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Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas Recipe

Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas are so filling you won't even miss the meat! Along with the black beans, they've got sweet potatoes and roasted poblanos for added flavor. Topped with a homemade enchilada red sauce and plenty of melty cheese these vegetarian enchiladas only take 20 minutes to prep. Serve with a Caesar Salad and Churros for the best dinner!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 4 TO 6
Calories: 474 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Roasted Veggies:
  • 1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 2 poblano peppers or red peppers cut into 1-inch squares
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or more if needed
  • Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce:
  • 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder or ancho chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pinch ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • freshly ground pepper
Enchiladas:
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup sour cream plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 6 to 8 whole grain tortillas (8-inch)
  • 1 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese (4 ounces) OR a blend of cheeses
  • 1/4 cup raw pepitas optional (I forgot these at the store SMH)
  • 1 avocado sliced into thin strips
  • Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 400F with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment for easy cleanup. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
To Roast the Veggies:
    Cup of Yum
  1. On the prepared baking sheet, combine the sweet potato and poblanos. Drizzle the olive oil over them and toss until all sides are lightly and evenly coated, adding more oil if necessary. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange the ingredients in a single layer. Bake on the middle rack until the sweet potato and poblanos are tender and caramelized on the edges, 40 to 45 minutes, tossing halfway. Leave the oven on for the enchiladas.
To Make the Enchilada Sauce:
  1. This sauce comes together quickly once you get started, so measure the dry ingredients (the flour, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and cinnamon) in a small bowl and place it near the stove. Place the tomato paste and broth near the stove as well.
  2. In a medium saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat until it's so hot that a sprinkle of the flour and spice mixture sizzle on contact (this will take a few minutes, so be patient). 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.
  3. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened a bit and a spoon encounters some resistance as you stir, 5 to 7 minutes. (The sauce will further thicken as it cools.)
  4. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the vinegar. Season to taste with a generous amount of black pepper and extra salt, if necessary. Set aside.
To prepare the enchiladas:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, sour cream and roasted vegetables. Season the filling with the salt and black pepper to taste.
  2. Pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce into the prepared baking dish and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble the first enchilada, spread 1/2 cup vegetable filling mixture down the middle of the 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 the remaining tortillas and filling.
  3. Drizzle the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas leaving the tips of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the enchiladas, followed by the pepitas, if using.
  4. 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 bubbling.
  5. Remove from the oven and let the enchiladas cool for 10 minutes (they're super hot). Before serving, arrange thin slices of avocado down the center of the enchiladas and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve with sour cream on the side, if you'd like. Leftovers store well, chilled, for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the microwave or oven before serving.

Notes

  • Equipment:
  • Saucepan | Whisk | Baking Dish | Cheese Grater | 
  • Flavor! Make sure whatever vegetables you add are cooked with enough seasoning so that your filling isn’t bland. Taste it to see if it has enough salt or spice!
  • Think about texture. If you really need something to substitute the meat think of using jackfruit or even rice to bulk up the filling.
  • Cheese. Make sure to cook the cook until it is melted/slightly crispy because that way it will taste the best!
  • Want to freeze? Just assemble the enchiladas up until the point that they baked, cool completely, and wrap up and freeze. Just cook for an extra 15-20 minutes when you go to bake them.
  • Tortillas. Instead of whole-wheat tortillas swap in corn or regular flour tortillas.

Nutrition Information

Serving 4g Calories 474kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 41g (14%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 32g (49%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 10mg (3%) Sodium 949mg (40%) Potassium 405mg (12%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 561IU (11%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 157mg (16%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4TO 6

Amount Per Serving

Calories 474

% Daily Value*

Serving 4g
Calories 474kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 41g 14%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 949mg 40%
Potassium 405mg 9%
Fiber 9g 36%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 561IU 11%
Vitamin C 7mg 8%
Calcium 157mg 16%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.