11 May 2023

Enchilada Casserole - Enchilada Cazuela

Enchilada Casserole - Enchilada Cazuela / www.delightfulrepast.com

My Enchilada Casserole came on the heels of a binge of enchilada making. I made multiple batches of cheese enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, shredded beef enchiladas.
 
Then after a break from all that, I found myself craving enchiladas again, but not craving that much work. I mean, it's easy enough to roll a dozen enchiladas, but it can get a bit tedious.

I have a natural inclination to make things that take a lot of time, but I have other things I want to do with my limited time and energy right now, so I sat myself down and gave myself a good talking-to ...

... about streamlining, simplifying, coming up with ways to get the flavors I'm craving with less time and effort. The result, this Enchilada Casserole. Made with ground beef. Carne molida. One step.

And I decided to use a couple of other busy-day timesavers, frozen chopped onions and canned diced green chiles. Of course, you're welcome to chop your own onion and chiles, but remember, I was streamlining! 

I couldn't compromise on the sauce though, and homemade is really not that much trouble. It's a pretty basic and simple sauce that packs a lot of flavor. And you can adjust it however you like. If a canned sauce has too much of something for your taste, you can't do anything about it.

Do you love casseroles?


Enchilada Casserole - Enchilada Cazuela / www.delightfulrepast.com

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Enchilada Casserole


(Makes 4 to 6 servings)

The Beef

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) ground beef (I use organic grassfed 85% lean)
1/2 cup frozen chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 4-ounce (113 grams) can diced mild green chiles

The Sauce

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter 
3 tablespoons (27grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon oregano
3 tablespoons (2 ounces/57 grams) tomato paste 
2 1/2 cups (20 fluid ounces/591 ml) lower sodium beef or chicken broth

The Enchiladas

10 ounces (283 grams) cheese, shredded (I use half jack and half medium cheddar)
9 6-inch white corn tortillas
4 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil


1 In large skillet, cook the ground beef, breaking it up and browning it well. Remove the fat from the pan by your favorite means: covering pan with lid and draining it off, tilting the pan and spooning it out with a large metal spoon, or using a turkey baster. Then add the onions and salt, and cook for a few minutes. Then stir in the diced chiles. Remove from the heat.

2 In another skillet or wide saucepan, melt the butter and blend in the flour, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne, and oregano. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth and fragrant. Whisk in the broth. Bring the sauce to a simmer. When it begins to bubble, continue cooking and whisking for about 10 minutes, until sauce is thickening. Remove from the heat. 

3 Spread 1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) of the sauce in a lightly greased 11x7x1.5-inch baking dish.

4 Heat a griddle (my square griddle can cook 2 tortillas at a time), put 2 little 1/2 teaspoon puddles of oil (about the size of a quarter) on the hot griddle. When oil is hot, lay down the 2 tortillas and cook for about a minute, turning them several times. Repeat to lightly cook all 9 tortillas. Stack them neatly and cut in half. 

5 Dip each tortilla half in the sauce as you assemble the casserole. Place 4 halves with cut edges against the long sides of the baking dish and then 2 halves down the middle. Top the first layer of tortillas with 1/3 of the meat mixture (about 1 cup), then 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Make second layer of tortillas, meat, and cheese. For the third layer, tortillas and meat, then pour over the remaining sauce, and top with cheese. Cover and refrigerate until an hour before baking time.

6 Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Bake for about 45* minutes, or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, a squeeze of lime, chopped cilantro, or sliced green onions. Serve with Mexican Rice, Pinto Beans or Refried Beans, and Broccoli Salad.

* If you're baking the enchiladas right after assembling them, just bake them for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

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35 comments:

Lynn and Precious said...

Jean I absolutely love this recipe. I am into casseroles anytime of the year. But now that warm weather seems to be where I live for keeps, lol, I spend more time biking or bird watching so cooking goes on hold. Multi step slow cooking is for boring cold weather. Thanks so much for this idea. Lynn and Precious

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Sounds (looks) delish! Agree totally about valuing time. And you have figured out how to bake time into a recipe. Not to mention that this recipe may forge an international bond between Hispanics and Italians.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Lynn, thanks! I hope you'll make it soon and enjoy it as much as we do. Happy Spring!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Sully. I never want to give up flavors and textures, so if I can retain those AND save time, I'm all in.

