Making Chili Gravy with Beef Enchiladas always feels like I’m tapping into the best kind of Texas comfort food — the kind that doesn’t ask for permission, doesn’t apologize, and absolutely does not hold back on flavor. It’s rich, bold, and exactly what I want when I’m craving something that tastes like it should come with a warning label for how good it is.
I start with the chili gravy, because that’s the part that sets everything up for success. Browning the flour in oil always feels like a tiny moment of suspense — watching it go from pale to deep brown while hoping it doesn’t cross over into “burnt and regrettable.” Once it hits the right color, I add the broth and seasonings, and suddenly the kitchen smells like every good Tex‑Mex place I grew up loving.
Then it’s time for the enchiladas. I cook the beef, season it just right, and warm the tortillas so they roll without cracking — because cracked tortillas feel like a personal attack. I fill them, roll them, and line them up in the dish like they’re waiting for their big moment. And when I pour that chili gravy over the top, it’s always satisfying. It’s dramatic. It’s messy in the best way. It’s exactly what enchiladas should look like.
Once they bake, everything melts together — the cheese, the gravy, the beef — and the whole dish turns into the kind of comfort food that makes you forget whatever you were stressed about ten minutes earlier. And that first bite always delivers the same quiet nod — the one that says, “Yep… this is exactly what Chili Gravy with Beef Enchiladas should taste like.”
That’s why I keep coming back to Chili Gravy with Beef Enchiladas. It’s hearty, it’s nostalgic, and it turns simple ingredients into something that feels like a guaranteed good day.
Chili Gravy with Beef Enchiladas Recipe
Chili gravy is the perfect topping on your enchiladas, burritos, etc.
Ingredients
- Chili Gravy
- 1/2 lb Ground Beef
- 1 Small Onion Chopped
- 3 Cloves Garlic Diced
- 1 tsp Mexican Oregano
- 1 tbsp Ground Cumin
- 3 tbsp Chili powder
- 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp Goya Sazonador Total Seasoning
- 3 cups Beef Broth
- 3 tbsp Chocolate Roux
- 1 tsp Coarse Kosher Salt or to taste
- Beef Filling
- 1 1/2 lbs Ground Beef
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2 tbsp Chili powder
- 1 tbsp Goya Sazonador Total Seasoning
- Salt to taste
- Enchiladas
- 12 Corn Tortillias
- 1 cup Grated Cheese
- 1/2 cup Onion Chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Chili Gravy
- Step 2 Brown ground beef and set aside in a bowl reserving 1 tbsp of the oil from it and discarding the rest.
- Step 3 Saute onions and garlic in the reserved oil until the onion starts to soften.
- Step 4 Add oregano, chili powder and cumin. At this point, if you do not have the chocolate roux add also add 3 tbsp all purpose flour.
- Step 5 Add tomato sauce, Goya seasoning and broth. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Step 6 If you are using chocolate roux instead of flour and it now and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Step 7 Taste and add salt if needed now. Remove from heat and keep warm.
- Step 8 Beef Filling
- Step 9 Brown ground beef and drain
- Step 10 Add water and seasonings. Mix and keep warm.
- Step 11 Beef Enchiladas
- Step 12 Preheat your oven to 350
- Step 13 Lightly brush tortillias with oil and heat until soft. about 3-5 sec per side.
- Step 14 If using a hot pan of oil, put tortillias in aoil until soft. Also about 3-5 sec per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Step 15 Fill tortillias with cheese, onion and beef filling. Roll tortillias up an place in a 13×9 pan lined with parchment paper. You should have two rows of five enchiladas and two on the end.
- Step 16 Place in oven for 7 minutes.
- Step 17 Serve 2-3 enchiladas covered with the chili gravy and any combination of lettuce and tomato, rice and refried beans.
- Step 18 Notes – Taste your gravy before you add the salt to it. Depending on the salt content of your tomato sauce and broth, you may not need it.
