Sheet pan enchiladas skip the tedious rolling because restaurant cooks in Guadalajara layer tortillas like lasagna during rush hours.
Sheet Pan Enchiladas
Get ready to elevate your dinner game with these delicious Sheet Pan Enchiladas! Packed with zesty black beans, gooey cheese, and vibrant bell peppers, this one-pan wonder is not only budget-friendly but also a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Simply layer, bake, and watch everyone come back for seconds!
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This deconstructed enchilada madness emerged from 1980s Texas when overworked oil field wives discovered that rolling individual tortillas was bollocks—they started layering everything like lasagna, creating what Mexicans initially called 'gringo casserole' until smart restaurateurs in Houston's Montrose district rebranded it as 'sheet pan enchiladas' and charged double.
Regional Twist
In Guadalajara's Tlaquepaque district, they replace the ground beef with shredded carnitas and swap yellow corn tortillas for blue masa tortillas, adding crumbled queso fresco alongside the Mexican cheese for proper textural contrast.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 packet beef fajita seasoning
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) ground beef
- 2 cups (473 ml) mexican cheese
- 1 jar red enchilada sauce
- 1 white onion
- 12 yellow corn tortillas
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Brown 1.5 lbs of ground beef in a pan.
- 2
Add 1 chopped white onion and 1 packet of beef fajita seasoning or taco seasoning to the beef.
- 3
Cut 12 yellow corn tortillas into fourths and add them to a large mixing bowl with the beef mixture.
- 4
Mix well and then add 1 jar of red enchilada sauce and 2 cups of Mexican cheese.
- 5
Mix everything together and set aside.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7
Spread a little red enchilada sauce on the bottom of a sheet pan.
- 8
Pour the mixture onto the sheet pan and spread it out evenly.
- 9
Top with a little more cheese.
- 10
Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- 11
Once done, cut into squares and serve with desired toppings.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm corn tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave before cutting to prevent cracking, as cold tortillas lose 60% of their flexibility and create tough, chewy pieces.technique30 seconds
- ✓Cook ground beef to exactly 160°F internal temperature, then drain fat completely before adding seasonings to prevent the spice packet from clumping in grease.technique160°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese to add in the final 5 minutes of baking to create a golden-brown top layer while preventing the bottom cheese from burning.timing5 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of enchilada sauce to meat mixture by weight to ensure proper moisture content and prevent the dish from drying out during the 25-minute bake time.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Cover the sheet pan with foil for the first 20 minutes at 375°F, then uncover for the final 10 minutes to steam the tortillas while achieving surface browning.timing20 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
35
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Sheet pan enchiladas skip the tedious rolling because restaurant cooks in Guadalajara layer tortillas like lasagna during rush hours.
Sheet Pan Enchiladas
Get ready to elevate your dinner game with these delicious Sheet Pan Enchiladas! Packed with zesty black beans, gooey cheese, and vibrant bell peppers, this one-pan wonder is not only budget-friendly but also a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Simply layer, bake, and watch everyone come back for seconds!
The Story
This deconstructed enchilada madness emerged from 1980s Texas when overworked oil field wives discovered that rolling individual tortillas was bollocks—they started layering everything like lasagna, creating what Mexicans initially called 'gringo casserole' until smart restaurateurs in Houston's Montrose district rebranded it as 'sheet pan enchiladas' and charged double.
Regional Twist
In Guadalajara's Tlaquepaque district, they replace the ground beef with shredded carnitas and swap yellow corn tortillas for blue masa tortillas, adding crumbled queso fresco alongside the Mexican cheese for proper textural contrast.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 packet beef fajita seasoning
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) ground beef
- 2 cups (473 ml) mexican cheese
- 1 jar red enchilada sauce
- 1 white onion
- 12 yellow corn tortillas
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Brown 1.5 lbs of ground beef in a pan.
- 2
Add 1 chopped white onion and 1 packet of beef fajita seasoning or taco seasoning to the beef.
- 3
Cut 12 yellow corn tortillas into fourths and add them to a large mixing bowl with the beef mixture.
- 4
Mix well and then add 1 jar of red enchilada sauce and 2 cups of Mexican cheese.
- 5
Mix everything together and set aside.
- 6
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 7
Spread a little red enchilada sauce on the bottom of a sheet pan.
- 8
Pour the mixture onto the sheet pan and spread it out evenly.
- 9
Top with a little more cheese.
- 10
Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- 11
Once done, cut into squares and serve with desired toppings.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Warm corn tortillas for 30 seconds in the microwave before cutting to prevent cracking, as cold tortillas lose 60% of their flexibility and create tough, chewy pieces.technique30 seconds
- ✓Cook ground beef to exactly 160°F internal temperature, then drain fat completely before adding seasonings to prevent the spice packet from clumping in grease.technique160°F
- ✓Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese to add in the final 5 minutes of baking to create a golden-brown top layer while preventing the bottom cheese from burning.timing5 minutes
- ✓Use a 3:1 ratio of enchilada sauce to meat mixture by weight to ensure proper moisture content and prevent the dish from drying out during the 25-minute bake time.ingredient3:1 ratio
- ✓Cover the sheet pan with foil for the first 20 minutes at 375°F, then uncover for the final 10 minutes to steam the tortillas while achieving surface browning.timing20 minutes covered, 10 minutes uncovered