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Enchilada Skillet

Enchilada skillet made in an oven-safe skillet with ground beef, black beans, corn, and tortilla strips simmered until tender. Finished with broiled cheddar-mozzarella for a bubbly, golden top and served with fresh toppings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef mixture
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 8 corn tortillas cut into strips
Cheese and toppings
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar and mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup sour cream for serving
  • 1 avocado for serving
  • 0.25 cup cilantro for serving
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the beef and aromatics
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then drain fat as needed. Visual cue: the beef should lose its pink color and look slightly crumbled.
  2. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 1 minute. Visual cue: the onion should soften and the spices should smell toasted.
Simmer the skillet enchilada base
  1. Add the black beans, corn, red enchilada sauce, and diced tomatoes, then stir to combine. Visual cue: the mixture should turn a deep red and start bubbling at the edges.
  2. Fold in the tortilla strips, press them into the sauce, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the tortillas soften. Visual cue: the strips should look tender and coated with sauce.
Broil and serve
  1. Scatter the shredded cheddar and mozzarella over the top of the skillet. Visual cue: the cheese should form an even layer across the surface.
  2. Broil for 3-4 minutes until bubbly and golden. Visual cue: the cheese should brown in spots and bubble actively.
  3. Serve hot with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro. Visual cue: add toppings right before eating for fresh color and contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: use an oven-safe skillet (like cast iron) so you can go straight from stovetop simmer to broiling without transferring. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not ideal because tortilla texture can soften further, but you can freeze if needed. Dietary swap: for lower fat, choose lean ground beef (or swap with ground turkey) and keep the same seasoning.