overhead photo of beef and veggie enchilada skillet

I've got a winner of a one skillet dinner for you that's not only chock full of vegetables, black beans, and lean ground beef, but feeds an army and reheats well too. There's nothing Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet can't do!

This dish has all the flavor of cheesy beef enchiladas except there's no tedious and messy rolling required. All the ingredients, including the corn tortillas, are chopped, sauteed and simmered in a big skillet before being blanketed by shredded cheese then broiled until melted.

They're lazy girl's enchiladas, y'all!

serving spoon taking a scoop of enchilada skillet beef

I got the idea for the recipe after Gwen started housing black beans when I had them out to add to a salad one day (umm, here for this!), all of my children's current acceptance and excitment around red bell peppers at the moment (of all things?!) and my constant desire to find dishes to work homemade red enchilada sauce into (so dang good). Add the 10lb ground beef blast I added to my last Butcher Box order that's currently taking over my freezer, and Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet was born!

Ingredients Needed

  • Vegetables: Peppers, onions, and frozen sweet corn cover the veggie portion of Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet. If you don't like bell peppers, I recommend using a diced or shredded zucchini instead.
  • Ground beef:I use lean, 90/10 ground beef in this recipe so I don't need to drain any excess fat out.
  • Black beans: Canned black beans add fiber and protein to this dish, plus a creamy richness. I like Bush's Beans, which are gluten free.
  • Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, and fresh garlic bring Tex-Mex flavor to the skillet enchiladas. I recommend using mild chili powder if you want to keep the heat level low. I like Tone's Mild Chili Powder.
  • Homemade red enchilada sauce: Once you try homemade red enchilada sauce, it will be impossible to go back to canned or jarred – mark my words! My easy recipe calls for everyday ingredients and can be made several days ahead of time. SO GOOD.
  • Corn tortillas: Corn tortillas are notorious for cracking and splitting while rolling into enchiladas, but there's no need to worry with this recipe because you chop them up then stir them into the beef, veggie and enchilada sauce mixture until they're soft and tender.
  • Shredded cheese: I like to use a Mexican cheese blend for topping the beef and vegetable enchilada skillet. All you need to do is sprinkle the cheese on top then broil until melted.
  • Toppings: These skillet enchiladas are made special by adding any and all fresh toppers to your bowl including: sliced red or green onions, chopped cilantro, diced tomato, avocado or guacamole, shredded lettuce, and sour cream or salsa. Set out a toppings bar and let everyone go nuts.

Make Once, Eat All Week

Like I said, this recipe makes a TON of food and leftovers make for quick and easy lunches because they reheat like a dream in the microwave. This recipe also freezes super well. Scoop individual portions into freezer-safe containers then cover and freeze. Thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before you want to eat then heat in the microwave, top, and serve.

Ready to dive into this bowl of deliciousness?!

Bowl of skillet beef enchiladas with toppings

How to Make Skillet Enchiladas

Start by heating a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large, oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bell peppers and onions then saute until they begin to soften, 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high then add lean ground beef, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, and a pinch of salt and saute until the beef is cooked through, and the peppers and onions are tender, 8-10 more minutes.

ground beef and bell pepper sauting in a skillet

Next add a batch of homemade red enchilada sauce (recipe below!), a can of black beans that have been drained and rinsed, and frozen sweet corn then stir to combine.

beef and vegetable enchilada filling sauting in a skillet

Bring the mixture to a simmer then add corn tortillas that have been sliced into squares and cook, stirring often, until they're soft and creamy, just a few minutes.

corn tortillas added to a skillet of beef and vegetable enchiladas

Last step is to sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese blend on top then broil until melted, a minute or so.

melted cheese on top of a skillet of beef and vegetable enchiladas

That's all she wrote! Scoop into bowls then top with any and all fresh toppings and devour. I hope you love this super simple yet scrumptious one skillet beef enchilada recipe! Enjoy!

Bowl of skillet beef enchiladas with toppings

More One Skillet Dinner Recipes

  • Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chicken Enchilada Skillet
  • Cheesy Chicken Burrito Skillet
  • Skillet Shepherd's Pie
  • Skillet Tater Tot Casserole
  • Italian Rice Ball Skillet

featured image of beef and veggie enchilada skillet

Description

Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet gives you all the flavor of homemade enchiladas in a simple 1 skillet dish. No rolling required!

Ingredients

serves 5-6

  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded then chopped small
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1lb lean ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 teaspoon mild chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • salt
  • 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen sweet corn
  • 8 gluten free corn tortillas, chopped into squares
  • 6oz shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • Optional toppings: chopped red onion, chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, chopped fresh tomato, diced avocado, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole
  • For the Red Enchilada Sauce (makes 2 cups):
    • 3 Tablespoons neutral tasting oil (like avocado or vegetable oil)
    • 2 Tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour (I like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
    • 3 Tablespoons mild chili powder
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
    • scant 1/4 cup tomato paste
    • 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

  1. For the Red Enchilada Sauce: Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat then add flour and whisk slowly and constantly for 1 minute. Add seasonings — chili powder through cumin — then whisk until the spices are toasted and fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomato paste then whisk until combined. Slowly stream in chicken broth while whisking to create a smooth sauce then turn heat up to medium-high to bring sauce to a bubble. Turn heat back down to medium then simmer until sauce has slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Set aside. Sauce can be made 3-4 days ahead of time.
  2. Preheat broiler to high.
  3. Heat oil in a large (12") oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and onions then saute until they begin to soften, 5 minutes. Turn heat up to medium-high then add ground beef, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Continue to saute until beef is cooked through and peppers are tender, 8-10 minutes, then drain beef mixture if necessary and add back to the skillet.
  4. Add black beans, frozen corn, and prepared enchilada sauce then stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer then add chopped tortillas and fold to combine. Simmer until tortillas are tender, 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Remove skillet from heat then sprinkle shredded cheese on top and broil until melted. Scoop into bowls then serve with optional toppings.

Notes

  • I recommend using mild chili powder to keep this dish on the mild side (my kids 8 and under eat it just fine using mild chili powder). Use spicy chili powder if you'd like it to be spicy.

This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.

photo collage of beef and veggie enchilada skillet

Photos by Ashley McLaughlin