Taco Enchiladas with Cornmeal Crepes
These taco enchiladas with cornmeal crepes are amazing: flavorful taco meat folded in a cornmeal crepe, baked like an enchilada!
These delicious little creations are exactly what the name implies: flavorful taco meat enfolded in a cornmeal crepe and baked like an enchilada. Clever, right?
Before you run away from here shouting that making cornmeal crepes is entirely too much work, let me convince you to stay by insisting that because the crepes can be made up to two days in advance, this meal is not complicated or fussy at all.
Store the crepes in the refrigerator (or freezer for up to a few weeks!) and pull them out when you have time to brown up the taco meat and add a few spices.
Seriously, it’s that easy! (And you’ll totally feel like a kitchen rock star. Promise. I mean, really, homemade cornmeal crepes? That’s instant rock star status and no one has to know how simple they are.)
Big fans of classic crepes, we all absolutely adore these light and tender cornmeal crepes.
They taste like a glorified (and much better than store bought!) corn tortilla and I have to absolutely, positively insist that you try with all your might to avoid looking for a shortcut and make the crepes instead.
Did I mention they can be in advance? Yes, I surely did.
Wrapped up with our much-loved taco filling, this meal is absolutely outstanding. Talk about taking taco night to a whole new level! (Thank you, Jennifer A., for sending me the recipe – they have quickly become a family favorite for us, too!)
What to Serve With This
- A side salad like this Confetti Rice and Bean Salad, Grilled Corn Salad, or Guacamole Salad
- Fresh fruit
- Tortilla Chips
One Year Ago: Smoked Turkey Cobb Wraps
Two Years Ago: Coconut Curry Soup
Three Years Ago: BLT Pasta
Taco Enchiladas with Cornmeal Crepes
Ingredients
Cornmeal Crepes:
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cups yellow or white cornmeal
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
Taco Meat:
- ¾ cup chopped onion, about 1 medium onion
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 cans (8-ounces each) tomato sauce
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced fine (optional)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
Garnishes:
- 1 can black olives, drained and sliced
- Sour cream
- Salsa
Instructions
- For the crepes, combine all of the crepe ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Spray a 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until the skillet is very hot. Give the crepe batter a quick stir with a wooden spoon. Measure out 1/4 cup batter and pour into the hot skillet, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly. The skillet should be hot enough that you should hear a sizzle when the batter hits the pan but not so hot that it burns the crepes.
- Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute and then loosen the edge of the crepe with a rubber spatula and flip, cooking for another 30 seconds or so. Transfer the crepe to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter, giving the batter a quick stir before each crepe to distribute the cornmeal and lightly spraying the skillet with cooking spray when needed. Stack the cooked crepes on top of each other. The crepes can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cool the crepes completely before storing in the refrigerator, enclosed in a ziploc bag or covered in plastic wrap.
- For the taco meat, cook the onion, ground meat, garlic, salt and pepper in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently to break the meat into bite-size pieces, until the meat is cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain the excess grease. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, coriander, tomato sauce and jalapeno, if using. Simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Lay a crepe flat on a clean work surface or plate. Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup meat mixture on each crepe, sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of cheese and roll up.
- Lay seam side down on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining crepes, meat and cheese. Sprinkle the tops of the crepes with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the crepes are heated through. Serve the crepes with the olives, sour cream, salsa and any other garnishes you prefer.
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from Jennifer A., a very nice MKC reader who sent me her family-favorite recipe
Hi Mel, I’ve made this meal before and we all loved it. I would like to make it as a freezer meal for a friend who has just given birth. Do you think it would be ok if I made the filling & crepes and let everything cool, assembled it and then froze? I’m a little worried about the soggy factor! As always, thanks for a great recipe.
I think it should work! The crepes might be a little softer, but I think they’ll still be yummy. 🙂
Mel! Love your site – I rarely make anything from anywhere else (seriously, I have some apple strudel cheesecake in the fridge right now and the ingredients for pepperoni rolls for tomorrow). Pretty much all of your recipes are amazing! We are eating a ton of the roasted veggie orzo salad right now and the green chili chicken enchiladas are my favorite. I stumbled upon this gem the other day and decided to give it a try tonight. I love the crepes but I think it’s time for a re-vamp on the filling. Maybe a lime chicken or some sort of steak filling? The ground beef tastes too much like my dad’s packet seasoned tacos. Just a suggestion – I’d love to see what you come up with! Much love, Mel!
Everyone LOVED these. I subbed half the meat for a can of black beans. Instead of adding tomato sauce to the mix I poured a can of enchilada sauce over the top. Perfection! I will be sharing this recipe soon.
Man these are good! The homemade crepes are a must!
Made these after I saw them on your weekly menu the other week. They were spectacular, and a great idea for an enchilada-loving family with a toddler who doesn’t enjoy tortillas! 😉
Thank you for another great idea!
Total hit! I’ve been meaning to try these since you posted them last year. Now I’m sad I waited so long. Thanks for another great recipe. Your blog is my go to source for all things tasty. My boyfriend loves you too. He often asks, “Is this from Mel’s?” I always say, “Of course!” We had your coconut Texas sheet cake for dessert thanks to my sister-in-law. Let’s just say we were all singing praises to your name last night during dinner.
I made these last night – absolutely delicious! I’ve never made crepes before, but this will be a regular event for me now. That little crunch on the ends after they came out of the oven was a bite of heaven! Oh my, I wish there were leftovers!