This ground turkey enchiladas recipe is a delicious and wholesome meal that’s easy to make and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or as a make ahead meal. It’s a time saving dinner idea that uses just a handful of ingredients and is sure to be a new family favorite!

An overhead shot of a white rectangular baking pan with cooked enchiladas topped with enchilada sauce, melted cheese, avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and cilantro on a white background with a white and blue stripped napkin, wooden spoon, and a bunch of a cilantro.

5 star review

“These enchiladas were fabulous! Easy to make and so flavorful. Wish I would have made a double batch to store some in the freezer for another Mexican night!”

– June
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My Favorite Healthy Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas used to feel like a weekend project in my kitchen, so when I set out to develop a weeknight version my goal was simple: keep the cozy, saucy, cheesy payoff of the classic without the hour-plus of prep. This ground turkey enchiladas recipe delivers on that promise with one skillet for the filling, a quick roll-and-bake, and real-food ingredients I actually keep on hand. It’s the kind of dinner that feels like a treat but lands on the table in 45 minutes, which is why it’s earned a permanent spot in my weeknight rotation!

I found that flour tortillas worked best in every round of testing because ground turkey is drier than shredded chicken or beef, and flour holds up without needing the extra dip in sauce. But, if you’re using corn tortillas, warm them and dip them in enchilada sauce before rolling, otherwise they’ll crack every time. The other issue I ran into early was a dry casserole, which I solved by spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish before adding the rolled tortillas and covering the pan with foil for the first 25 minutes of baking, which traps steam and keeps the edges from turning tough.

Serve these turkey enchiladas with your favorite toppings like sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, a spoonful of salsa, or a sprinkle of cotija. My Mexican slaw or a side of cilantro-lime rice rounds out the meal, and leftovers freeze beautifully for up to 3 months, making this a true make-ahead dinner win. And the homemade red enchilada sauce I use here takes 10 extra minutes but makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor! On that note, if you want the same cozy flavors with ground beef instead, reach for my beef enchiladas. So yummy!

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Jump to Recipe Instructions
An overhead shot of various containers with the following ingredients: cheese, raw ground turkey, enchilada sauce, black beans, onions, and spices. There is also a stack of flour tortillas.
Gather ingredients.
An overhead shot of a white skillet with cooked down diced onions.
Cook down the onions until translucent.
An overhead shot of a white skillet with cooked ground beef.
Cook the ground turkey with seasonings.
An overhead shot of a white skillet with cooked ground beef, black beans, and red enchilada sauce.
Add the beans and enchilada sauce
An overhead shot of a white skillet with cooked ground beef, black beans, red enchilada sauce, and shredded cheese.
Add the cheese and mix to combine.
An overhead shot of a enchilada rolling station. There is a white skilled with turkey-bean mixture, a small container with shredded cheese, a small container with enchilada sauce, a stack of tortillas, and a white baking pan half filled with rolled enchiladas.
Add turkey-bean mixture to the tortillas & roll. Place in baking dish with enchilada sauce.
An overhead shot of a white rectangular baking pan filled with rolled enchiladas topped with enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
Top with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake.
An overhead shot of a white rectangular baking pan with cooked enchiladas topped with enchilada sauce, melted cheese, avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and cilantro on a white background with a white and blue stripped napkin.
Serve with toppings of your choice.

Testing Notes for Easy Baked Enchiladas

  • Warm the tortillas just before rolling, either in a dry skillet for 20 seconds per side or wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds. Cold tortillas crack and tear the second you try to roll them!
  • Grease the baking dish generously with cooking spray before adding the enchiladas, especially if you’re using a glass pan. Skip this step and the bottoms will stick and tear when you try to serve them.
  • Divide the assembled enchiladas between two smaller pans, bake one for dinner, and wrap the other tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Future-you will thank present-you on a busy weeknight!
  • Place each rolled enchilada seam-side down in the pan so they don’t unroll as they bake. A dab of sauce or a small sprinkle of cheese tucked under the seam works as extra insurance.
An overhead shot of a white plate with a fork and a rectangular slice of enchiladas topped with avocado. The plate is on a white background and is surrounded by a bunch of cilantro, a white and blue striped napkin, and the pan of enchiladas.
An overhead shot of a white rectangular baking pan with cooked enchiladas topped with enchilada sauce, melted cheese, avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and cilantro on a white background with a white and blue stripped napkin, wooden spoon, and a bunch of a cilantro.
4.95 stars (19 ratings)

Ground Turkey Enchiladas

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 5 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Baked in red enchilada sauce with lean ground turkey, black beans, and melty cheese, this make-ahead turkey enchilada casserole is perfect for busy weeknights.
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 pound 93% lean ground turkey
  • ½  teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ½  teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
  • 2 cups mild red enchilada sauce
  • 10 (8-inch) small flour tortillas, warmed

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Heat the oven to 350F.
  • Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onion, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook on medium low until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
  • Add the ground turkey, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt as well as the cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Break the turkey apart into small pieces and cook until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the beans and 1 cup enchilada sauce, stirring to combine. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly, then add ¾ cup cheese, stirring to combine.
  • Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, then spread ¼ cup enchilada sauce over the bottom. 
  • Add a heaping ⅓ cup of the turkey-bean mixture to a warmed tortilla. Roll and place in the prepared casserole dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and turkey-bean mixture.
  • Pour over the remaining ¾ cup enchilada sauce, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining ¾ cup cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce begins to bubble along the sides. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
  • Serve with toppings of your choice.
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 5), Calories: 317kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 750mg, Potassium: 258mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 960IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 250mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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