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These lazy enchiladas are the ultimate 25 minute dinner. It’s a deconstructed beef enchilada skillet with a few simple ingredients – super easy but even more delicious! Perfect for busy weeknights when you need a good meal fast.
A Quick Look: One-Pan Lazy Enchiladas
- Cooking time: 20-25 minutes total.
- Servings – This will serve 4 people for a full dinner.
- Main ingredients: Ground beef, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and mozzarella cheese.
- When to serve: You need a fast and easy one-pan meal for busy weeknights.
- Dietary information: This recipe fits the Mediterranean style diet with lean protein and simple ingredients. It can be migraine diet-friendly with a few edits, but it will take longer. It is high protein and can be made gluten free, if desired.
- Why you’ll love it: This beef enchilada skillet is one of my favorite recipes because it’s so incredibly easy and fast. It’s a great go to meal for those nights you don’t feel like cooking, but don’t want take out. Both kids and adults will love it.
These lazy enchiladas are a faster option to this ground turkey enchilada casserole, healthy beef enchiladas, or slow cooker enchilada casserole. Or try my lazy lasagna!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Here are a few notes on some of the ingredients and preferred substitutions. For ingredient amounts, please see the full recipe card below.
- Ground beef – I like to use a 90/10 blend of ground beef for a good balance of flavor to fat. Since there is cheese and sauce added, you don’t need to use a higher fat content for flavor. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Taco spice blend – I’ve made this using Siete taco blend and Harmony Southwest, as well as my own blend which I’ll share below. Choose a favorite here!
- Tortillas – Use a burrito sized tortilla or 3-4 taco sized tortillas. You can use flour, corn, or cassava. Have leftover tortillas? Make these sheet pan beef quesadillas.
- Cheese – I used mozzarella here because it melts incredibly well with a mild flavor.
- Toppings – Optional toppings include green onion, cilantro, and sour cream or avocado.
Variations
- Cheese – Can substitute with a mild cheddar or even a white American cheese like Boars Head.
- Green enchilada sauce – You can use this green enchilada chicken soup base for a sauce or the one from my Dizzy Cook cookbook.
- Migraine diet – To be HYH diet compliant, you will need to use my enchilada sauce recipe as well as the homemade taco spice blend. Tortillas should be simple ingredients – flour and water mostly. TortillaLand or HEB is recommended. Use blended cottage cheese instead of sour cream.
- Gluten free – Use all corn tortillas or Siete burrito sized cassava tortillas.
How to Make Lazy Enchiladas
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet or oven safe skillet – I recommend a 10 to 12 inch skillet. Add the ground beef and cook 6-7 minutes, breaking it into pieces. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Drain any excess oil.
Step 2: Mix in the taco spice blend with the ground beef and water, which helps to coat the beef in the spices.
Step 3: On top of the beef, add one large burrito sized tortilla or 3-4 smaller tortillas. Top with the enchilada sauce.
Step 4: Add the shredded cheese on top and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through and bubbly on the edges.
Recipe Tip
If you want the cheese to be a golden brown color on top, you can broil the beef enchilada skillet on high heat for about 1 minute. Then top with scallions and serve warm!
Serving Suggestions
These lazy enchiladas are really a full meal in one! Here are some accompaniments you might enjoy.
- Toppings – Sour cream, cilantro, green onion, avocado, or fresh, sliced radish. Sometimes I also like a shredded cabbage slaw for a little crunch.
- Sides – Spanish brown rice, mozzarella queso dip and chips, guacamole, or a kale crunch salad for extra greens.
Storage Information
Refrigerator – This dish can be placed in the fridge for up to 5-6 days and still taste amazing. Reheat in the oven at 375F for about 10-15 minutes or microwave in 30 second heating intervals.
Freezer – This recipe also freezes incredibly well for up to 4-5 months! Occasionally the enchilada sauce can gel up depending on what type you use (I find this more common with homemade). It will usually thin out once re-heated, but doesn’t affect the flavor.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you don’t own a cast iron pan or oven-safe pan, you can transfer the beef to a baking dish, then finish layering with the tortillas, sauce, and cheese there. I also recommend preparing the lazy enchiladas this way if you plan to make them ahead. This will fit in an 8×8 pan.
Doubling this recipe works well as this would make an amazing, easy dish for parties or even a game day event like the Super Bowl. Just double the ingredients, but transfer to a larger baking dish (like a 9×13). Baking times should not change.
Other One Pan Dinners
If you’re craving more easy dinners that fit all in one pan, try this creamy Boursin salmon pasta, baked ricotta chicken, or Boursin baked orzo. For something with more Tex Mex flavor, you’ll love these easy chicken fajita bowls.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Lazy Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, store-bought or homemade (recipe in notes)
- 1 large burrito-size tortilla, or 3-4 smaller tortillas
- 12-15 ounces red enchilada sauce, I used La Preferida Organic red sauce
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella, or cheddar cheese
- Optional toppings: Sour cream, cilantro, sliced green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉/200℃. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet (or oven safe skillet) over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and use a spoon to break it up. Cook for 6-7 minutes until cooked through. Add in the taco spice blend and 1/4 cup of water to the mixture, stirring to coat the beef in spices.
- Top the beef with the tortilla(s), then pour the enchilada sauce on top. Top that with the shredded cheese. Bake uncovered at 400ºF for 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden brown in spots and bubbly on top. (If the cheese isn’t browning, you can turn the broiler on high for 1 minute or until browned!)
- Remove the pan from the oven. Use a large serving spoon to scoop out servings into shallow bowls and add additional toppings, if using.
Notes
- Taco seasoning recipe (if needed) – 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. I have also used Siete mild taco seasoning and Harmony blends.
- Gluten free – Use a Siete cassava tortilla or all corn tortillas.
- HYH diet – You will need to use a homemade enchilada sauce like the one from these healthy beef enchiladas, along with the taco seasoning recipe. TortillaLand or HEB tortillas are great, but any brand with minimal ingredients will work.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe on the nights I don’t want to cook but know I should. Will just keep everything in the pantry. It’s slowly becoming a 1x a week meal for us!!!
I’m having trouble finding tortillas that have minimal ingredients and the brands you mentioned are not in my area (Kansas). Do you have other suggestions? Thank you.