Eating Well Made Easy: Stacked Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a known crowd pleaser, but let’s face it – they can be time consuming to make. I started making stacked enchiladas when my son requested enchiladas for his birthday party. I needed two or three pans to feed all the people we invited. The thought of rolling that many enchiladas (and making a fruit tray, a veggie tray, and a birthday cake) had me cringing. I decided to stack all the ingredients like a lasagna. I’ve never gone back to rolled enchiladas. Stacking saves so much time in the process, and everyone enjoys them just as much.

The Sauce

For enchiladas, you can definitely save yourself some time and buy a store-bought sauce, but I find that the time I spend making homemade sauce is well worth it. It tastes better – plus I know that the ingredients are top quality. I’ve posted my enchilada sauce recipe before. See this post if you’d like to make your own.

I like to measure the spices and thickener out before I start the sauce so that it’s easy to incorporate without burning or clumping.

After heating the oil or ghee, you add the arrowroot to form a roux.

Next you add the spices and stir to combine.

Before adding the beef stock, you add the tomato paste and combine thoroughly. It should be very fragrant as everything warms and mixes together.

Once you add the beef stock, whisk the sauce until well combined.

The Filling

The filling for enchiladas is the place where you can really get creative. When making beef enchiladas, I always start with ground beef and chopped onions. Sometimes I add a chopped sweet pepper. My family also likes black beans as part of the filling. I’ve made enchiladas before with spinach cooked into the ground beef. It’s a great way to hide greens in a saucy, super flavorful meal. You can also add frozen or canned corn (drained) to the filling. Pinto beans or ranch beans could be subbed for the black beans. Play around and find the preferences that your family enjoys most.

The Tortillas

While most enchiladas are traditionally prepared with flour tortillas, I opt for white corn as my family is gluten free. Use whatever tortillas you prefer. Because this recipe stacks in layers, and does not roll the tortillas, size does not matter. If you get really adventurous, you can make your own tortillas from this recipe that I’ve used before. If you don’t have a tortilla press, get a big stack of books to be your weight for pressing them very thin.

The Cheese

My family is mostly dairy free. We only occasionally eat cheese. When we do, I look for a high quality, complex flavor. I always look for organic cheese. It’s even better if I can find a pastured source. I generally opt for aged cheese as the lactose is reduced by the aging process. Choose whatever cheese your family enjoys. I especially like this cheddar and this one, but you could also opt for Colby jack or a fiesta blend.

The Assembly

Gather all of your ingredients to ready for assembly.

Begin by spreading some of the sauce in the bottom of the pan. This will help to keep your tortillas from sticking.

Once you have prepared your sauce, browned your ground beef, and sautéed any raw vegetables, it’s time to line up your assembly line. In your 9×13 pan, begin by spreading a thin layer of sauce across the bottom. This will help to keep your tortillas from sticking to the pan.

Next, use tortillas to cover the entire pan. Rip and tear them as needed to fill in all the nooks and crannies. Layer your filling atop the tortillas and top with the cheese of your choice. Next do a layer of sauce, and then repeat the entire process 2-3 times.

I generally like to end with a layer of tortillas on top. I smother them in a thick layer of sauce and then top with cheese.

This really is a quick way to make a crowd pleasing meal. As always, enjoy the recipe! Adapt and make it your own!

Stacked Enchiladas

• Servings: 10-12
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients

– skillet
– 9×13 inch pan
– tin foil
– 1 lb ground beef
– 1 small onion, diced
– 1 sweet pepper, diced
– 1 tbsp chili powder
– 2 tsp cumin
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp onion powder
– 1 tsp sea salt
– 1 tsp white pepper
– 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
– 3 cups shredded cheese (I like aged cheddar)
– 1 pkg tortillas (I use 6 inch white corn tortillas. A pkg of 30 is enough)
– enchilada sauce (see this recipe or buy store-bought)
– cilantro and green onions for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare the enchilada sauce per this recipe. Set it aside when done. (Skip this step if using store bought.) 
3. In a skillet on the stove top, brown the ground beef with the diced onion and sweet pepper. Once browned, add all of the spices (chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and white pepper). Stir to combine and the remove from heat.
4. In the bottom of a 9×13 pan, spread a thin layer of sauce to that the tortillas will not stick to the pan.
5. Begin the layering process. Start with a layer of tortillas atop the sauce. Rip and tear them as needed to fill in all the nooks and crannies. Next, layer in the beef mixture and any beans or other desired ingredients. Top with shredded cheese, and then add a layer of sauce. Begin again with tortillas and repeat 2-3 times.
6. Finish the layering process with a layer of tortillas on top. Smother them in a thick layer of sauce and top with remaining cheese.
7. Cover the stacked enchiladas with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After this time, remove the cover and continue to bake for another 10 minutes. The cheese should begin to brown and the sauce at the edges of the pan should be bubbly.
8. To serve, cut the stacked enchiladas like you would a lasagna. Adorn each piece with cilantro and/or green onions. I like to pair these enchiladas with Spanish rice and a salad. Enjoy!

Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. She also offers recipes and nourishment for body, mind, and soul on RealFoodRealHealing.com.