Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
These enchiladas are loved by all who try them! They’re filling, healthy, and delicious!
We’ve enjoyed these for several years, which is why they’ve gone through many versions. All options listed below are delicious - so pick and choose your adventure! The options range from easy to homemade, vegan to vegetarian.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS
Enchilada Filling
1 onion, chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups black beans cooked from dried)
Toppings (A Few Options!)
1 can enchilada sauce (or optional from-scratch sauces at bottom)
Cashew Cream Sauce
1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes to soften)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
Avocado Mash
1 avocado, mashed
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 onion, diced
1 tsp salt
OR Just Use Cheese!
Tortillas
1 package of 10-15 Flour Tortillas (burrito size)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 200C/400F degrees.
2. To make the filling, place the chopped onion in a skillet and sauté until soft. (Add a little water, if necessary to keep it from sticking.) Add the minced garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add the cumin, and chili powder, and stir to combine. Add about 3/4 cup water to the skillet and add the diced sweet potato. Cover skillet and cook on medium low, until sweet potato is soft, yet still holds its shape. Remove lid and continue cooking until most of the water has cooked off. Add the diced jalapeño and the drained, rinsed black beans. Continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until beans are heated through. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture and stir to combine. Turn off heat, and using a fork, lightly mash the filling until it holds together, but still has some chunks.
3. To assemble the enchiladas, place about 3/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13” baking dish. Lay a tortilla on a plate, then spread 1/3- 1/2 cup filling in the center of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla around the filling, then place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, until the baking dish is full. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, spreading to coat all the tortillas. If using cheese, grate generously on top of enchiladas. Bake uncovered in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, until heated through. While enchiladas are baking, make the cashew cream sauce.
4. To make the cashew cream sauce, drain soaked cashews and place in a blender with 1/4 cup water. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, minced garlic, and the juice of 1/2 lime. Blend in blender until sauce is very smooth, adding a little more water if necessary to reach desired thickness. Or if making the avocado mash, simply mash and stir together the avocado mash ingredients.
5. Serve enchiladas hot, drizzled with cashew cream sauce or avocado mash!
OPTIONAL FROM-SCRATCH ENCHILADA 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
INSTRUCTIONS
This sauce comes together quickly, 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. Have all ingredients ready to be added.
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. Happens pretty fast from here.
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.
Add veggie broth
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.)
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!
Optional Tomatillo Sauce
1 lb fresh Tomatillos (about 7 tomatillos)
1 t. Cumin
1 T. minced Garlic
1/2 t. Salt, or more to taste
1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the tomatillo sauce, peel off the husk from the tomatillos and remove the stems. Rinse the tomatillos and place in a medium pot. Add water to the pot until the tomatillos begin to float. Place the pot on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Continue to cook over medium high heat, until the tomatillos begin to burst. (about 12-15 minutes) When tomatillos are cooked, drain off all but about 2 cups of the water. Add cumin, minced garlic, salt, cilantro leaves to the pot. Using an emersion blender, blend the mixture to desired chunkiness. (Sauce will be fairly watery) Set aside.
