As a Texas Native, these are the closet I’ve come to a taste of home. The chili sauce would taste good on a flip-flop!
Thanks again for giving us this comforting taste of home….
Do you not use any Enchilada sauce?
Hello Amanda,
There is not Enchilada sauce in this recipe. This is a Meat Sauce (Tex-Mex style) not a red sauce. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Does this taste similar to Jason’s Deli beef chili? I have been looking for a beef recipe that tastes like my childhood cafeteria enchiladas on Texas. I hope this is it!
Just made this! It was soooo good!
My family loved it and the dish is scraped clean lol.
Thank you for an outstanding recipe❤️