I live in San Diego, and let’s face it, we might have the best Mexican food and carne asada in the country here. Let me know in the comments section if you agree or disagree. It’s also pretty satisfying to make your own Mexican food and enchiladas are super easy to make. I had some leftover smoked shredded beef, so I decided to make some smoked shredded beef enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce of course.
I am using leftover smoked shredded beef for these smoked shredded beef enchiladas. If you don’t have that beef prepared yet, open a new tab and get the recipe.
Smoked Shredded Beef Enchilada Ingredients
- 10 corn tortillas
- 1 lb Smoked shredded beef – See our full recipe for smoked shredded beef.
- 3 cups Grated cheese – I used medium cheddar, but sharp or Monterey jack works well.
- 3 cups Homemade enchilada sauce
Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
Enchilada Sauce Recipe
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make homemade enchilada sauce. Begin by adding the olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat and mixing in the flour. Once these are mixed, you can toss in all the remaining ingredients and whisk them over medium heat for a few minutes. That is all you need to do to make homemade enchilada sauce. This should yield about 3 cups of sauce which will make 10 enchiladas. If you like a lot of sauce or want to add more sauce on top while you are plating the enchiladas, then you should double the recipe.
How To Make Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Start by warming your tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, so they are warm but not hot. This will help them be flexible and make it easier to roll the shredded beef inside.
Dip the tortilla into the sauce covering both sides with the sauce.
Expert Tip
Leaving a small area without sauce is fine to prevent your fingers from getting sauce all over them. Nobody likes saucy fingers, and you will pour the leftover sauce on the tops of the enchiladas later anyway.
Place the tortilla with sauce in a 9″x 13″ glass baking dish. Add a small amount of the smoked shredded beef to the top of the enchilada and roll it up.
Place the rolled enchilada at the end of the dish and make another one. This size baking dish should fit 10-12 enchiladas. When you are done making enchiladas, pour the remaining sauce over the tops. The goal is to have a sauce layer on all the enchiladas.
Cover the dish in foil and bake the enchiladas in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted. Everything in these enchiladas is already cooked, so you only heat them to melt the cheese.
How To Garnish Enchiladas
You can garnish these smoked beef enchiladas with guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, diced onions, jalapeño peppers, olives, or anything else that you might want. Remember, recipes are just a starting point. You can make these smoked beef enchiladas unique by adding your personality.
Smoked Beef Enchilada Recipe Variations
You can make vegetarian enchiladas using our smoked tofu recipe. When you mix that smokey flavor of the smoked tofu with the homemade enchilada sauce, you get fantastic vegetarian enchiladas. I made these smoked tofu enchiladas, and everyone loved them. See the photos below. In fact, you can substitute any meat here. Go wild with pork, enchiladas, and ground beef. Enchiladas are the perfect meal to prepare with any leftover meats like smoked brisket, pulled pork, or smoked chicken.
How Many Enchiladas Do You Need?
Typically, I plan for 2-3 enchiladas per person, depending on the sides you serve and how hungry everyone is. Don’t worry if you have leftovers because enchiladas reheat very well in the microwave.
What To Serve With Smoked Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Enchiladas can be served by themselves or with sides. Traditionally, they are served with Mexican rice and refried beans, but you can also serve them with different types of salads, fruit, guacamole, or chips & salsa.
Smoked Shredded Beef Enchiladas With Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Ingredients
Enchiladas Ingredients
- 10 Corn Tortillas
- 1 lb Smoked Shredded Beef Please follow the full recipe for smoked shredded beef.
- 3 cups Grated cheese I used medium cheddar, but you can use any cheese.
- 3 cups Red enchilada sauce You can use store bought enchilada sauce, but I highly recommend you try making the homemade enchilada sauce recipe below. It's super easy and fast to make.
Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Flour
- 1 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp Salt Dash of Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Pepper Dash of Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups Chicken broth You can substitute veggie broth or beef broth
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce Recipe
- Add the oil to a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour.
- Whisk in chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper the sauce to taste.
Assembling the Shredded Beef Enchiladas
- Start by warming your tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, so they are warm but not hot. This will help them be flexible and make it easier to roll the shredded beef inside. Dip the tortilla into the sauce on both sides. It's fine to leave a small area without sauce to prevent your fingers from getting sauce all over them.
- Place the tortilla with sauce in a 9"x 13" glass baking dish. Add a small amount of the smoked shredded beef to the top of the enchilada and roll it up.
- Place the rolled enchilada at the end of the dish and make another one. This size baking dish should fit 10-12 enchiladas.
- You can garnish these smoked beef enchiladas with guacamole, sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro, diced onions, jalapeño peppers, olives, or anything else that you might want. Remember, recipes are just a starting point. You can make these smoked beef enchiladas unique by adding your personality.
Nutrition
FAQ’s
Can I use flour tortillas when making enchiladas?
Sure, you can corn tortillas. Some people prefer flour tortillas because they are softer.
Can I add cheese to the inside of the smoked beef enchilada?
You can add anything you want to an enchilada. I see many people adding cheese.
How do you reheat enchiladas?
You can reheat these in the microwave or the oven.
Can I store the homemade enchilada sauce?
Sure, just place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator and it should be good for a 7-10 days.