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    Home Ā» Recipes Ā» Dinner

    Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas

    Updated: September 6, 2022 | Published on: January 20, 2022 - Molly Thompson6 Comments

    Gluten Free RecipesGF
    Jump to Recipe

    These are the best ground turkey enchiladas filled with black beans, red enchilada sauce and southwest spices. Serve with melted cheese and your favorite toppings for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner!

    ground turkey enchiladas being pulled out of a pan
    Jump to:
    • Ground Turkey Enchiladas
    • Ingredient Notes
    • How to Make Turkey EnchiladasĀ 
    • Prefer to Watch Instead of Read?
    • Expert Tips
    • SubstitutionsĀ 
    • Dietary Modifications
    • Make Ahead and Storage
    • More Southwest Inspired Recipes
    • Recipe

    Ground Turkey Enchiladas

    This easy turkey enchiladas recipe features fiber-filled black bean and is bursting with southwest flavor. It's one of my favorite recipes for busy weeknight because kids love them and they're healthy.

    They're a great way to add lean protein in your diet along with fiber and veggies all in one delicious meal. The family loves it and it's  great to make in advance.

    Ingredient Notes

    Here are the simple ingredients you need to make ground turkey enchiladas:

    ground turkey enchilada ingredients
    • Avocado oil or olive oil: I prefer avocado oil to cook with, but both work. This is for browning the turkey.
    • Yellow onion: the base of most dishes, especially Mexican dishes, start with fresh onion.
    • Garlic: opt for fresh garlic cloves if possible.
    • Southwest spices:chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper.
    • Black beans: be sure to drain and rinse them well before adding them to the recipe.
    • Fire roasted tomatoes: I love the smoky heat this ingredient brings, however, roasted tomatoes work well.
    • Red enchilada sauce: we like to use a clean store bought sauce like Siete to keep it easy, but you can always make your own enchilada sauce or buy whatever is available at the store. We also love adding diced green chiles.
    • Corn tortillas: authentic enchiladas are made with corn, but you can use a grain free tortilla, like Siete, to keep them clean. We also tested these with flour tortillas and they worked well. Use less shells because they're bigger. 
    • Mexican cheese: enchiladas aren't complete without melted cheese. A Mexican blend or cheddar cheese is best. To keep them dairy free, top them with our vegan cashew queso instead.

    How to Make Turkey Enchiladas 

    Check out the step-by-step photos to learn how to make these healthy turkey enchiladas, or jump to the recipe card to watch how to make them with me in a simple video.

    Make the filling

    1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
    2. Add the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper and cook to break up the turkey until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the fire roasted tomatoes and black beans and stir to combine then remove the mixture from the heat.
    ground turkey with taco seasoning in a skillet
    brown the turkey with onion and seasoning
    ground turkey tacos with fire roasted tomatoes and black beans in a skillet
    add the tomatoes and beans

    Stuff and roll

    1. Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave them on high for 30 minutes then flip the stack over and microwave for another 30 seconds to make them softer and more pliable to work with.
    2. Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
    3. Fill each tortilla evenly with the ground turkey mixture and and lots of cheese, then roll them up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Omit the cheese if you plan on topping them with our dairy-free cashew queso at the end.
    ground turkey enchiladas lined in a casserole dish
    stuff and roll
    unbaked ground turkey enchiladas with shredded cheese
    top with cheese

    Bake and garnish

    1. Pour the remaining cup of enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cup of shredded cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Check the enchiladas halfway through and cover with aluminum foil if they're getting too brown.
    2. Sprinkle your favorite garnishes on top of the enchiladas like fresh cilantro, red onion, tomatoes or vegan cashew queso and a squeeze of lime juice.
    baked ground turkey enchiladas topped with melted cheese
    bake for 20 minutes
    ground turkey enchiladas topped with avocado, tomato and cilantro
    garnish with your favorite toppings

    Prefer to Watch Instead of Read?

    Expert Tips

    • Microwave the tortillas to make them more pliable and easy to roll.
    • Don't forget the toppings because they really make a difference in the final flavor. Some of our favorites include sliced radishes, pickled onion, avocado, sour cream (vegan), cilantro, red onion, jalapenos 
    • Don't overdo it on the enchilada sauce. They're not supposed to be soggy and swimming in sauce.

    Substitutions 

    • Ground turkey: try using ground beef or ground chicken if that's what you have on hand. You will likely need to drain some of the fat from the ground beef.
    • Turkey leftovers: if you have a lot of leftover turkey (like from Thanksgiving!) you can shred it and use that instead.
    • Taco seasoning: swap the spices for a pre-made taco seasoning. We prefer a clean one like Siete to keep it gluten free and sugar free.
    • Fire roasted tomatoes: a can of diced tomatoes will work just as well.
    • Green sauce: swap the red enchilada sauce for a store bought or homemade green enchilada sauce.
    two ground turkey enchiladas on a plate with a bite taken out

    Dietary Modifications

    • Vegetarian/vegan: dice and roast two sweet potatoes in the oven and use our vegan cashew queso on top.
    • Paleo/whole30: swap the black beans for roasted sweet potatoes, use grain free tortillas and cashew queso.
    • Dairy-free: omit the shredded cheese and use cashew queso.
    • Gluten-free: opt for grain free tortillas, corn tortillas or gluten free flour tortillas.

