Beef Enchiladas

My enchilada-loving husband asks for them just about every few weeks.  Having made a chicken and a vegetable variety, it was time to add a beef version to our repertoire.  When he told me that he offered to bring a meal to a family whose three boys he teaches, I thought beef enchiladas would be a great choice.  Enchiladas are hearty enough to fill up three teenage boys. 

The original recipe called for way too much flour for the sauce.  There was so much, I had trouble whisking it with the butter/oil.  I tried again, reducing the amount of flour. The family loved the dish!  Even more, they went crazy over the tortilla chips my husband fried up to accompany the enchiladas.  Those will certainly show up on the blog as well.

Beef Enchiladas
adapted from Taste of Home


1 Tbs olive oil
½ a medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 lb ground beef (I like ground round)
2 Tbs flour
1 Tbs chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp salt
Small bunch of sage leaves, minced and divided
1 can stewed tomatoes, liquid included

Sauce:
2 Tbs butter
Remaining garlic from above
2 Tbs flour
1 ½ c low-sodium beef broth
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
Remaining sage from above
12 corn tortillas
2 c shredded cheddar-jack cheese


Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and 1 clove of the minced garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Break up chunks of meat as they cook. Drain the fat from the beef and return the meat to the pan.  Add flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, and half the sage. Stir to combined. Add stewed tomatoes and stir again. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

For the sauce: In a medium saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the flour until well combined. Add the beef broth gradually and whisk until no lumps remain. Stir in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, and remaining sage. Turn heat up to high and cook until boiling, whisking frequently. Sauce will become a little thicker. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour about 1 ½ c of the sauce in the bottom of a 13x9” baking pan. Place tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat for 30 seconds. Tortillas will soften. Working quickly, Scoop about 3-4 Tbs of beef down the center of a tortilla. Sprinkle a little of the shredded cheese over the filling. Roll tightly and place in the baking pan, seam side down. Repeat for remaining enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before serving.