These vegetarian enchiladas are a hearty and satisfying dinner. Make them on a weeknight and you’ll enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day. Or make it on the weekend and invite friends over to make a party out of it! You could make a double batch and freeze the extras—you’ll find freezing instructions below.

You’ll love the fresh filling in these enchiladas, made of sautéed bell pepper, broccoli, onion, spinach, black beans and warming spices. These enchiladas are nicely cheesy, but not overwhelmingly cheesy like many restaurants make them.

This enchilada recipe has become quite popular since I published it nearly eight years ago. I used my spinach artichoke enchiladas as a blueprint and covered them with my go-to homemade enchilada sauce, of course. They’re just fantastic and I hope you’ll give them a try, if you haven’t already.

If you’ve never made enchiladas before, you can do it! You’ll find a detailed recipe, step-by-step photos, and an instructional video below.

How to Make Vegetable Enchiladas

This recipe isn’t the quickest dinner option (enchiladas never are), but it is totally worth the effort. Here’s a basic rundown with some notes and variations.

You’ll start by making my red enchilada sauce, a simple, pantry-friendly recipe using dried spices and vegetable broth. It has an amazing depth of flavor! If you want to change it up, you could use my green enchilada sauce instead, which is made from salsa verde (jarred is fine).

Then, you’ll sauté red onion, bell pepper, broccoli and spinach. Broccoli is an uncommon ingredient in enchiladas, but I love it here. If you’re hesitant and want a more neutral flavor, substitute cauliflower instead. Cumin and a small amount of cinnamon (yes, cinnamon!) ramp up the flavor.

Once the vegetables are done cooking, we’ll transfer them to a bowl and add drained black beans, plus a small amount of cheese and a splash of enchilada sauce for flavoring. Then we’ll assemble the enchiladas, drizzle the remaining sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until golden. If you want extra cheesy enchiladas, you could double the cheese (use a full 8 ounces).

This recipe calls for flour tortillas. I like to use whole wheat for some extra flavor and fiber. Corn tortillas are more traditional, but my mom always used flour tortillas in her enchiladas when we were growing up, so I used flour. If you’d like to use corn tortillas, you certainly can. You’ll need more than 8 of them, likely 12. Gently warm them in the microwave or one at a time on the stovetop before using (otherwise, they might break when rolling).

Watch How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas

How to Freeze These Enchiladas

You can make these enchiladas as directed and freeze them instead of baking them. I also tried baking and then freezing them, but it was more work with no payoff. To help minimize freezer burn, refrigerate the dish until fully chilled (about four hours), then cover tightly and freeze fully.

Use a freezer-safe dish, like this Pyrex dish. I’ve successfully used Pyrex baking dishes straight from the freezer to the oven. Beware there’s always a slight risk that the dish could break.

Once frozen, they will keep for up to six months in the freezer. Frozen foods technically never go bad when the freezing environment is perfectly consistent, though they generally taste better when consumed sooner.

To bake the frozen enchiladas, first ensure that the exterior of the baking dish is dry by wiping it with a towel—this helps avoid shocking the glass. Bake as directed in the recipe below, then cover the dish snugly with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake until it is fully cooked through and bubbling, probably about 45 minutes total or longer (covering the dish prevents it from becoming too browned). Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

These enchiladas are a well-rounded main dish offering vegetables, greens, whole grains and protein. If you’re hosting friends, perhaps start with guacamole or salsa with chips. For cocktails, try fresh-squeezed margaritas or ranch waters.

Here are some side dishes that would be lovely with these enchiladas:

• Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
• Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
• Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing (or a simplified version of it)
• Simple Healthy Slaw

More Veggie-Packed Main Dishes

Craving more hearty vegetarian meals with Mexican flavors? Here are a few of my favorites:

• Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
• Epic Vegetarian Tacos
• Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls
• Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
• Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Black Bean Enchiladas in my cookbook, Love Real Food

Please let me know how these veggie enchiladas turn out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.

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Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 651 reviews

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Amazing vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with black beans, broccoli, bell pepper and spinach, topped with homemade red sauce. My favorite enchilada recipe! Recipe yields 8 enchiladas, enough for about 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 bunch of broccoli or 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), florets removed and sliced into small, bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups, packed)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 whole wheat tortillas (about 8 inches in diameter)
• Handful of chopped cilantro, for garnishing

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until simmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until the broccoli is brighter green and just starting to turn golden on the edges.
3. Add the cumin and cinnamon to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it has reduced in size. Repeat with the remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted.
4. Transfer the contents of the pan to a medium mixing bowl. Add the drained beans, ¼ cup cheese and a drizzle of enchilada sauce (about 2 tablespoons). Season with ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
5. Assemble the enchiladas: Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce into your prepared pan and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup filling mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam-side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
6. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, leaving the tips of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
7. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, carefully transfer the enchiladas to the upper rack of the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until sufficiently golden and bubbly.
8. Remove from oven and let the enchiladas rest for 10 minutes (they’re super hot!). Before serving, sprinkle chopped cilantro down the center of the enchiladas. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, covered.

