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These beef enchiladas are made with two flour tortillas filled with seasoned ground beef and cheese, then topped with enchilada sauce and baked for 20 minutes until hot and melty. It’s a simple, flavorful meal that’s perfectly portioned for one!
Enjoy your beef enchiladas with guacamole, creamy queso, a side of Spanish rice, or fresh salsa for a complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: Ready in about 30 minutes.
- Big Flavor: Seasoned beef and enchilada sauce make every bite delicious.
- Perfectly Portioned: A great single serving meal with no leftovers.
- Easy to Double: Want to make enchiladas for two? Just double the ingredients.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch beef enchilada recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil for its rich flavor, but a lighter olive oil works just as well.
- Ground beef: You can swap in ground turkey for a leaner option. If you have leftover ground beef, use it in Baked Ziti, Taco Casserole, or a Juicy Lucy.
- Onions and garlic: These add essential flavor, so don’t skip them.
- Spices: A mix of chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper adds warmth and depth.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar is a great choice, but use your favorite cheese.
- Tortillas: I prefer flour tortillas for their soft texture, but corn tortillas are a good alternative. Use any extras to make a Southwest Wrap, Breakfast Burritos, or Chicken Tacos.
- Enchilada sauce: I use store-bought enchilada sauce to keep things simple. Look for brands like La Victoria or Rosarita in the International or Mexican aisle—both offer options from mild to spicy, so you can choose the heat level you like.
- Optional toppings: Add extra flavor with green onions, black olives, or a dollop of sour cream.
With a pound of ground meat, you can make this recipe plus three more meals! Check out 4 Single Serving Meals from One Pound of Ground Meat to see how.
How To Make Beef Enchiladas
These step-by-step photos show how to make a small batch of enchiladas. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
- Cook the Beef: In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, heat oil for 30 seconds. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer beef to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 5×5 or 5×7 inch baking dish.
- Fill the Tortillas: Warm tortillas by placing them on a plate and covering them with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 10-15 seconds until pliable. Place 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef evenly between them.
- Roll and Arrange: Roll each tortilla tightly and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Top with Sauce and Cheese: Pour 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Expert Tips
- Add Heat: Mix in chopped jalapeños or serrano peppers for extra spice.
- Customize the Toppings: Try fresh tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, or sour cream for added flavor and texture.
- Go Green: Swap red enchilada sauce for green to change up the flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Absolutely! Cook the beef mixture and refrigerate it for up to 3 days before assembling the enchiladas.
Yes, just double the ingredients and use a larger baking dish to make beef enchiladas for two.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serving beef enchilada recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Beef Enchiladas For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
- 5-inch baking dish or 5×7 inch baking dish, or 4×6 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces ground beef
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce
- Optional for topping: chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, and/or sour cream.
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Cook the Onions and Garlic: In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, heat oil for 30 seconds. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Cook the Beef: Add ground beef, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes.
- Drain the Beef: Remove the pan from heat and transfer the cooked beef to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over the bottom of a small baking dish.
- Fill and Roll the Tortillas: Warm tortillas until pliable. Place 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of each tortilla, then divide the beef evenly between them. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour ⅓ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve hot.
Notes
- Add Heat: Mix in chopped jalapeños or serrano peppers for extra spice.
- Customize the Toppings: Try fresh tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, or sour cream for added flavor and texture.
- Go Green: Swap red enchilada sauce for green to change up the flavor.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Joanie: We enjoyed these enchiladas a lot. I made my own sauce which made it a bit time-consuming but special. I doubled the recipe and added fresh jalapenos to the meat. The pepper jack cheese was delicious on them too. I would definitely make them again. There are only two of us so I appreciate your recipes. Thanks so much! Kathy
I’m so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas! Making your own sauce and adding fresh jalapeños sounds like a great way to elevate the dish. Pepper jack is a delicious choice too! I appreciate you trying the recipe and sharing your feedback.
This has become one of my go-to recipes.
Good, authentic and simple. What more could I ask for. I made enough for two meals but it was so tasty but I ate it all in one meal. I had these in observance of Cinco de Mayo so not to slight are Mexican Neighbors. I understand they give us the same consideration by eating hot dogs on Independence Day. LOL
I love this recipe for beef enchiladas. I’ve made it quite a few times now. I especially like that I don’t have to make a whole casserole dish of it. I’m actually getting ready to make it again tonight for dinner.
Regarding the freezer instructions… Do you bake them before freezing them?
No. Assemble the enchiladas, cover the dish, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed in the recipe.
This recipe was easy to assemble and had the taste I was looking for. Next time I might try and add a little Taco seasoning instead of the chili powder and cumin. I will make this again soon.
This was so good! Usually your recipes are enough for two, but I went back for seconds! YUM 😋 Definitely will be making again.