Name: Cheesy Beef Enchilada Tortellini
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20 because flavor > diet); 1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, whatever’s rolling around in your veggie drawer); 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I won’t judge); 1 bell pepper, diced (red is prettiest but green works too); 1 tablespoon chili powder; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (the regular kind works too but smoked adds that somethin’-somethin’); Salt and pepper to taste (be generous!); 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or pinto if that’s your jam); 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Ro-Tel); 1 can (19 oz) enchilada sauce (red, not green for this one); 2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth, or even water with a bouillon cube in a pinch); 1 package (16-20 oz) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen both work); 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or just cheddar, or whatever melty cheese you’ve got); Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips (go wild!)

Description

So I was having this weird craving one night – couldn’t decide between Italian and Mexican food. Had some tortellini in the pantry and ground beef in the fridge, and thought “what if enchiladas and tortellini had a baby?” Turns out, it’s a DELICIOUS baby. This dish combines cheese-stuffed tortellini with all those rich, spicy enchilada flavors, creating this amazing fusion that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance. It’s got that enchilada sauce vibe but with pasta instead of tortillas. Trust me, it sounds weird, but it works!

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20 because flavor > diet)
1 medium onion, diced (yellow or white, whatever’s rolling around in your veggie drawer)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I won’t judge)
1 bell pepper, diced (red is prettiest but green works too)
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (the regular kind works too but smoked adds that somethin’-somethin’)
Salt and pepper to taste (be generous!)
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or pinto if that’s your jam)
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Ro-Tel)
1 can (19 oz) enchilada sauce (red, not green for this one)
2 cups chicken broth (or beef broth, or even water with a bouillon cube in a pinch)
1 package (16-20 oz) cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen both work)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or just cheddar, or whatever melty cheese you’ve got)
Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips (go wild!)