Remember those nights when everyone craved pizza AND something cozy and comforting? Like, maybe something with melty cheese, savory meat, and a little bit of a twist? Well, get ready, because I’m about to introduce you to your new favorite dinner: Pizza Enchiladas! Seriously, imagine all the flavors you love about a supreme pizza tucked neatly inside soft tortillas, smothered in sauce and cheese, and baked until bubbly. It’s comfort food genius, ridiculously easy to make, and trust me, your family is going to ask for this again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast: Perfect for busy weeknights when you need dinner on the table ASAP.
- Easy: No complicated techniques here, just simple cooking steps.
- Giftable: Make an extra pan for a friend who needs a comforting meal!
- Crowd-pleasing: Who doesn’t love pizza? Who doesn’t love melty, cheesy goodness? This hits all the right notes!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to gather from your pantry and fridge. Most of these are probably staples for you anyway!
- 1 pound lean ground beef: We start with a good base! Lean beef keeps things from getting too greasy.
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced: Adds that essential savory flavor.
- 1 medium green bell pepper, diced: Gives a nice fresh crunch and classic pizza flavor.
- 3 oz pepperoni, chopped: Tiny bits of pepperoni magic tucked inside!
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped: Because everything is better with garlic, right?
- ⅓ cup pizza sauce: Just enough to bind the filling together and give it that distinct pizza taste.
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning: The perfect blend of herbs to scream “pizza!”
- 1 cup ricotta cheese: This is my little secret for extra creaminess in the filling. It’s wonderful!
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (for the filling): More cheese is always a good idea.
- ⅓ cup bacon, crumbled (for the filling): Adds a salty, smoky punch to the filling. You can use pre-cooked bacon crumbles for speed!
- 8 large flour tortillas: The perfect vehicle for all this deliciousness.
For the topping:
- 2 cups pizza sauce: We need plenty of sauce to smother those rolls!
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded: This is where the glorious cheese blanket comes in. Get the good melty kind!
- 3 oz pepperoni slices: For that classic pizza look and flavor on top.
- ¼ cup bacon, crumbled: A little extra bacon never hurt anyone!
How to Make It
Alright, let’s get cooking! Don’t worry, this is super straightforward.
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Get a large skillet heating over medium-high heat. Toss in your ground beef and cook it, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it’s nicely browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease.
- Step 2: Add the diced onions, bell peppers, and chopped pepperoni into the skillet with the beef. Give it all a good stir and let the veggies cook down until they’re softened, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. They’ll smell amazing!
- Step 3: Now, stir in that chopped garlic and cook for just about 2 minutes until you can really smell it. Be careful not to burn it! Once fragrant, take the skillet off the heat.
- Step 4: Time to make the magic filling! Add the ⅓ cup pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and ⅓ cup crumbled bacon to the skillet. Stir everything together until it’s all beautifully combined and the cheeses are mixed in.
- Step 5: Lay out your flour tortillas one by one. Scoop a generous amount of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Don’t overstuff them, but get a good amount in there! Roll each tortilla up tightly and place them seam-side down on a greased baking sheet or a 9×13 inch baking dish. Placing them seam-side down helps keep them from unraveling.
- Step 6: Pour the 2 cups of pizza sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas in the dish. Make sure they’re all nicely coated! Then, sprinkle the 2½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top. Finish it off by scattering the pepperoni slices and the remaining ¼ cup crumbled bacon over the cheese.
- Step 7: Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You’re looking for the cheese to be fully melted, bubbly, and maybe just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Once it looks perfect, take it out and let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving. It’s going to be hot, hot, hot!
Substitutions & Additions
Want to mix things up? Here are some ideas to make these Pizza Enchiladas your own:
- Change the Meat: Ground turkey or even Italian sausage (cooked and crumbled) would be delicious instead of ground beef.
- Veggie Power: Feel free to add other pizza favorite veggies to the filling like diced mushrooms, black olives, or even some finely chopped spinach. Cook them with the onions and peppers.
