Sizzling Blackstone Enchiladas

If you ask me, Blackstone enchiladas are a total game-changer for outdoor cooking.

These Mexican-inspired favorites bring all the comfort of traditional enchiladas but with that special smoky flavor you can only get from cooking on a flat top grill. Warm tortillas wrapped around seasoned meat and melty cheese, all topped with a rich sauce that gets slightly crispy around the edges.

The Blackstone gives these enchiladas a restaurant-style finish that’s hard to achieve in a regular oven. Plus, there’s something fun about making this typically indoor dish outside on the griddle.

It’s a crowd-pleasing meal that’s perfect for family dinners or weekend gatherings when you want to shake things up a bit.

What Kind of Ground Beef Should I Use?

For these Blackstone enchiladas, 80/20 ground beef is the perfect choice since it has just the right amount of fat to keep your meat juicy and flavorful while cooking on the griddle. While you could use leaner options like 90/10 or 93/7, they tend to dry out more quickly and won’t give you that rich, traditional enchilada taste. If you’re at the grocery store, look for ground beef that’s bright red in color and feels firm to the touch. Before cooking, let your meat come to room temperature for about 15 minutes – this helps it cook more evenly on the Blackstone and break down better when you’re mixing in the taco seasoning.

Options for Substitutions

This Blackstone enchilada recipe is pretty adaptable – here are some easy swaps you can try:

• Ground beef: You can easily swap the ground beef for ground turkey, chicken, or even plant-based alternatives. If using turkey or chicken, add a tablespoon of olive oil while cooking since these meats are leaner.
• Tortillas: While both flour and corn tortillas work great, corn tortillas are more traditional. Just remember that corn tortillas need to be warmed slightly to prevent cracking when rolling.
• Sharp cheddar: Feel free to use Monterey Jack, Mexican cheese blend, or even pepper jack for extra kick. Queso fresco makes a nice topping alternative too.
• Taco seasoning: If you don’t have Blackstone taco seasoning, any store-bought taco seasoning works fine. Or make your own with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano.
• Sauces: Can’t find Old El Paso? Any enchilada sauce works well. For the chile sauces, canned versions are fine substitutes for fresh. You can even use just one type of sauce if you prefer.
• Romaine lettuce: Iceberg lettuce or shredded cabbage can replace romaine for that fresh crunch. You can even skip it if you’re not big on lettuce in your enchiladas.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest challenge when making Blackstone enchiladas is managing your griddle’s heat zones – too hot and your tortillas will burn before the cheese melts, too cool and you’ll end up with soggy enchiladas that lack that perfect crispy edge. To get it right, aim for medium heat (around 350°F) and create different temperature zones on your griddle for better control. Another common mistake is overloading your tortillas with filling, which can lead to splitting and messy flipping – stick to about 2-3 tablespoons of filling per enchilada and roll them tightly but gently. When it comes to the sauce application, don’t drown your enchiladas right away; instead, add the sauce gradually and let it reduce slightly on the griddle, which helps create a thicker, more flavorful coating that won’t make your tortillas mushy. For the best texture, let your enchiladas rest on the cooler side of the griddle for 2-3 minutes after cooking, allowing the cheese to set slightly before serving.

What to Serve With Enchiladas?

Mexican-style enchiladas call for some tasty sides that complement all those bold flavors! A simple serving of Mexican rice or cilantro-lime rice makes the perfect base, while refried or black beans are pretty much a must-have on the side. I love to whip up a quick Mexican street corn salad (esquites) or some fresh guacamole with extra chips for dipping. To balance out the richness of the enchiladas, try a light cucumber and radish salad dressed with lime juice, or keep it super simple with some pickled red onions and a dollop of sour cream on top.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These Blackstone enchiladas will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container. The tortillas might soften a bit more over time, but that’s totally normal for enchiladas. I like to cover them tightly with foil or plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.

Freeze: You can freeze these enchiladas for up to 2 months! Just wrap them well in foil and place in a freezer-safe container. Pro tip: freeze them before adding any fresh toppings like lettuce and tomatoes – you can add those fresh when serving.

Warm Up: To enjoy your leftover enchiladas, heat them in the oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes if frozen (thaw overnight first), or 15-20 minutes if refrigerated. Cover with foil while reheating to prevent the tortillas from getting too crispy. Add fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and chips just before serving.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	20-30 minutes
Total Time	35-50 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 100-120 g
• Fat: 100-120 g
• Carbohydrates: 150-170 g

Ingredients

For the enchiladas:

• Flour or corn tortillas (standard size)
• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
• Block sharp cheddar cheese
• Half yellow onion, diced
• Blackstone taco seasoning
• Olive oil, for griddle

For the sauces:

• Old el paso red sauce
• Red chile sauce
• Green chile sauce
• Salsa

For the toppings and garnish:

• Romaine lettuce, shredded
• Vine-ripened tomato
• Tortilla chips for garnish

Step 1: Preheat the Griddle

Heat your griddle over medium-high heat.

Allow it to preheat for a few minutes so it comes up to temperature, which helps achieve a nice sear on the beef.

I always give the griddle a little time to get evenly hot before cooking.

Step 2: Cook the Ground Beef and Onion

• 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend)
• half yellow onion, diced
• Blackstone taco seasoning

Place the ground beef onto the hot griddle and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Allow it to cook undisturbed for a couple of minutes to develop a nice crust.

When the beef is halfway cooked, add the diced yellow onion.

Continue cooking, breaking up the beef and stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and the beef is thoroughly browned.

Sprinkle in Blackstone taco seasoning for extra flavor, then move the mixture to a cooler part of the griddle to keep warm.

Step 3: Warm the Tortillas

• olive oil, for griddle
• flour or corn tortillas (standard size)

Reduce the heat to low or turn it off completely on one part of the griddle.

Add a light amount of olive oil, then place the flour or corn tortillas on the griddle.

Warm them for about 20-30 seconds on each side until they are soft and pliable but not crispy.

Step 4: Assemble Enchiladas

• flour or corn tortillas (standard size)
• block sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
• beef and onion mixture from Step 2

For beef enchiladas, place a warmed tortilla on a work surface, sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over it, followed by the beef and onion mixture from Step 2, and a spoonful of red chile sauce.

Fold the ends and roll up the tortilla tightly.

For cheese enchiladas, use only shredded cheddar cheese (and optionally green chiles if desired) inside the tortilla, roll, and set aside.

I like to grate the cheddar fresh for maximum melt and sharp flavor.

Step 5: Top and Prepare for Final Heating

• block sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
• beef enchilada and cheese enchilada from Step 4

Turn one burner of the griddle to high heat.

Place one beef enchilada and one cheese enchilada on a Blackstone cast iron serving platter.

Top them generously with shredded cheddar cheese (and Mexican blend cheese, if on hand).

Spoon some red chile sauce over the beef enchilada and green chiles over the cheese enchilada if desired.

Step 6: Melt Cheese and Finish Enchiladas

Place the cast iron serving platter on the hot side of the griddle.

Spray or sprinkle a little water around the tray (not on the food) and cover with a basting dome.

Let everything heat for 2-3 minutes until the enchiladas are hot throughout and the cheese is melted and gooey.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

Carefully remove the basting dome and the platter from the griddle.

Optionally, garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and extra diced onion.

Serve immediately and enjoy!