Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada Recipe with a Twist
Miss Betty Crocker comes to the rescue every time I’m in a rush with easy, quick, and one-pot meals! The taste can be boring and bland sometimes, though, so I like to enrich it with various ingredients to skyrocket the taste. Hamburger Helper’s cheesy enchilada mix is my all-time favorite, but still, I touched up a few things!
I find it kind of boring to follow the instructions on the box, so that’s not what we’ll do here today. The signature cheesy, meaty taste will still be there, but upgraded! Also, when it comes to serving — simple meat and rice on the plate are great, but why not make it outstanding by serving it differently?
What Makes this Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada Recipe Special?
Slipping a boxed-up meal as a homemade one has never been easier, I promise! For the starter, ditch the water and use beef broth instead to deepen the flavor! Plus, I like to fry some cubed red paprika, shallots, and carrots to secure a tasty base for the meat.
If you like a bit of sweet and sour relish as I do, add tomato paste and chopped canned tomato — it will blend perfectly with other ingredients! Also, since I craved a dash of Mexico, I added a bit of red-hot pepper, sweet corn, and peas. For the final touch, I served it as a burrito — wrapped in a tortilla and topped with loads of cheesy topping.
How to Put a Twist on Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada?
Here’s the list of all ingredients I used, but you can easily alter them to your own taste, especially whether you want it more or less spicy. When it comes to adding veggies, feel free to use what you like — from beans to any type of salad! Let’s dig in!
- Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada Box
- Ground meat – I used lean beef, but you can go for turkey or chicken for a different flavor.
- Beef broth – I dissolved a beef bouillon cube in water to get a fuller taste. If using chicken or turkey, go for chicken or vegetable broth.
- Heavy cream – Heavy cream thickens the sauce a bit.
- Canned tomato – I used a chopped-up one as I find it perfect to secure the silky texture of the sauce.
- Vegetables – I opted for shallots, carrots, red peppers, peas, and sweet corn. Also, I used some Lamb’s lettuce (field salad) for serving to add a bit of freshness. This is a superb way to add more nutrients to your meal in no time! If using turkey for the recipe – choose mushrooms, and for chicken, don’t skip avocado when serving.
- Spices – I added a bit of tomato paste, garlic, and semi-hot chili pepper to spice things up.
- Tortilla – This is totally optional, but I love a good burrito! You can simply skip it and serve the recipe in the bowl.
Now, let’s make this tasty dish!
Step 1: Chopping, Frying, and Cooking the Veggies, Rice, and Meat
Start with chopping shallots finely, followed by dicing carrots and red pepper into pea-sized cubes. This way, the final result will be a nice and homogeneous sauce. Put a saucepan on medium heat, sprinkle some olive oil, and fry the onions till slightly golden and glassy.
Now, add the carrot cubes and fry till they soften a bit, about 5 minutes approximately. Next, add diced red peppers, tomato paste, chopped red chili peppers, and spice blend from the box to wake up all the flavors. Take minced beef and combine it with the vegetables and spices.
Slowly fry until it changes color and becomes loose, then add rice and peas. Pour the beef bouillon plus diced tomatoes over, too. Let it stew for about 15 minutes or till the rice is soft.
Now’s the moment to add some heavy cream to achieve the right texture. After 5-10 more minutes of cooking, water will be absorbed. You’re only left with adding sweet corn and removing everything from the stove.
Note: This time, I cooked the recipe in an electric non-stick cooking pan at medium heat. The taste and texture are the same as when using a regular pan! It’s a superb option for larger quantities!
Step 2: Putting It All Together
Combine the topping mix with milk as instructed and stir well. I added sour cream instead to balance the spiciness. So, if you didn’t use chili in the first place – you really don’t have to.
And your delicious cheesy enchilada is cooked and ready for serving!
Here’s an Amazing Serving Idea:
Take a tortilla and spread the cheesy enchilada over it. You don’t have to coat it with anything at all, as the enchilada is already trés creamy and flavorful. Sprinkle topping mix generously over the hot sauce and top it with fresh field salad.
You can also wrap it in aluminum foil and grill for a few minutes in the oven or a pan for a crusty outer layer. I didn’t do this as I like it more on the soft side, though. And, bon appetit!
How to Store This Dish?
Fresh-from-the-pot cheesy enchilada will be good to eat for three days maximum, but stored in the fridge only! Never leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours because the meat is a perfect ground for bacteria development. Store it in airtight containers for the best flavor!
You can indeed freeze it as well, but the rice will change its texture undoubtedly. Also, it’s best to sprinkle the topping just after reheating. If you have leftovers of an enchilada burrito, just wrap it in aluminum foil; it will stay as tasty!
Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada With a Twist
Equipment
- 1 Large pan
Ingredients
- 1 box Hamburger Helper Cheesy Enchilada
- 1 lb lean ground beef (450 grams)
- 3 cups beef broth (750 ml)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
- 7 oz diced tomato (200 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots (medium size or 1 large)
- 1 carrot (large)
- 1 red pepper (medium size)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 hot pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 7 oz peas (200 g)
- 7 oz sweet corn (200 g)
- 6 tortilla
Instructions
Chopping, Frying, and Cooking
- Chop shallots finely, followed by chopping carrots and red pepper, as well, into pea-size cubes.
- Heat a saucepan to medium, sprinkle some olive oil, and fry the onions till slightly golden and glassy.
- Add the carrot cubes and fry till it softens a bit, about 5 minutes approximately.
- Add cubed red peppers, tomato paste, chopped red chili peppers, and spice blend to wake up all the flavors.
- Take minced beef and combine it with the vegetables and spices. Slowly fry it until it changes color and becomes loose.
- Add rice and peas. Pour the beef bouillon plus diced tomatoes over, too. Let it stew for about 15 minutes or till the rice is soft.
- Add some heavy cream to achieve the right texture. After 5-10 more minutes of cooking, water will be absorbed.
- Add sweet corn and remove it from the stove.
Putting Everything Together
- Combine the topping mix with milk as instructed and stir well. I added sour cream instead to balance the spiciness.
- Spread the cheesy enchilada over the tortilla.
- Sprinkle topping mix generously over the hot sauce and top it with fresh field salad.
- Wrap it into aluminum foil and grill for a few minutes in the oven or a pan for a crusty outer layer. I didn’t do that as I like it more on the soft side, though. You can serve it in a bowl, as well.
Notes
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
