This shredded beef poblano enchilada casserole transforms classic enchiladas into a delicious casserole with a creamy twist. Layers of tender shredded beef shoulder roast, creamy poblano sauce, two cheeses, and corn tortillas create a dish with flavor as layered as it is.
If you love casseroles, the rich, deep flavor of beef, and the complex, zesty flavors of Mexican food, then you’re in the right place. Our beef enchilada casserole combines them all into a dish that you cannot pass up. We love the classic flavors of Mexican food, but we’ve never been ones to make the same thing over and over. So, I created this layered shredded beef poblano enchilada casserole to give an unexpected twist to a classic.
First, we combine enchilada sauce with heavy cream and roasted poblanos to create an extra-rich sauce that still stays true to the sensibilities of classic enchiladas. Then, we layer the corn tortillas, shredded beef, sauce, and cheese to create a casserole dish, rather than classic rolled enchiladas. The result is a delicious Mexican dish that’s almost like a lasagna with tortillas instead of noodles. It’s so delicious, and the best part is that it’s also easy. You can’t beat that!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses simple ingredients found in any grocery store to create all its complex flavor.
- Easy: This recipe might seem complicated at first glance, but it’s actually incredibly easy.
- Classic Flavor: This casserole might be different than standard enchiladas, but it uses classic Mexican ingredients for authentic flavor.
- Versatile: This casserole is perfect for weeknight dinners or as an addition to any party.
Ingredients
Roast
- Boneless Beef Shoulder Roast: This type of roast gets incredibly juicy and tender when cooked low and slow.
- Seasonings: A blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and paprika gives the beef a deep, bold flavor.
- Onions and Jalapenos: Onions and jalapenos add vegetal flavor with notes of aromatic sweetness.
- Salsa Verde: Mild salsa verde gives the roast plenty of liquid to get tender and infuses it with more classic Mexican flavor.
Poblano Cream Sauce
- Roasted Peppers: A mix of roasted poblano peppers and jalapenos creates a deep, slightly sweet pepper flavor profile with just the right amount of heat.
- Onion: Grilled onions add deep, aromatic sweetness with a touch of bite that’s perfect with the other sauce ingredients.
- Enchilada Sauce: Enchilada sauce adds classic enchilada flavor to the casserole.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth: The enchilada sauce is mixed with these to create a rich, creamy sauce that’s not too thick or too thin.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Red pepper flakes add an extra kick of heat.
Other Ingredients
- Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas have the classic enchilada flavor and stand up to the layering and baking better than flour tortillas.
- Cheese: A blend of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar adds a bold, cheesy flavor strong enough to stand up to the other ingredients.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Meat: You can use shredded chicken or pork for this recipe. Ground beef, a mix of ground beef and pork, or chorizo will work, as well.
- Mild: Cut the Cajun seasoning by half and leave out the red pepper flakes and jalapenos for a mild version.
- Enchilada Sauce: For a sweeter flavor, use red enchilada sauce in place of green.
- Cheese: Your favorite bold, melty cheese will work well in this recipe. Mixes like Taco and Mexican work particularly well.
Instructions
Beef
- Spray a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray and add the beef, vegetables, seasonings, and salsa verde.
- Cook until the beef is fall-apart tender. Then, place it on a plate, shred it, and place it back into the crock pot.
- You can also roast the beef in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Creamy Poblano Sauce
- Rub the peppers and onions with olive oil. Then, place them on a hot grill.
- Grill the jalapenos and onions until tender. Then, continue cooking the poblanos until their skin is blistered and charred on both sides.
- Steam the poblanos in a resealable baggie or in a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap. Once steamed, peel off the skins.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the poblanos and jalapenos. Then, add them to a Vitamix or blended.
- Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and mix until blended.
Assemble
- Heat the tortillas in a pan over medium heat until soft.
- Pour a cup of the sauce into the bottom of a prepared 9×13 deep baking dish. Then, top it with a layer of corn tortillas.
- Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the tortillas, followed by an even layer of shredded beef, cheese, and a little sauce.
