Zesty Beef Picadillo Enchiladas with a Savory Twist

These bold and flavorful beef enchiladas will become a family favorite with their unique combination of spices and ingredients. Packed with hearty ground beef, briny olives, sweet raisins, and a medley of cheeses, this dish delivers a punch of both texture and taste in every bite.

It's a comforting meal perfect for any night of the week.

Photo byGLP

Yield(s): 6-8 servings

30m prep time

35m cook time

586 calories

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup green olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries (or substitute with raisins)
• 14-16 (6”) corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat and Prep
   Preheat your oven to 350˚F. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened.
2. Cook the Beef
   Add the ground beef, allspice, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook the beef for 8 minutes, or until browned. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, green olives, and dried cranberries. Let the mixture simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat.
3. Fry the Tortillas
   In a clean skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Fry each tortilla for about 10 seconds on each side, just to soften them up for rolling.
4. Assemble the Enchiladas
   Spread a few spoonfuls of the beef mixture at the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. For each tortilla, spoon about 1/4 cup of the beef filling and sprinkle a little pepper jack cheese in the center. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Bake
   Pour the remaining beef sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining pepper jack cheese and all of the cotija. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown at the edges. Serve warm.

Substitutions:

• Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
• Replace pepper jack cheese with mozzarella for a milder flavor.
• If you’re not a fan of olives, substitute them with chopped pickled jalapeños for extra heat.

Storage Tips:

Store any leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap them individually and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, simply pop them in the oven at 350˚F until warmed through.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

https://12tomatoes.com/beef-picadillo-enchiladas/