Loaded beef and bean enchiladas are a satisfying, crowd pleasing bake, with seasoned ground beef, creamy mashed pinto beans, and melted cheese dip rolled in flour tortillas under a velvety red sauce.
The sauce is built from a quick butter and flour roux with tomato juice and sour cream, so there is no canned enchilada sauce to buy. Plan on about 35 minutes of prep and 30 minutes in the oven.
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Why This Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas Recipe Works
Mashed pinto beans stretch the beef and make the filling creamy rather than crumbly. The cheese dip melts into the filling and holds everything together inside the tortilla.
The sauce is rich but mild. Chili powder and tomato juice give the color and flavor, and sour cream added off the heat keeps the sauce smooth instead of curdled.
Ingredients for Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and mashed
- 1 cup cheese dip, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup tomato juice
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, for the sauce
- 8 burrito size flour tortillas
Ground beef. Use 80 percent lean for flavor and drain it well so the filling is not greasy.
Cheese dip. It acts as the glue inside the filling and the topping. Choose a smooth queso style dip.
Tomato juice. It gives the sauce body and a light tang without the sugar found in many jarred sauces.
Tortillas. Burrito size tortillas roll easily. Warm them for 10 seconds in the microwave so they do not crack.
How to Make Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
2. Brown the beef. Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and it reaches 160 degrees F. Drain the fat.
3. Build the filling. Stir in the taco seasoning, mashed beans, 1/2 cup of the cheese dip, and the pepper. Remove from the heat.
4. Start the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
5. Thicken. Slowly whisk in the milk and water until smooth, then add the tomato juice and chili powder. Simmer 5 to 6 minutes, until it coats a spoon.
6. Finish the sauce. Take the pan off the heat, whisk in the sour cream, and season with the salt and pepper.
7. Fill and roll. Spread a thin layer of sauce in the dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of filling, roll tightly, and place seam side down.
8. Top and bake. Pour the remaining sauce over the top, dot with the remaining cheese dip, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling and at least 165 degrees F in the center.
How to Serve Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Top with cilantro, diced tomatoes, or avocado slices. Serve with cilantro lime rice and a bowl of homemade taco meat for a full taco night spread.
For more Tex Mex dinners, try the ground beef taco bar or one pot taco spaghetti.
How to Store and Reheat Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350 degrees F until hot, 165 degrees F in the center.
The cheese dip and sour cream sauce can turn grainy after freezing, so refrigerate rather than freeze for the ideal texture.
Tips and Variations for Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Drain the beef well. Extra fat will pool in the dish and thin the sauce.
Warm the tortillas. Soft tortillas roll without cracking.
Add the sour cream off the heat. Boiling sour cream curdles and turns the sauce grainy.
Mash the beans coarsely. A few whole beans keep some texture in the filling.
Spread sauce under the rolls. It stops the tortillas from sticking and keeps the bottoms soft.
Make it spicy. Stir diced jalapenos or a pinch of cayenne into the filling.
Make it ahead. Assemble, cover, and refrigerate up to a day, then add about 10 minutes to the bake.
Check storage rules. The University of Minnesota Extension leftovers page covers cooling and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
What goes in loaded beef and bean enchiladas?
Ground beef, onion, taco seasoning, mashed pinto beans, and cheese dip, all wrapped in flour tortillas and baked in a creamy tomato sauce.
Can I make loaded beef and bean enchiladas ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the dish, cover it, and refrigerate up to a day. Bake a little longer, until bubbling and 165 degrees F in the center.
How do I keep loaded beef and bean enchiladas from getting soggy?
Spread sauce in the dish first, warm the tortillas, and do not overfill. Bake uncovered so the sauce thickens.
Can I use corn tortillas?
Yes, but warm or lightly fry them until pliable and use two per enchilada to avoid cracking.
Can I use canned enchilada sauce?
Yes. Use about 3 cups and skip the homemade sauce ingredients.
Loaded Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- 9 by 13 inch baking dish
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb ground beef
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans drained and mashed
- 1 cup cheese dip divided
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup tomato juice
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper for the sauce
- 8 burrito size flour tortillas
Instructions
Cooking
- Brown the beef. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the beef and onion until browned and 160 degrees F, then drain.
- Make the filling. Stir in the taco seasoning, beans, 1/2 cup cheese dip, and pepper.
- Make the sauce. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk, water, tomato juice, and chili powder. Simmer until thick, then whisk in the sour cream off the heat.
- Fill. Spread sauce in a dish, fill and roll the tortillas, and set seam side down.
- Bake. Top with sauce and cheese dip. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and 165 degrees F.
