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!

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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:
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
Stuff and roll
- 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 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.
Bake and garnish
- 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.
- 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.
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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.
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.
More Southwest Inspired Recipes
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
Easy Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas
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.
Allie says
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!!!
Molly Thompson says
Good idea!! We had some leftover filling that we used in tacos:)
Jennifer says
I LOVE this recipe! Iāve 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!
Molly Thompson says
Love to hear that, Jennifer! Thank you!! We're planning to freeze this for after baby comes too:)
Mark says
Your recipe calls for microwaving the tortillas for 30 minutes then flip and microwave for 30 seconds. Surely, thatās a typo. 30 seconds both sides?
Sharon Foster says
Better change the microwave time for the tortillas. I know you meant seconds instead of minutes. Making these tonight!! Sounds delicious.