Notes

Recipe adapted from my spinach artichoke enchiladas.
Make it vegan: You could just skip the cheese altogether and still end up with awesome enchiladas. For some extra creaminess, you might top them with sliced avocado or a drizzle of vegan sour cream.
Make it gluten free: Substitute certified gluten-free “flour” tortillas, or use corn tortillas (they’re smaller than my 8″ tortillas, so you might need more than 8 tortillas). If you use corn tortillas, gently warm them together in the microwave or individually on the stove before you try to roll them up, or they might break.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Entree
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

These red and green enchiladas are inspired by my trips to Santa Fe, New Mexico! I love visiting Santa Fe for my fill of saucy burritos, enchiladas and breakfast dishes. Whenever the server asks if I want red sauce, green sauce or both, the answer is always both. They call it Christmas-style or divorciadas (divorced).

Coming to you just in time for Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner, these enchiladas are a festive and delicious main dish. They’re stuffed with vibrant vegetables, spinach, black beans, and enough cheese to qualify as a holiday meal.

I’ve been keeping this recipe on reserve for the holidays, and I just now realized that I poured the enchilada sauce in the wrong fashion. In Santa Fe, they split the sauce down the middle of the enchiladas, so each enchilada features both red and green sauce. Although, my way may be a little easier to distribute (and you can always just eat two enchiladas to get one of each)!

Do as you wish—the ingredients and quantities will remain the same. You’ll find side dish suggestions to round out your meal below. Wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season!

Watch How to Make Christmas Enchiladas

Christmas Enchilada Sauce Notes

For this recipe, you’ll need to make both red sauce and green sauce. Both recipes are quite simple.

You can make double the enchiladas to use up both sauces (perfect if you’re serving a crowd) or simply freeze half of each for a future batch of Christmas enchiladas. Another option? Keep both in the fridge and drizzle them over improvised dishes like quesadillas and eggy breakfasts.

Enchilada Serving Suggestions

Round out your meal with any of the following side dishes:

• The Best Guacamole or Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
• Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
• Easy Refried Beans
• Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad): Make this with frozen corn.
• Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing
• Roasted Cauliflower (Four Ways!): Look for the Mexican flavor variation.

More Enchiladas to Try

You’ll love these vegetarian enchilada recipes on Cookie and Kate:

• Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
• Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
• Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
• Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

Please let me know how your enchiladas turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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Christmas Enchiladas

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 enchiladas
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 38 reviews

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This enchilada recipe features both red and green sauce! These vegetarian enchiladas are stuffed with fresh veggies, black beans and cheese. Recipe yields 10 enchiladas.

Ingredients

• ½ batch (1 cup) red enchilada sauce
• ½ batch (1 cup) green enchilada sauce
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 2” long thin strips
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 2” long thin strips
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt, divided
• 8 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 ounces (1 packed cup) Monterey Jack cheese or pepper jack cheese (for extra kick)
• 10 corn tortillas
• Garnishes: Chopped red onion or radish or green onion, cilantro leaves and crumbled Cotija or feta cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray. 
2. In a medium Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion and pepper are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 6 minutes. 
3. Add the mushrooms and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue cooking for 6 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms start to caramelize and stick to the base of the pan. 
4. Add the spinach in big handfuls, stirring after each. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes. 
5. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the black beans, followed by the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as desired. Set the mixture aside to rest for a few minutes.
6. Meanwhile, spread the tortillas across a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake just until they are warm and pliable, about two minutes. Stack the tortillas and wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them warm.
7. To assemble the enchiladas, pour ⅓ cup of each sauce into the base of the prepared baking dish (half on one side, half on the other). Gently spread each sauce over each half of the baking dish.
8. Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about ⅓ cup filling down the center of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling, then place them snugly side-by-side in the baking dish with the seams down. Spread the remaining ⅔ cup red sauce over one-half of the tortillas (to match the red sauce in the base of the dish), and the remaining green sauce over the other half. 
9. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 to 22 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the top of the enchiladas are turning a bit more matte than glossy. Garnish as desired, and serve.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free ingredients and follow the gluten-free variation for the red enchilada sauce.

Sauce quantity: You will use just ½ batch of each sauce. You could make double the enchiladas to use up all the sauce, or freeze the leftover sauces separately for a future batch of Christmas enchiladas.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Entree
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Southwestern

The post Christmas Enchiladas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Fellow enchilada enthusiasts, I’m so pleased to introduce this green enchilada sauce. This recipe is inspired by the green chili sauces I’ve enjoyed on recent trips to New Mexico. While the real-deal sauces often feature elusive New Mexican chili peppers, this flavorful sauce is easy to make with basic grocery store ingredients. It’s a pretty ideal alternative.

