The key to these low carb enchiladas with beef and beans is the easy homemade red enchilada sauce that is loaded with flavor.
Mexican food is a favorite around our house, but the tortillas, rice, and beans always create problems for those of us who want to go low-carb. In other words, me.
(All of our Mexican inspired recipes are found here.)
This low carb enchilada recipe offers a guilt-free way to enjoy my favorite cuisine without compromising on flavor. The homemade enchilada sauce is out of this world!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
These keto beef enchiladas are perfect for anyone watching their carb intake but still craving Mexican flavors. The whole family will love these bean and beef enchiladas, and they won't even realize they're eating a healthier version!
What makes these so special:
- Homemade enchilada sauce without the added sugars or thickeners
- Uses low-carb tortillas that taste just like the regular ones
- Packed with protein from both beef and beans
- Customizable with your favorite toppings
- Ready in under an hour for a weeknight dinner
Ingredient Notes
For the Low Carb Enchilada Sauce
- Tomato sauce: Make sure to choose one with no added sugar to keep this truly low carb
- Adobo sauce: This gives a wonderful smoky heat to your sauce
- Spices: Chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika create that authentic Mexican flavor
For the Beef and Bean Filling:
- Ground beef: You can also substitute ground turkey for a leaner option
- Black beans and refried black beans: These add fiber and protein while keeping carbs reasonable
- Low-carb tortillas: Both Mission brand's Carb Balance tortillas and La Banderita Carb Counter work well with only 4g net carbs each
- Monterey Jack cheese: Provides that perfect melty topping that makes enchiladas irresistible
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How to Make Low Carb Enchiladas
- Prepare the flavorful sauce. Heat oil in a saucepan, sauté garlic briefly, then add tomato sauce and seasonings. Let it simmer while you prepare the filling.
- Cook the hearty filling. Sauté onions until translucent, add ground beef and cook until browned, then mix in beans and seasonings until everything is well combined.
- Assemble your enchiladas. Start with a thin layer of sauce in your casserole dish, fill each low-carb tortilla with the beef-bean mixture, roll them up, and arrange them seam-side down.
- Top and bake to perfection. Pour the remaining sauce over your rolled enchiladas, sprinkle generously with cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden around the edges.
Storage
These keto enchiladas store beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply cover your casserole dish with foil or transfer individual portions to airtight containers.
To reheat: Place in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through, or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes.
You can also freeze these low carb enchiladas for up to 3 months. Freeze before baking for best results, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.
Variations and Topping Ideas
Variations
- Rotisserie chicken (or any other shredded chicken) makes an excellent quick substitute for ground beef
- Try ground turkey or chicken for a leaner option
- Make it vegetarian by doubling the beans and adding sautéed bell peppers
- Add green chiles or jalapenos for a bit of spice in the filling.
Toppings
These bean and beef enchiladas are delicious as is, but toppings take them to the next level! Try:
- Sour cream
- Cotija cheese
- Diced tomatoes
- Sliced avocados
- Lettuce
- Salsa
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced jalapeños
- Green onions
- Creamy Poblano Sauce
Expert Tips
- If you've got shredded Mexican-style beef already cooked in the crock pot, you can use it instead of ground beef to skip a step and make these ultra quickly.
- For strict keto diets, reduce or eliminate the beans and add more meat and low-carb veggies instead.
- Warm your low carb tortillas slightly before rolling to prevent cracking.
- Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes after baking to make serving easier.
- Make the sauce ahead of time for even quicker assembly on busy weeknights.
Serving Suggestions
These low carb enchiladas pair perfectly with:
More Low Carb Recipes
You'll want to check these out, but there are lots of recipes here on B&B that just naturally fall into the low carb category.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! These low carb enchiladas can easily be made keto. Depending on how strictly you follow a keto diet, you may want to eliminate some or all of the beans. Just make up for it by adding more meat and onions or other veggies like spinach to bulk up the tortillas. Otherwise, the recipe is perfectly keto. Just make sure your tomato sauce has no sugar added!
While convenient, canned enchilada sauce typically contains cornstarch or flour and added sugar that make it not ideal for a low carb or keto diet. Our homemade low carb enchilada sauce takes just minutes to prepare and tastes so much better!
For best results, warm them briefly in a dry skillet for 10-15 seconds per side or wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 15-20 seconds. This makes them more pliable and less likely to tear when rolling.
Absolutely! You can assemble the entire casserole dish up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, covered. Add about 5-10 minutes to the baking time if cooking straight from the refrigerator.
The cheese should be completely melted and starting to brown slightly at the edges. The sauce should be bubbling around the sides of the casserole dish.
📖 Recipe
Low Carb Enchiladas with Beef & Beans
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
Beef and Bean Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 14 oz black beans drained
- 14 oz refried black beans
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt to taste
Enchiladas
- 8 low carb tortillas such as Mission Carb Balance
- 12 oz Monterey Jack cheese
- sour cream optional
- sliced avocados optional
- diced tomatoes optional
Instructions
Enchilada Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil on medium heat. When hot, add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Lower heat to a simmer until ready to use.
Beef and Bean Mixture
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium high heat. When hot, add diced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
Enchiladas
- Pour a little bit (about ¼ cup) of sauce in a large casserole dish and spread around the pan with a spoon.
- Assemble each enchilada by using a slotted spoon to spoon beef and bean mixture into the tortillas. Try to use about ⅛th of the mixture in each tortilla.
- Roll tortilla and place seam-down in the casserole dish in a row.
- Pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. If you like your enchiladas less wet, you do not need to use all of the sauce.
- Top enchiladas with cheese and put in oven for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and beginning to brown on edges.
- Top with sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, etc. if desired.
Nutrition
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Kathryn says
We loved this enchilada recipe and the beef and beans were a delicious combination! 🙂 Adding this again to our menu next week, thansk so much!
Pam says
Yay! Thanks, Kathryn.
Dannii says
Enchiladas are one of my favourite comfort foods and this low carb version looks amazing.
Pam says
They're so good. You'll enjoy.
Jessica Formicola says
I know it's Taco Tuesday, but we're making these enchiladas instead! They look so flavorful and we can't wait to try them!
Pam says
Hope you love them like we do. Thanks, Jessica!
Sara Welch says
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Easy, delicious and hearty; my whole family loved it!
Pam says
Thanks for letting us know Sara!