Enchilada Casserole

Mas queso, por favor. I'd add cheese on each layer, not just the top.

2) This is a reduced calorie/healthier version - if you want authentic, then by all means, delve into Mexican cooking. However, I will agree that I prefer corn tortillas, this opts for the health benefits of whole wheat

1) Not all authentic enchiladas are spicy!  The one common ingredient is chili pepper and there is no hard and set rule as to what KIND of chili pepper, as there are many sweet and/or mild varieties as hot.  It starts as a recipe that can be enjoyed by everyone (not everyone likes spicy!). If you saw it needed more heat to meet YOUR taste, then it's pretty much a no-brainer to add what you like.

This recipe was an option for me on the Cooking Light Diet plan.  It was delicious.  I like a bit of heat so I sauteed a diced jalapeno with the onions.  The recipe says it makes 4 servings but that was too big so we got 8 out of it, 4 for dinner and 4 for lunch the next day.  The leftovers were even better.  Next time I might make it a day in advance.

I knew right off the bat this was too bland but I used my own taco seasoning mix and I used real enchilada sauce in place of the tomato sauce. I also substituted Mexican blend cheese for the Monterey Jack and put extra between each layer. Still no bueno. Kind of tasteless.

Totally agree and where are the corn tortillas?  This is a poor excuse for a burrito with enchilada sauce at it's worst.

Good dish, and easy. Didn't think it would fit, but it did fit just barely in the pie dish. I used the entire taco seasoning packet. Leftovers heated up real nice. Had Valentina hot sauce on the table for those who wanted extra spice.

MUST substitute corn tortillas for the flour ones if you want enchilada flavor otherwise you get the typical bland burrito taste. I added 1 tsp of cumin to increase the flavor and substituted an entire pack of enchilada sauce for the taco sauce. Layered grated sharp cheddar in between each one along with the beef. If you are using the jar variety of garlic double the amount. We loved the dish like this!

I have made enchiladas for years, how can this be an enchilada Casserole without any heat. The recipe needs some sort of heat!

i really liked this recipe! used gr turkey, med enchilada sauce instead of tomato, and should have used all of the taco mix. was not too spicy or salty. put 2 tortillas on bottom, made more of a crust texture, using a total of 5. (in a 10 inch square dish) will make this again. would be fine for a casual company lunch/dinner. leftovers were good too. will throw in black beans next time.

Don't be fooled by the three stars - this is the epitome of a good, solid recipe. I wouldn't serve it to guests and it is not a "special occasion" food, but my husband and I both love it for an easy weeknight meal. I usually kick up the garlic a bit and add up some to the browning beef as others mentioned. I also only use three tortillas and sometimes use a mix of cheddar and pepper jack cheese.

A solid start, but it needs a few improvements.(My daughter said it was like spaghetti, so there isn't much spice) I used corn tortillas instead of flour as I prefer the flavor/texture. And the flavor needs something to kick it up a bit. Some green chiles (preferably New Mexico green chiles) or some tomatillo salsa. The serving size is generous, so I cut it in 8 wedges instead of 4.

The first time I made this I found it to be a bit bland, the meat in particular. The second time I doubled the garlic and taco seasoning and added 1/2 of each to the meat during browning, and that upped the flavor factor considerably. With those changes, this recipe is a definite keeper.

Tasty; DH even went back for seconds! Used Old El Paso enchilada sauce instead of tomatoes.

Terrific quick weeknight meal. Nice balance of flavors-delish!

I made this with ground turkey. I also took others advice and only used 3 tortillas. I added a bit more taco seasoning and used chicken broth instead of beef...only because I was out. Made a corn and black bean salad as a side dish and served with lime and sour cream and it was delicious!

blah, ok, not great

This is tasty and still healthy - and I used a pound of ground turkey instead of beef. Surprised that the little bit of cheese satisfied us as much as it did. Very simple and easy to make. My husband went for seconds. Nice to have a healthier alternative to the normal mexican dinner. Next time I'll make my own spice and add more heat to help pump up the flavor. A corn and black bean salad would make a great side dish.

