Enfrijoladas

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I live for any sort of Enchilada and these Enfrijoladas are truly perfection! Rather than use enchilada sauce for dredging, you use a homemade black bean puree and WOW it's spectacular!

A rectangular white baking dish with black bean puree enchiladas, also called Enfrijoladas, with a plate of the same dish on the side and two modelo beer bottles.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

Matt, Adam and I are constantly dreaming up new recipe ideas when we are all together. Every time we're all in the studio, it's like a giant mind meld. Recently Matt was telling us about Enfrijoladas and I was SHOCKED AND APPALLED I had never made them before. I remember having something similar when we were in Mexico City a few years ago and the concept is delish.

Enfrijoladas mimic that of a traditional enchilada but instead of using enchilada sauce, you use a bean puree. I added some chipotle peppers, garlic and salt to some cooked black beans to give it some extra kick and it's so good, you could easily eat it on it's own.

As far as fillings go, I did an easy shredded chicken and cheese situation here. But this is a recipe that you can easily adapt if you wanted to use chorizo, shredded beef, chopped carne asada, some leftover carnitas... the works. If you want to make these vegetarian, try the filling from my vegetarian enchiladas, with sweet potato and kale. Skies the limit - and you'll be ready for dinner in no time!

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Black Beans
  • Chipotles in Adobo
  • Garlic
  • Salt
  • Water
  • Corn Tortillas
  • Onion finely chopped
  • Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
  • Rotisserie Chicken shredded
  • Cilantro
  • Crema
  • Queso Fresco

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.

How to Make Enfrijoladas

A blender with black beans, garlic, chipotle chilis and salt.

Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Add the beans, garlic, chipotles and salt to a blender and puree until smooth.

A black bean puree in a blender

Step 2: Add stock (or water) until the puree has the consistency of a thick soup.

A large white bowl with black bean puree and a shallow backing dish with some black bean puree layered in its base.

Step 3: Transfer most of the mixture to a large shallow bowl and line a baking dish with about ⅓ cup of the mixture to create a base layer.

A corn tortilla placed on top of a white bowl with black bean puree.

Step 4: Warm the corn tortillas slightly over a flame, or in the microwave. Dip one side of a tortilla in the bean puree.

A wooden board with two corn tortillas with black bean puree, shredded chicken and shredded cheese.

Step 5: Flip the tortilla and add a few tablespoons of onions, shredded cheese and chicken. Roll the tortilla up and place in a baking dish seam side down into the bean puree.

A grey shallow baking dish with rolled up tortillas stuffed with black bean puree, chicken and cheese, layered with more black bean puree and shredded cheese.

Step 6: Continue with the remaining tortillas and fillings. Cover the tortillas in the baking dish with the remaining bean puree and sprinkle with any remaining Monterey jack cheese.

A grey shallow baking dish with black bean puree enchiladas, also called Enfrijoladas.

Step 7:  Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately and top with queso fresco, cilantro and crema.

How to Store Enfrijoladas

Once cool, you can store these in an airtight container or with a tightly wrapped foil / wrap on the baking dish in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. I recommend heating in the oven, but you can also heat them on stovetop or microwave.

How to Freeze Enfrijoladas

For freezing, similarly store the Enfrijoladas in an airtight container or bag and store them upto 3 months. You can re-heat these in an oven without thawing.

Tips & Tricks

This is a recipe that you can easily adapt if you wanted to use chorizo, shredded beef, carne asada, leftover carnitas... the works!!

You can also skip the chicken and make these vegetarian.

FAQs

How are Enfrijoladas different from enchiladas?

Enfrijoladas are like traditional enchilada but instead of using enchilada sauce, you use a bean puree

Similar Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today

Enfrijoladas

Author: Gaby Dalkin
5 from 5 votes
Imagine your favorite chicken enchiladas but instead of dredging them in enchilada sauce, you use a homemade black bean puree! It's incredible.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups cooked black beans
  • 2 chipotles in adobo
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded
  • 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
  • cilantro
  • crema
  • queso fresco

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Add the beans, garlic, chipotles and salt to a blender and puree until smooth. Add stock (or water) until the puree has the consistency of a thick soup. Taste and adjust salt as needed. If you want it spicier, add a few teaspoons of the liquid from the chipotles in adobo. Transfer most of the mixture to a large shallow bowl and line a baking dish with about ⅓ cup of the mixture to create a base layer.
  • Warm the corn tortillas slightly over a flame, or in the microwave. Dip one side of a tortilla in the bean puree. Flip the tortilla and add a few tablespoons of onions, shredded cheese and chicken. Roll the tortilla up and place in a baking dish seam side down into the bean puree. Continue with the remaining tortillas and fillings.
  • Cover the tortillas in the baking dish with the remaining bean puree and sprinkle with any remaining Monterey jack cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
  • Serve immediately and top with queso fresco, cilantro and crema.

Notes

  • Don't forget to add guacamole to your plate!
  • You can fill these with another protein if you wish.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 777mg | Potassium: 571mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 499mg | Iron: 3mg
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15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great recipe - kids and adults loved it! Once you have the sauce it’s easy to make other variations of fillings - we did egg and potato.

  2. 5 stars
    GABY! This recipe is amazing. My husband loved it and he thought it was better than enchiladas with the normal red or green sauce! I unfortunately couldn’t taste it (getting over COVID and still can’t taste) but I trust his review! I’ll be making this again when my taste comes back!

  3. 5 stars
    this was so delicious! i followed mostly as suggested (although i made the chicken in the slow cooker and shredded it). my whole family loved it. such a great recipe - will definitely be a keeper.

  4. 5 stars
    Easy recipe and delicious! I prefer this to red sauce any day. I added avocado & avocado salsa along with the queso fresco, crema and cilantro. Will definitely make this again. Thank you!

5 from 5 votes

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