Tender shredded beef and roasted butternut squash cubes fill these hearty red enchiladas that can be assembled ahead of time and stashed in the freezer for busy weeks.
This post is in partnership with Kroger
Homemade Enchiladas Are Perfect for Stocking Your Freezer
These beef and butternut squash enchiladas are one of the easiest to prep ahead, and thanks to some help from my slow cooker and my local Kroger’s (aka Smith’s Marketplace) produce and dairy aisles, they come together amazingly fast.
There are only a few ingredients in these enchiladas, and two of them can either be prepped ahead — like I did — or purchased pre-made in the grocery store.
The blend of savory shredded beef and sweetly caramelized butternut squash makes for the most incredible enchiladas. This is a flexible recipe that works with either red or green enchilada sauce, your choice or tortillas, and the whole batch can be assembled and frozen to be baked off later.
I just know you’re gonna love them as much as we do.
Enjoy!
The 6 Main Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butternut squash — I very much dislike cutting up whole butternut squashes. They’re thick skinned, they’re unwieldy and I’d rather just avoid it all together. That’s why I LOVE picking up packages of pre-cut butternut squash from the grocery store produce section. Plus, it’s a real time-saver.
- Shredded beef — The bulk of these enchiladas is shredded beef. I prepped this slow cooker Mexican pot roast ahead of time. I used chuck roast and doubled the recipe to make one for dinner and one to shred and save with ½ cup of the cooking liquid to stir into the shredded meat for these enchiladas.
- Enchilada sauce — I’m always looking for an excuse to bust out my homemade enchilada sauce. It uses real chiles and is actually fried for that authentic taste. If you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own sauce, by all means, pick up a 30-ounce can of red enchilada sauce to use instead.
- Flour tortillas — I’m fully prepared to take some heat for using flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas in this recipe, but please work with me here because my family simply prefers flour over corn so that’s what I fix.
- Onion — Finely chopped white onion adds flavor and texture to the filling.
- Mozzarella cheese — I like a really great, meltable cheese in my enchiladas, just like the ones I get at my favorite Mexican restaurant. That’s why I asked my waitress what cheese they use, and guess what? It’s mozzarella. Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to borrow cheese from other cultures.
How to Make Beef and Butternut Squash Enchiladas
- Roast the squash. Since the other ingredients for these enchiladas are pre-cooked, I roast the butternut squash before adding it to the tortillas to add a little more flavor and ensure the squash is cooked through.
- Prep your baking dish. I always spread a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of my 9×13-inch pan to prevent sticking and make for easier serving.
- Assemble the enchiladas. For a saucier, more flavorful filling, I like to mix some of the shredded beef with ⅓ cup of enchilada sauce before adding it to the tortillas with the mozzarella, onion, and squash.
- Bake until bubbly. The trick to heating up enchiladas without drying them out is to first cover the pan with foil and remove it only in the final 10 minutes of baking.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can fully assemble the red beef enchiladas, freeze them, and bake them off later (detailed instructions provided in the recipe card below), OR you can prep components of the recipe in advance.
- Enchilada sauce — Can be frozen for up to 3 months. I freeze mine in a zip-top bag and lay it flat until hardened, then stand it upright to save room in my freezer.
- Shredded beef — Can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you find you don’t have time to do your meal prep, go ahead and try a pre-cooked package of beef barbacoa or another shredded beef from the meat aisle instead.
Sides to Make This a Meal
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Beef and Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 3 cups red enchilada sauce (or a 30-ounce can)
- 10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 2-3 cups shredded beef (I made a batch of Mexican Pot Roast)
- ½ yellow or white onion , diced
- 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- Chopped green onion and shredded lettuce , for garnish
Instructions
- Roast the squash. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prepare a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the diced butternut squash on the foil and drizzle with olive oil then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender and beginning to brown. Set aside to cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF.
- Prep the pan. In a 9×13-inch baking dish, spread ½ cup enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the dish.
- Assemble the enchiladas. Mix ⅓ cup of the enchilada sauce with the shredded beef. Spread a little more than ¼ cup of the beef mixture in a line in the lower third of the tortilla. Top with ¼ cup of the butternut squash, a scant ¼ cup of diced onion and ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and ingredients, fitting the enchiladas snugly together. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the pan so the enchiladas don’t stick to the foil as they cook.
- Bake. First bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Remove the foil and top the enchiladas with the remaining cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes uncovered or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Rest before serving. Remove from the oven and cover with the foil to rest for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped green onion and serve with shredded lettuce on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
More Easy Enchilada Recipes
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This post is sponsored by Kroger. As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Danielle
Does anyone know the nutrition facts for this meal? and serving size?
Hayley
Hi Danielle! We’re sorry, we’ve just updated the recipe to include the nutrition facts!
Amy
ohh, this looks great! Can’t wait to try it out, thanks. :)
Mehndi
Looks really amazing:)
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Sandra
I’m thinking you could use pork or chicken if you wanted to and it would still be delicious! I do plan on trying your recipe first.
Yes Sandra, you could definitely sub another protein in. Enjoy!
Kamagra
Thank you so much for the great enjoy this lovely movement in our life.
Rachael
These look like my new favourite weeknight dinner
Nikki
Hi, can chicken be a substitute for the beef? Can I cook a whole chicken or chicken breast like the slow cook Mexican roast and shred…go from there?
Fiona
It looks yummy!! :)
Laura | Tutti Dolci
Yes please, I need these enchiladas for dinner tonight!
They’re so easy to prepare, you can have them any night of the week. Thanks Laura.
Sara @ Last Night's Feast
I can’t wait to try this!
Hope you enjoy!
Rachel - A Southern Fairytale
Those look and sound AMAZING <3 I can't wait to give this recipe a try! Happy Holidays, sweet friend.
Happy holidays to you as well Rachel!!