I was hankering for an enchilada casserole and boy, this did not disappoint. It's a delicious, easy recipe. I didn't have tomato sauce, so I substituted red enchilada sauce and omitted the taco seasoning. The sauce seemed quite thin, so when I added it to the beef, I brought it to a boil for a few minutes and simmered it a few more which thickened it up nicely. The enchilada sauce was a win, I think, because it had a nice level of spice in it. I added a little cheese between each layer. It felt really Mexican lasagna-y to me. I would have added some sour cream but we were all out. My husband loved it.

We loved it. I did add a dab of sour cream and some fresh cilantro. Only used 3 tortillas. The sauce was a very mild so I did kick it up a notch with jalepno powder and chipolte pepper. I will definetly be making again.

Easy and oh so delicious. I substututed ground turkey and chicken broth. Added cilantro and Jalapeno to the sauce. My husband, the cheese lover sprinkled extra cheese over his portion.

This is a year round standard in our house. I have made it exactly as listed, but since I typically tweak recipes to match what I have on hand I have made changes that we now prefer. I reduced the tortillas to three, blend the cheese into all layers, use a full 15oz can of diced tomatoes with chilies and make the taco seasoning (you can google it) from scratch. I allow the mixture to simmer while cleaning up giving the tomatoes time to reduce. We serve it with a bed of romaine lettuce Start to clean kitchen it takes about 40 minutes and makes great leftovers. Corn, black beans, and cilantro sound like great options.

Extremely easy and a big hit with even my pickiest eaters.

Soooo good! Tasted even better as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Easy Peasy

Both my husband and I really enjoyed this. Will add jalapeno to the beef when we fix it next.

This was a disappointment. The taste was bland; plain tomato sauce mixed with beef broth is no substitute for regular enchilada sauce and a sprinkling of pepper-jack was not nearly enough to give it flavor. I will not be making it again.

Since finding the recipe two weeks ago I've made it twice! My guys loved it. The only thing I modified was the cheese, since we like it spicy I used Monteray Jack with Habanero pepper.

Made this recipe with the Red Rice recipe and both were a big hit with my nephews. Added salsa and cheese to the second layer but otherwise followed the recipe. Will definitely make again.

I was really hoping this would be great, but it was just okay. I would make again, but use a different enchilada sauce. I thought it was a bit bland, but with some tweaks it could be much better.

Great recipe! Husband and I loved it. Followed the recipe ...made no changes. Will make it again.

This is a great recipe! I almost followed it completely as written but I made some modifications. First I added fresh diced plum tomatoes (2) and 1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro to the meat and onion mixture. Then for the sauce I made my own seasoning mix. I used 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, smoked paprika, cumin and then 1 tsp of chili powder. There is no salt or pepper in the recipe which is unheard of in anything I make so of course I seasoned the meat and onion mixture and then added a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to my seasoning mixture. Before I assembled the dish I baked the 4 whole wheat tortillas in the oven for about 5 minutes to dry them out. This prevents them from getting gummy and soggy after you assemble and bake. I'm going to serve this topped with 1/4 diced avocado and a side of my favorite fat free refried beans and some fresh pico de gallo. Great dish!!

I love enchiladas in a Mexican restaurant, but they are NOTHING compared to this!!! I put cheese between each layer and my husband and I both almost ate too much. I would love to take this to a dinner with a Mexican theme. It was really outstanding!!

My family all loved this recipe. I substituted salsa for the tomato sauce, and used chicken instead of ground beef and served it with sour cream.

Very quick and easy. Made a few changes based on reviews and what I had on hand. My kids loved it and everyone liked it in my house. I will make again. Here are the changes I made: Started with about 3/4 lb ground sirloin but I would use less next time and add beans For sauce I made significant changes: 1/2 can diced tomatoes with chilies 3tbs tomato paste Did not measure spices but used from most to least: chili powder, cumin, ground chipotle powder, paprika, Mexican oregano( regular oregano would work), ground red pepper I used broth as recommended in the recipe I did not measure cheese but I am guessing it was more like 1/2c on top instead of 1/3 c This had a lot of meat so next time I would cut back and add some black or pinto beans and maybe corn. Hope this helps!

You're kidding right? There is NOTHING "enchilada" about this except maybe the tortillas. No enchilada sauce? Barely enough cheese to notice. Butter? LOL This is a joke. I have cooked at Mexican restaurants for years and have never seen anything like this in my life! What a joke!

