Easy One Pan Ground Beef Enchilada Skillet (30 Mins!)

This cheesy one pan ground beef enchilada skillet is what I reach for on nights when everyone is hungry and I want dinner on the table fast with almost no dishes.

You get all the cozy flavor of deconstructed enchiladas, with saucy beef, tender corn tortillas, and a bubbling blanket of cheese, in about 30 minutes and without any rolling or fuss.

If you love Tex-Mex comfort food, this skillet will quickly become a weeknight dinner regular, and I will walk you through exactly how to make it come out perfect every time.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bigger Flavor From Bloomed Spices: After browning the ground beef, we toast the chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder in the hot skillet so the spices bloom in the residual fat and give the whole dish a deeper, restaurant style flavor.

One Pan, Minimal Mess: Everything cooks in a single oven safe skillet, like a cast iron skillet, so you get a complete skillet dinner with the comfort of an enchilada casserole and almost no cleanup.

Fast, Family Friendly Weeknight Dinner: This 30-minute meal is mild enough for kids, easy to customize with toppings, and ideal for busy weeknights when you need real food on the table quickly.

Versatile and Customizable: You can swap in ground turkey or chicken, add extra veggies, or play with spice levels just like in our deconstructed style meals such as our popular egg roll in a bowl recipe.

Ingredients and Substitutions

These simple pantry friendly ingredients build layers of savory Tex-Mex flavor, while corn tortillas and cheese transform the skillet into a cozy, deconstructed enchilada bake.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 of a white onion diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup low sodium black beans drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces red enchilada sauce
• 5 corn tortillas cut into triangles
• 1 cup shredded Colby jack cheese

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Lean Ground Beef: Using 90/10 or 93/7 keeps this one pan meal rich without being greasy, and the leaner grind still has enough fat to brown nicely and carry the spices, which is why 90/10 or 93/7 is best according to the USDA data on lean beef. If you want a lighter option, you can follow the same method with ground turkey or ground chicken, just be sure not to overcook so it stays tender.

Enchilada Sauce: Store bought red enchilada sauce works perfectly here, and I like to choose a brand with minimal added sugar and real chili peppers near the top of the ingredient list for the best Tex-Mex flavor. You can use a mild or medium variety depending on your family, and if you prefer a tangier profile, green enchilada sauce is a fun swap that still keeps the recipe method exactly the same.

Cheese: Colby Jack cheese melts into a stretchy, golden blanket and has a crowd pleasing mild flavor that pairs well with the spices. If you want to mix it up, a Mexican cheese blend or Monterey Jack will also melt beautifully, and you can add a little sharp cheddar on top for extra flavor if you like.

Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are key because they hold their texture in the saucy skillet, soaking up flavor without turning pasty or gummy. They also keep the recipe naturally gluten-free as written, and you will see in the guide below why they work better than flour tortillas for this style of deconstructed enchiladas.

Black Beans and Corn: The low sodium black beans and frozen corn bulk out the skillet dinner so it feels extra hearty without much extra cost or time. If you have other add ins like diced bell peppers or zucchini, you can sauté them with the onion for extra vegetables.

Cilantro and Onion: The white onion builds a flavorful base with the beef, while cilantro adds a fresh, bright note to balance the richness of the enchilada sauce and cheese. If you are not a cilantro fan, you can leave it out at cooking time and just sprinkle a little on individual portions.

How to Make One pan ground beef enchilada skillet

Prep and Preheat

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F so it is ready to finish the skillet in the last step. While it heats, stack the corn tortillas on a cutting board and cut them into bite sized triangles, which helps them fold gently into the sauce later without clumping.

Brown the Beef and Onion

2. Place a large oven safe skillet, cast iron if you have one, over medium to medium high heat and add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, stir in the diced white onion and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to soften, then add the lean ground beef, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the beef is crumbled and no pink remains and the onion is tender, then carefully drain off any excess grease from the skillet.

Bloom the Spices

3. Return the drained beef and onion skillet to medium heat and sprinkle the chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder directly over the meat. Stir constantly for 30 to 60 seconds until the spices smell very fragrant and toasty, which means they have bloomed in the residual fat and will flavor the enchilada sauce more deeply.

Build the Skillet Filling

4. Add the low sodium black beans, frozen corn, chopped cilantro, and the red enchilada sauce to the skillet. Stir everything together thoroughly so the beans, corn, and beef are evenly coated in the sauce and you have a thick, saucy filling that is starting to bubble around the edges.

Add Tortillas and Cheese

5. Gently fold the corn tortilla triangles into the beef and bean mixture, turning them over with your spoon just until they are lightly coated in the enchilada sauce, taking care not to over stir so they hold some shape and texture. Once everything is combined, spread the filling into an even layer, then sprinkle the shredded Colby jack cheese evenly over the top so it fully covers the surface.

Bake to Perfection

6. Transfer the skillet to the preheated 425°F oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. The enchilada skillet is ready when the sauce is visibly bubbling around the edges and the cheese is completely melted and starting to turn lightly golden in spots.

Garnish and Serve

7. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and set it on a trivet, then let it rest for a minute so the bubbling calms down and the tortillas finish soaking up some sauce. Add any favorite toppings, scoop into bowls, and serve warm.

