Chipotle Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas - Julia Chamberland '23

Background

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes (coming from someone who cooks a lot!). It's cheap, easy to make, vegan, delicious, and makes for excellent meal prep. My family has adapted these enchiladas from the New York Times recipe over many years. I first ate them at a friends home and fell in love with the flavor! They have become a staple both at home and now that I'm cooking for myself.

Equipment

    • Knife and cutting board

    • Large pan or pot for cooking the filling + lid + stirring spoon

    • Baking dish (lasagna pan size)

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • Oil for cooking

  • 2 large sweet potatoes, or about 3 cups diced

  • 2 cans black beans, rinsed

  • 1 cup medium salsa

  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped finely + a few spoonfuls of the sauce (optional but so delicious)

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon cumin

  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

  • 1 small can enchilada sauce

  • 1/2 cup medium salsa

  • A few spoonfuls adobo sauce

Other ingredients:

  • 10 medium flour tortillas

  • Garnish: fresh cilantro, lime juice, green onions, avocado (optional)

Instructions

For the filling:

1) Chop the sweet potato into dice-sized cubes

2) Heat a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the sweet potatoes and cook until they begin to brown, tossing with a spoon to prevent burning. Add a lid and a splash of water, and cook until fork tender.

3) Add the remaining filling ingredients: rinsed black beans, salsa, spices, and the adobo pepper and sauce. Stir well, taste, and season with salt and pepper


Assemble:

4) Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).

5) Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the baking pan.

6) Place one tortilla on a plate and add about 1/3 cup of the filling in a line across the center of the tortilla. Try to distribute the amount of filling evenly among all tortillas. It's okay if you have more tortillas and use less filling or if you end up having extra filling left over.

7) Roll the tortilla around the filling and place it seam-side down in the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. You may need to squeeze the last few enchiladas in near the end! Don't worry, this won't impact their flavor.

8) Cover with the remaining enchilada sauce. Make sure the tortillas are completely covered in sauce so that nothing dries out.

9) Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sauce has noticeably thickened and the edges are starting to get crispy.

10) Top with freshly chopped cilantro, lime juice, avocado, green onions, extra salsa, or your toppings of choice and enjoy! :)