Easy Enchilada Tacos are fast, easy and yummy! Crisp corn tortillas loaded with meat (ground beef seasoned with enchilada sauce), sour cream, cheese and all so many other yummy toppings!
The “tacos” are easy to make, fast to assemble and I make them so much I have it down to about 30 minutes!
Frying/Baking the Corn Tortillas
For the tortillas (tostadas) I heat a little bit of canola oil on medium heat in a smaller skillet (splash a few drop of water in the oil and if it sizzles it is ready).
Using tongs, I fry my corn tortillas for a minute or two on each side. If the tortillas crisp up and brown right away and burn then your oil is too hot. Just take your oil off the heat, let it cool a bit, turn your heat down a little and try it again.
Your stove should be set to medium heat. Adjust the temperature on the stovetop as needed. I salt the tortilla lightly when it is done frying, then let them cool on some paper towels.
TIP: The Butcher Man likes his tortillas barely cooked so they are soft and pliable and will fold easily. He stuffs his corn tortilla with the stuff he likes, folds it in half and then eats it like a soft taco.
It only takes a few seconds on each side, then pat off the excess oil, fold it in half and let it cool (folded). They are delicious soft!
What makes these tacos Enchilada Tacos
I call them Enchilada Tacos because I add a can of Enchilada Sauce to the ground beef (the flavor is yummy). It makes it a fast and easy meal when we are busy running the boys around to all of their practices and games!
You can use homemade enchilada sauce if you wish, but if I am making these tacos it is usually because we are busy and I don’t have time to make things from scratch. Canned enchilada sauce for these tacos works great!
This is the enchilada sauce I use and we love. I buy it in “mild” but there is a medium and hot version in this brand.
The Enchilada Taco Meat
I usually use 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, only because the Butcher Man packages his fresh ground beef in 1 1/2 pound packs unless requested otherwise.
The can of enchilada sauce works great for 1 – 1 1/2 pounds. I have used just 1 pound of ground beef and the recipe still works perfectly and I get about 12 tacos out of 1 pound. So use whatever amount of ground beef you wish from 1 – 1 1/2 pounds.
While my oil is heating and at the same time as I am frying tortillas, I brown my ground beef. I brown it on medium heat, with half of a chopped yellow onion added for flavor, in a large skillet.
When the ground beef is done cooking, I drain and rinse the ground beef – totally optional to drain and rinse.
After itis rinsed/drained… back into the pan the ground beef goes. Then add one can of enchilada sauce.
Add the entire can to your ground beef, let it simmer on medium low and let it cook down a bit if it seems too saucy. This makes the perfect meat for your taco and is where the name comes from!
Toppings for Easy Enchilada Tacos
We like things pretty basic. We top them with sour cream, the enchilada sauce taco meat, cheese, onions, hot sauce, and sometimes lettuce or tomatoes.
But you can add whatever you like! It would be delicious with olives or guacamole also!
Making Easy Enchilada Tacos
First, spread a layer of sour cream on the freshly fried crisp tortilla. (That is genius, I know! Then your sour cream and spoon doesn’t get all meaty if you try to add it on top of everything and every bite gets some sour cream…you’re welcome!).
Next, add some of the Enchilada Taco Meat.
Then top with grated cheese.
Last add the toppings you like. I like green onions, and hot sauce. I usually add lettuce, but didn’t have any! Other toppings are tomatoes, olives, avocado or salsa. Pico de gallo is delicious on them as well.
TIPS FOR SMALL EATERS
When my kids were tiny I would cut up the corn tortillas and fry little “chip” sized pieces and then top them with sour cream, meat and cheese on each little chip…just like nachos!
So if you have little kids that will have a hard time eating the tostada shell you can do this and they will love it! My 6 year old still has me make his like this…and he calls them ‘Taco Bites”!
You can also crumble the tortillas (or use the little chip-sized tortillas) and make nachos with it!
Easy as that! Enchilada Tacos are easy and yummy! I know your entire family will love them (even your picky eaters) and they will become a fast easy meal that you will enjoy often (maybe weekly like us!)