    Make Ahead and Storage

    • Make ahead: prepare the filling in advance and store in an airtight container then fill and bake the enchiladas when you're ready to eat.
    • To store. Leftover turkey enchiladas can be stored in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • To reheat. Reheat enchiladas from the fridge on a baking sheet at 350°F until warmed through. You can also rewarm this recipe in the microwave.
    • To freeze. Let the pan cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator then follow steps to reheat.
    two ground turkey enchiladas on a plate next to the casserole dish

    More Southwest Inspired Recipes

    • Healthy chicken enchiladas
    • Slow cooker Mexican chicken casserole
    • Mexican lasagna

    If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. Or you can tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

    Recipe

    a spatula pulling two ground turkey enchiladas out of the dish

    Easy Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas

    These are the best ground turkey enchiladas filled with black beans, red enchilada sauce and southwest spices. Serve with melted cheese and your favorite toppings for an easy, healthy weeknight dinner!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: American, Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 516kcal
    Author: Molly Thompson
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
    • 1 medium yellow onion diced
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 lb ground turkey
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon EACH paprika, garlic powder, oregano
    • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 15 ounces (1 can) can black beans drained and rinsed
    • 14.5 ounces (1 can) can fire roasted tomatoes
    • 1 1/2 cups can red enchilada sauce we like Siete or you can make your own
    • 8-10 corn, grain free or flour tortillas
    • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese or vegan cashew queso
    • Topping options: sliced radishes, pickled onion, avocado, sour cream (vegan), cilantro, red onion, jalapenos

    Recommended Equipment

    • 9x13 inch casserole dish
    • Deep skillet or pan

    Instructions

    Make the filling

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
    • Heat the oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Once it’s hot add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
    • Add the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook to break up the turkey until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Pour in the can of fire roasted tomatoes and black beans and stir to combine then remove the mixture from the heat.

    Bake

    • Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel. Microwave them on high for 30 minutes then flip the stack over and microwave for another 30 seconds to make them softer and more pliable to work with.
    • Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
    • Fill each tortilla evenly with the ground turkey mixture and 1 cup of the shredded cheese then roll them up tightly and arrange them in a line on top of the enchilada sauce in the baking dish. Roll as many tortillas as you can with the filling that will fit in the dish. It was about 8-10 tortillas for us.
    • Pour the remaining 1 1/4 cups of enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cup of shredded cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
    • If you're using the vegan cashew queso, omit the cheese and pour the warm queso over the enchiladas after they're baked.

    Notes

    • Paleo/whole30: swap the black beans for roasted sweet potatoes, use grain free tortillas and cashew queso.
    • Dairy-free: omit the shredded cheese and use cashew queso.
    • Gluten-free: opt for grain free tortillas, corn tortillas or gluten free flour tortillas.
    • Make ahead: prepare the filling in advance and store in an airtight container then fill and bake the enchiladas when you're ready to eat.
    • To store. Baked enchiladas can be stored in an airtight storage container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    • To reheat. Reheat enchiladas from the fridge on a baking sheet at 350°F until warmed through. You can also rewarm this recipe in the microwave.
    • To freeze. Let the pan cool completely. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator then follow steps to reheat.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2enchiladas | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.3g | Protein: 31.5g | Fat: 25.3g | Cholesterol: 89.5mg | Sodium: 1169.7mg | Fiber: 9.8g | Sugar: 3.6g
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_MollyMade or tag #whatmollymade!

    More Healthy Dinners

    • Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allie says

      January 31, 2022 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      This was so good!!! My husband and I were able to get 2 meals out of it, so we freezed one. Will definitely make again!!!

      Reply
      • Molly Thompson says

        February 01, 2022 at 10:59 am

        Good idea!! We had some leftover filling that we used in tacos:)

        Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      March 27, 2022 at 8:44 pm

      5 stars
      I LOVE this recipe! I’ve made it twice - once with corn tortillas and once with flour, and they were both great! I froze a batch to give to family after a baby and they were a big hit! Thanks Molly!

      Reply
      • Molly Thompson says

        March 28, 2022 at 9:17 am

        Love to hear that, Jennifer! Thank you!! We're planning to freeze this for after baby comes too:)

        Reply
    3. Mark says

      September 18, 2022 at 5:40 pm

      Your recipe calls for microwaving the tortillas for 30 minutes then flip and microwave for 30 seconds. Surely, that’s a typo. 30 seconds both sides?

      Reply
    4. Sharon Foster says

      January 23, 2023 at 1:23 pm

      Better change the microwave time for the tortillas. I know you meant seconds instead of minutes. Making these tonight!! Sounds delicious.

      Reply

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    I'm Molly! I'm so grateful you're here. My hope is that my recipes bless your home and your bodies. I want my website to be a tool to help you feel your best and nourish you with recipes you (and your family) look forward to making!

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