Breakfast Enchiladas are the perfect make-ahead meal for busy families. With Mexican flavors, ground beef, eggs, and a luscious cheese sauce these are a crowd pleaser!
This Breakfast Enchiladas Recipe is hearty and made with good-for-you ingredients, making a filling and delicious meal!
Don’t let the recipe name fool you, you can enjoy these breakfast enchiladas for any meal. They’re a great idea for breakfast, lunch and brinner. Ha!
Mexican food for breakfast… what’s not to love?! I topped off these enchiladas with my avocado salsa, it is the perfect pairing.
You can choose your own topping but the salsa really pairs perfectly with this recipe so well that I couldn’t not add it, trust me try it.
And oh, that creamy sauce! I can’t tell you enough how much better it is than any store-bought enchilada sauce. It makes these cheesy breakfast enchiladas what they are.
So let’s get further into these Easy Breakfast Enchiladas, shall we? You’ll have to be a little bit crazy not to love them. They’re always a big hit!
Some of our other savory breakfast recipes we have on our site include Ham and Cheese Savory Bread Pudding and Scrambled Egg Avocado Toast.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Everything is homemade including the delicious cheese sauce.
- You can make these ahead of time to freeze or refrigerate.
- You can easily double the batch for larger crowds.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
For the Filling:
- Ground beef
- Olive oil
- Onion, small dice
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish, optional
- Kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
- Paprika
- Dried oregano
- Eggs
- Whole wheat tortillas or tortilla of your choice
For the Cheese Sauce:
- Evaporated milk
- Cornstarch
- Jalapeno, cored, seeded, minced
- Cheddar cheese, shredded
- Kosher salt
Breakfast Enchiladas also makes for great leftovers. If you like to make one dish you can eat throughout the week for lunch, like I do then this is a perfect recipe for that.
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY BREAKFAST ENCHILADAS RECIPE:
For the filling:
- Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, add onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Turn up the heat to medium and add the ground beef, stirring occasionally until browned, about 8 minutes. Add spices (1 teaspoon of the salt, 5 cracks freshly ground pepper, paprika, and oregano) and the scallions. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cracks fresh pepper. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, add the eggs. Let the eggs set for 30 seconds, stir to form large curds. Do not over mix. Eggs are done after about 1 1/2 minutes until just set and still looks moist. Remove from the pan and place in a large bowl.
- Add the meat mixture to the bowl with the eggs, set aside.
For the cheese sauce:
- In a small saucepot, mix the evaporated milk with the cornstarch until combined. Add the jalapeno, half the cheese, and salt, mix to combine.
- Heat pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. The sauce will be smooth, set aside.
Enchilada Assembly:
- Pour 1/3 of the cheese sauce into the bowl with the meat and cheese mixture. Evenly fill each tortilla with the filling, roll like a burrito. Place so they are touching, into the greased baking dish.
- Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the tortillas evenly. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until melted. Serve with avocado salsa if desired.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
What to serve with these?
In addition to my avocado salsa, a great side for this recipe is a light salad with a simple vinaigrette, roasted peppers, or even pinto beans would make for great side dishes!
Can you freeze breakfast enchiladas?
Yes! This enchilada breakfast casserole is make-ahead and freezer friendly. For both options, make them all the way up to the point before they get baked.
Then, just cover them with foil and freeze, easy! Or, for make-ahead do the same thing, then cover in foil and pop it in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, bake them off. Although, check the internal temperature to make sure it reaches 165°F degrees before serving.
ANY ADDITIONS?
Whether you like flour or corn tortillas, green onions or red enchilada sauce, you’ve got options!
- Green chilies: Stir into the meat mixture for a classic Mexican flavor.
- Hash browns: Layer at the bottom of the prepared baking dish for a hearty breakfast touch.
- Diced bell peppers: Add a red or green pepper to the skillet for a colorful and nutritious boost.
- Black beans: Mix into the filling for extra protein and fiber.
- Hot sauce or green enchilada sauce: Drizzle on top before serving for added heat.
- Chopped spinach: Incorporate for additional greens in your breakfast.
- Turkey sausage: Swap out the ground beef for a lighter meat option.
- Cream cheese: Blend into the cheese sauce for a richer texture.