Easy to make. Would jalapeños next time. Added salsa and sour cream as condiments. I used individual seasonings rather than a taco seasoning package.

We loved it but I did add a full packet of taco seasoning and if I was cooking it for quests I would add corn ,I did add green chilli's 1/2 can and cheese on base of tortilla and on the second layer and on top. I also had to use a bigger casserole than a deep dish pie plate. But non the lest I loved the recipe and will make it again.

Super easy and yummy!

The recipe is OK, but needs a different sauce, one with more depth.

Good solid recipe with adjustments. By itself would be fairly bland. Why add just 1 TB of the taco seasoning, it needs the whole packet! I also added beans and roasted corn. Would make it again, next time would add either cumin or jalapenos to give it more flavor. I made this gluten free by using corn tortillas and leaving out the flour. I appreciate that it didn't take long to put together.

My boyfriend loves this dish. I have to make it every week - double recipe. He's eating healthier without feeling deprived.

This was good but not spectacular. I did appreciate the simplicity and the speed at which it came together (I actually decided to do it all in one pan, mixing the broth and flour in a bowl and adding it to the beef mixture after the tomato sauce and taco seasoning), but I agree that it could be made more interesting with the addition of some diced tomato, green chiles and/or green onions for garnish. I used corn tortillas as these were what I had on hand, staggering them by threes (9 total) and topping it with 50% reduced-fat cheddar. I also cut it into 6 portions, realizing that one of four servings would have as much meat as the average hamburger, and served it with sauteed veggies for me and seasoned black beans for the husband. I might make this again for a quick dinner, but preferably with the above additions.

YUM! But I altered the recipe. I doubled the recipe overall, used an entire packet of Taco Seasoning Mix, and added sour cream to one of the layers. I served with fresh avacado on the side. I will definitely make this again, and probably add in some refried beans. Also, I did not use a pie dish, as that seemed too small. I used a larger casserole dish, making sure the whole tortilla was able to lay flat. (Otherwise the edges get hard). Heated up leftovers a few days later, and the flavors had a chance to meld. Even better the second time around.

Made to recipe except used the entire envelope of taco seasoning -- what would we have done with the leftover anyway? Served with the recommended side of black beans. Also had diced avocado/tomato/scallion/lime/cilantro to round out the meal. Easy enough for a weeknight. Not bad. Now I see that Old El Paso has their own recipe for "healthified beef enchilada pie" with fewer calories & fat. Maybe we'll try that.

A couple of positives about this recipe - I loved the fact that you could get an enchilada taste without the hassle of making individual enchiladas so it is a very clever idea. Also, my 8-year-old LOVED this recipe and the portions were very ample. However, I did think it was on the bland side and wished I had added more seasoning. It also really needed some thing to dress it up like fresh avocado, sour cream, green onions, etc.

We loved this! I made it before reading anything here, glad I did. I tweaked it on the first time and think it must be better this way: use less onion (I am guessing I used about 1/3 cup or so), use bottled minced garlic, regular McCormick taco seasoning, regular tomato sauce, white flour tortillas, and reduced fat Sargento 4 cheese Mexican blend--not sure of exact amount, as I did not measure, just enough to cover the top. The tortillas I had on hand were not the right size (6 inch), so I had to cut up some to make full covering layers (and it worked fine). I know my mods make it less healthy, but it sure was great! We will have this often, as it comes together quickly, easily, and uses ingredients I generally have on hand.

I don't know where everyone gets the impression that this is bland ... because it is AWESOME. We made it exactly as directed and we LOVED it. We ate it with a side of beans (refried for the hubs, black for me). It was great.

We loved this! Will definitely make it again.

After reading the reviews, I used the entire packet of taco seasoning and the flavor was great. I served it with light sour cream, sliced avocado and refried black beans with chili powder, cumin, and lime juice mixed in. Definitely a weeknight keeper!

Bland. Be sure to READ the reviews below--there are plenty where people say this lacks flavor....and yet award 4 stars?!?! The basic idea is good, and the spicy black beans easily merit more stars. Next time, I'm make only half the beef mixture and will mix the black beans and 1/2 beef together. I'll up the amount of taco seasoning and/or use some salso instead of seasoned tomato sauce.