For some other fast and easy meals try my Chicken Tostadas, Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas, Fast and Easy Bean Burritos, my Fast and Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff and my Fast and Easy Sloppy Joes from scratch.
Looking for an easy Taco Meat recipe? Try my Easy Taco Meat that is perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more!
If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
Check out the latest posts from the Butcher’s Wife!
- Greek Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Yummy Carrot Cake
- Creamy Baked Chicken
- Easy Peppermint Dip
Enchilada Tacos
Ingredients
- 12-15 corn tortillas
- canola oil for frying the tortillas enough to fill a skillet about an inch deep
- 1 -1 1/2 lbs ground beef see notes
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped optional, added to the ground beef when browning it
- 1 10 oz. can Red Enchilada Sauce I like to use Old El Paso, Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
Toppings of your choice (these are the ones we use, but they can be changed)
- sour cream
- green onion or whatever type ou prefer
- hot sauce of your choice we love Cholula (not geting paid)
- tomatoes, diced
- lettuce, shredded
- shredded cheese whichever kind you prefer
Instructions
- Heat some canola oil in a medium sized skillet on medium heat. You want it about an inch deep. You will know your oil is ready for frying the tortillas when you splash a few drops of water in the oil and it sizzles.
- Once your oil is heated, using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time. Fry each side of the tortillas for a few minutes until crisp and golden. If you find they are cooking too fast and burning instead of browning, remove the oil from the burner and let it cool, then adjust your heat and try again. After each tortilla is fried, lightly salt each one, then let it cool on some paper towels.
- While your oil is heating, brown your ground beef. In a large, skillet, over medium heat, add the ground beef and onion and brown the ground beef until it is done. Rinse/drain if desired. Then add your can of Enchilada Sauce, stir and let it simmer on medium-low heat and let it cook down if it is too saucy.
- After your ground beef is prepared with the Enchilada Sauce and your tortillas are fried, assemble your tacos. I like to spread sour cream first on the tortilla (this ensures sour cream on every bite and it’s easier to spread first), then the meat, then top with cheese, hot sauce and any other toppings.
Notes
- This recipe makes about 12- 15 tacos but can vary greatly based on how much meat you use per taco/tostada shell.
- I usually use 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef, only because the Butcher Man packages his fresh ground beef in 1 1/2 pound packs unless requested otherwise. The can of enchilada sauce works great for 1 – 1 1/2 pounds. I have used just 1 pound of ground beef and the recipe still works perfectly and I get about 12 tacos out of 1 pound (this may vary depending on how much meat you use per taco). So use whatever amount of ground beef you wish from 1 – 1 1/2 pounds!
- You can use any kind of Enchilada Sauce and any “heat”. We like mild (especially when feeding kids). You want to use a 10 oz. size can. This will be the perfect amount of sauce for the ground beef (perfect for 1 -1 1/2 lbs. ground beef). Let the meat simmer after adding the Enchilada Sauce so it can cook down if it is too saucy.
- If you read the post above you will have read that you can do a fast fry on the tortillas so they are soft and pliable. You will just cook them for a few seconds on each side, then pat the excess oil off of them and fold them in half to let them cool. The Butcher Man eats his this way and loves them!
- Any kind of toppings work and are yummy, so change them up as needed!
- When my kids were tiny I would cut up the corn tortillas and fry little “chip” sized pieces and then top them with sour cream, meat and cheese on each little chip…just like nachos! So if you have little kids that will have a hard time eating the big tostada shell you can do this and they will love it! My 6 year old still has me make his like this…and he calls them “Taco Bites”!
- You may want to fry some extra tortillas because everyone likes to eat them plain along with the tacos!
- If you are not wanting to fry the tortillas then you can bake them in the oven for a few minutes on each side at 425 degrees, you can place them right on the oven rack. (Watch them closely if you are baking them… All of a sudden they will be done!)
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
The size of enchalada sauce can is not mentiones, 15 or28 once?
Hi Marsha! I use a 10 oz. can of milf enchilada sauce with 1 1/2 lbs of ground beef (1 lb of ground beef works great too)!
The recipe is down at the bottom of the blog post if you are wanting the step by step instructions!
Thanks for stopping by the blog…let me know if you have more questions!❤️😘