- Sour cream: Dollop on top of each serving for a creamy finish.
- Tomato sauce: Mix a little into the cheese sauce for a tangy flavor enhancement.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Want to swap out the shredded cheese? How about some green chile sauce? Mixing and matching the best thing!
- Breakfast sausage for ground beef: Offers a spicier and more traditional breakfast flavor.
- Whole wheat tortillas for white corn tortillas: A healthier, fiber-rich alternative.
- Green enchilada sauce for cheese sauce: Provides a tangy and vibrant alternative to the creamy cheese sauce.
- Vegetable oil for olive oil: Use in frying for a neutral taste.
- Almond milk for evaporated milk: A dairy-free alternative for the cheese sauce.
- Monterey jack for cheddar cheese: Offers a milder, melty cheese option for the sauce.
HOW TO STORE:
These are best stored in the refrigerator after baking and having any leftovers you can keep them in the pan or remove to an airtight container.
The leftovers will keep for up to 2 days, I wouldn’t let it go any longer than that.
Like stated above these can also be frozen, make them up to the point before baking and cover with Saran Wrap and tin foil and they will keep in the freezer for up to 2 month.
Let defrost in the refrigerator before placing in the oven,
Included down below is this luscious cheese sauce. You will want to put it on everything! Trust me, once you try it you will be hooked like we are!
It bakes up nice for these Breakfast Enchiladas but also makes for a great dipping sauce or to drizzle over bbq beef nachos.
This is really a perfect breakfast that the whole family will love. Ever since I started making these I’ve had no complaints only praise, so that has to say something!
Tools used to make breakfast enchilada casserole
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- You can use any kind of tortilla you want, we use wheat but you can use white as well.
- If you don’t want to use ground beef, breakfast sausage is also delicious in these.
- You do not have to top with the salsa, you can top with whatever you want, sour cream, taco sauce, etc.
- The cheese sauce can be used for various things other than these Breakfast Enchiladas, it takes a great dipping sauce.
- These can be frozen ahead of time, see my tips above.
- You can easily double this recipe to serve more guests.
If you want a deliciously perfect breakfast recipe then you need to make these Breakfast Enchiladas as soon as you can! You won’t regret it.
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Breakfast Enchiladas
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 1 cup onion small dice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup scallions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish, optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 7 cracks fresh black pepper divided
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 eggs
- 6 whole wheat tortillas or tortilla of your choice
For the cheese sauce
- 6 ounces evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 jalapeno cored, seeded, minced
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
For the filling
- Preheat oven to 375°F degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat, add onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Turn up the heat to medium and add the ground beef, stirring occasionally until browned, about 8 minutes. Add spices (1 teaspoon of the salt, 5 cracks freshly ground pepper, paprika, and oregano) and the scallions. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cracks fresh pepper. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, add the eggs. Let the eggs set for 30 seconds, stir to form large curds. Do not over mix. Eggs are done after about 1 1/2 minutes until just set and still looks moist. Remove from the pan and place in a large bowl.
- Add the meat mixture to the bowl with the eggs, set aside.
For the cheese sauce
- In a small saucepot, mix the evaporated milk with the cornstarch until combined. Add the jalapeno, half the cheese, and salt, mix to combine.
- Heat pot over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is thickened. The sauce will be smooth, set aside.
Enchilada Assembly
- Pour 1/3 of the cheese sauce into the bowl with the meat and cheese mixture. Evenly fill each tortilla with the filling, roll like a burrito. Place so they are touching, into the greased baking dish.
- Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the tortillas evenly. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese. Bake for another 5-10 minutes until melted. Serve with avocado salsa if desired.
Notes
- You can use any kind of tortilla you want, we use wheat but you can use white as well.
- If you don’t want to use ground beef, breakfast sausage is also delicious in these.
- You do not have to top with the salsa, you can top with whatever you want, sour cream, taco sauce, etc.
- The cheese sauce can be used for various things other than these Breakfast Enchiladas, it takes a great dipping sauce.
- These can be frozen ahead of time, see my tips above.
- You can easily double this recipe to serve more guests.
Comments & Reviews
Alexandra says
Can these be made without the cheese sauce? Substitute red enchilada sauce instead?
Dana DeVolk says
Absolutely, sounds delicious!