Try this green enchilada sauce in place of red enchilada sauce the next time you make your favorite enchilada recipe.

To make this recipe, I experimented with combinations of readily available chili peppers, tomatillos, broth, and flour with disappointing results. Finally, I found a great shortcut that yields the best flavor, thanks to a tip from Rick Bayless. This green enchilada sauce recipe takes advantage of store-bought salsa verde! And yet, the end result tastes much nicer than store-bought enchilada sauce.

This green enchilada sauce requires only three basic ingredients—salsa verde, sour cream and cilantro. I love how simple it is to make, especially since enchiladas are always a project. This recipe is gluten free, too, if that is a consideration for you. Let’s make some.

Green Enchilada Sauce Ingredients

You will need only three simple ingredients to make this lively green enchilada sauce. Here they are:

1) Salsa verde

Salsa verde, which is green salsa made from tomatillos, forms the backbone of this green enchilada sauce. Since salsa verde is bursting with flavor already, this sauce doesn’t need many additions.

You could make your own salsa verde for the freshest results, but since easy is the name of the game today, I suggest using store-bought. Choose a mild or medium option so your sauce doesn’t overpower the dish. For these photos, I used Whole Foods 365 brand of salsa verde, which is on the spicier side of medium.

2) Fresh cilantro

Adding a handful of cilantro to the blender ensures that your salsa mixture tastes fresh and vibrant. Since it’s all blended together, there’s no need to chop the cilantro before using.

3) Sour cream

After cooking down the salsa mixture, we’ll stir in some sour cream (or heavy cream or crème fraîche). The dairy rounds out the flavors and make this sauce lightly creamy. I love the subtle tanginess provided by sour cream or crème fraîche, but heavy cream works as well.

Of the three, sour cream requires one tiny extra step. Sour cream can curdle when it comes into contact with a hot mixture. To avoid curdling, simply temper the sour cream by stirring some of the warm salsa mixture into the sour cream. Then it’s ready to use.

If you are following a dairy-free or vegan diet, I believe you could use my vegan sour cream to make this recipe work for you.

Watch How to Make Easy Green Enchilada Sauce

Uses for Green Enchilada Sauce

It goes without saying that this green sauce is perfect for enchiladas. Since it is essentially warm, smooth, creamy salsa verde, it has other uses as well! I love to serve it as a warm salsa with tortilla chips or quesadillas. Drizzle it over your nachos, burritos, scrambled or fried eggs.

Green enchilada sauce goes particularly well with recipes featuring sweet potato or butternut squash, red bell pepper, spinach, black beans or cilantro. These enchilada recipes are perfect candidates for this green sauce:

• Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
• Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
• Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

Please let me know how your enchilada sauce turns out in the comments! I really love hearing from you.

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Easy Green Enchilada Sauce

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 8 minutes
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 2 1/3 cups
• Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 6 reviews

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This green enchilada sauce is so easy to make with three simple ingredients! It will take your enchiladas to the next level. Recipe yields about 2 ⅓ cups.

Ingredients

• 24 ounces (3 cups) mild to medium salsa verde, either jarred or homemade
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro leaves (some tender stems are ok)
• ¼ cup sour cream, heavy cream or crème fraîche

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Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the salsa verde and cilantro. Blend until smooth. 
2. Transfer the mixture to a large skillet and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Continue simmering, stirring often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by about one-third.
3. If you’re using sour cream, temper it by mixing about equal parts warm salsa with the sour cream, then stir it into the sauce. ( Or, if you’re using heavy cream or crème fraîche, you can stir it directly into the warm sauce). Use the enchilada sauce immediately, or let it cool to room temperature then refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless.

Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried to be sure, but I believe that my vegan sour cream would work well in place of conventional sour cream.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Sauce
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Easy Green Enchilada Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Quick! I’m sharing these enchiladas with you as a suggestion for a post-Thanksgiving meal this weekend (don’t forget, I have lots of vegetarian Thanksgiving options here).

The enchiladas are stuffed with creamy, hearty sweet potato, plus black beans, feta cheese, and spices. The sauce is super easy—just grab some mild salsa verde at the store. Or, you can go the extra mile and make your own.

Most restaurant enchiladas are so cheesy that I leave with a belly ache, but not these. They are delicious, satisfying and leftovers taste even better the next day. If you want to make a vegetarian dinner and hear, “I don’t even miss the meat,” these enchiladas are for you.

This recipe is actually one that I shared back in 2011, but it was missing some key instructions, like how to roast the sweet potato. So, I revisited it and tweaked it a bit, and they’re better than ever.

These enchiladas taught me some valuable lessons about cooking back then, so I’m leaving my notes for you below.

From 2011: Do you ever cut corners when you’re following a recipe? I do—all the time—and I’m always learning from my mistakes.

Take these black bean sweet potato enchiladas, for example.

I blundered through Gluten Free Goddess’ recipe, made it my own, and came out a better cook in the end.

