After my last attempt at making enchiladas, I decided there must be an easier version for weeknights when I just want to throw dinner together. Those enchiladas were so good and well worth the effort… for a weekend. During the week? No, unless it’s to reheat them.
I decided to try out a healthier version that I was able to put together in less than 30 minutes total. I didn’t start the official timer but it was probably even closer to 20 minutes from start to finish. The best part about the casserole is that the enchilada sauce is homemade as well as the taco seasoning. Nothing like homemade. Mmmmmm.
The time savings comes in because you make the sauce at the same time that you brown the ground beef. I also cut corners by layering the tortillas instead of filling and rolling like most American versions of enchiladas do. This is put together more like a lasagna. Let’s call this an enchi-lasanga. 😉
Enchilada Casserole 
- 1 lb ground beef (93/7)
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 8 oz no salt added tomato sauce
- 1 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 4 whole wheat tortillas
- 1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the ground beef and onions. Cook for about 5 – 7 minutes until the beef is cooked thoroughly. Break up the chunks while cooking.
While the beef is browning, spray a pot with non-stick spray and heat medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes until the garlic begins to brown. Sprinkle the flour over top of the garlic and stir slightly to mix.
Pour in the beef broth, tomato sauce and taco seasoning. Stir to combine and break up the flour lumps. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for about 2 minutes while the beef finishes cooking. Stir every now and then so the bottom doesn’t burn. The sauce will thicken while it cooks.
Mix 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce with the ground beef. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a pie pan. Spread 1 cup of beef mixture on top. Alternate beef and tortilla layers with the other 3 tortillas. Spread the remaining tomato mixture on the top of the last tortilla.
Sprinkle with the cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for about 5 minutes. Slice into 4 slices and serve.
Makes 4 servings at 310 calories each – 30 g protein, 28g carbs, and 12g fat.
Notes
- I make my own taco seasoning instead of buying the envelopes they sell at the store. It’s really easy to throw together with spices you typically have on hand and you don’t have to worry about weird ingredients like whey and anti-caking junk thrown into the mix. See the recipe below.
- I used 50 calorie whole wheat tortillas made by La Tortilla Factory. They were the perfect size to fit in the bottom of the pie pan. They taste great too and I also use them to make wraps and paninis.
- Since The Kid has a dairy allergy, I used a vegan cheese made by Daiya in this recipe. It’s 90 calories per 1/4 cup which is pretty close to the calories in dairy cheese. You can use either version in this recipe.
Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano*
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Mix all spices together until well mixed. Store in an airtight container for use in Mexican dishes or in burgers to add a bit of spice. Makes about 2 1/2 Tbsps of taco seasoning.
* I make mine using 1/2 tsp Greek seasoning from Penzey’s Spices. It contains oregano along with some other ingredients to add a bit of zip. Plain dried oregano is a good substitute since you probably don’t have Greek seasoning on hand.
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