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Chile con Carne Enchiladas
Hello, Tex-Mex! I lived in San Antonio for years, the home of Tex-Mex, and we devoured a lot of Mexican food while living there. Tex-Mex is basically Texas-influenced Mexican food. These Chile con Carne Enchiladas at the ultimate Texas comfort food.
This is what we ate all of the time while living in Texas for 3 years. They are so unique and unlike any enchiladas, I have ever tried in Arizona. They are all about a flavorful red chile sauce and a lot of ooey gooey cheese! Thank you, Tex-Mex, for embracing the cheese. I wanted to re-create such a popular Tex-Mex dish at home.
What are Chile con Carne Enchiladas?
Cheese enchiladas covered in a rich homemade red chile beef sauce and topped with fresh cilantro and white onions. The star ingredient is the red chile sauce!
The key is to make a homemade slow-simmered Chile con Carne Sauce which is made with sauteed ground beef, dark chile powder, tomato puree, garlic, cumin, paprika, and a touch of cornstarch to thicken it. It is all about the depth of flavor with this sauce. It is basically a rich chili sauce poured over cheese enchiladas. It is ridiculously amazing!
These Tex-Mex Enchiladas call for corn tortillas, which are naturally gluten-free. The corn tortillas are softened in warmed oil which makes them soft and pliable. A generous amount of shredded medium cheddar cheese is placed in the center of the corn tortillas and rolled up. Bring on the cheese! The red chili sauce is ladled all over the cheese enchiladas and baked until melted and bubbly. The tex-mex beef enchiladas are topped with diced white onion and fresh cilantro, which brings a brightness to the dish.
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Chile con Carne Enchiladas
Ingredients
Chile con Carne Sauce:
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 3 Tablespoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 cup Crushed Tomatoes or Tomato Puree
- 1 cup Beef or Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch (mixed with 1 cup of water before adding)
Chile con Carne Enchiladas:
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 12 Corn Tortillas
- 3-4 cups Cheddar Cheese (medium or sharp)
Garnish:
- 1/4 White Onion (diced)
- Cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
Chile con Carne:
- Heat a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for 8-9 minutes, breaking it up into bite-size pieces.
- Sprinkle ground beef, with chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour in tomatoes and let simmer over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Add beef or chicken broth.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 cup of water until no lumps appear. Pour the cornstarch mixture into chile mixture. Let simmer and thicken for 10 minutes.
To make Enchiladas:
- Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and let heat up for several minutes. Carefully add each tortilla to oil and let soften, about 5 seconds. Remove and repeat for each tortilla.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Ladle 1 cup of the sauce in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle cheese down the center of each tortilla. Roll the tortilla and place it seam side down into baking dish. Pour the rest of the sauce all over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with any remaining cheese.
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until cheese is melted and it is bubbling and hot. Top with chopped onions and cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I came from Texas to Washington and this was Spot-on! Super easy and super tasty. Fantastic recipe!
Made enchiladas, just like my grandma made them!!!! So yummy and easy. My family loved, definitely making again! Thanks!
This recipe was SO reminiscent of my hometown (San Antonio) and incredibly easy to follow. Thanks for allowing me to have a little taste of home at my new home in Dallas!
Living in Dallas, if you have not eaten at the Mecca of Tex-Mex and home of great cheese enchiladas, Tupinamba, then fly over there immediately. It is infinitely better than anything we have here in San Antonio. Be sure to order the cheese taco and the deep-fried meat taco on the plate.
These are my absolute favorite enchiladas and have made them twice-so yummy! Thanks for a wonderful & tasty recipe!
Yes, drain the fat when making the chili.
Do you drain the fat from the ground beef before adding spices and other ingredients?
Delicious! I’m a TX girl living in WA and suffering from TexMex withdrawl. I used Tillamook 4 Cheese Mexican Blend and accidentally put the onions in when browning the meat. Whole family loved them.
I am a Texas boy who had the same withdrawal. We started adding enchiladas and tamales to our Xmas eve dinner since we missed it so much. This recipe hits the spot!
Excellent rendition of a staple in my diet growing up in Central Texas and one sadly hard to find even in my stomping grounds in San Antonio now. One tip: white American Cheese inside the enchiladas is ultra gooey and delightful. Some New Mexico Green Chillis in there is terrific too.
Very tasty! We loved having the meat as a part of the sauce, instead of a filling. Four cups of cheese goes so fast with this recipe… deliciously!
I went to Winco on Bell in Surprise to get some bulk cocoa and found only a Dutch process cocoa. Is that what you used in your milk chocolate sheet cake. I wanted to make it for my November birthday. We live in Congress, near Wickenburg. Thank you in advance.
That’s the right one! I called the Winco by my house to make sure it was Callebaut cocoa and that is what they sell in the bulk section. It should be the same across the board at every Winco. I hope you love the cake. Happy early birthday!