Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
If we’re talking about weeknight dinner wins, this Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole is at the top of the list. It’s got layers of seasoned beef, roasted veggies, creamy chipotle sauce, and tons of melty cheese, all stacked between tortillas and baked until golden and bubbly. It’s hearty, totally satisfying, and feeds a crowd without a lot of fuss.
What we love most about this casserole is how everything comes together so well. We start by roasting the zucchini and bell pepper to get a little char on them, then brown the beef with onion and garlic, and pull together a smoky chipotle cream sauce that ties it all together. The layers of tortillas soak up all that saucy goodness while the cheese on top gets perfectly golden in the oven. It’s the kind of dish that disappears fast at the dinner table.
If you’re an enchilada fan, we’ve got plenty more recipes you’ll want to try! Our Beef Enchilada Tortellini puts a fun pasta twist on classic enchilada flavors, and our Slow Cooker Honey Lime Enchiladas are a total set-it-and-forget-it win. If you want to keep things classic and simple, our Ground Beef Enchiladas are always a crowd-pleaser.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Big Batch Winner: This casserole serves 8 to 10 people, making it perfect for feeding a hungry family or having leftovers all week long.
- Packed with Flavor: Between the smoky chipotle cream sauce, roasted veggies, seasoned beef, and layers of melty cheese, every single bite is loaded with bold, delicious flavor.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: You can assemble this casserole ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when you’re ready. It also keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Totally Customizable: Swap the tortillas, change up the cheese blend, add more heat with extra chipotle, or toss in your favorite veggies. This recipe is super flexible.
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.
For this recipe you’ll need ground beef, onion, garlic, black beans, diced green chiles, zucchini, and red bell pepper for the filling. The chipotle cream sauce comes together with sour cream, chicken or vegetable broth, chipotle peppers in adobo, and smoked paprika. You’ll also need flour or corn tortillas, a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, plus Parmesan for that golden topping. Sliced avocado makes a great garnish and finishes it off perfectly.
Variations
- Use Corn Tortillas: Swap the flour tortillas for corn tortillas to give this casserole a more traditional enchilada flavor and keep it gluten-free.
- Add More Heat: If you love spicy food, use 2 chipotle peppers in the sauce or add a pinch of cayenne to the beef mixture for an extra kick.
- Go Meatless: Skip the ground beef and double up on the black beans and veggies for a filling, totally satisfying vegetarian version.
- Switch Up the Sauce: Not into chipotle? Use red enchilada sauce in place of the chipotle cream sauce for a more classic enchilada flavor.
Instructions
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.
- On a baking sheet, toss zucchini and bell pepper with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15–20 minutes until tender and slightly charred.
- In a small saucepan, combine sour cream, broth, chipotle peppers, and smoked paprika. Heat gently over low heat, stirring until smooth and warmed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. When halfway cooked, add chopped onion. Sauté until beef is browned and onion is soft. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess grease.
- Stir in black beans and green chiles. Add 1¼ cups of the chipotle cream sauce and mix to combine. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Spread 2 tbsp of the chipotle sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Layer ¼ of the tortillas.
- Add ⅓ of the beef mixture. Add ⅓ of the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle ¼ of the cheddar & Monterey Jack cheeses.
- Repeat layers two more times. Finish with the last tortillas, the remaining sauce, the rest of the cheeses, and sprinkle Parmesan on top.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10–12 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip roasting the veggies. That extra step of roasting the zucchini and bell pepper gives them a slightly caramelized, deeper flavor that makes a big difference in the final dish.
- Let the casserole rest before serving. After it comes out of the oven, let it sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This helps everything set up so you get clean, beautiful layers instead of a sloppy mess.
- Drain the beef well. After browning, make sure to drain off any excess grease before adding the beans and chiles. Too much grease in the filling can make the casserole oily.
- Warm the chipotle cream sauce gently. Heat the sauce over low heat and stir frequently so it stays smooth. Don’t let it boil or the sour cream can separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes! You can fully assemble this casserole, cover it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before baking. When you’re ready, just pop it in the oven as directed, adding a few extra minutes if needed since it’s starting cold.
Absolutely! Let it cool completely, then wrap the casserole tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through.
This casserole is great on its own, but we love serving it with sliced avocado, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, and warm tortilla chips on the side. A simple green salad works well too!
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below! We would love to hear back from you! You can also FOLLOW US on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more delicious recipes.
📖Recipe
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 inch casserole dish
- large skillet
- small saucepan
- baking sheet
- Mixing spoon or spatula
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ground beef
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 7 ounces diced green chiles drained
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 12-14 flour or corn tortillas
- 1¼ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1¼ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil for roasting
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chipotle Cream Sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
- Place diced zucchini and bell pepper on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15–20 minutes until tender and slightly charred. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine sour cream, broth, chipotle peppers, and smoked paprika. Stir until smooth and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. When halfway cooked, add chopped onion. Continue cooking until beef is fully browned and onion is soft. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Drain excess grease.
- Reduce heat to low. Stir in black beans and green chiles. Add 1¼ cups of the chipotle cream sauce and mix to combine. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of chipotle sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Layer ¼ of the tortillas, ⅓ of the beef mixture, ⅓ of the roasted vegetables, and ¼ of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Repeat layers two more times.
- Finish with the remaining tortillas, remaining sauce, remaining cheeses, and Parmesan cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake uncovered for another 10–12 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
- Let rest for 5–10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