Mrs. White said...

This is a great idea! I am needing to simplify work in the kitchen as well. There is only so much strength and energy available!

ellen b. said...

It's time for me to make my own sauce! Thank you for the recipe.

Vee said...

Oh that does look delicious. I'd pin, but Pinterest doesn't love me anymore.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Mrs White. I'm so glad that point resonated with someone!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ellen, do let me know how it turns out for you!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Vee. I understand completely. All this tech stuff is wonderful, until it's not!

Jeanie said...

I don't know why I never have enchiladas. This looks good!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jeanie! I hope you'll give it a go and let me know how you liked it.

Sherry's Pickings said...

this sounds like a great idea, and i think we all need to simplify life now and then so i use frozen chopped onion sometimes and other short cuts. very sensible.

TONY said...

Nice one Jean.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Sherry! Yes, I like that word, 'sensible.' Very sensible.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. (I'm worried about you, such a brief comment compared to your usual!)

TONY said...

Hi Jean. I'm fine. I missed you posting this at first. I have been busy with the family and also friends having been staying. I quickly sent a rushed comment.Your enchilada cazuela sounds very tasty. I am not sure I have eaten anything like it before.Reading your posts often opens up new culliary experinces for Marilyn and myself.
I am preparing to attend the Alton Austen Festival in June. I am one of the judges on the short story competiton set up by Caroline Knight for her Jane Austen Literary Foundation, JALF for short. It is a great charity helping support disadvantaged communities around the world. The money we get goes to reading and writing projects in Africa, India and also to the aborigine settlements in Australia. JALF is worth looking up. SORRY!! Ive just advertised the organisation on your post. I do apolgise Ha! Ha!
I hope you and Mr Delightful are well? All the best, Tony

Deanna Rabe said...

I am definitely going to give this a try! I love Mexican food!

April J Harris said...

I do love casseroles, and this Enchilada Casserole looks delicious, Jean. I totally agree, streamlining things when we have limited energy or are very busy is an excellent idea. We all need to be kinder to ourselves!

Phil in the Kitchen said...

I'm a big fan of shortcuts and definitely a big fan of comforting food like this. Very satisfying. When I read the recipe I did realise that I've no idea how big a quarter is, but I think I can work that one out without too much trouble.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Tony, I wouldn't let just *any*one get away with that, but since it's *you* I'll let it slide.😊 Sounds like you're going to have a grand time participating in that!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Deanna, thanks. Do let me know how you like it!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, April. I think I'm going to declare a "Be Kind to Myself" week very soon!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Phil, LOL! I'm usually very conscious of writing to my "international" audience, but I let "quarter" slip by. So I just looked it up and learned that a quarter is 24.257 mm in diameter.

Jeff the Chef said...

What a great casserole! I love all your time-savers, especially the frozen, chopped onion.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Jeff!

chickenruby said...

That looks really yummy. Thanks for joining in with #pocolo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Suzanne!

Maira said...

Hi Maira Kamran Is here.. well I am new here, I am searching for fashion & food blogs.. I found yours, that looks delicious! & I'm going to give it a try! keep sharing :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Maira, thank you. Wishing you success with the store in Mississauga and the online store.

David Scott Allen said...

I would so Leo a pan of this right now - just perfect comfort food! And, of course, freshly roasted green chiles are available in our market. Another dish to add to the roster for outdoor summer entertaining.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, David. Yes, one of my favorite categories of comfort food. Perfect with the Mexican rice I learned from someone who made it the "real" way. Have a beautiful summer!

French Ethereal said...

Jean, I think you already know, but I was happy to share your post at last week's Share Your Style #390 for you. <3

Happy summer and happy cooking!
Barb :)

Anonymous said...

Made this for dinner tonight and will definitely be making it again! Super yummy!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you so much! I'm so glad to hear that.