This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I didn’t think enchiladas could get any better, until I tried them with venison! These venison enchiladas are cheesy, flavorful, and an easy make-ahead meal. Top them with sour cream and guacamole for a simple, comforting family dinner.
I love Mexican night in our kitchen, especially when the freezer is stocked with venison!
It feels like I’ll never run out of different ways to prepare venison into a delicious Mexican-inspired meal. Whether I’m making venison quesadillas, ground venison tacos, or venison fajitas, there are so many delicious ways to mix it up and make it unique.
This week I wanted something entirely new, so I decided it was time for a big batch of venison enchiladas. I’ve substituted venison in my beef enchilada dip before, so I figured this would be good.
Of course, they were a hit with my family, and I’m already dreaming of the next batch!
Enchiladas are such a great meal for a crowd (which I’m always thinking about with my family of 10!).
They are easy to whip up, incredibly satisfying, and there are a lot of different toppings to serve with them, so they always feel fresh and exciting.
Grab a pound of ground venison, and let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to prep: These enchiladas require very little active time. With around 20 minutes of prep, you can have them baking in the oven while you dream up a fun side dish, whip up some dessert, or simply relax.
- Great for crowds: Enchiladas are on my list of meals for hosting, because they make it so easy to feed a crowd without a lot of tedious prep work! It helps that I can make them in advance, so the day of hosting is truly a breeze.
- Freezer-friendly: Enchiladas make a fantastic freezer meal to keep on hand for busy days. Once baked, they’re as good as the day they were made, and they don’t require any thawing first.
Ingredients
- Ground venison: Ground venison is easy to cook and tastes great in enchiladas! It’s such a versatile meat, as you’ll see in my 20+ ground venison recipes post.
- Enchilada sauce: I find that red enchilada sauce tastes best with venison, but feel free to try green sauce instead. I use canned to keep it simple.
- Tortillas: I used homemade corn tortillas, and they were perfect! You can also use store-bought or opt for flour tortillas (I have a delicious fresh milled flour tortilla recipe that you’ll love).
Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements included, in the recipe card below.
How to Make Venison Enchiladas
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground venison, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked through. Remove from heat.
Step 2. Remove the skillet from the heat and add 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and the onion to the cooked venison.
Step 3. Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
Step 4. Scoop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling into a tortilla. Fold the sides over and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Step 5. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Step 6. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and everything is heated through. Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole.
Tips + Notes
- I used homemade corn tortillas, but store-bought works just as well. You can also use small flour tortillas.
- If you are using corn tortillas, warm the tortillas one at a time in a skillet for about 10 seconds per side, just until they are soft and easy to work with.
- You can make these enchiladas ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, unbaked, until you’re ready to bake and serve. If they are cold from the fridge, keep in mind you will likely need to bake them longer.
Serving Suggestions
The beauty of Mexican dishes is all of the different toppings and sides you can offer to make it a fun and unique meal! I typically serve my enchiladas with guacamole and sour cream on the side, but there are plenty of ways to mix it up.
I like to offer enchilada toppings self-serve, so each person can make their plate how they prefer it. I’d recommend a few of these toppings:
- Salsa — red, green, or pico de gallo
- Fire-roasted corn
- Cotija cheese
- Guacamole or cubed avocado
- Sour cream or crema
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped green onions
- Jalapeños – pickled or fresh
- Pickled red onions
You can also offer your enchiladas with a side dish if you really want to go above and beyond! Chips and salsa are always a great option, or you could serve Mexican rice, beans, or a bowl of Colorado green chili.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Enchiladas make an excellent freezer dish for meal prep or to take to a friend in need. I recommend covering them in plastic wrap and foil, then freezing (unbaked) for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to eat them, remove the plastic wrap and re-cover with foil, then bake the frozen enchiladas covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 15-30. You do not need to thaw them first.
Absolutely! You can substitute any ground meat you would like — beef, chicken, or even pork. If you have another wild game, such as moose or elk, that would also be tasty.
If you notice your enchiladas are browning too quickly while the inside still isn’t hot, cover them with foil for the remainder of their time in the oven.
Related Recipes
- Venison Fried Rice
- Venison Shepherd’s Pie
- Best Venison Chili Recipe
- Venison Lasagna
- Venison Salisbury Steak
If you tried these Venison Enchiladas or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Venison Enchiladas
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground venison
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 1/4 cups enchilada sauce divided
- 2 cups shredded cheese (I use cheddar) divided
- 1 onion finely chopped (optional)
- 10 6-inch corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground venison, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking until the meat is fully cooked through. Remove from heat.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and add 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and the onion to the cooked venison.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Scoop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling into a tortilla. Fold the sides over and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and everything is heated through.
- Serve warm with sour cream and guacamole.
Video
Notes
- I used homemade corn tortillas, but store-bought works just as well. You can also use small flour tortillas.
- If you are using corn tortillas, warm the tortillas one at a time in a skillet for about 10 seconds per side, just until they are soft and easy to work with.
- You can make these enchiladas ahead of time and keep them in the fridge, unbaked, until you’re ready to bake and serve. If they are cold from the fridge, keep in mind you will likely need to bake them longer.
this looks very good. any tips if i wanted to sub the venison for ground beef!
Thank you so much! Yes, just drain the grease from the ground beef!
This looks so good! Saving this to try soon!
Love it!