Classic Baked Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce

Creating your own Red Sauce from scratch skips the grocery store jars and delivers a deeply comforting weeknight meal. Classic Baked Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Red Sauce pairs this rapid stovetop simmer with a robust Meat & Bean Filling, baking perfectly at 350°F (180°C) for a satisfying supper.

The Spice Blend

You mix up one batch of dry spices and split the work. You stir two tablespoons of the Spice Blend into the sauce base. You sprinkle the rest of the spices over the ground beef. You can use garlic powder and onion powder interchangeably if you run out of one. You can also skip both powders and sauté three minced fresh garlic cloves in oil instead.

The Red Sauce

The Red Sauce starts with a simple flour and oil paste. You cook the flour and olive oil together in a saucepan for one minute while stirring constantly.

Next, you pour in half a cup of chicken broth. You whisk the paste and broth together until you have a smooth, heavy batter without lumps. You add the remaining chicken broth, the tomato passata, the spices, salt, and pepper.

Tomato passata is a thick, smooth puree of plain, unseasoned tomatoes. You can blend standard canned tomatoes to make your own passata. You can also substitute plain canned tomato sauce. You simmer the mixture over medium-high heat until it reduces to the texture of a heavy syrup.

The Meat & Bean Filling

The Meat & Bean Filling uses ground beef, onions, garlic, and two kinds of beans. Lean ground beef works well here without tasting dry. You break the meat apart with a spatula while it cooks until it turns completely brown.

Refried beans add bulk and hold moisture in the filling. You can add a splash of water to the refried beans if they feel too stiff to stir easily. Drained black beans add extra texture to the final wrap. You can mix up the filling ingredients based on what you have in the pantry:

• Swap the black beans for red kidney beans or any other bean you prefer.
• You can easily trade the ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
• Stir in diced vegetables like red bell peppers.

Assembly

A thin layer of Red Sauce goes into the bottom of your baking dish. The sauce stops the wraps from sliding around.

You scoop a portion of the meat mixture onto a tortilla and fold it tightly. You lay each wrap in the pan with the seam facing down so it stays closed in the oven.

Make-Ahead Storage

You can build the Assembly before you plan to eat. You place the filled tortillas in the baking dish and cover the pan. You keep the finished Red Sauce in a separate container. You pour the sauce over the rolls right before you put the dish in the oven.

Baking and Side Dishes

You bake the pan covered with a baking tray or foil for the first 10 minutes at 350°F (180°C). You take the cover off and bake the dish for another 10 minutes to bubble and melt the cheese.

Enjoy the meal hot right out of the oven. You can round out the plate with a simple side dish, such as a fresh corn salad, grilled corn, a crunchy cabbage salad, or a prepared broccoli salad.