Vegetarian Enchiladas

VEGETARIAN ENCHILADAS😍

I’ve been on a MAJOR enchilada kick lately, and considering I’m going on 16 days without a trip to the grocery store, an enchilada recipe that used primarily pantry items was major key. Go ahead, SPRINT to your cupboard because I can guarantee you already have a lot of these ingredients on hand and can make this ASAP!

Tips:

• Sweet Potatoes are a great veg to buy when you’re trying to make less trips to the store. They last a long time and are super versatile, so even when they are about to go bad, you can throw them into dinners, breakfast, lunches, anything!

• I like to buy the uncooked flour tortillas from Costco or Vons. They last over a month but taste super fresh since you cook them for a minute right before you need them. I know there’s some debate on whether enchiladas should be made with flour or corn tortillas, but I love the texture from flour! However you can make these to your preference!

• Yes you can use store bought enchilada sauce if you have a bottle you want to use up, but trust me when I tell you how EASY and way more flavorful it is to make your own.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

For the Vegetarian Enchiladas:

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1” cubes (about 2 cups)

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 4oz can diced green chiles (optional)

• ½ tsp chili powder

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• 2 cups mexican blend shredded cheese

• 8 flour tortillas (my preference, but you can use corn)

• 2 tbsps olive oil

• Avocado oil spray or similar

• Salt to taste

• Avocado and crema or greek yogurt for serving (optional but highly recommended)

For the Homemade Enchilada Sauce:

• 3 tbsps ghee or avocado oil

• 3 tbsps flour or arrowroot

• 1 tbsp chili powder (Pro Tip: if you don’t have a lot of spices, you can get the Chili Seasoning blend from Trader Joe’s that has chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano and just use like a tbsp and a half of that - don’t confuse it with the Chile Lime though that is not the same and won’t work!)

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• ½ tsp oregano

• ½ tsp smoked paprika

• ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)

• 2 tbsps tomato paste

• 2 cups broth (vegetable or chicken)

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• Salt to taste

Directions:

For the Homemade Vegetarian Enchiladas:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Add cut up sweet potatoes to a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

• Toss with olive oil, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Mix until every bite is coated in oil and spices.

• Bake for 40 minutes or until just tender. 

• While the potatoes are in the oven, work on your enchilada sauce. 

• In a bowl, mix together the flour and all the spices. Once the ghee is melted, things will move quite quickly so it’s beneficial to measure everything out ahead of time.

• Heat ghee in a medium saucepan and whisk in the flour and spices mixture until well incorporated.

• Add tomato paste and whisk another 30 seconds before slowly pouring in the chicken broth, whisking until there are no more clumps.

• Reduce and simmer for 1-2 minutes until thickened.

• Add vinegar and a pinch of salt and taste to adjust any seasonings. Set aside to cool.

• Add potatoes to a bowl (make sure they have cooled slightly) with the drained and rinsed beans and chiles, then mix in half the cheese. Stir in ¼ cup of the reserved enchilada sauce.

• Raise the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

• Fry each tortilla in a little avocado oil spray for 30 seconds to a minute in a hot skillet until a bit toasty.

• Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce to the bottom of a 13x9” baking dish.

• Dip both sides of each tortilla in enchilada sauce just to coat, then transfer to a plate or baking baking sheet. I find it’s easiest to use a skillet here, since it’s the same size of the tortilla. I add the sauce a bit at a time to make sure each tortilla has an even coating of sauce.

• Working one tortilla at a time, spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the center of the tortilla and fold one side over the filling, then continue to roll the enchilada up like a burrito. 

• Place seam side down in the baking dish as you go, fitting them all in. 

• Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce and the rest of the cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is beginning to brown, 15–18 minutes.

• Serve with avocado, crema, or any additional toppings you prefer!