Delish. I used ground turkey and whole wheat tortillas. Easy.

Simply delicious!! I followed the directions as stated, very quick & easy. Will definitely make this again.

This is really good. I can't find ground sirloin in my area, so used extra lean ground beef. I also added a bit more seasoning to the sauce mixture, which I think it needs. I also used cojack cheese to make it more kid friendly. Serve with a touch of sour cream and some diced green onions - yum!

I made this recipe without changing any of the directions. My husband and I loved it. It was really easy to make, easy to clean up and tasted great. This will definitely be added to the weekday rotation.

Everyone loved this recipe! Delicious and vey easy to make! A regular in my meal rotation.

VERY good recipe. Added 1 can Rotel tomatoes w/green chilies to meat mixture for a bit more spice. Just had left overs for lunch. Will make this again.

This was pretty good and very easy to make. It could have used a little more seasoning. Next time I think I will add more seasoning to the meat. I served it with black beans as well.

This was yummy! I skipped the onions and used a sprinkle of minced onion. I used Mexican cheese and topped with jalapeño peppers. So good and easy to make.

i tried this recipe and my family loves it, I added some black olives on top and then chopped tomatoes and added sourcream to the top after cooking and they loved it.

My family said they liked it so guess I'll give it 2 stars. I found it amazingly bland ~ both the casserole and the black beans. Can be salvaged I'm sure but needs a serious makeover to ever be served at my house again!

I made this last night and we enjoyed it. It was a little bland, hence the 4 stars. The next time I will add some red pepper flakes and cumin to spice it up a bit. I follow a low carb diet, so I cut down on carb intake by substituting low carb tortillas (4 net carbs) for the whole wheat (14 net carbs) and it did not take away from the taste. I also used 3 tortillas, and made 2 layers vs. 3 the recipe called for. I added some minced jalapenos and onions to the shredded cheese on top to help spice it up. Will definitely make it again.

This was an easy week night meal that my whole family enjoyed. I doubled it and made two which was enough for a hungry family of 6 and a couple of lunches the next day. I made the recipe as is and was pleased (although I don't think my taco seasoning was low sodium). I made jazzed up black beans for the side, and when the casserole and beans were plated I topped everything with a sprinkling of freshly chopped cilantro, diced avocado and sliced scallions. I haven't made enchiladas in ages because I feel like I never have time to roll them...problem solved! I will make these again.

Very simple to make and tasted fabulous! It was also good leftover. I followed the recipe, however it would also do well with other veggies added. I recommend it!

Came out well, would definitely experiment adding other things to it. Veggies especially!

I'll rate it 3 stars but with a few simple changes, it easily was 4+ stars. I added 1/2 cup of black beans to the ground sirloin mixture and also some cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder and salt (to taste). I used 1 1/2 T of minced garlic. Other than that, no changes. I served it along side of a small lettuce, cherry tomato, avocado salad and put a healthy T of low fat sour cream on top, eating it all together like a enchilada-taco salad. YUM. Hubby loved it and asked to have it again next week. Yeah...it would be delicious with more cheese on top but that would defeat the purpose of it being a "light" recipe. It went together easily and would work great for a work night dinner. Thanks for another keeper, Cooking Light!

My husband and I loved this recipe. It was so easy to make and had great flavor. The only change I made was that I doubled the amount of cheese on top.

After reading the other reviews, I made a few modifications too. I added a can of drained black beans to the beef filling. I also added chopped tomato, cilantro and avocado on top after I pulled it out of the oven. I served it with sliced strawberries. Very good - will make it again for sure.

I rarely deviate from the recipe when I make something for the first time, though this time I did. I opted to use 2 lbs of ground turkey instead of 1 lb of beef (we rarely eat red meat) & I know how bland turkey can be. I did NOT double the taco seasoning, though. I use an instant beef broth (I can't eat MSG, it's a substution I have to make), so I upped the water to 12 oz to make the single packet of broth. I added a 6 oz can of drained diced tomatoes with green chiles to the meat mixture. And I used 10-inch, 100 calorie whole wheat tortillas & used both pepper jack & cheddar. I made the spicy black beans, with some changes as well, which I've listed in it's own review. This was REALLY good. It was filling and tasty, with just a little kick. I think it's got a LOT of potential for changes, maybe black olives, maybe a little cilantro in the casserole. I WILL make this again, with or without changes, as I'm always happy to find something new to make with ground turkey.