- Cheese Swap: While mozzarella is classic, you could mix in some provolone, a little parmesan, or even some white cheddar for a different flavor profile.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the filling or the sauce if you like a little heat!
- Make it Vegetarian: Skip the meat and use a mix of cooked lentils, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and black beans for a hearty vegetarian version.
Tips for Success
Follow these simple tips to make sure your Pizza Enchiladas turn out perfect every time:
- Don’t Overstuff: Too much filling makes the tortillas hard to roll and they can burst. Aim for enough to fill the center without bulging too much.
- Seam Side Down is Key: Always place the rolled tortillas with the seam facing down in the dish. This helps them stay together while baking.
- Rest Time: Let the dish rest for 5 minutes after baking. This helps everything settle and makes serving much easier (and prevents burnt tongues!).
- Prep Ahead: You can make the meat filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready, just reheat the filling slightly before rolling the enchiladas. You could even assemble the entire dish (without baking) and refrigerate it for a few hours, then bake it when you’re ready (you might need an extra 5-10 minutes baking time if starting from cold).
How to Store It
If you happen to have any leftovers (a big “if” in my house!), you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat individual portions, just pop them in the microwave until heated through. You can also reheat the whole dish, covered with foil, in a 350°F (175°C) oven until bubbly and heated through, which might take 20-30 minutes depending on how cold it is.
These also freeze pretty well! You can freeze individual servings or the whole pan (before or after baking). If freezing the whole pan before baking, cover it tightly with plastic wrap then foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed (you might need a few extra minutes). If freezing after baking, cool completely, then wrap tightly. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as directed above.
FAQs
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Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make the meat filling a day in advance, or even assemble the entire dish (without baking) and keep it covered in the fridge for several hours before baking. Perfect for busy evenings!
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Can I freeze Pizza Enchiladas?
Yes! They freeze wonderfully, either before or after baking. Just make sure they are well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn. Thaw in the fridge before reheating or baking.
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Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?
While you could try, flour tortillas work best for this recipe’s texture and ease of rolling with this type of filling. Corn tortillas might break easily and give a different result than the soft, pizza-like wrap you’re aiming for here.
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What other toppings can I add?
Think like you’re building a pizza! Sautéed mushrooms, black olives, green olives, chopped bell peppers, or even some pineapple could be added on top along with the cheese, pepperoni, and bacon before baking.
Pizza Enchiladas
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Get a large skillet heating over medium-high heat. Toss in your ground beef and cook it, breaking it up with a spoon as you go, until it's nicely browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess grease.
- Step 2: Add the diced onions, bell peppers, and chopped pepperoni into the skillet with the beef. Give it all a good stir and let the veggies cook down until they're softened, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. They'll smell amazing!
- Step 3: Now, stir in that chopped garlic and cook for just about 2 minutes until you can really smell it. Be careful not to burn it! Once fragrant, take the skillet off the heat.
- Step 4: Time to make the magic filling! Add the ⅓ cup pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and ⅓ cup crumbled bacon to the skillet. Stir everything together until it's all beautifully combined and the cheeses are mixed in.
- Step 5: Lay out your flour tortillas one by one. Scoop a generous amount of the beef mixture down the center of each tortilla. Don't overstuff them, but get a good amount in there! Roll each tortilla up tightly and place them seam-side down on a greased baking sheet or a 9x13 inch baking dish. Placing them seam-side down helps keep them from unraveling.
- Step 6: Pour the 2 cups of pizza sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas in the dish. Make sure they're all nicely coated! Then, sprinkle the 2½ cups of shredded mozzarella cheese generously over the top. Finish it off by scattering the pepperoni slices and the remaining ¼ cup crumbled bacon over the cheese.
- Step 7: Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You're looking for the cheese to be fully melted, bubbly, and maybe just starting to turn golden brown around the edges. Once it looks perfect, take it out and let it cool for about 5 minutes before serving. It's going to be hot, hot, hot!