Name: Easy 5-Ingredient Beef Enchiladas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef; 1 cup chunky salsa; 1 can (10-ounce) red enchilada sauce; 8 (8-inch) tortillas (We much prefer flour tortillas in this recipe, but corn are more traditional.); 1 (8-ounce) package Cheese Thick Cut Shredded Four Cheese Mexican (about 2 cups)

Easy 5-Ingredient Beef Enchiladas

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Cheesy, saucy, and filled with savory ground beef, these 5-Ingredient Beef Enchiladas
are exactly the kind of dinner I want when something comforting sounds good,
but a long ingredient list does not.

Serve them hot from the oven with rice, beans, or a crisp salad for an
easy meal that feels far more satisfying than the amount of work involved.

There’s a lot to love about enchiladas, but on a busy evening, simplicity matters.
This recipe keeps things especially easy: ground beef gets mixed with chunky salsa, rolled into tortillas with cheese,
and tucked into a baking dish with red enchilada sauce.
A final layer of cheese goes over everything before the whole dish heads into the oven.

And that’s it! Five ingredients, 20 minutes of prep, and one warm, cheesy pan of enchiladas at the end. It’s the sort of uncomplicated dinner that’s worth keeping around for those nights when you want homemade comfort food without spending the entire evening making it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It really only takes five ingredients. Ground beef, salsa, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and cheese come together to make the entire dish. There’s no separate filling or homemade sauce to prepare.

The filling is wonderfully simple. Chunky salsa does a lot of the work here. Stirred into the browned beef, it adds flavor and moisture without requiring a collection of individual seasonings and vegetables.

It’s made for busy evenings. Prep takes 20 minutes, and once the enchiladas are assembled, the oven takes over for the remaining 30 to 35 minutes.

There’s plenty of cheese. Some goes inside each tortilla with the beef, while the rest melts over the enchilada sauce on top. Every serving gets a little of everything.

It’s easy to complete the meal. Add rice, beans, or a fresh salad alongside the enchiladas, and dinner is done.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe keeps the ingredient list short, which is part of what makes these beef enchiladas so easy to pull together. Here’s what each ingredient brings to the dish:

Lean Ground Beef – This makes up the hearty, savory filling for the enchiladas. Using lean ground beef also means there’s less excess fat to drain after browning.
Chunky Salsa – The salsa adds plenty of flavor to the ground beef without needing a long list of seasonings. Be sure to use a chunky salsa rather than a thin or runny one so the filling doesn’t become too watery.
Red Enchilada Sauce – This goes underneath and over the rolled tortillas, giving the enchiladas their saucy texture and classic enchilada flavor. You’ll need one 10-ounce can for the recipe.
Tortillas – You’ll need eight 8-inch tortillas. Flour tortillas are especially soft and easy to roll for this recipe, but you can use corn tortillas if you prefer the more traditional option.
Mexican Cheese – Thick-cut shredded Mexican cheese makes these enchiladas extra cheesy and satisfying. Some goes inside each tortilla with the beef filling, and the rest is sprinkled over the top before baking. The original recipe uses Borden® Cheese Thick Cut Shredded Four Cheese Mexican, about 2 cups.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, prepare the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Next, make the beef filling.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain the excess fat away and return the meat to the skillet and to medium-low heat. Stir in the salsa and cook until heated through. Remove from the heat.

At this point, you already have the filling finished. The chunky salsa brings everything together, keeping this recipe especially streamlined.

Add the enchilada sauce.

Pour about 1/2 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

This gives the tortillas a saucy base to sit on while they bake.

Now, assemble the enchiladas.

Warm the tortillas according to the package directions. Add about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture down the center of each tortilla and top with about 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese.

Tightly roll each tortilla up and place them in the dish, seam side down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over them and sprinkle the remaining cheese over.

Finally, bake.

Tightly wrap the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

When they’re finished, you’ll have soft tortillas wrapped around the beef and cheese filling, all covered in warm enchilada sauce and melted cheese.

Expert Tips

A few small details make this simple recipe even easier to get right.

Stick with chunky salsa. A thick, chunky salsa works particularly well in the beef filling. A very thin salsa can introduce more liquid than you want.

Warm the tortillas first. Don’t skip this step from the recipe. Warming makes the tortillas softer and easier to roll around the filling.

Keep the filling portions consistent. About 1/4 cup of beef mixture and 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese in each tortilla gives you enough filling for all eight enchiladas without making them difficult to roll.

