This Texan girl always reaches for a good Tex‑Mex fix — it’s how I was raised. I adore a classic beef enchilada topped with red sauce and wanted to transform those familiar flavors into a quick, family‑friendly, Whole30‑compliant skillet meal. The result is this Whole30 Beef Enchilada Skillet: simple, bold, and perfect for busy weeknights. If you have little ones, you can easily reduce or omit the cayenne for a milder version.
This recipe pairs seasoned ground beef with a savory, tomato‑based sauce and riced cauliflower to create the familiar enchilada profile without tortillas. It’s designed to be made in one skillet so cleanup is minimal and everything comes together quickly. The riced cauliflower keeps the dish light while still satisfying, and you can use store‑bought riced cauliflower or a packaged product like CeCe’s Veggie Noodle Company Riced Cauliflower if you prefer — either works well and saves time.
Speaking of CeCe’s Veggie Noodle Company, their ready‑to‑use spiralized vegetables and riced varieties can make weeknight dinners so much easier. They offer spiralized zucchini, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes as well as thicker “fettuccine” cuts in some cases. Having riced cauliflower or riced broccoli on hand removes a prep step and gets dinner on the table faster — a definite win for busy parents. My kids love vegetables prepared this way, and it’s an effortless way to add more vegetables to any meal.
Whole30 Beef Enchilada Skillet
Prep time is minimal and the skillet method keeps flavors concentrated. This recipe serves four and is easily doubled for a larger crowd or for leftovers.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup chicken broth, plus 1/4 cup more, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional or reduce for kids)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot (to thicken)
- 16 ounces riced cauliflower (or one box of riced cauliflower)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast seasoning (optional)
- Freshly chopped cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium‑high heat.
- Add the ground beef and use the back of a spoon to break it up. Stir in the diced onion and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook about 7 minutes, until the beef is browned and cooked through.
- In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the chicken broth with the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Add the arrowroot last and whisk vigorously until dissolved.
- Reduce the heat to medium‑low. Stir the tomato paste into the meat, then pour in the seasoned broth mixture. Simmer and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the riced cauliflower and stir until it is evenly combined with the meat mixture. Pour in the remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and cook until the cauliflower rice is tender, about 5 minutes.
- If using, stir in the nutritional yeast for a subtle savory bite. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve topped with freshly chopped cilantro and enjoy.
Notes and Tips
- For a milder dish for children, omit or reduce the cayenne pepper. The chili powder and cumin provide the Tex‑Mex flavor without excessive heat.
- If you prefer a firmer texture, cook the riced cauliflower a minute or two less; for softer rice, cook it a bit longer.
- Arrowroot acts as a gluten‑free thickener. If you don’t have arrowroot, you can omit it and allow the sauce to reduce longer, though the texture will be slightly different.
- Leftovers store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
- To make this dairy‑free and Whole30 compliant, skip any cheese toppings and rely on fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime if desired (lime is optional and not included in the ingredient list).
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 356 kcal, Carbohydrates: 13 g, Protein: 24 g, Fat: 23 g, Saturated Fat: 9 g, Cholesterol: 82 mg, Sodium: 398 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 5 g. Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Author: Alex Snodgrass
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Please note: I only work with companies and products that align with The Defined Dish’s values and that I genuinely recommend. This post contains sponsored content and I am compensated for some collaborations, but my opinions are always my own.
If you try this Whole30 Beef Enchilada Skillet, leave a comment below to share your tweaks or favorite substitutions. Jump to Comments →