These creamy, saucy steak enchiladas come together in just 30 minutes, all in one skillet! Thinly sliced steak is perfectly seasoned with chili powder and cumin, while the red enchilada sauce combines white beans, sautéed onion, garlic, and green chiles. Rolled tortillas are drenched in the flavorful sauce and topped with gooey, melted pepper jack cheese. It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal that’s sure to become a family favorite! It’s also the perfect way to use up any leftover grilled steak, grilled chicken, or rotisserie chicken!

Steak Enchiladas topped with melted Pepper Jack Cheese, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado - in a cast iron skillet.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Quick & Easy – Ready in 30 Minutes. This one-pan meal is a lifesaver on busy weekdays when you need a quick weekend dinner! In just 30 minutes, you have a hearty, delicious dish on the table. With everything cooked in a single pan, cleanup is super simple.
  • Well-Balanced Meal. These enchiladas are a complete meal, loaded with protein from both the steak and beans, and filled with veggies like onions, garlic, and green chiles.
  • It’s a perfect blend of spicy, savory, and creamy. With every bite you get so much flavor, thanks to the melty pepper jack cheese, your favorite red enchilada sauce, plenty of seasoning, and zesty green chiles.
  • Great for Leftovers. The steak enchiladas keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days, and they’re just as tasty the next day. Plus, you can freeze them for up to a month—so it’s an ideal make-ahead meal.

Steak Enchiladas topped with melted Pepper Jack Cheese, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado - in a cast iron skillet.

The ingredients you need

  • Steak. For these enchiladas, I recommend using tri-tip, flank, or skirt steak. These cuts are flavorful, tender when cooked right, and sliced easily for the filling.
  • Seasonings. Pan-searing the steak with olive oil, chili powder, cumin, and a touch of salt gives it a bold flavor before wrapping it in tortillas.
  • White Beans. Packed with fiber and protein, white beans are a fantastic addition to enchiladas. I used budget-friendly canned navy beans. Just be sure to rinse them under cold water and drain them thoroughly before adding them to the dish!
  • Onion. I used one small diced onion.
  • Green chiles. I used canned diced mild green chiles. If you prefer more heat, feel free to swap them out for the hot variety.
  • Tortillas. Choose tortillas that are about 7-8 inches in size – they will fit in most cooking pans. You can use corn tortillas, grain-free almond flour ones, grain-free cassava flour tortillas, or regular flour tortillas.
  • Red enchilada sauce. I used store-bought – it saves time and is often just as tasty as homemade.
  • Pepper Jack cheese adds a melty, slightly spicy touch to the dish.
  • Pine Nuts. Once the steak enchiladas were done, I topped them with toasted pine nuts. They add a nice crunch and a subtle nutty flavor that goes well with the rest of the ingredients. Toast them briefly in the oven at 350°F for about 5 minutes until slightly golden.
  • Garnish. I topped the enchiladas with chopped green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, and sliced avocado.

How to make steak enchiladas

1. Cook the Steak: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the steak with chili powder, cumin, and salt. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear the steak for about 5 minutes, flipping once. Remove to a cutting board and slice into thin strips. Return to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes until just done. Set aside.

seared sliced steak for enchiladas - in a cast iron skillet.

seared sliced steak for enchiladas - in a cast iron skillet.

2. Make the Sauce: In the same skillet, sauté diced onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add diced green chiles and drained white beans, mixing well. Stir in half of the enchilada sauce.

red enchilada sauce with white beans - in a cast iron skillet.

3. Assemble: Place steak strips in the center of each tortilla, roll them up, and arrange seam-side down in the skillet with the sauce. Repeat with remaining tortillas and steak.

rolling steak slices into tortillas.

 

rolling steak slices into tortillas.

steak enchiladas assembly in a cast iron skillet.

4. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and sprinkle with grated pepper jack cheese.

steak enchiladas with red enchilada sauce poured over them in a cast iron skillet.

steak enchiladas topped with red enchilada sauce and shredded pepper jack cheese in a cast iron skillet.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

steak enchiladas topped with red enchilada sauce and melted pepper jack cheese in a cast iron skillet.

6. Toast Pine Nuts: While baking (or in advance), toast pine nuts on a small baking sheet at 350°F for about 5 minutes until golden, watching closely to prevent burning.