Lessons learned:

• Substitutions can be ok: I subbed Target’s salsa verde for the Karina’s green chile sauce, which worked out fine.
• Skipping steps is usually not ok: I ignored her recommendation to warm up the corn tortillas first, so they broke to pieces when I tried to wrap the tortillas around the inside ingredients. As a result, my enchiladas weren’t as pretty as they could have been, but it didn’t affect the flavor. I need to trust that my fellow cooks will not recommend additional steps if they are not integral to the dish’s success!
• Additions are just fine: I love spicy food, so I knew adding a jalapeño was a good idea. And it was.
• Pay more for high quality ingredients: Packaged breads, including tortillas, tend to be full of preservatives and unnecessary ingredients. I paid more for these sprouted grain corn tortillas at my local health food store, and go figure, they taste better than the rest!
• Some flavors are so good together, you can’t go wrong: Black beans and sweet potatoes are a delicious combination. Even with all my mistakes, I ended up with a mighty delicious meal.

Please let me know how these enchiladas turn out for you in the comments! I hope they’re your new favorite.

Craving more Mexican-ish, cheesy goodness? Don’t miss my roasted veggie enchilada casserole or baked jalapeño poppers.

Watch How to Make Enchiladas

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Vegetarian Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 536 reviews

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Amazing black bean and sweet potato enchiladas, smothered in salsa verde. A delicious, hearty vegetarian entrée. Recipe yields 10 enchiladas, enough for about 5 servings.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 ¼ pounds sweet potatoes (2 small-to-medium)
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 ounces (½ cup) crumbled feta cheese
• 2 small cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

Remaining Ingredients

• 2 cups (16 ounces) mild salsa verde, either homemade or store-bought
• 10 corn tortillas
• 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and coat the flat sides lightly with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes flat-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until they’re tender and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Leave the oven on, since we’ll bake the assembled enchiladas soon (no temperature adjustments necessary).
3. Meanwhile, pour enough salsa verde into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish to lightly cover the bottom (about ½ cup). In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining filling ingredients.
4. Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides with a spoon. Discard the potato skins, and lightly mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or the back of a spoon.
5. Stir the mashed sweet potato into the bowl of filling, and season to taste with additional salt (I added ¼ teaspoon) and pepper.
6. Warm up your tortillas, one by one in a skillet, or all at once in a microwave so they don’t break when you bend them. Wrap them in a clean tea towel so they stay warm.
7. Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about ½ cup filling down the center each tortilla, then wrap both sides over the filling and place it in your baking dish. Repeat for all of the tortillas.
8. Top with the remaining salsa verde and cheese. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly golden.
9. Let the enchiladas cool for about 5 minutes. Whisk the sour cream and water together to make a drizzly sour cream sauce. Drizzle it back and forth over the enchiladas, then top them with cilantro and red onion. Serve.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Gluten Free Goddess. 

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the cheese. Stir a scant 1 cup vegan sour cream into the filling, reserving a few tablespoons for drizzling on top. Once baked, thin the vegan sour cream with a little extra water to make it extra-drizzly and drizzle it on top as shown.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Entree
• Cuisine: Mexican

Original photo from 2011.

The post Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

It’s about time you met the vegetarian option at my family’s Thanksgiving—enchilada casserole! When I stopped eating meat several years ago, my mom was totally flummoxed on how to feed me. Granted, I was already a full-grown adult at this point, but she’s my mom and she likes to make sure I’m well fed.

Mom has a small repertoire of go-to recipes, and while we were growing up, Mexican “lasagna” was one of them. I always refused to eat it because I didn’t like ground beef (picky little Kate strikes again).

When I came across this recipe for a stacked enchilada casserole full of roasted vegetables and spinach, I sent it her way. It was a hit with the whole family, and so it joined her repertoire of recipes. She makes it (or just the roasted vegetables) for Christmas and birthdays, too.

Of course, I couldn’t help but tinker with the original recipe. I simplified the veggies a bit and divided them across two pans for maximum caramelization. Then I added some black beans for protein, and discovered that Monterey Jack produces an infinitely better end result than cheddar does.

Watch How to Make Enchilada Casserole

I wasn’t really sure what to call this recipe—Mexican casserole? Enchilada casserole? Stacked enchiladas? I’m leaning toward “enchilada casserole recipe,” even though this recipe calls for salsa instead of enchilada sauce. I tried it with both, but it’s easier to make and turns out better with salsa.

I hope this one’s a hit at your house! Please let me know how it turns out in the comments.

Enchilada Casserole Serving Suggestions

Round out your meal with any of the following recipes.

• Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
• Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
• Mexican Brown Rice, as shown in these photos
• Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing, or a simple green salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
• Skinny Margaritas

More Mexican-ish Recipes to Try

If you love this recipe, check out the following recipes with Mexican influences, or browse all of my Mexican recipes here.

• Loaded Veggie Nachos
• Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
• Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas

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Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 60 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings
• Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 322 reviews

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This roasted veggie enchilada casserole recipe is a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner loaded with fresh Mexican flavors! It’s a great gluten-free main dish. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients

Roasted veggies

• ½ medium head of cauliflower, cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about ½-inch wide
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Remaining ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups (18 ounces) red salsa, either homemade or jarred*
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
• 9 to 10 corn tortillas**, halved
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
• 2 big handfuls (about 2 ounces) baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

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Instructions

1. To roast the veggies (this can be done up to 2 days in advance): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
2. On one pan, combine the cauliflower and sweet potato. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Same with the cumin.
3. Sprinkle both pans lightly with salt and pepper, then toss each one until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and spices, adding another light drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping the pans halfway.
4. When you’re ready to assemble, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ square baker. Stir the cilantro into the salsa.
5. To assemble, spread ½ cup salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking pan. Add a single layer of halved tortilla pieces, arranging them so they completely cover the salsa.
6. Top with ½ of the beans, ⅓ of the vegetables, ½ of the of spinach, and ⅓ of the cheese.
7. Make a second layer of tortillas (I pressed down on the mixture a little here to make room for the next layers). Top with ½ of the remaining salsa, all of the remaining beans, ½ of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining spinach, and ½ of the remaining cheese.
8. Make a third layer of tortillas (again, I pressed down to make more room). Top with the remaining salsa, vegetables, and cheese.
9. Cover the pan with parchment paper (I tent mine in the middle and wrap the edges around the handles) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes, or until heated through.
10. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, to give it time to set and reach a palatable temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with additional chopped cilantro.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Perry’s Plate.

*Salsa suggestions: I recommend a mild to medium salsa here, depending on your heat preferences. I used Trader Joe’s basic “Salsa Authentica” option here, which I don’t love on its own, but it was great mixed with cilantro and the other ingredients. My mom loves Target’s medium roasted tomato and chipotle salsa (Archer Farms brand), which lends a smoky note. Or, make your own salsa—here’s my favorite salsa recipe—and you can really minimize the sodium content by choosing low-sodium tomatoes and keeping the salt low.

Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried (let me know if you do), but I’m confident that you could replace the cheese with cashew sour cream. If the end result is a little dry, just top individual servings with a little more salsa.

**Make it gluten free: Be sure to use 100% corn/certified gluten-free tortillas.

Storage suggestions: This casserole keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.

Change it up: You can change the vegetables used here as long as you use about the same volume. You could also add another can of beans to increase the protein content.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Entree
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

I’ve been working on my enchilada game lately, for both the cookbook and an upcoming enchilada recipe. There is an art to making great enchiladas, and the sauce is a key component.

I thought I’d share my tested and perfected enchilada sauce recipe today, in case you want to try it on your favorite enchilada recipe. It’s ready in under ten minutes, and I promise, it’s so tasty you won’t want to go back to the store-bought kind again.

When I developed my go-to sauce (first seen on my spinach artichoke enchiladas), I tried at least five of the top sauce recipes on Google, all with different ingredients and techniques.

I tried making sauce with tomato sauce, which tasted too raw and was kind of goopy. I tried making sauce with blended diced tomatoes, and it had the same issues. I tried sauce without any tomato ingredients, and it didn’t taste quite like the enchilada sauce I grew up eating, or the sauce at my favorite Mexican restaurants. I tried sauces made without any thickener (like flour or cornstarch), and they pooled at the bottom and turned my enchiladas into a soupy, texture-less casserole.

Finally, after some experimentation and cross-referencing with America’s Test Kitchen, I landed on the perfect enchilada sauce. Vegetable broth forms the base of the sauce, but it’s only added after you make a simple roux of flour and oil. You need a full three tablespoons of each to properly thicken the sauce. I tried making this sauce with a gluten-free flour blend and that worked great as well.

The Best Enchilada Sauce

Four reasons to love this recipe:

• This sauce is full of authentic Mexican flavor. It comes from a combination of dried spices, which are sautéed in oil to bring out their best, and umami-rich tomato paste.
• The cinnamon is optional since some people just don’t like it in savory applications, but just a pinch adds some lovely warmth and complexity.
• The final kicker is a tiny splash of vinegar, which really amps up the flavor.
• Unlike canned enchiladas sauces, this homemade sauce is free of unnecessary processed ingredients and MSG (that’s monosodium glutamate, which gives my mom migraines).

I love this sauce and I’m confident you will, too, since it’s gotten rave reviews on my spinach artichoke enchiladas and veggie black bean enchiladas.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback keeps me going.

Watch How to Make Enchilada Sauce

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Homemade Enchilada Sauce

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 3 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 1799 reviews

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This homemade red enchilada sauce has authentic Mexican flavor! It’s so good and easy, you’ll never go back to store-bought sauce again. You can even make a double batch and freeze half of it for later. Recipe as written below yields about 2 cups (16 ounces) sauce.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons flour (whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour blends all work!)
• 1 tablespoon ground chili powder (scale back if you’re sensitive to spice or using particularly spicy chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
• Pinch of cinnamon (optional but recommended)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt and optional cinnamon) into a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.
2. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until it’s hot enough that a light sprinkle of the flour/spice mixture sizzles on contact. This might take a couple of minutes, so be patient and don’t step away from the stove!
3. Once it’s ready, pour in the flour and spice mixture. While whisking constantly, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
4. Raise heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will thicken some more as it cools.)
5. Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Add more salt, if necessary (I usually add another pinch or two). Go forth and make enchiladas!

Notes

Enchilada sauce recipe adapted from my spinach artichoke enchiladas.

Storage suggestions: Extra enchilada sauce will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it cool to room temperature before transferring to a wide-mouth mason jar, leaving some room at the top for expansion (don’t screw on the lid completely until the mixture is fully frozen), or a freezer bag (remove excess air before sealing).

Make it gluten free: Just use gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. I tried with Bob’s Red Mill brand and it worked great.

Make it tomato free: You can omit the tomato paste. You might want to up the spices a bit. The sauce won’t taste quite like the enchilada sauce you might buy at the store, but it will still be good!

Change it up: The chili powder, cumin and garlic powder are essential here, but feel free to change up the other spices to suit your preferences.

If you love this sauce: Check out more of my Mexican recipes here!

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Condiment
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post How to Make Enchilada Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

I’m on a spinach and artichoke kick. I blame the new bar in town that offers an exceptionally tasty spinach-artichoke dip. Tessa and I order it almost every time we meet for happy hour and I daydream about it in between our weekly sessions. It’s more spinach-y than cheesy (how do they pack so much spinach in there?) and has passed for dinner more than once. I can’t get enough of the combination and Tessa can’t either, apparently!

I caught a mention of spinach-artichoke enchiladas on a menu in Austin and didn’t get a chance to try them, so here we are with my homemade version. I based them off memories of the enchiladas my mom makes at home. She is not one to change it up, so her enchiladas consistently feature green chilis, sour cream, flour tortillas and store-bought red sauce. Oh and cheese on top, of course.

I made sure to incorporate all of the above into these lightened-up vegetarian enchiladas, but took it upon myself to create a healthier from-scratch red sauce. I tried spice-based sauce first, followed by tomato-based sauce and finally settled somewhere in between. My recipe is made with common dried spices, tomato paste for some umami-rich tomato flavor, vegetable broth as base and flour to thicken it up.

I’m always doing my best to accommodate my vegan and gluten-free eaters, but we might need to crowdsource this one. Vegan eaters, I tried the enchiladas without cheese and sour cream and thought they were a bit lacking. Maybe you could add some cashew cream inside and top with creamy chopped avocado.

Gluten-free friends, you could substitute corn tortillas for the flour tortillas. Just be sure to warm the tortillas first so they don’t crack when you bend them. I’m stumped on what to thicken the sauce with instead of flour—I tried using 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder in place of the flour, but the sauce didn’t sufficiently thicken up and pooled at the bottom of the pan. Let me know if you find a better solution!

Watch How to Make Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas

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Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 enchiladas

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 192 reviews

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Hearty spinach artichoke enchiladas with a simple homemade red sauce! These lightened-up vegetarian enchiladas include black beans, a modest amount of sour cream and some golden cheese on top. Recipe yields 6 large enchiladas. You might as well make a double batch of the sauce and freeze it for later!

Ingredients

Homemade red enchilada sauce (yields 2 cups sauce)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat or all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Enchiladas

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 heaping cup drained artichokes (either jarred or defrosted frozen), quartered if necessary
• 1 (4-ounce) can green chilis, drained
• 12 ounces baby spinach, preferably organic
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup sour cream
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Handful chopped cilantro, for garnish

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Instructions

1. Before you make the sauce, measure the flour and spices into a small bowl and place your tomato paste near the stove. In a medium-sized pot over medium heat, warm the oil until shimmering (it should be warm enough that the spices sizzle on contact). Pour in the flour and spice mixture. While stirring constantly with a whisk, cook until fragrant and slightly deepened in color, about 1 minute. Whisk the tomato paste into the mixture, then slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly to remove any lumps.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, whisking often, for about five minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir it. (The sauce will further thicken as it cools.) Remove from heat, then whisk in the vinegar and season to taste with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
3. To make your enchiladas, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle position and upper third. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch pan.
4. In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the drained artichokes and green chilis to the skillet, then add a few large handfuls of spinach. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the spinach has wilted. Repeat with remaining spinach. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the pan is no longer wet with excess moisture. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the drained black beans and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce into your prepared pan and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup spinach artichoke mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, leaving the very ends of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
7. Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, carefully transfer the enchiladas to the upper rack of the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until sufficiently golden and bubbly.
8. Remove from oven and let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes (trust me!), then sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve.

