This Beef Enchilada Casserole combines a rich mixture of ground beef, enchilada sauce and green chiles with layers of cheese and zucchini to make a casserole that is unforgettable in flavor and ease!

Beef enchilada casserole with zucchini being made in a skillet

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Beef Enchilada Casserole – The EASY Way!

There is not much better than an ooey-gooey belly warming casserole on the dinner table, and this one fits the bill!

Not only is this casserole super delicious and quick and easy to make, but it is also chock full of protein and veggies, all nestled into those extra family friendly Mexican flavors.

Hearty and delicious, this casserole has only 8 ingredients and requires simple everyday ingredients that might even already be in your pantry.

If you are wondering “what can I do with a pound of ground beef in the fridge?” This is it!!

As a bonus, not only is this casserole easy and yummy, but it fits the bill for low carb too with the zucchini creating our layers instead of tortillas.

What to Serve with Zucchini Enchilada Casserole

Since this dish has the classic flavors of beef enchiladas, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican side dishes. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.

Side Dish Ideas

Mexican Rice – Or make a cauliflower rice side dish to keep it light
Salad with Jalapeno Ranch– This dressing is EVERYTHING! My kids love it so much now, I can’t even keep it in the fridge for 2 days without them eating every last drop. If they don’t want salad, it goes great for dipping with veggies too!
Mexican Roasted Veggies – This is an awesome option for keeping it light!
Street Corn Casserole– This is one of my most popular recipes!
Green Chile Cornbread– So delicious and one of the easiest things to make (no dry cornbread here.. this is the good stuff!)

You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner.

Recipe Notes

This Beef Enchilada Casserole with Zucchini is as simple as promised! Just a few ingredients and a casserole dish for a family friendly meal.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients

Lean ground beef– The leaner the better. This will help it from getting greasy as it bakes
Onion– I prefer sweet yellow onion, but purple or white will also work well in this recipe
Salt
Red Enchilada sauce – You can get this in the Mexican foods section at your local grocery store. My preferred brand is Las Palmas, but you can use another brand, or even make homemade enchilada sauce if you prefer.
Sharp cheddar cheese– I prefer sharp because you can use less cheese and get more flavor, but mild or Mexican blend can also be used
Zucchini– Choosing smaller straight zucchini will make it easier to slice.
Chopped green chiles– These canned green chiles are very mild and have tons of flavor. They really give this dish an extra flavor punch. My favorite brand is Old El Paso because they are a little thicker and more smashed which allow the flavors of the chiles to really integrate into the meat.

Topping Options

Black olives – as pictured. I like to keep it simple and just use these most of the time
Pico de gallo– This is really good on top of this casserole too. It gives a really good dose of flavor and texture.
Sour Cream– A dollop of sour cream on top of each serving really takes this over the top in taste!
Chopped Green Onions – you can combine this with any of the above options for a great combo
Jalapeno slices– If you want to give it a kick, try topping it off with some fresh or jarred jalapeno slices.

Process photos for how to make zucchini beef enchilada casserole

Recipe Tips

Create the base– This casserole centers around the rich enchilada ground beef mixture. You will get the best results for this with very lean ground beef. Also, different brands of enchilada sauce can vary quite a bit in flavor, so make sure you have one you love!
Slice the zucchini– To slice the zucchini, you can use several different methods. A mandolin is generally one of the easiest ways (just be careful with your fingers!) You can also use the slicing attachment for a food processor or mixer. Or you can just go classic, and use a knife!

The important thing to note is that you want your zucchini slices to be as even as possible and not too thin. If they are too thin, they can over cook in the casserole and end up mushier than is desirable.
Not too much cheese– Using sharp cheddar cheese lets you get all that cheesy flavor without having to actually use too much cheese. Using too much can cause the casserole to become greasy, which we don’t want!
Bake it– The baking time on this dish can vary a little depending on how thick you slice your zucchini and how your oven cooks. Since the meat is already cooked through, the purpose of the bake is to bring all of the flavors together and heat the casserole throughout. The more thin your zucchini is the less time it will need, the thicker the cut, the longer it will need to bake. The perfect consistency is when your zucchini is tender, but not mushy.
Top it off– Top off your casserole with some of your favorite toppings. You can add it on to the whole enchilada casserole, or just put a few out and let everyone decide how they want to top their serving.

Recipe Short Cuts

If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!

Use pre-cooked ground beef– You can batch cook your ground beef and and freeze it so that you can save a pan and a few minutes when ready to make this.
Prepare the meat mixture the day before– to take it a step further, you can actually prepare the meat mixture completely up to 48 hours in advance then refrigerate until ready to use. This may make the cook time longer since you will be cooking from cold.
Use a freezer meal– See the full directions below to create a freezer meal up to 6 months in advance.

Dietary Considerations

If you have special dietary needs, this recipe meets many and can be easily modified to comply with others.

As always, check all store bought ingredients for compliance on specific dietary needs. The notes below are a general guide.

Gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free when gluten free enchilada sauce is used.
Dairy free: This Zucchini Enchilada Casserole can me modified to be dairy free if you leave out the cheese.
Nut free: This recipe is naturally nut free
Egg free: This recipe is naturally egg free
Low carb/Keto: This recipe is low carb at only 7g net carbs per serving.
Macros: The approximate macro calculation for this recipe is- P: 34g C: 10g F: 17g

Spatula lifting out a piece of layered zucchini beef enchilada casserole

Freezer Meal Instructions

This can make a lovely freezer meal to use on a hectic day, or to give to a friend in need.

Brown the ground beef with the onion in a skillet over medium high heat. When it is done (no longer pink) drain any excess fat or liquid well.
Mix the enchilada sauce and green chiles into the meat.
In a 2 qt casserole dish, spread a layer of the meat mixture (1/3 mixture) on the bottom. Then add a sprinkle of cheese (about 1/3 of the cheese), and then cover with thinly sliced zucchini (1/2 zucchini.) Repeat a second time and then spread the remaining meat mixture on the top and cover with the remaining cheese.
Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. FREEZE.
Once ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours and then bake as directed. It may take a few extra minutes since it will be cooking from a colder temperature.

For best flavor use this meal within 6 months of freezing.

Enchilada Casserole Leftovers

If you have leftovers after making this amazing Zucchini Enchilada Casserole, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
in the freezer up to a month

More Easy Dinner Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my Easy Dinner recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.