Cheesy Gluten-Free Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Making cheesy gluten-free enchiladas doesn't have to be time-consuming or complicated! The ground beef and refried bean filling comes together quickly on the stove top, is rolled with colby jack cheese into soft tortillas, and topped with enchilada sauce and more cheese. Plus, this easy weeknight dinner casserole includes a pro tip for using corn tortillas without breaking, cracking, or having to dip in sauce first!

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings

Author Melissa Erdelac

Ingredients

10 ounce can gluten-free enchilada sauce see recipe notes
12 ounces block Colby jack cheese divided and freshly grated
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small white onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
4 ounce can green chiles undrained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 ounce can refried beans
¼ cup water
12 gluten-free corn tortillas
oil for frying
optional toppings: cilantro, shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce at the bottom of a 9X13-inch casserole dish. Grate 8 ounce block of cheese and set aside. This will be used for the filling. Grate the remaining 4 ounces and set aside. This will be used for topping.
10 ounce can gluten-free enchilada sauce, 12 ounces block Colby jack cheese
Filling: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onions. Cook, breaking up with spoon until the beef is cooked through. Drain grease, if necessary.
1 pound lean ground beef, 1 small white onion
Lower the heat to medium. To the beef add the garlic, chiles, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, paprika, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute longer. Add the refried beans and water. Stir until the mixture is smooth and set aside.
2 garlic cloves, 4 ounce can green chiles, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 16 ounce can refried beans, ¼ cup water
Warm Tortillas: Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place a stack of 3 tortillas in the hot pan and cook for 30 seconds. Use tongs to flip the whole stack over and then flip the top one over so the oil side is face down towards the middle one. This distributes the oil to all three without having to cook one-by-one. Cook for 30 seconds more.
12 gluten-free corn tortillas
Transfer the warmed tortillas to a large sheet of foil and loosely wrap to cover and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas in stacks of 3, transferring to the foil.
Assembly: On a work surface lay one tortilla. Sprinkle the center will a good amount of cheese and then top with a generous amount of beef bean filling, about ¼ cup. Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas so you have two rows of six lined tightly in the baking pan.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining 4 ounces grated cheese. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Notes

Gluten-Free Enchilada Sauces

Many canned enchilada sauces, either red or green, contain wheat in the ingredients so please read labels carefully and double check with the manufacturer. Hatch, Siete, La Preferida, La Victoria, and Frontera are safe to use.

Make-Ahead, Freezing, and Reheating

This recipe yields 12 enchiladas, which serves 6-12 people. The recipe may be halved and baked in a 8X8-inch baking dish or assemble all the enchiladas and freeze half for later.

The casserole may also be assembled and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. Be sure all the components have cooled completely before covering well to store. For best results, let it sit out for 60-90 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Otherwise, you will need to bake 10-15 minutes longer.

To freeze, assemble and allow time for the filling to cool before wrapping to store. Wrap securely with plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty foil. Freeze up to 3 months.

When ready to bake thaw overnight and then let it sit at room temp for 60-90 minutes before baking. You may also bake straight from frozen, but it will have to bake 45-60 minutes, and I recommend covering with foil for the first half so the enchiladas don't dry out.

Nutrition