Beef Enchilada Casserole Cheese (Print Version)

A rich Tex-Mex main with seasoned beef, layered tortillas, enchilada sauce, and melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.

# What You Need:

→ Beef Filling

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→ Sauce & Assembly

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# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook 2-3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until browned and cooked through approximately 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat.
04 - Stir in diced green chilies, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook 1 minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat.
05 - Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Top with half of the beef mixture, 3/4 cup cheddar, and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
06 - Drizzle 3/4 cup enchilada sauce over the first layer. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture, and cheeses.
07 - Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and black olives. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
08 - Uncover dish and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden brown.
09 - Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving to set. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

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  • Everything you love about enchiladas without the tedious rolling process
  • The layers get all melded together and the cheese develops this incredible crispy edge
  • Feeds a crowd and tastes even better reheated the next day
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  • I learned the hard way that skipping the rest period makes a mess when you try to serve it
  • Corn tortillas can tear if they are too stiff so warm them slightly first
  • The top layer of tortillas might get soggy but that is actually part of the charm
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  • Mixing a little sauce into the beef filling keeps it from drying out
  • Shred your own cheese instead of buying pre shredded it melts so much better

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