Tex-Mex · main

Beef Enchiladas with Chili Gravy

Beef Enchiladas with Chili Gravy reads umami 5.5, allium 4.8 and richness 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Tex-Mex main, about 42 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.5 · Allium 4.8 · Richness 4.3 · Salinity 3.9 · Sourness 3.3 · Sweetness 2.8 · Fruity 2.8 · Heat 2.4 · Earthy 2.0 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Citrus 1.1 · Bitterness 1.1 · Nutty 0.8 · Floral 0.5

What's in it (13)

• vegetable oil — 41 g
• extra-lean ground beef — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• all-purpose flour — 23 g
• chili powder — 44 g
• cumin — 5 g
• dried leaf oregano — 1 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 473 g
• tomato sauce — 227 g
• salt — 7 g
• corn tortillas — 1200 g
• shredded monterey jack cheese — 341 g

Time & effort: about 42 min (36 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 249 kcal, 10.6 g protein, 8.8 g fat, 33.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little of the vegetable oil.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion and cook, breaking the beef into small crumbles with a spoon, until the beef is no longer pink and reaches 160°F internal and the onion has softened, 6-7 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese; set the filling aside.
4. Make the chili gravy: wipe out the skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and warm over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook, whisking constantly, until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture turns a shade darker, about 1 minute.
5. Whisk in the beef broth and tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until the gravy is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6-8 minutes; stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. Working one at a time, dip each tortilla briefly in the warm gravy to soften and coat both sides, about 3 seconds, then set on a plate. This keeps the tortillas from turning gummy in the oven.
7. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the beef filling down the center of each softened tortilla, roll it up snugly, and arrange seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
8. Pour the remaining gravy evenly over the rolled enchiladas, then scatter the remaining 2 cups cheese over the top.
9. Bake, uncovered, until the gravy is bubbling at the edges and the cheese is fully melted and beginning to brown in spots, 20-22 minutes.
10. Let the enchiladas rest 5 minutes before serving so the gravy sets slightly.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chili Mac Skillet with Melted Cheddar — American
• Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole — Tex-Mex
• Beef And Noodle Soup — American
• Ojja Merguez — Tunisian
• Sheet-Pan Sausage, Peppers, and Onions — Italian-American

Keep reading: what umami, allium, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.