This Crockpot Beef Enchilada Casserole is the best one-pot dinner! It combines all of the flavors and textures of classic enchiladas right in your slow cooker. This beefy, cheesy, comforting dinner takes just 10 minutes to prep! Family-friendly, flavor-packed, and guaranteed to earn a spot in your regular dinner rotation.
This Crockpot Beef Enchilada Casserole is the perfect slow cooker dinner.
Flavorful ground beef, spicy enchilada sauce and green chilis, melty cheddar cheese, salty black olives…What’s not to love?!
This casserole great for sharing OR it makes delicious leftovers if you’re keeping it all to yourself! (No judgement there. It is that good!)
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- One pot meal – The fewer dishes I have to wash after dinner, the better!
- Quick prep and simple ingredients – This recipe is made with ingredients you might already have in your kitchen AND comes together with just 10 minutes of hands-on time.
- Crowd pleaser – Enchilada casserole is always a hit, no matter where you’re serving it or who you’re serving it to!
Recipe Notes
This Beef Enchilada Casserole recipe is as simple as promised! Just 10 quick minutes of prep for an easy, delicious, and family-friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Easy Enchilada Casserole to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Ground Beef – Be sure you’re using lean ground beef for this recipe. I recommend 90% lean or greater.
- Taco Seasoning – You can use store-bought taco seasoning or whip up a batch of my Homemade Taco Seasoning.
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Diced Green Chiles – While you can dice up fresh green chiles, I like to keep it super easy by just grabbing a can at the store.
- Corn Tortillas
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Sliced Black Olives
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Use another meat – Ground beef is your classic enchilada meat, but this recipe works great with ground turkey or ground chicken too.
- Make vegetarian enchiladas – Make this a meatless meal by swapping the ground beef out for your favorite beans (pinto or black beans work great). You can also use any meatless ground beef you like.
- Add more veggies – Kick the nutrition up a notch by tossing in your favorite fajita veggie blend. Try broccoli florets, diced pepper, onion, zucchini, you name it.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole.
Crumble the ground beef into the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle with taco seasoning, then add in the green chilis and enchilada sauce.
Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours or on low for 3-3.5 hours. When done, stir to combine, then tear the tortillas into pieces and layer into the beef/sauce mixture.
Top the enchilada mix with shredded cheddar cheese, then cover and let sit for 15-30 minutes to allow the cheese to melt and the tortillas to absorb the sauce.
Garnish your enchilada casserole with black olives, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Corn tortillas are key – The texture of corn tortillas is perfect for these Crockpot Beef Enchiladas. Flour tortillas are too soft and don’t hold up properly in the slow cooker with the enchilada filling.
- Use lean ground beef – The meat cooks in the crockpot which means you can’t drain out any excess grease. I recommend using 90% or higher lean ground beef for this recipe so your enchiladas aren’t too oily.
- Cook on low (if you have time time) – I always prefer to cook on low when I use my crockpot. That little bit of extra time gives the flavors more time to meld together for EXTRA deliciousness. If you’re trying to speed things up a little, these are delicious cooked on high too!
- Customize – Get creative and use whatever toppings you love to make this meal your own! Try chopped green onions, pico de gallo, sour cream, sliced avocado, you name it.
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!
- Cook on high – Like I said, I usually prefer to take the extra time, but you can absolutely cook your enchilada casserole on high to take about an hour off of the cooking time!
- Make in advance and store – Assemble and cook this slow cooker enchilada dinner ahead of time, let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge or freezer for an easy meal later on.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How to Freeze Beef Enchilada Casserole After Cooking
- Assemble and cook your enchiladas as instructed.
- Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Store in the freezer for 1-2 months.
- When you’re ready to re-serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then transfer to a baking dish and reheat at 350ºF until heated all the way through.
What to Serve with Beef Enchiladas Casserole
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of classic enchiladas, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Easy Mexican Rice – This Easy Mexican Rice is another one-pan recipe that’s packed with flavor. It’s made with white rice seasoned to perfection, then fiinished with peas, carrots, and serrano peppers.
- Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans – Who doesn’t love a scoop of creamy beans alongside their enchiladas? These Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans are the best Mexican side dish.
- Mexican Cornbread – Sop up your excess enchilada sauce with this Easy Mexican Cornbread! Just 5 minutes of prep for the best sweet corn flavor in the softest, fluffiest slice of bread.
Beef Enchilada Casserole Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well.
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 1-2 months
Recipe FAQ’s
Can you do enchiladas in a slow cooker?
Absolutely! This Crockpot Beef Enchiladas takes classic enchiladas and just makes them easier—no rolling needed. Just throw everything into your slow cooker!
How do you keep enchilada casserole from getting soggy?
There are a couple of things we’re doing for this recipe to keep the tortillas from getting soggy:
1. Using corn tortillas! Corn tortillas hold up better in the sauce for a better texture.
2. Adding tortillas after cooking. The bulk of the cooking happens before you add the tortilla pieces, so they don’t over-cook and get mushy.
More EASY Enchilada 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 enchilada recipes below.
- Chili Cheese Enchiladas
- Cheesy Beef Enchilada Skillet
- Loaded Beef Enchilada Soup
- Beef Enchilada Casserole with Zucchini
Crockpot Beef Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef, (the leaner the better!)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, (1 packet)
- 28 ounce can red enchilada sauce, (1 large can)
- 8 ounces diced green chiles, (1 large can)
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
Instructions
- Crumble the ground beef and place in the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle with taco seasoning then pour the green chilis and enchilada sauce over the beef.
- Cover and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours, or low for 3-3.5 hours.
- Once done, stir to combine, breaking up meat with your spoon or spatula. Then tear the tortillas in pieces and mix into the saucy beef.
- Top with cheddar cheese and replace the lid. Let sit for 15-30 minutes, or until the tortillas have absorbed the sauce and the cheese is melted. Garnish with sliced black olives.
Recipe Notes
- chopped green onions
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
- sliced avocado
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