Your Guide to the Perfect Enchilada Skillet

Choosing the Right Skillet

The skillet you use can make a real difference in how evenly this one pan meal cooks and how nicely it serves.

A heavy cast iron skillet is my top pick, since it holds heat well, moves easily from stovetop to oven, and looks great going straight onto the table for serving.

An oven safe stainless steel skillet also works well and will brown the ground beef beautifully as long as you preheat the oil and resist moving the meat too soon.

You can use an oven safe non stick skillet for easy cleanup, just double check that it is rated for at least 425°F so you are using it safely at the baking temperature.

For this ground beef enchilada skillet, a 10 inch or 12 inch pan is ideal so the filling has room to spread and the cheese layer can melt evenly without overflowing.

Why Corn Tortillas are Essential

Corn tortillas are the quiet hero of this recipe, because they can soak up enchilada sauce and still keep some chew and structure.

In a saucy skillet like this, flour tortillas tend to break down quickly and turn pasty, while corn tortillas hold their shape better and give you that classic enchilada texture in every bite.

Since they are naturally gluten-free, corn tortillas also keep this dish accessible for more eaters as long as your other ingredients like enchilada sauce are gluten-free too.

Cutting the corn tortillas into triangles helps them distribute through the skillet like little chips of flavor that catch cheese and sauce, instead of forming one heavy layer.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: My skillet is too watery. This usually happens when there is extra moisture from the beef or the sauce, so next time make sure you drain the cooked beef really well and let the filling bubble for a couple of minutes on the stove after adding the enchilada sauce before you stir in the tortillas.

Problem: My skillet seems too dry. Enchilada sauce thickness can vary a lot by brand, so if the mixture looks tight before baking, stir in a small splash of extra enchilada sauce or a bit of beef broth, just enough to loosen it so the tortillas have moisture to absorb.

Problem: The cheese browned too quickly. Ovens can run hot, so if yours tends to brown the top fast, you can move the skillet to a lower rack or tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes to let the sauce bubble without over darkening the cheese.

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting

Pro Tips for Success

• Do not skip draining the grease. Pouring off excess fat after browning the beef keeps your enchilada sauce rich but not oily and helps the spices cling to the meat when you bloom them.
• Use freshly shredded cheese. Grating Colby Jack or a Mexican cheese blend yourself avoids anti caking agents so the cheese melts smoother and gives you that stretchy, bubbly top everyone loves.
• Let the skillet rest before scooping. Giving it about 5 minutes out of the oven lets the bubbling settle and the tortillas finish absorbing sauce, which makes it much easier to serve clean scoops.
• Taste and adjust before adding tortillas. After you stir in the beans, corn, cilantro, and enchilada sauce, take a quick taste and adjust salt or chili powder so the flavor is right before the tortillas go in.
• Use this as a gateway casserole. If your family devours this cheesy skillet, they will probably love other easy, bubbly bakes like our cheesy chicken Cheez-It casserole for another low effort comfort food night.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Pouring grease down the drain. Hot fat can clog pipes and cause plumbing issues, so instead let it cool slightly, pour it into a heatproof, sealable container, and follow your local guidelines or the proper way to dispose of grease.
• Over stirring the tortillas. Once the corn tortilla triangles go into the skillet, gently fold them through just until coated so they keep some texture instead of breaking down into mush.
• Freezing the fully assembled skillet. Freezing the baked dish will make the tortillas fall apart when thawed, so if you want a freezer option, cook the beef filling with beans, corn, and sauce, cool it, freeze it, then reheat and add fresh tortillas and cheese before baking.
• Using very high fat beef. A fattier grind can leave the skillet greasy and heavy, so stick with lean ground beef like 90/10 or 93/7, which the USDA nutritional data highlights as a good balance of flavor and fat.

Serving & Storage

Serving Ideas

Toppings are where this ground beef enchilada skillet really becomes your own, so set out a few options and let everyone finish their bowl just how they like it.

• Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• Diced avocado or sliced avocado
• Pico de gallo or your favorite salsa
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Sliced black olives
• Pickled red onions

You can serve the skillet as is for a hearty one pan dinner, or spoon it over white or brown rice if you want to stretch it further and soak up extra sauce.

A simple green salad on the side adds freshness, and if you want to round out the meal with something sweet, finish with a simple and cozy apple crisp for dessert.

Storage and Make-Ahead

Let leftovers cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days for easy lunches or another quick dinner.

To reheat, you can warm individual portions in the microwave until steaming hot, or reheat a larger amount gently on the stovetop over medium low heat with a splash of water or extra enchilada sauce if it seems dry.

For make ahead meal prep, cook the beef, onion, spices, beans, corn, cilantro, and enchilada sauce up to 1 or 2 days in advance and refrigerate the filling.

When you are ready to eat, reheat the filling in your oven safe skillet, fold in the fresh corn tortilla triangles, top with cheese, and bake as directed until bubbly and melted.

Conclusion

This easy one pan ground beef enchilada skillet gives you all the cozy comfort of cheesy enchiladas with a fraction of the work, and blooming the spices in the hot pan is the little step that takes the flavor over the top.

Once you try this deconstructed enchilada style, you can riff with different toppings, proteins, or sauces, so I hope you make it your own and come back to it any time you need a fast, satisfying Tex-Mex dinner.

Leave a comment below to let us know how you liked it and how you customized your skillet.

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