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No saucy tortilla rolling here! Perfect for those busy weeknights, this family friendly one pot red enchilada bake is done in a single skillet in less than an hour with all the flavor and none of the mess.
A quick one sentence rant: it's hooootttttt 🫠. Okay moving on to positive thoughts, specifically ideas to beat the heat (other than air conditioning). How about quick and easy dinners with recipes that take less than an hour? Pleaseandthankyou! Introducing my new fave, the one pot red enchilada bake.
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Why You'll Love It
The short version: it's a family-friendly dinner cooked in one pot in under an hour. Boom.
The long version:
First off, this mexican inspired dish is a perfect choice for those (aka myself) who are tired of spending hours in the kitchen after a long day at work. Using just a large skillet or a braiser, you can have a hearty meal without a ton of prep and cleanup!
Secondly, not only is this one pot red enchilada bake quick and easy to make, but it's also a family fave. With tons of cheesy, saucy goodness, this dish is well loved among even the pickiest of eaters. If you think I jest, my 18 month year old toddler can set the record straight for you 👍🏻.
Helpful Tips
- Although I used ground beef, you can use pretty much use any ground filling here. Ground turkey, chicken, or even a fake meat option like Impossible Foods or Beyond Burger works!
- Homemade red enchilada sauce really amps up this recipes' flavor, but a store bought option is also perfectly fine.
- Use a large skillet. No seriously. A LARGE one. I actually used a braiser. It doesn't need to have a lid but should be oven safe.
Variations and Substitutions
If you don't have time to grab fresh produce (or the $$$ lately with the grocery inflation 😵), no worries! For a more pantry friendly option, skip the poblano and jalapeño and use one of those 4 to 5 ounce cans of diced green chilis. Also, if you don't have all the spices for the mexican spice mix, a simple packet of taco seasoning will do!
For a full vegetarian version without the use of fake meat, grab another can of black beans, drain them, and throw them in with the other can. Just skip step 2 of the recipe (the browning of the meat) and you're all set! Same for the vegan option; skip the addition of cheese and it's completely animal product free.
Freezing and Storage
Great news! This one pot red enchilada bake freezes wonderfully.
Before fully cooking: follow the recipe all the way through step 7. Let cool, cover tightly with cling wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to bake, remove the cling wrap and resume the recipe at step 8.
After fully cooking: Let cool completely, and place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days/freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, let thaw completely before reheating in the microwave or oven.
Commonly Asked Questions About This Recipe
Yup! Scroll up to the variations and substitutions section for more info.
Sure is! It calls for corn tortillas, not flour tortillas, which should not have gluten in them.
It's called Crema Mexicana and I always have a jar of it in my fridge. It's basically swanky, thinned sour cream with extra flavor. If you don't have any, adding a tablespoon or two of milk (any fat content is fine) to ¼ cup of regular sour cream will do the trick.
If you make this recipe, make sure to let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
PrintOne Pot Red Enchilada Bake
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
No saucy tortilla rolling here! Perfect for those busy weeknights, this family friendly one pot red enchilada bake is done in a single skillet in less than an hour with all the flavor and none of the mess.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef (you can also use ground chicken, turkey, or a meat substitute of similar texture)*
- 14 ounces black beans, drained
- 14 ounces corn, drained
- ½ medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 large poblano pepper, diced*
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced*
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups store bought or homemade red enchilada sauce
- ½ cup red salsa (I used La victoria mild)
- 2 tablespoons mexican spice mix*
- 3 cups Mexican cheese blend
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 corn tortillas
- Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, sliced jalapeno, diced avocado, and Crema Mexicana for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Slice 8 of the tortillas into 1-inch (ish - no need to be exact) pieces. Set aside.
- In an oven safe, large skillet or braiser, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, salt and pepper. and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir the onion, poblano and jalapeno peppers into the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is somewhat softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Stir in beans, corn, salsa, and mexican spice mix. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until beans and corn are warmed through, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in sliced up tortillas and 1 ½ cups of the enchilada sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until sauce is bubbling, stirring occasionally.
- Remove skillet from heat. Stir in 2 cups of mexican cheese blend. Top the mixture with remaining tortillas and spread evenly with the last ½ cup of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Place skillet in the preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is golden.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, sliced jalapeno, and Crema Mexicana. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can really use any kind of ground meat here. I would say just keep it basic and Mexican cuisine friendly (eg. maybe no italian sausage). You could even skip the ground meat and add another can of black beans instead or your favorite vegetarian ground meat substitute.
If you don't have fresh poblano peppers, a 4 to 5 ounce can of diced green chiles will do!
No jalapeno? Add a couple extra dashes of cayenne pepper for heat or even a touch of tabasco.
Don't have all the spices for the mexican spice mix? No worries! You can a packet of taco seasoning from the store.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: One Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican
Zoe
So fast to make, and delicious once it's done! Love that you don't have to roll the enchiladas.
Lola
Could I substitute flour tortillas for the corn ones?? Thanks, looks easy and delicious!