7. Garnish and Serve: Top baked enchiladas with toasted pine nuts, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, and sliced avocado. Serve hot and enjoy!

steak enchiladas in a cast iron skillet.

Variations and substitutions

  • Switch up the protein by trying shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, cooked ground beef, shredded pork, or even turkey.
  • What beans can you use in steak enchiladas? Black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, white navy beans, and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are all fantastic choices. Just be sure to rinse and drain them well before adding to the dish.
  • Want to pack in more veggies? This recipe is great for cleaning out the fridge. Try adding chopped broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, or kale.
  • Canned veggies are also a handy addition if you’re looking to use up pantry staples. Corn, green beans, peas, or carrots will add extra texture and flavor to the enchiladas.
  • What is the best cheese for steak enchiladas? Pepper Jack is my top choice as it brings heat, but you can also use milder cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack, shredded mozzarella, and queso fresco. You can also mix and match cheeses for flavor and texture.
  • Garnish. I used chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado. You can also add a dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema. Pickled Jalapeños or Salsa also make a great garnish.

Storage and reheating tips

  • Fridge. Keep your leftover enchiladas fresh by storing them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freezer. Freeze the enchiladas in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. They freeze beautifully and are perfect for when you need a quick meal.
  • Reheating in the Oven. For the best results, reheat your refrigerated enchiladas in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 20 to 30 minutes. If you’re reheating from frozen, you don’t even need to thaw them—just give them an extra 10 to 20 minutes in the oven, but keep an eye on them to make sure they’re completely reheated through.
  • Reheating in the Microwave. To reheat in the microwave, make sure you’re working with refrigerated (not frozen) leftovers. Use 30-second increments to prevent overcooking and keep the enchiladas from getting mushy. Just heat, check, and repeat until hot!

What to serve with steak enchiladas

Other Mexican-style meals you might like

steak enchiladas - in a cast iron skillet.

Print

Steak Enchiladas

#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #343434; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-33 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-50 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-3-66 stop { stop-color: #343434; }

These creamy, saucy steak enchiladas come together in just 30 minutes, all in one skillet! Thinly sliced steak is perfectly seasoned with chili powder and cumin, while the red enchilada sauce combines white beans, sautéed onion, garlic, and green chiles. Rolled tortillas are drenched in the flavorful sauce and topped with gooey, melted pepper jack cheese. It’s a quick and easy weeknight meal that will become a family favorite!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword steak enchiladas
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 1017kcal
Author Julia

Ingredients

  • 1 lb tri tip steak you can also use flank steak or skirt steak
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 7 oz mild diced green chiles
  • 15 oz white navy beans rinsed and drained
  • 15 oz red enchilada sauce medium heat
  • 8 oz pepper jack cheese
  • 8 medium tortillas corn, flour, almond, or cassava
  • cup pine nuts toasted
  • 4 green onions chopped
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 avocado sliced

Instructions

Cook the steak:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 F.

    Season the steak with chili powder, cumin, and salt. In a large, high-sided skillet (12-in diameter) over medium heat on the stovetop, add olive oil and sear the steak for about 5 minutes total, flipping once. Remove the steak from the skillet, slice it into thin strips (about 1.5 inches long and 0.5 inches thick), and return the sliced steak to the skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the steak from the skillet to a deep bowl and set aside.

Prepare the red enchilada sauce base:

  • In the same skillet, sauté the diced onion for 2 minutes until softened. Add diced green chiles and the drained white beans, stirring to combine. Pour in half of the enchilada sauce and mix well.

Assemble the enchiladas:

  • Take a tortilla, place cooked steak strips lengthwise in the center, and roll it up. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the skillet with the enchilada sauce. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and steak.

Bake:

  • Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle shredded pepper jack cheese over the enchiladas and the surrounding sauce. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Toast the pine nuts:

  • While the enchiladas bake (or in advance), toast the pine nuts on a small baking sheet at 350°F for about 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Watch them carefully as the nuts burn quickly.

Garnish:

  • Once baked, top the enchiladas with toasted pine nuts, chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, and sliced avocado. Serve hot and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 1017kcal | Carbohydrates: 78g | Protein: 56g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 2121mg | Potassium: 1349mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1694IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 658mg | Iron: 10mg

Steak Enchiladas topped with melted Pepper Jack Cheese, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, and sliced avocado - in a cast iron skillet.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *