Tex-Mex Ground Beef and Poblano Enchiladas with Lime Crema
Hearty enchiladas filled with seasoned ground beef and roasted poblano peppers, topped with a spiced tomato sauce and melted Mexican cheese. Fresh pico de gallo and tangy lime crema provide bright contrast to the rich, savory filling. Perfect for weeknight dinners when you want bold Tex-Mex flavors without complicated techniques. The poblanos add smoky depth while the dual seasoning blend creates layers of southwestern spice.
Ingredients
- 1 unit Roma Tomato, diced
- 1 unit Poblano Pepper, cored, deseeded, and dicedBell Pepper1:1mild
less smoky heat
- 2 unit Scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 unit Lime, quartered
- 2 tablespoon Sour Cream
- 10 ounce Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon Southwest Spice Blend
- 1 ½ ounce Tomato Paste
- 6 unit Flour Tortillas
- ½ cup Mexican Cheese Blend
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- Salt
- PepperBell Pepper1:1mild
less smoky heat
- 1 unit Tex-Mex Paste
Instructions
- 1
Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 475 degrees
- 2
Wash and dry all produce
- 3
Dice tomato, core and deseed poblano then dice, trim and thinly slice scallions, quarter lime
- 4
Combine tomato, scallions, oil drizzle, and juice from 1 lime wedge in small bowl, season with salt and pepper
- 5
Combine sour cream and lime juice in separate bowl, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until drizzling consistency, season with salt and pepper
- 6
Heat oil drizzle in large pan over medium-high heat, add poblano with salt and pepper, cook until just softened
- 7
Transfer poblano to third small bowl, add another oil drizzle to same pan
- 8
Add beef, half the Tex-Mex paste, half the Southwest Spice, salt, and pepper to pan, cook breaking up meat until browned and cooked through
- 9
Return poblano to pan and stir to combine, turn off heat
- 10
Place small amount of filling on one half of each tortilla, roll up starting with filled side
- 11
Place enchiladas seam side down in 8-by-8-inch baking dish
- 12
Combine tomato paste, remaining Tex-Mex paste and Southwest Spice, and 1/2 cup water in bowl
- 13
Pour sauce over enchiladas to thoroughly coat, sprinkle with Mexican cheese
- 14
Bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese has melted
- 15
Top enchiladas with lime crema and pico de gallo, serve with remaining lime wedges
Tips
Pour out excess grease from the pan after browning beef to prevent greasy enchiladas and ensure proper sauce consistency.
Add water gradually to lime crema until it reaches perfect drizzling consistency - too much at once makes it too thin.
Place enchiladas seam-side down to prevent unrolling during baking and ensure neat presentation.
Good to Know
Refrigerate assembled enchiladas up to 2 days before baking. Store pico de gallo and lime crema separately up to 3 days.
Prepare filling and sauces up to 1 day ahead. Assemble enchiladas morning of serving, then bake when ready.
Serve immediately while cheese is melted and sauce is hot. Garnish with lime crema, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.
Common Mistakes
Don't overfill tortillas to avoid tearing during rolling.
Pour out excess beef grease to prevent greasy sauce.
Don't skip seam-side down placement to prevent unrolling.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I make these with corn tortillas instead?
Yes, but warm corn tortillas first to prevent cracking. They provide more authentic flavor but may be more fragile during assembly.
How long will leftovers keep?
Refrigerate covered enchiladas up to 3 days. Reheat in 350F oven until warmed through. Store garnishes separately for best quality.
Can I freeze assembled enchiladas?
Yes, freeze unbaked enchiladas up to 2 months. Thaw overnight then bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes if needed.