Notes

Enchilada sauce roughly adapted from The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook. Enchilada filling based on my spinach artichoke lasagna.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Entree
• Cuisine: Mexican

The post Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Over Thanksgiving break, the holiday spirit got the best of me and I ate like I didn’t want my pants to fit anymore. Bring on the cream! Pass the butter! Both desserts, please! The truth is that I do want my pants to fit. I like my pants. Anyway, I came home from my five-day Oklahoma holiday craving vegetables, but arrived find an empty refrigerator. I made do that night with some sorry-looking avocado smashed on toast and a leftover whiskey cocktail from the last week’s photo shoot (as much as I want my pants to fit, letting avocado and good booze go to waste is a shameful offense).

Developing this enchilada recipe was a high priority when I got back to town, as my initial attempt before the holidays was nothing I’d want to serve others. I knew I wanted to go in a different direction this time. While I usually try to incorporate the most fresh, in-season produce available, I didn’t want to create a recipe that required roasting those tough winter vegetables before stuffing the enchiladas.

It occurred to me that if I had more than one mouth to feed after coming home from a holiday, I’d like to have some wholesome recipes that called for pantry and freezer ingredients in my back pocket. So I embraced jarred, roasted red peppers and frozen spinach and corn for this recipe and came up with hearty, produce-packed enchiladas. I’d like to think that those hungry mouths would clamor for this dish any day, not just when the refrigerator is barren. I am thoroughly enamored with the roasted red pepper sauce and resulting dish myself.

The only fresh ingredients that might necessitate a trip to the store here are cilantro and avocados. I wouldn’t skip them, as the cilantro lends a burst of fresh flavor and the avocados contribute rich creaminess. I have some storage tips to share in that regard. First, store your cilantro in the fridge, with the bunch of cilantro in a small mason jar filled partially with water like you would a vase of flowers. Cilantro will keep well that way for one to two weeks. Choose avocados that still have their little “button” on the smaller end attached. If you can peek under the button and see green, you have a winner. Store the avocado in the refrigerator when it’s close to ripe to slow its ripening. Avocados from Mexico has more tips here.

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Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.2 from 12 reviews

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Hearty vegetarian enchiladas that make use of pantry and freezer ingredients. Top with cilantro and avocado for a fresh and vibrant meal.

Ingredients

Roasted red pepper sauce

• 8 ounces jarred, drained roasted red peppers (mine came in a 12-ounce jar)
• ¼ cup water
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 8 ounces frozen spinach
• 8 ounces frozen corn
• 1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked black beans)
• 1 7-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
• ½ cup roasted red pepper sauce sauce
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
• salt and pepper, to taste

Remaining ingredients

• 8 to 10 corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 3 to 4 avocados from Mexico
• ⅓ cup chopped cilantro leaves, loosely packed
• ½ lime, juiced

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and oil a 13×7 or 13×9-inch baking pan. In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth. If you taste the sauce now, you may find by the raw onion flavor overpowering. Don’t worry, it will mellow out thanks to the lime and after spending time in the oven.
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and chopped onion. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion starts to turn translucent and starts lightly browning around the edges. Add the frozen spinach and corn and cook until warmed through and the juices have mostly evaporated. Add the black beans and green chiles and cook until warmed through. Remove from heat and pour in ½ cup enchilada sauce and feta cheese. Mix and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Gently warm the tortillas so they don’t break when you roll them. The easiest way to do this is to place them in a stack in the microwave under a damp paper towel and microwave for about 60 seconds. Leave the paper towel on top to keep them warm as you roll. Working one at a time, lump a scant ½ cup filling down the middle of each tortilla and roll snugly. Place it with the seam side down in your baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, placing each rolled enchilada snugly next to the other until you have used up all your tortillas.
4. Pour the enchilada sauce down the middle of your row of enchiladas and give the pan some little shakes to help distribute it. Sprinkle the Jack cheese down the middle. Bake the enchiladas for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted, the enchiladas are warmed through and the top of the tortillas are just crisp. Let the enchiladas cool for five minutes, during which you can pit, peel and dice the avocados. Combine them in a bowl with chopped cilantro and toss with a big squeeze of lime juice. Divide the enchiladas onto plates, top with a healthy amount of the avocado mix and serve.

Notes

• Recipe created with guidance from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
• I had enough filling to fill 10 tortillas, but only 8 tortillas came in the package and I ran out of room in my baking dish. I’ll make huevos rancheros for breakfast with the leftovers.
• You may notice that the baked enchiladas shown have quite a bit of liquid at the bottom of the pan. Although it didn’t seem to detract from the flavor or texture, I went ahead and reduced the amount of water in the sauce to remedy the situation.
• Spinach, corn and bell peppers are on the dirty dozen list, so buy organic if possible.
• This meal is gluten-free if you buy gluten-free tortillas.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Mexican

Disclaimer: This is a working partnership with Avocados from Mexico and Muy Bueno Cookbook and I was compensated for recipe development. Opinions expressed are my own, always. The truth is I love avocados!

