Beans and tortillas have been a staple in Mexican cuisine for centuries, but have you ever tried enfrijoladas?
Enfrijoladas are similar to enchiladas except they’re dipped in frijol (bean) sauce instead of chile sauce.
Everyone is familiar with enchiladas, but today I’m here to shine the spotlight on this lesser known sister!
These enfrijoladas feature black beans with a hint of smoky chipotle and garlic.
They’re made with corn tortillas, although there’s no rule against using flour tortillas if you want.
I enjoy these without any filling at all. No, you don’t need to stuff them!
They’re hearty enough on their own and make a tasty vegan dinner.
Eat them as is, or throw some toppings on there like sour cream, avocado or some chopped onions.
If you feel like stuffing them, I have some delicious options for you.
Being the cheese fanatic that I am, I must recommend crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.
If you haven’t tried queso fresco enchiladas yet, change that ASAP. It’s a game changer!
No one even misses the meat with all that cheese, and it’s a good vegetarian option for Meatless Monday.
If meat is your style, try shredded cooked chicken or cooked and crumbled Mexican-style pork chorizo.
You can even make a breakfast version with scrambled eggs and bacon. Yum!
Begin by making the enfrijolada sauce. It’s easy to whip up in the blender with canned beans, garlic cloves and chipotle peppers.
Chipotles are smoked jalapeños that have been canned in adobo sauce.
They have a rich smoky flavor and a little bit of heat. Use more or less depending on how spicy you like it.
You can use either black beans or pinto beans depending on your preference (or what you have in your cupboard!).
Blend everything until smooth and pour into a pan to heat. You may need to add additional liquid to thin it out.
Before you can begin assembling, you’ll need to warm your tortillas so they’re pliable without cracking.
My favorite way is to dip them in a hot oil “bath.” This is the way my abuela taught me and they don’t crack or get soggy and fall apart.
You could also heat them on a comal on the stove or microwave them, as long as they’re soft and flexible!
After warming the tortilla, dip in the bean sauce.
If using a filling, add it now and fold the tortillas in half or roll up.
As you make these, they can be eaten immediately since all the ingredients are cooked and hot.
Or, place them in a heat-safe dish and warm in the oven.
The oven method is ideal if you want to make these ahead of time, or if you have a filling like Monterrey Jack cheese which needs melting.
Serve with your favorite taco toppings and chocolate tres leches cake for dessert!
Enfrijoladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Black Beans undrained
- 1 Garlic
- 2 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo
- 0.5 Water or chicken stock if not vegetarian
- Salt and Pepper
- 12 Corn Tortilla
- Oil for frying
- Avocado
- Sour Cream
- Chopped Onion
- Hot Sauce
Instructions
- In a blender, purée the black beans with liquid, garlic, chipotle peppers and water (or chicken stock) until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a skillet and heat until it begins to simmer, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add additional water to thin, if necessary. The sauce should be thin enough for dipping but not watery.
- In a small frying pan, add oil to coat bottom of pan and warm over high heat until hot and shimmering, about 2-3 minutes.
- Using tongs, dip 1 tortilla in oil for 5 seconds, flip tortilla over and heat for another 5 seconds.
- Remove from oil and drain well on paper towels. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- One by one, dip tortillas in enfrijolada sauce, ensuring that both sides are coated.
- If desired, stuff with a couple tablespoons of desired fillings such as cheese or chicken and fold in half.
- Place enfrijoladas on a plate serve immediately with desired toppings.