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Craving authentic Mexican cuisine but not interested in making a whole casserole? Look no further than these Single Serve Beef Enchiladas. Imagine two flour tortillas generously filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, and cheese, all smothered in a zesty enchilada sauce and baked to perfection in just 20 minutes. Perfect for those solo nights or when you just want something hearty without the fuss.
Enjoy your beef enchiladas alongside flavorful sides like creamy guacamole, aromatic Spanish rice, and fresh pico de gallo.
If you have a pound of ground meat, you can make this recipe as well as 3 other meals as shown in 4 Single Serving Meals from One Pound of Ground Meat.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Beef Enchiladas Recipe
- Quick to Make: In around 30 minutes, you’ll have a hot, delicious meal.
- Flavorful: Seasoned beef and zesty enchilada sauce mean every bite is packed with flavor.
- Single Serving: Perfect portion control without waste.
- Doubles Well: Need more servings? This recipe scales effortlessly.
- Customizable: Switch out ingredients to suit your dietary needs.
Ingredients
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for its robust flavor and health benefits, but a lighter olive oil works well too.
- Ground beef: Opt for ground turkey if you’re looking for a leaner meat option. If you’ve got leftover ground beef, consider using it in Baked Ziti, Taco Casserole, or a Juicy Lucy!
- Onions and garlic: These are flavor powerhouses in the recipe, so don’t skip them.
- Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper bring warmth and depth.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar is a classic choice, but feel free to experiment with your favorite cheese. Dairy-free cheese works too.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are my favorite for their flexibility, but corn tortillas are a good gluten-free option. Use extra tortillas to make a Southwest Wrap, Breakfast Burritos, or Chicken Tacos.
- Enchilada sauce: To save time, I use pre-made enchilada sauce, which you can easily find in the International or Mexican section of most supermarkets. Brands like La Victoria and Rosarita offer a range of heat levels, from mild to spicy, so you can tailor the dish to your preference.
- Optional toppings: Elevate your enchiladas with green onions, black olives, or a dollop of sour cream.
This section provides a quick rundown of the ingredients used in this single serving Beef Enchiladas recipe. For complete measurements and step-by-step instructions, please scroll to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Beef Enchiladas
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of beef enchiladas. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- In a 10″ skillet over medium heat, heat oil 30 seconds. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown, about 8 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer cooked ground beef to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over bottom of a small baking dish.
- Warm tortillas by placing the tortillas on a plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 10-15 seconds so they are pliable. Place 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of each tortilla, then divide meat evenly between each tortilla.
- Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in a baking dish.
- Pour 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce over tops of the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Expert Tips
- Spice Up the Filling: Incorporate freshly chopped jalapeños or serrano peppers into the beef mixture for an added layer of heat.
- Double the Fun: For a two-serving meal, simply double the ingredients and use a larger baking dish.
- Toppings Galore: Consider garnishing your beef enchiladas with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, and sour cream for a burst of flavors and textures.
- Green Twist: Switch to green enchilada sauce for a unique flavor profile, akin to our Enchiladas Verdes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Both flour and corn tortillas work well in this beef enchilada recipe. Just remember to warm the tortillas first to make them more pliable.
Definitely. Prepare the enchiladas according to the recipe, then wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove the plastic wrap, cover the dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are fully cooked.
In the images, we feature a 5×7-inch baking dish. For the best outcome, aim to use a dish of a similar size.
Yes, assemble and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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 these beef enchiladas 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 , 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 , peeled and 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: chopped green onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, and/or sour cream.
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a 10" skillet over medium heat, heat oil 30 seconds. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown, about 8 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and transfer cooked ground beef to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over bottom of a small baking dish.
- Warm tortillas so they are pliable. Place 1 tablespoon of cheese in the center of each tortilla, then divide meat evenly between each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly, then arrange in a baking dish.
- Pour ⅓ cup of enchilada sauce over tops of the tortillas and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- Spice Up the Filling: Incorporate freshly chopped jalapeños or serrano peppers into the beef mixture for an added layer of heat.
- Double the Fun: For a two-serving meal, simply double the ingredients and use a larger baking dish.
- Toppings Galore: Consider garnishing your beef enchiladas with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, black olives, and sour cream for a burst of flavors and textures.
- Green Twist: Switch to green enchilada sauce for a unique flavor profile, akin to our Enchiladas Verdes.
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.
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.