Smoky Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

These sweet and smoky sweet potato black bean enchiladas are the perfect answer for a vegetarian-inspired enchilada. The recipe calls for the must-have ingredients in a southwestern enchilada dish (plenty of onions, herbs, cheese and all of the toppings including avocado, cilantro and hot sauce) for a gooey, melty, and oh-so-flavorful meal that’ll leave your belly satisfied and your taste buds on cloud nine.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

• Vegetables: You’ll be steaming cubed sweet potato along with a chopped onion and a chopped sweet red pepper.
• Herbs: All that sweet-and-smoky flavor comes from a variety of fresh and dried herbs, including fresh cilantro, smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and pepper.
• Black beans: A can of black beans will make your life easier, but cooking dried beans does add a boost in flavor if you’d prefer.
• Enchilada sauce: You’ll use a can of enchilada sauce for creamy, delicious flavor.
• Corn tortillas: Buy a package of corn tortillas, or make your own ahead of time.
• Monterey Jack cheese: Shredded Monterey Jack will be used in the tortillas and along the tops once they’re placed in the enchilada sauce.
• Optional: Cubed avocado, sour cream, salsa, minced cilantro and hot sauce.

Directions

Step 1: Steam the sweet potato, onion and red pepper

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Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large saucepan, place a steamer basket in over one inch of water. Place the cubed sweet potato and chopped onion and red pepper into the basket. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and steam, covered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2: Make veggie and black bean filling

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Next, transfer the steamed vegetables to a large bowl. Mash the vegetables, gradually adding cilantro, spices and pepper until it’s reached the consistency you like. Stir in the black beans.

Step 3: Fill and arrange enchiladas, top

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Spread 1/3 cup enchilada sauce into a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. Place 1/3 cup vegetable mixture in the center of each tortilla and sprinkle with 4 teaspoons of cheese. Roll up and place in the prepared dish with the seam side down. Once all tortillas have been placed in the dish, top with remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Step 4: Bake and serve

Bake, uncovered, until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with optional toppings as desired.

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Recipe Variations

• Add corn: Add fresh or frozen corn into the tortillas along with the smashed veggie and bean mixture. A teaspoon or two per enchilada is all you need.
• Add salsa: A tablespoon of mango salsa (or any favorite salsa) inside of the enchilada is a delicious addition.

How to Store Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Store any leftovers in the dish that you baked them in. Place tin foil over the top, and slide it into the fridge. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to five days.

How do you rewarm enchiladas?

To avoid a soggy enchilada mess, reheat in the oven at 350°, loosely covered with foil until warm. You can also reheat them in a skillet using a few drops of water and extra enchilada sauce to keep the tortillas from sticking. Cover them and heat for a few minutes over medium heat.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Tips

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How do I keep the enchiladas from getting soggy?

These are meant to be soft and gooey, but not soggy. This can happen when they have too much moisture. To avoid this, keep them uncovered while baking. When rewarming, loosely covering the enchiladas is key. This will ensure a balance between heat and moisture, keeping the enchiladas from drying out but also ensuring that they won’t get soggy.

Can I use other beans?

Black beans are ideal in southwestern fare, but you can use other beans if you’d like. Options include pinto beans, chickpeas and white beans.

What should I serve with these enchiladas?

These are a meal in itself, but if you’d like to include these along with other foods at a potluck-style meal, consider other favorite southwestern-inspired recipes.