beef enchiladas with spicy red sauce

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup prepared red enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup shredded mexican-style cheese blend
• cooking spray
• 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded mexican-style cheese blend
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Recipe

Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Ready Time: 2 hrs 35 mins


• to make the spicy red sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and cook and stir 1/2 cup of onion until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. stir in 4 teaspoons of garlic, and cook and stir until fragrant, another 3 to 5 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning the garlic. stir in the oregano, 3 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder, basil, salt and black pepper, 1 teaspoon of cumin, the dried cilantro, salsa, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and chicken broth until the sauce is smoothly combined.
• bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 30 minutes, stirring often, until the flavors have blended and the sauce has thickened slightly.
• while spicy red sauce is simmering, cook and stir the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is evenly browned. break the meat up into crumbles as it cooks, and drain off excess grease. mix in 3/4 cup of onion, 1 tablespoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin into the meat, and cook and stir until the onions are softened and the meat mixture is fragrant with spices, 5 to 10 more minutes. stir in the enchilada sauce and beef broth; simmer for 5 more minutes. stir in 1/2 cup of mexican cheese blend, and allow the cheese to melt into the meat sauce. reduce heat to low, and simmer the meat sauce for 30 more minutes to thicken.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• spray both sides of each tortilla with cooking spray, stack up the tortillas with a piece of aluminum foil between each tortilla, and wrap the stack with aluminum foil. place the tortillas into the preheated oven to warm, about 10 minutes.
• spread about 1/2 cup of the spicy red sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. fill each tortilla with the meat sauce, reserving about 1/2 cup of the meat sauce; roll the tortillas into enchiladas, and arrange in the baking dish, seam sides down. pour the remaining spicy red sauce over the enchiladas. sprinkle with the reserved 1/2 cup of meat mixture, and top with remaining 2 cups of mexican cheese blend.
• bake until the cheese topping is golden brown and the sauce is bubbly, about 30 minutes. remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro to serve.