Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Ingredient Notes

Here are the simple ingredients for this healthy ground turkey enchiladas recipe. Most are pantry staples and easy to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

• Avocado oil or olive oil: I prefer avocado oil to cook with, but both work. This is for browning the turkey.
• Ground turkey: It's low in fat and high in protein. You could also try this recipe with Mexican shredded beef.
• 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 homemade gluten-free enchilada sauce, but you can also use store-bought, like Siete. We also love adding diced green chiles. If you're interested in a homemade enchilada sauce, try our recipe for gluten-free enchilada sauce.
• 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 

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. These ground turkey enchiladas are really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

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 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.

Stuff and roll

3. 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. Or choose the stovetop or oven method in this tutorial on how to soften tortillas for enchiladas.
4. Spread ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
5. 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

6. 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.
7. 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.

Expert Tips

• Microwave the tortillas to make them more pliable and easy to roll. Check out our step-by-step, easy instructions on how to soften tortillas for enchiladas.
• 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 (or Greek yogurt), cilantro, red onion, jalapenos, and green onions.
• 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.
• Enchilada sauce: Make your own enchilada sauce as opposed to the prepared enchilada sauce.
• 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: Meal prep 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.