Ingredients

• 1 batch red enchilada sauce (see below) or 15 ounces store-bought red enchilada sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces) lean ground beef
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
• 8 large flour tortillas*
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Topping Options:

• fresh cilantro
• chopped red onions
• diced avocado
• sour cream
• crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions

Prepare the enchilada sauce.

• Prepare the enchilada sauce.

Sauté the beef filling.

• Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and cumin and sauté for 5 minutes or until completely browned, crumbling the beef with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Stir in the beans and green chiles until combined. Season the mixture with a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, to taste.

Prep oven and baking dish.

• Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly along the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

Assemble the enchiladas

• To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, beef filling, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the beef filling in a line down the center of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place it in the prepared baking dish. Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese.

Bake

• Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside.

• Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack.

Serve

• Serve the enchiladas immediately while they’re nice and hot, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Used black beans instead of pinto beans
• Used cheddar cheese
• Used yellow onion instead of white onion
• Didn't have any green chillies, so I added a very small amount of dices Jalapeño peppers.

Pictures

Enchiladas Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chili powder (yes, really)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Cook the roux and spices

• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
• Add in the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano and cook for 1 more minute, whisking constantly.
  

Simmer 

• Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to combine until no lumps remain.
• Continue cooking until the sauce reaches a simmer.
• Then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer (the sauce should continue lightly bubbling) for about 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the sauce has slightly thickened.

Season

• Give the sauce a taste and season with salt, as needed. (I typically add 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, but the saltiness of the sauce can vary depending on the brand of stock that you use.)
  

References