Creamy Beef Enchiladas
I’m still craving warm, cozy meals to satisfy my hunger on the cold, blustery days of early spring. The problem with warm, cozy meals is that they’re often very calorically dense without keeping me full for very long. One scoop of a creamy, cozy casserole doesn’t seem like much and it never satisfies me which means I often load up on many more servings than I need! The problem isn’t with the higher content of fat and carbohydrates, it’s with the lack of protein in those cozy meals. I concocted this recipe with that problem in mind! It is high enough in protein to keep me satisfied and creamy, cozy enough to warm me to my toes. My kids call them pre-rolled tacos which is a pretty good marketing tactic if you have some children at the dinner table who need convincing. I’ve given you the recipe for homemade enchilada sauce (which is delicious), but if that is enough to send you running please use store bought sauce! It will still be so nourishing and delicious and will shave some prep time off the meal. I’ve linked my favorite ones here and here. Make sure to still add the yogurt from the original sauce recipe to add protein and mellow the spice! Let’s make enchiladas!
Ingredients:
makes 8 servings
Enchilada Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons salt
1 15 ounce jar crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lime juice
1 cup greek yogurt or heavy cream
Filling:
2 pounds ground beef or chicken (or 1 pound meat and 1 can of black beans)
1 onion, diced
2 small zucchinis, diced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons coriander
For assembly:
16 taco tortillas (whatever type you like!)
8 ounces shredded cheese
enchilada sauce
for topping:
diced red onion
lots of cilantro
sliced avocado
yogurt
Directions:
Let’s make the enchilada sauce first. In a wide skillet melt the butter and add the onion and garlic. Cook until golden and add the seasonings and salt. Stir through and add the tomatoes, broth, and apple cider vinegar. Let it simmer for a minute and turn off the heat. Stir through the cream or yogurt. Pour that into small bowl and wipe the skillet out to cook the filling.
Heat the skillet over medium heat and brown the ground beef (or chicken). If you’re using beans wait to add them until after the meat is browned. Add the onion, zucchini, salt, cumin, and coriander and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes until the veggies are slightly softened. Remove from the heat and stir through half the shredded cheese and about 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Grab a 9x13 walled pan and spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce along the bottom of the pan. Grab the tortillas and put some of your beef mixture (about 1/16th) and roll it up.
Place it seam side down in the pan and continue until all the tortillas are filled. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over top and sprinkle the rest of the cheese over as well. Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbly and delicious smelling. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy! These reheat so well in a 350 degree oven until warm on the inside.