Most of our meals come from CL, but this was one of the worst we've ever tried. Some reviewers changed things, but we followed it exactly. I keep wondering if we did something wrong b/c it's getting so many raves reviews, but I don't think so. It was bland, bland, bland. We're already used to low salt, so it wasn't that. It was just blah the night we made it & it remained blah as we used up the leftovers. I had to add sour cream in order to eat the last bit of it yesterday. We've found so many other good CL recipes for similar meals that we won't try this one again.

We really enjoyed this. I used another Mexican seasoning mix that we like, but, otherwise, I left it as is, and it was really flavorful. The pepper-jack cheese makes it.

I was pleased with this recipe, though I agree with others that it needs just a little tweaking to make it great. I added about 1 tsp cumin to the beef mixture. I did use one flour tortilla as the crust, but used corn tortillas for the other layers (2 4-inch tortillas for each layer). I really liked the corn, I think flour tortillas would have been too soggy, especially for reheating. I made the Spicy Black Beans that are pictured, added green onion, and liked those too. The black beans could easily be added to the beef mixture and just become part of the casserole. Or, with tomato, onion, avocado, and maybe shredded romaine lettuce, it would make a nice salad. I definitely agree a little green would lighten this up.

I added cilantro to the beef mixture and I added some pico to the black beans! Both excellent additions!

Really good. I made it vegetarian by substituting Morningstar Griller crumbles and vegetable broth. I also added a can of pinto beans. Excellent and my non-vegetarian friends enjoyed it, too!

Quick,easy and received thumbs up from 3 very picky eating children!!

I fixed this last night and it was a hit. I did change a few things. I made them chicken instead of beef. That is what I had on hand. I used a rotisserie chicken and chicken stock. I had to add more seasoning because it was very bland as stated. I added salt, black pepper and accent. I also added a thin layer of the cheese in between instead of just on top. I also made the black bean salad as stated and I had no leftovers! Gave it 3 stars because I had to adjust the spices.

Thoroughly disappointed. I won't make this again. I followed the recipe exactly, and I served it with the black beans as suggested in the magazine. If you plan to make it, I would combine the 2 recipes as 'fairydragonstar' suggested, and I would use less meat. This was nothing special at all...hamburger helper might even beat out this recipe.

Easy worknight dinner with great flavor!

This was a good, solid weeknight meal. I would've given it 4 stars but it needed a little fixing up, in my opinion. I'm keeping the recipe in rotation but am cutting the meat in half and adding a can of rinsed, drained black beans. I'm also going to top with shredded lettuce, avocado, salsa, and a little sour cream to add some color. It was a bit heavy on the meat/bread without some green to freshen it up.

I loved this casserole so easy, and it reheated well for lunch the next day...I made it exactly as written and will say if you have tortillas that are a little on the dry side that they work wonderful in this. I served it with the spicy black beans from the same issue and really I think I would mix the 2 recipes together in the casserole...this will be in our rotation as it is very easy and very simple

Really liked this recipe, it was really simple. I followed the recipe to the letter except I used flour tortillas and added green pepper. Next time I would like to add a bit more taco seasoning for some added flavor. Definitely make again.

Pretty good--I made the exact same changes as Sm1th1, except I didn't add the peppers (and I wanted to--we just didn't have any!). I also used corn tortillas instead of flour. I think next time I will definitely add bell peppers and maybe some corn just to increase the amount of veggies. I served it with a salad.

A delicious casserole that fits the definition of comfort food! We really enjoyed it with a salad and a handful of tortilla chips. If you're feeling festive, this dish could easily take on tomatoes, beans, peppers, olives, etc.

Both my husband and I really enjoyed this. In order to make 6 servings for our family, I stretched it with a can of black beans and doubled the sauce (just buy the larger can of tomato sauce and use the full can of beef broth). We used 6 tortillas instead of 4 (3 layers of 2 tortillas each) and also added some peppers to add a little more spice. Everything fit perfectly in an 11x7 baking dish.