- Repeat the layers, ending with sauce and shredded cheese.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 25 minutes at 375. Then, remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Tips
- Refrigerate the onions for about 30 minutes before slicing them to avoid stinging eyes.
- Wash your hands and NEVER touch your face when handling hot peppers.
- Look for a beef shoulder roast with plenty of marbling. That’s what gets it nice and tender while it cooks.
- Spray your baking dish just before layering the ingredients so the aerosolized oil doesn’t pool at the bottom of the dish.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Because the sauce is made with heavy cream, freezing is not recommended.
To reheat the casserole, bake the entire thing at 325 until heated through. Or you can microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals.
Pairing Suggestions
Pair this casserole with sides like habanero salsa or guacamole with tortilla chips, Spanish rice, or 7-layer bean dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Either can be used, but corn tortillas are the classic choice, both for flavor and texture. For this enchilada casserole, corn tortillas are recommended. Flour tortillas will fall apart from the moisture and the baking time.
No, they aren’t. Poblanos have about half the heat of jalapeno peppers, so they’re mild at most.
Roasting hot peppers gives them deeper flavor, a bit of sweetness, and cuts their heat a bit.
Try This Shredded Beef Poblano Enchilada Casserole
If you’re a fan of Mexican food, then this shredded beef poblano enchilada casserole needs to be in your recipe rotation. It’s loaded with beefy, cheesy, zesty Mexican flavor, tons of creamy texture, and oh, yeah, EASE. This recipe is as easy as it is delicious, making it perfect for both weeknight dinners and parties. Give this a try, and get ready to fall in love.
More Delicious Enchilada Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Shredded Beef Poblano Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
Making the Roast
- 2½ pound boneless beef shoulder roast, cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 jalapenos, stems and seeds removed, diced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 16 ounce Herdez Mild Salsa Verde
- 30 corn tortillas
- 8 ounce sour cream
- 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese or spicy cheese, shredded
Poblano Cream Sauce
- 3 roasted poblanos, seeds removed, roasted, peeled
- 2 roasted jalapenos, seeds removed
- 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
- 15 ounce green enchilada sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
Slow Cook the Roast
- Spray a 6-8 quart crock pot with non-stick cooking spray, and add the beef, jalapenos, onions, seasonings, and salsa verde. Stir, cover, and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low 7-8 hours.
- Once the beef is fall-off-the-fork tender, place it on a plate and shred. Place back into the crock pot.
Or Cook Roast on Stove
- Melt a tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add all roast ingredients, stir to combine.
- Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 2- 2 ½ hours over low heat, stirring occasionally
- Shred and return to the pan.
Poblano Cream Sauce
- Wash and dry the peppers.
- Rub the peppers and onions with olive oil and place on the hot grill, or you can roast peppers over a medium flame on the stove using tongs.
- Let poblano peppers cook until blistered and charred on each side, and grill the jalapeños and onions for a few minutes until the jalapeños and onions have softened a bit.
- Remove from the grill and place the poblanos in a gallon size baggie, or a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the baggie/bowl and peel the skin off each pepper.
- Cut stems off of the poblano and jalapeno peppers, remove seeds, and place into a Vitamix or a blender.
- Add grilled onions, enchilada sauce, heavy cream, chicken broth, chicken bouillon, and red pepper flakes into the Vitamix or blender and blend until creamy.
Assemble the Casserole
- Heat tortillas in a pan over medium heat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a 9×13 deep baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Pour 1 cup of creamy poblano sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and top with a layer of corn tortillas.
- Spread a thin layer of sour cream over tortillas.
- Next, add shredded beef in an even layer on top of sour cream and then top with cheese and some poblano sauce.
- Repeat layers ending with shredded cheese and poblano sauce.
- Cover with aluminum oil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted throughout.
Notes
- Refrigerate the onions for about 30 minutes before slicing them to avoid stinging eyes.
- Wash your hands and NEVER touch your face when handling hot peppers.
- Look for a beef shoulder roast with plenty of marbling. That’s what gets it nice and tender while it cooks.
- Spray your baking dish just before layering the ingredients so the aerosolized oil doesn’t pool at the bottom of the dish.
