Bean, Beef, And Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

If you love Southwestern and Mexican-inspired flavors, then this dish is for you. Filled with ground beef, canned pinto beans, shredded Mexican cheese, and canned enchilada sauce, this recipe delivers authentic Southwestern flavor without you needing to spend hours in the kitchen. This meal comes together in around 30 minutes, making it appropriate for even a hectic weeknight dinner — it doesn't get better than that!

Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist, Kristen Carli, MS, RD, brings us this recipe for beef, bean, and cheese enchiladas. "I grew up in Arizona and Southwestern meals made up a large portion of my childhood," Carli says. "We ate a lot of enchiladas using store bought enchilada sauce, shredded Mexican cheese, and various meats and beans." By relying on these store-bought items, Carli makes this dish accessible for those that are pressed for time or want to limit their grocery shopping list, without skimping on any hearty flavors.

To make these beef, bean, and cheese enchiladas, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need ground beef, salt, pepper, ground cumin, chili powder, red chili flakes, pinto beans, flour tortillas, red enchilada sauce, and Mexican shredded cheese.

Place a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Add in the salt, pepper, chili powder, ground cumin, and red chili flakes. Stir the seasonings into the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add the drained pinto beans and stir them into the meat.

Set up your assembly station. You will need a large, deep bowl filled with half of the can of enchilada sauce, a plate to hold the tortillas, a plate to assemble the enchiladas, and a 9x13-inch baking dish. Dip a tortilla into both sides of the enchilada sauce then lay it out onto a plate. Scoop some beef and bean mixture into the tortilla. Top it with a sprinkle of cheese before rolling it up, leaving the ends open. Place the enchilada, seam side down, in the baking dish. Repeat this process with all tortillas and the rest of the bean mixture.

Once all of the enchiladas have been rolled up and placed in the baking dish, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Then, sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. Bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

The enchiladas are ready to serve fresh from the oven. Pair these savory delights with a fresh side salad or roasted vegetables to round out the meal.