This fusion recipe is one that the whole family will enjoy. It combines the best of both worlds: Italian and Mexican foods. With shredded beef, pasta sauce, and mozzarella cheese, this is such a simple twist on the classic Mexican enchilada. It’s almost hard to believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner! Here’s what we’ll need:
Prepping and Searing the Shredded Beef:
To make the Italian shredded beef, you’re going to start off by using a 2 1/2 to 3 lb chuck roast. You want a chuck roast because it has a higher fat content and more marbling, so it will be more tender and easier to shred for the enchiladas.
You’re going to start off by slicing it in half so that it will be easier to fit in your ninja foodi or instant pot. After slicing it in half, you’re going to season it all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Make sure you coat each side so that it’s nice and flavorful! You also want to slice your onion into thin strips at this point.
After you slice it and season it, you’re going to want to heat up some oil in your pressure cooker. I heated my oil over high heat so that it would produce this amazing crust when I seared the roast on all sides. This helps to really lock in flavor. It’s important to make sure the oil is nice and hot before adding the roast. You can test this by running your hand under water and sprinkling it into the oil. If it sizzles, you’re good to go!
Shredded Beef: Italian Style
After the roast is seared, you’re going to add your onion as well as 6-8 large whole cloves of garlic. You’ll saute them until the onions are just starting to soften, approximately 4-5 minutes. Afterward, add in one undrained can of Italian style diced tomatoes, and then you’ll simmer those for 4-5 minutes. The goal is to get the liquids bubbling before you pressure cook the roast because it will sharply decrease the amount of time it takes to pressurize.
After adding the tomatoes, you’re going to add one cup of dry red wine. You want to simmer this for another 5 minutes or so to start to cook off the alcohol. Then lastly, you’re going to add tomato paste, a couple cups of water and seasonings. One of the seasonings you’ll need is Knorr’s caldo de tomate bouillon. It’s one of my favorite seasonings for making Mexican dishes, especially Mexican rice. It provides a really nice flavor in this recipe too. Buy it here. You’ll also need a bit more Italian seasoning, as well as two bay leaves. After you get everything mixed together, you’re going to bring the broth to a boil. After it boils, it’s time to pressure cook the roast. You’re going to pressure cook it for 50 minutes on high and naturally release the pressure when done for 20 minutes.
Shredding the Beef and Assembling the Enchiladas
After the roast finishes depressurizing, you’re going to remove it to a dish with high sides where you will shred it. You also want to try to strain out the tomatoes, onions and chunks of garlic and shred these in with the beef as these ingredients will provide tons more flavor. I also sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper over the beef at this step, ensuring I evenly distribute it throughout.
After the beef is shredded, you’re going to prep the enchiladas. Start off by pouring half of a jar of Italian pasta sauce in the bottom of a 15×10 casserole dish. You’ll then take a burrito sized tortilla and hold it in a U shape allowing the bottom of the tortilla to sit in the sauce, but keeping the tops out. Place a few heaping spoonfuls of the Italian beef in the tortilla and roll it up. The seam should be facing downward, in the sauce. Repeat this process until you have 7 to 8 enchiladas.
After you’ve assembled your enchiladas, you’re going to pour the remaining sauce over the top, ensuring each enchilada is covered. Then you’re going to top them with your shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for 20 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees.
Oh my goodness. *Drool* Just look at this cheesy goodness! After the enchiladas have finished baking, I like to top mine with green onion and parsley. This step is purely optional, but just my personal preference.
And there you go! Italian shredded beef enchiladas are such a tasty twist on the traditional enchilada. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did! Let me know in the comments below. If you like this recipe and want to see more, be sure to subscribe or visit my recipes page here! Thanks!
Italian Shredded Beef Enchiladas in the Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2.5-3 lb boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 medium-large yellow onion, sliced into thin strips
- 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 tsp garlic salt, divided
- 2 tsp pepper, divided
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 6-8 cloves garlic, whole
- 1 15 oz can Italian style diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup dry red wine cabernet, pinot noir, etc.
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- 2 bay leaves, whole
- 2 large cubes Caldo de tomate bouillon
- 1 24 oz jar pasta sauce, divided I used Bertolli's Parmesan & Romano with Cracked Black Pepper sauce.
- 7-8 burrito sized flour tortillas
- 1 16 oz package of mozzarella, shredded I used a Galbani mozzarella ball and shredded it
- Optional toppings: sliced green onion, chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Italian Shredded Beef
- Heat oil over high heat using the saute setting in your electric pressure cooker.
- Meanwhile, cut the roast in half so that it will be easier to fit in your electric pressure cooker. Season ALL sides with 1 tbsp Italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp pepper, and all of the garlic powder.
- When oil is sizzling hot, add the roast and sear on each side to create a nice crust for added flavor.
- Once roast is fully seared on all sides, reduce heat to medium. Add onions and whole cloves of garlic, sauteing for 5 minutes or until the onions are just starting to soften.
- Add in undrained can of diced tomatoes and mix well with the onions and garlic. Saute until bubbling, approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Add in wine, stirring all ingredients well and allow to simmer for 5 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
- Add in tomato paste, water, bouillon cubes, remaining Italian seasoning, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and break up the bouillon. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, put the sealed pressure cooking lid on and turn on the pressure cook setting on high for 50 minutes. Once the timer is done, allow to naturally release pressure for 20 minutes before quick releasing any remaining pressure.
- Once pressure has released, preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove roast to a dish with high sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove as many of the tomatoes, garlic cloves, and sliced onions as you can to the same dish as the roast. Shred the roast, smashing the cloves of garlic and incorporating the tomatoes and onions into the beef as you go. Season with remaining salt and pepper, ensuring the seasonings are well incorporated into all of the meat.
Enchiladas
- In the bottom of a 10×15 inch casserole, pour and spread 1/2 of your jar of pasta sauce.
- Holding the tops of a tortilla like a soft taco, dip the bottom of the tortilla in the sauce, not allowing the whole tortilla to become submerged. Fill the center with a few heaping spoonfuls of the shredded beef mixture and roll up tightly, ensuring the seam of the enchilada is on the bottom in the sauce. Repeat for 7-8 enchiladas.
- Pour remaining pasta sauce over the top of each enchilada, using a basting brush if necessary to ensure each enchilada is covered.
- Top all of the enchiladas with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered or until cheese is fully melted.
- When finished baking, top with green onion and parsley (if desired), serve up and enjoy!