Beef Enchilada Tortellini
This Beef Enchilada Tortellini is an easy, hearty dinner option loaded with flavor. Ground beef, cheese tortellini, and black beans are mixed with a zesty enchilada sauce and tons of cheese to create a Tex-Mex feast.
When we think of zesty, hearty main meals, we always think of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes, like slow cooker Mexican sloppy Joes, Tex-Mex sausage dogs, and 7 layer dip cups, that put creative spins on classic flavors.
Our beef enchilada tortellini does just that. Like our cheesesteak tortellini, this version is a mashup of flavors combining classic Mexican seasonings and enchilada sauce with cheesy tortellini. It’s so easy and so good!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A Delicious Mashup: The combination of cheese tortellini with ground beef, enchilada sauce, and other bold Mexican ingredients creates a delicious mashup of Italian and Mexican flavors.
- Limited Ingredients: It only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make this tasty dish.
- So Easy: This recipe only takes one dish, a few simple steps, and about 20 minutes from start to finish.
- Customizable: It’s so easy to tweak this recipe to make it your own.
- Great for Meal Prep: This is a freezer-friendly meal, so you can make extra for future meals.
Key Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cheese Tortellini: Cheese tortellini gives this dish both its pasta texture and tons of rich, cheesy flavor.
- Taco Seasoning: Taco seasoning is an easy way to infuse the recipe with bold Mexican flavor.
- Enchilada Sauce: Enchilada sauce adds a smoky, warm, slightly sweet flavor to the dish.
- Black Beans and Corn: Black beans and corn add more texture and even more Tex-Mex flavor.
Variations
- Ground Beef: You can use ground beef, ground pork, a mix of the two, ground chicken or turkey, chorizo, or even Italian sausage for this recipe.
- Tortellini: Use your favorite cheese tortellini variety for this recipe. They all work!
- Enchilada Sauce: For a spicier version, use green enchilada sauce.
- Spicy: Add diced jalapenos to the meat as it cooks for a kick of heat.
How to Make Beef Enchilada Tortellini
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cook the beef until browned while the tortellini cooks. Drain the beef, return it to the pan, and add the remaining ingredients except the tortellini and cheese. Stir well.
- Fold in the tortellini and top with the cheese. Cover with the lid until the cheese melts. If using an oven-safe pan, broil until melted and golden.
Expert Tips
- Always drain your beef after cooking it to avoid a greasy dish. Even lean ground beef renders some fat as it cooks.
- Fold the tortellini into the beef mixture rather than mixing. This helps prevent the pasta from breaking apart.
- If you want to broil the cheese, be sure you’re using an oven-safe skillet. Otherwise, your skillet may warp, and plastic handles will melt.
Beef Enchilada Tortellini FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Beef enchilada tortellini is a mashup of Mexican and Italian flavors, combining ground beef, corn, black beans, and cheese tortellini with a seasoned enchilada sauce.
Refrigerate the dish for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
The combination of Italian flavors in the tortellini and Mexican flavors in the other ingredients makes this a dish that pairs well with a variety of dishes. Serve it with garlic bread or breadsticks, simple salads, Spanish or Mexican rice, guac or salsa with chips, and of course, churros for dessert!
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📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Beef Enchilada Tortellini
Equipment
- large pot
- Colander
- large skillet
- wooden spoon or spatula
- measuring cup
- Can opener
- Serving spoon
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cheese tortellini
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ounce taco seasoning
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups canned corn
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- Sour cream for topping
- Chopped scallions for topping optional
Instructions
- In a large pot cook the tortellini according to package. While that’s cooking begin browning the ground beef in a large skillet. Drain any grease once done cooking. Add in the taco seasoning, water, enchilada sauce, beans and corn and stir until everything is mixed.
- Add in the tortellini and stir once more. Top with the shredded cheese and if using an oven safe skillet broil for 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted. (You can just put a lid on the pan and cook over a medium to low heat to melt the cheese.)
- Top with sour cream and scallions and enjoy!
Notes
You can skip the sour cream and scallions if you’d like.
If you want some spice use mild taco seasoning!
You can use Colby jack cheese instead.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
This is a good one! I love all the beef and zesty flavor with that cheesy tortellini. Om nom nom.
I’m so glad I found this one. I made it last night, and the entire family is already asking when I’m going to make it again. NO notes. LOL
This is the perfect mashup recipe. The beef and Tex-Mex flavors work so well with the cheese tortellini. We loved it.
GREAT recipe. It’s so freaking cold where I am, and this was a tasty way to warm up.
I cooked this for dinner and it was a big hit. Cheesy, saucy, and really comforting!
What a fun and creative fusion! Combining the bold flavors of beef enchiladas with tender tortellini is such a brilliant idea for a quick dinner.
I love this combo! I would never have thought of this but it came out fabulous…such a comforting meal! Cannot wait to make again!