Roll them snugly. Once filled, roll each tortilla tightly and set it seam side down in the pan so it stays closed.

Cover the pan tightly. The foil helps hold moisture inside the baking dish while the enchiladas cook. Keep the dish covered for the full 30 to 35 minutes called for in the recipe.

Recipe Variations

The original five-ingredient version is wonderfully simple, but there are a few easy ways to adapt it to your tastes.

Try corn tortillas. Flour tortillas are preferred in the original recipe, but corn tortillas are the more traditional option. Either can be used.

Adjust the heat with your salsa. Mild chunky salsa keeps things family-friendly, while medium or hot salsa gives the beef filling more kick without adding another ingredient.

Switch up the cheese. Borden® Thick Cut Shredded Four Cheese Mexican is used in the original recipe. If it isn’t available, you can choose a similar shredded Mexican-style cheese blend.

Have fun with toppings. Instead of changing the filling, serve extra ingredients at the table. Avocado, cilantro, sour cream, jalapeños, green onions, or additional salsa can all be added to individual portions.

Storage & Reheating

These enchiladas make excellent leftovers, so don’t worry if you don’t finish the whole pan at dinner.

Once leftovers have cooled, transfer them to an airtight container or cover the baking dish well and refrigerate promptly. They can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

For a quick lunch, individual enchiladas can be reheated in the microwave until hot throughout. If you’re reheating several at once, put them in an oven-safe baking dish and keep them covered while they warm. Covering them helps prevent the tortillas and filling from drying out.

Serving Suggestions

These beef enchiladas already have plenty going on—savory beef, salsa, tortillas, red sauce, and melted cheese—so I like to keep the sides simple.

Serve them with Mexican-style rice and black or refried beans for a hearty dinner. For something lighter, pair them with a crisp green salad, corn, or simply prepared vegetables.

And toppings are always fun here. Set out sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, jalapeños, or extra salsa and let everyone finish their own plate.

However you serve them, bring the enchiladas to the table while they’re warm and cheesy. With only five ingredients doing all the heavy lifting, this is one of those easy dinners that proves a short shopping list can still lead to a seriously satisfying meal.

Recipe FAQs

1. Do I need to cook the ground beef before assembling the enchiladas?

Yes, you’ll want to brown the ground beef first. Drain off the excess fat, then stir in the chunky salsa and let everything heat through. Once that’s done, your filling is ready to roll into the tortillas.

2. How do I keep the tortillas from breaking when I roll them?

Warm the tortillas according to the package directions before filling them. This helps soften them so they’re much easier to roll. Also, don’t overfill them. About 1/4 cup of the beef mixture and 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese per tortilla works perfectly.

3. Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas?

Yes! We prefer flour tortillas for this recipe because they’re soft and easy to roll, but corn tortillas are more traditional. Either one works, so use whichever your family likes best.

4. Why should I cover the enchiladas with foil?

Covering the baking dish tightly with foil helps keep the enchiladas moist while everything gets nice and hot. It also keeps the cheese on top from cooking too quickly. Leave them covered and bake for the full 30 to 35 minutes.

5. Can I make these enchiladas ahead or save the leftovers?

Yes, these are great for leftovers! Store the cooked enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or cover several enchiladas and warm them in the oven until heated through.

Easy 5-Ingredient Beef Enchiladas

A straightforward dinner made with seasoned beef, salsa, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and plenty of melted cheese. With only five main ingredients and less than an hour from start to finish, these enchiladas are a practical choice for an easy family meal.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican-inspired

Keyword: 5-Ingredient Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 55

Servings:

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chunky salsa
1 can (10-ounce) red enchilada sauce
8 (8-inch) tortillas (We much prefer flour tortillas in this recipe, but corn are more traditional.)
1 (8-ounce) package Cheese Thick Cut Shredded Four Cheese Mexican (about 2 cups)

Instructions

Set the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the ground beef in a large skillet and brown it over medium-high heat. Drain off the excess fat, then return the beef to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Mix in the salsa and continue cooking until everything is heated through. Take the skillet off the heat.
Spread approximately half of the enchilada sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Heat the tortillas as directed on their package. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the beef mixture along the center of each tortilla, then add about 1 heaping tablespoon of cheese on top. Roll each tortilla tightly and arrange it seam side down in the baking dish.
Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Finish by scattering the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.