Cheesy Gluten-Free Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Making cheesy gluten-free enchiladas doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated! The ground beef and refried bean filling comes together quickly on the stove top, is rolled with Colby jack cheese into soft tortillas, and topped with enchilada sauce and more cheese. Plus, this easy weeknight dinner casserole includes a pro tip for using corn tortillas without breaking, cracking, or having to dip in sauce first!

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Gluten Free Beef Enchiladas with Beans

If you thought making homemade enchiladas would be too much effort for an easy gluten-free dinner idea, I used to be right there with you. Before developing this recipe, I assumed assembling the casserole would take too long for busy weeknights.

Also, although I knew you could make a gluten-free enchilada casserole recipe with corn tortillas, I questioned how easy they would be to actually work with. Cooking is hard enough, so I always want to avoid over-complicating things!

I would not be gladly sharing this recipe with you if any of these things were true! First, using a store-bought gluten-free enchilada sauce cuts back on prep time. However, I also have a 5-minute gluten-free enchilada sauce using canned tomato sauce, which would also work great!

Also preparing the beef and bean filling comes together in minutes on the stove. This is why ground beef is a delicious and easy choice in other gluten-free Mexican recipes, such as 25-minute walking taco casserole and gluten-free taco salad with tortilla chips.

It’s seasoned with staple pantry spices, such as cumin, chili powder, and oregano. Although this recipe can easily be adapted into gluten-free chicken enchiladas not having to prepare shredded chicken first saves time! However, I included many alternative fillings below to easily adapt the recipe into many versions.

Through the testing process, I experimented with making a gluten-free enchilada recipe by dipping the tortillas into warm enchilada sauce to make them soft and pliable. However, this process was extremely messy, the tortillas still tore, and I found the casserole to be overwhelmed with sauce.

Instead, quickly warming gluten-free tortillas in a greased skillet made them much more pliable and when the casserole bakes in the oven the crispy corn flavor adds a nice contrast to the gooey filling and sauce.

Ingredient Notes and Recommendations

• Gluten-free corn tortillas – The ingredients in store-bought corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free – masa harina, water, and salt. It’s always best to check with the manufacturer for possible cross-contamination. There are many GF brands widely available, such as Mission, Guerrero, La Banderita, and El Milagro.
• Ground Beef – I use lean ground beef so the filling is not overly greasy.
• Refried Beans – This gives a nice creamy texture to the filling and makes the enchiladas easier to roll and stick together. However, any beans may be used after draining and rinsing, such as black beans or canned pinto beans.
• Cheese – Freshly grate the cheese off the block for best melting. I use Colby jack, but other good melting cheeses would be cheddar cheese or a Mexican blend, such as pepper jack, asadero, or Oaxaca.
• Enchilada sauce – For specific brands, see the gluten-free enchilada sauce section below. You may use either red or green store-bought enchilada sauce. If you make your own, you will need about 1 ½ cups for this recipe.

how to make Gluten-free Enchiladas

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onions. Cook, breaking up with spoon until the beef is cooked through.
2. To the pan add the garlic, diced green chiles, and seasonings. Cook for 1 minute longer and then stir in the refried beans and water. Stir until mixture is smooth and set aside.
3. Prepare the tortillas before filling. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Place a stack of 3 tortillas in the hot pan and cook for 30 seconds. Use tongs to flip the whole stack over and then flip the top one over so the oil side is face down towards the middle one. This distributes the oil to all three without having to cook one-by-one. Cook for 30 seconds more.
4. Transfer the warmed tortillas to a large sheet of foil and loosely wrap to cover and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining tortillas in stacks of 3, transferring to the foil.
5. Once the tortillas have been warmed, it’s time to assemble the enchilada bake. In a 9X13 casserole dish, spread ½ cup enchilada sauce.
6. On a work surface lay one tortilla. Sprinkle the center will a good amount of cheese and then top with a generous amount of beef bean filling, about ¼ cup.
7. Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas so you have two rows of six lined tightly in the baking pan.
8. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake in a 350ºF oven for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with guacamole, fresh cilantro, sour cream, or pico de gallo.

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Gluten-free tortilla Tips

Warming the tortillas in a skillet with a little oil is my preferred way to prep them for assembly. The oil gives a nice sheen so the edges bake crisp in the oven. Plus using the three-stack method described in the recipe means the whole batch can be warmed in less than 5 minutes.

1. If preferred, you may also use gluten-free flour tortillas. Since these are larger you will not fit as many in the casserole dish or may have to arrange them differently. You could prepare a double recipe of soft homemade gluten-free tortillas and freeze leftover tortillas for wraps. Alternatively, substitute your favorite store-bought brand.
2. Corn tortillas will need to be briefly warmed before using. The skillet method gives a better taste, but they may also be warmed in the microwave. Wrap half the tortillas in a damp paper towel and warm for 20-30 seconds. Fill and assemble then finish warming the second half to assemble.
3. If you prefer a saucier casserole, another option would be to dip tortillas in warm enchilada sauce before filling. This would require an extra can of sauce for the recipe. Pour 1 can in a saucepan and gently warm, but do not boil. Use tongs to dip the tortilla in, place on a work surface, fill and assemble as directed.

Alternative enchilada fillings

• Bean and Cheese – Warm two cans refried beans and season with the simple blend of spices used in these gluten-free bean and cheese quesadillas (double the spice ingredients). Spread on beans, top with cheese, and bake as directed.
• Chicken Enchiladas – Prepare 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breasts, bake and chop, saute, or simmer in chicken broth and shred. Mix with 1 can of drained black beans, chiles, and spices in recipe. Assemble with cheese and bake.
• Veggie Enchiladas – Mix together the chiles and seasonings with 1 can drained black or pinto beans and 3 cups cooked veggies, such as cubed sweet potatoes, broccoli, onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms. Assemble with cheese and bake.

Make-ahead, Freezing and reheating

This recipe yields 12 enchiladas, which serves 6-12 people. The recipe may be halved and baked in a 8X8-inch baking dish or assemble all the enchiladas and freeze half for later.

Gluten-free beef enchilada casserole may also be assembled and refrigerated up to 24 hours before baking. Be sure all the components have cooled completely before covering well to store. For best results, let it sit out for 60-90 minutes before baking to come to room temperature. Otherwise, you will need to bake 10-15 minutes longer.

To freeze, assemble and allow time for the filling to cool before wrapping to store. Wrap securely with plastic wrap and a layer of heavy duty foil. Freeze up to 3 months.

When ready to bake thaw overnight and then let it sit at room temp for 60-90 minutes before baking. You may also bake straight from frozen, but it will have to bake 45-60 minutes, and I recommend covering with foil for the first half so the enchiladas don’t dry out. This recipe will be just good as the day they were made utilizing these additional easy casserole reheating tips.

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