The post Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

I don’t know where to begin with these enchiladas, so I will say this: holy smokes, they are good. Stuffed with scrambled eggs, sautéed portobello mushrooms and roasted red pepper, and smothered in a spicy, smoky homemade roasted poblano sauce with a hint of cinnamon—they’re better than good. These enchiladas are truly incredible.

Like huevos rancheros, egg enchiladas great any time of day: breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. The enchiladas do require some forethought, time and effort, but they are worth it tenfold. I highly suggest making them for brunch, say, tomorrow!

These enchiladas were inspired by one of our stops during the Cleveland food tour last month. That Saturday, we ate breakfast in a warm, cozy café called Lucky’s. It’s nestled in Tremont, an eclectic old neighborhood in Cleveland that’s full of great restaurants and art galleries. I had heard Lucky’s had been on The Food Channel’s Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives, but that didn’t mean much because I don’t watch TV (I’ve never seen the show). I knew Lucky’s was going to be good when I saw their garden beside the building. It’s built behind the cute patio in raised beds that are handicap accessible for volunteers.

After sitting down and drooling over the menu, the owner, Heather, stopped by our table and shared a bit of her background and her philosophy with us. Part of her mission statement is to “offer our customers an alternative to the mass produced by committing our passion for the craft to creating good wholesome food.” Outrageously good, wholesome food is what we got.

These enchiladas are inspired by my meal that morning, which consisted of egg enchiladas underneath a savory sauce containing guajillo peppers and autumn spices, served with a side of home fries. You can see them here.

I couldn’t find guajillo peppers, so I based my sauce off Natalie’s roasted pablano enchiladas recipe, and added a bit of cinnamon and more hot spices. I admit there were a few weeks in between tasting these enchiladas and attempting to make them at home, but I think I got really close. Like I said, holy smokes. They’re good.

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Breakfast Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce

• Author: Cookie and Kate
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 3-4

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 4 reviews

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Breakfast enchiladas stuffed with scrambled eggs and sautéed veggies, smothered in savory, homemade roasted poblano sauce. This recipe is for Heidi, who requested a breakfast casserole.

Ingredients

Sauce

• 1 poblano pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 small can (15 ounces) tomato sauce (I used Muir Glenn)
• Optional: ¼ cup water, to thin out the sauce

Filling

• 2 small roasted red peppers, diced (jarred or fresh)
• 3–4 large portobello mushroomed, stemmed, gills scraped out, and diced into thin one-inch strips
• ½ red onion, diced
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 6–8 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• ½ cup feta cheese or queso fresco
• 8 small whole wheat tortillas (I used Ezekial’s sprouted grain tortillas)

Toppings

• Sour cream
• Cilantro (or chopped arugula!)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Roast the peppers: Roast the poblano pepper (and the red peppers if you’re using fresh) directly over the flame of a gas burner, turning frequently with tongs, until evenly charred. Or you can place the peppers on a baking sheet under the broiler, turning once or twice, for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the peppers to an airtight bowl (or cover the bowl with plastic wrap) and set the bowl aside to steam for 10 minutes.
3. Make the sauce: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, garlic, salt, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika and cayenne pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened (about 5 minutes). Pour in the tomato sauce (and water, if you’re using). Peel the pepper, discard the stem and seeds, and roughly chop. Toss the chopped poblano into the pan and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Purée using an immersion blender (or carefully transfer to a blender or food processor) until smooth.
4. Make the filling: Heat a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add a light drizzle of olive oil and sautée the mushrooms, red onions and roasted red pepper for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. In a medium bowl, scramble the eggs with a big dash of milk, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Transfer the sautéed veggies to a bowl, then scramble the eggs over medium heat until they are just set (they should still be shiny). Mix the scrambled eggs with the veggies and feta cheese.
5. Prepare the enchiladas: Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 9×9 inch baking dish (or individual dishes). Heat tortillas individually in a small skillet for a few seconds on each side, or warm them all at once in the microwave (cover with a kitchen towel to keep them warm afterward). Spread about ⅓ cup of the filling down the middle of the tortilla and roll it up to enclose the filling. Place the rolled tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
6. Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
7. Top with sour cream and chopped cilantro or arugula, if you happen to be on an arugula kick like me.

Notes

Recipe based on Perry’s Plate’s recipe for Portobello and Black Bean Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce, and were inspired by the breakfast burritos at Lucky’s Café in Cleveland, Ohio.
Sauce tips: You can make the sauce ahead of time! Next time I will double the recipe and freeze half of it for later. I believe this enchilada sauce would go well with all sorts of fillings, like black beans with sautéed vegetables and a melty cheese.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

• Category: Breakfast

The post Breakfast Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.