SHORTCUT LAYERED ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Forget rolling enchilada & make this shortcut layered enchilada casserole instead!

Why Roll When You Can Stack It and Bake It?

Look, I’ve never made real enchiladas. Not once. And honestly… why would I? There’s rolling, there’s filling, there’s sauce dripping everywhere, and for what? A pile of soggy tortillas that took you an hour to prep?

No ma’am.

This Shortcut Layered Enchilada Casserole is the low-lift, family-approved version that skips the fuss and packs in all the flavor. It’s a dump-it, stack-it, bake-it kind of situation—and it’s DELISH….did I mention it’s easy?

I made this once out of just pure exhaustion, and now my oldest begs for this! I’m also gonna just say: this may be easier than tacos (gasp!).

That said… Dear ALDI, please start stocking enchilada sauce. It would save me from running across the street to Publix :) xoxo Brett

What Is the Secret to Good Enchiladas?

Here’s the thing: It’s not about the rolling or the stuffing. When it comes down to it—it’s the sauce and the layers. When you drown tortillas in heavenly enchilada sauce and bake until bubbly (hello cheese), it all just melts together into cheesy, saucy, flavor-packed bliss.

The end result: a casserole that’s hearty, sliceable, and satisfying. You get every flavor in every bite, without needing a culinary degree (or a tortilla-rolling tutorial). Ain’t nobody got time for that, amiright?

What Can You Put in Enchiladas Easily?

The real question is: what can’t you? This version sticks with the basics: ground beef or turkey, sautéed onions and peppers, frozen corn, and store-bought taco seasoning (no shame in shortcuts).

Hot tip: I toss in black beans to stretch that meat out a bit. But, this casserole isn’t picky, and neither are your kids when it’s smothered in cheese and sauce.

What Cheese Is Best for Enchiladas?

You could get fancy with a Mexican cheese blend, but honestly? We go with sharp cheddar (because I buy the cheese). It melts beautifully, adds just the right tang, and you probably already have a bag in your fridge. Colby is perfect, Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack….okay they’ll all work.

(We’re not opening an artisanal cheese board. We’re making Tuesday-night dinner before ballet pickup. Let’s stay focused.)

Yield: 6

Shortcut Layered Enchilada Casserole

Print

Forget rolling enchilada & make this shortcut layered enchilada casserole instead!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1lb. Ground beef or Turkey
• 1 onion (white, yellow or purple)
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 1 taco seasoning packet
• 1 TBL water
• 1 1/2c. Frozen corn kernels
• 1 large can (28 oz) Enchilada Sauce
• 12 Corn Tortillas
• 2 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 400
2. In a skillet, cook ground beef (or turkey) until almost all the pink is gone.
3. While ground beef is cooking, dice onion & bell pepper (as shown in video)
4. Add diced onion & bell pepper to the ground beef & stir. Add seasoning packet & stir.
5. Cook until onions are translucent, bell peppers are nearly cooked through & beef has zero pink left.
6. Thaw corn in microwave 30 sec. & then add to beef mixture.
7. Using a 9 x 13 baking dish (or larger), layer the ingredients as shown in the video.
8. Cut tortillas in half or quarters.
9. Starting with about 1/4 c. sauce on the bottom of dish, add a layer of tortillas, then 1/3 - 1/2 beef mixture, 2/3 c. cheese, then cover with tortillas (again), finally 1 c. sauce.
10. Repeat with about 2-3 layers depending on the size of your dish. Use all sauce!
11. Cook 35-40 minutes until top is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Mom-Pro Tip:

The magic is just layering. Layer everything the night before, pop it in the fridge, and just bake it after work. It holds up like a champ—and bonus: no one will know it took you less than 20 minutes to throw together.

This one’s a crowd pleaser.
Zero rolling.
Full flavor.

And, I promise this one’s gonna have your pickiest eater (I dare say…) NOT turning his nose up at this glorious pan of bubbly goodness.

So if you’re looking for a fast, budget-friendly, freezer-happy dinner that basically cooks itself—this is it.

Drop a line below & let me know if you try it!