I grew up in the 80s and 90s when casseroles were king, and Campbell’s soup was queen.
This creamy beef-and-cheese enchilada dish was one of my mom’s go-to staples. I have no idea where the original recipe came from (probably a church cookbook!). After searching online and coming up empty, I knew I had to preserve it here!
I call it “retro” because even my mom has mostly moved on from canned-soup cooking.
My family had our own name for it, but that’s a secret I’m keeping to myself. 🙂
Since it serves 4 to 6, it doesn’t make it to our table for 2, but once every year or two (for memory’s sake). Even so, it’s still an unforgettable childhood favorite.
Think of it as a reverse beef enchilada: cheese-stuffed tortillas baked under a creamy beef topping.
How to Make Creamy Beef Enchiladas
This dish is so easy to assemble. You’ll need only a handful of ingredients!
- 12 fajita-size (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 16 oz Mexican blend or Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 lb ground beef (85/15 – see note below)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 8 oz sour cream
- 1/4 cup ketchup (not pictured)
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Chili Powder
A couple of points to note:
1. Mom always used 10 regular taco-sized tortillas and laid them horizontally across the dish. I prefer the fajita-size because they make for smaller portions of a rich dish and are easier to serve.
2. You want the ground beef to actually brown, so skip the lean ground beef and go for an 85/15 fat blend. In this photo, I used extra-lean beef, and it just doesn’t cook up as well. (I actually had to redo the photo shoot because the lean meat was too lean!)
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray. (I always do this either in the sink to keep splatter down.)
Fill each tortilla with a barely heaping 1/4 cup of shredded cheese, roll tightly, and place in the dish (2 rows of 6).
Make the Topping and Bake
Brown the hamburger.
For best results, heat the pan over medium-high heat, then add the hamburger once hot. Chop it well, but don’t push it around the pan. Just chop and let it sit. Wait a bit. Chop again and let it sit (but don’t push or toss the meat).
Once it starts to brown (the pink will be about 2/3 gone), you can start pushing it around the pan. The fat from the meat is what will help it brown. Not moving it around gives it a chance to brown.
Turn the heat down to medium and add in the onion and seasonings. (If you add the onion or salt too soon, the onion adds moisture and the salt draws moisture out, so they will keep the hamburger from browning. The onion will absorb the extra fat and, after 2-3 minutes, should turn translucent.)
Once the onion is translucent, add the wet ingredients to the pan (cream of chicken, sour cream, and ketchup). Stir for a few minutes, until the mixture is heated through and starts to gently bubble.
Pour the warm mixture on top of the tortillas and spread it clear to the edges, ensuring everything is covered.
Spray a piece of foil with non-stick spray, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
The edges will start to bubble a bit.
Remove the foil and sprinkle with remaining cheese (about 1/2 cup).
Return to the oven for another 10 minutes.
To serve the enchiladas, I like using a thin spatula spreader (like bakers use to spread icing).
Because this dish is so rich, I like serving it with something neutral that still adds color, like a side salad or simple green beans.
It can easily serve 4-6.
Creamy Beef & Cheese Enchiladas (Retro Casserole)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Fill each tortilla with a barely heaping 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. Roll up tightly, and place seam-side down in the prepared 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a preheated skillet over medium high heat, cook the hamburger. Chop well but let it sit until it begins to brown. Once it starts to brown, push it around the skillet and chop more.
- Turn down the heat to medium. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion and cook until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and ketchup into the skillet with the meat. Cook for a few minutes until heated through, stirring frequently.
- Pour the hot meat mixture evenly over the top of the rolled tortillas. Spray a piece of foil with non stick spray, cover the baking dish with the foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle any remaining shredded cheese over the top (about 1/2 cup), and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until melted and bubbly.
