I could not make sauce enchiladas and not enchiladas. It doesn’t even make sense.
It was a must because I had never before put sweet potatoes into enchiladas, which is my absolute favorite dish. May we present EPIC Sweet Potato Black Bean (+ Kale!) Enchiladas!? How to make Enchiladas?
Enchiladas: Their origins
It is thought that the enchiladas originated from a similar Mayan food called papules.
Enchiladas can be made using meat, seafood, or beans stuffed into corn tortillas and then topped with enchilada-style sauce. The verb ” Enchilar ” is the root of ” Enchilada,” which means ” season with chilies “. Chilies are at the heart of the enchilada!
This is our plant-based version of the concept using our favorite ingredients: sweet potatoes and beans!
How to make Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
This nine-ingredient recipe begins with cubed, perfectly roasted sweet potatoes and is tossed with smoky spice.
Prepare your black beans and Kale. Also, if you haven’t done so already, prepare the Enchilada Sauce.
To add extra flavor, mix your roasted sweet potatoes with Kale, beans, and a bit of enchilada-style sauce.
You can add vegan cheddar cheese from the store if you like, but we did not find it necessary. Fill, roll, and bake your perfect pies!
Ingredients
TORTILLAS
- Ten small yellow and white corn tortillas*
Filling
- 3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (skin on)
- 1 Tbsp coconut or avocado oil (or sub water)
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Chop 2 cups of Kale or other strong greens
- Water 2 Tbsp
- Black beans (can be substituted with pinto beans or refried beans or one 15-ounce can of black beans)
- 14 cup Red Enchilada Sauce (or store-bought)
SAUCE
- 3 cups Red Enchilada Sauce (divided or purchased)
FOR SERVING Optional
- Cilantro
- Guacamole, avocado, or Avocado Crema (see notes for recipe)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. (204 C). Place a rack at the center of the oven.
- Add sweet potato cubes to a large baking sheet. (Or more if needed). Drizzle with oil, cumin, paprika, and salt. Mix well.
- Bake sweet potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until they are tender to the touch and slightly caramelized. Allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 C).
- Add your Kale in a large skillet with 2 Tbsp water (30 ml). Cover and steam kale for about 4-5 mins or until slightly softened but still vibrantly green. Remove the cover and place aside. You can also sautee the Kale with a little oil if you like.
- Add the drained beans to a bowl along with the steamed Kale and the roasted sweet potatoes. Add the smaller measure to the Kale and sweet potatoes and mix to combine.
- Wrap tortillas with a damp towel and warm in the microwave for 30 seconds. This will make them more flexible. Wrapped tortillas can be placed directly on the oven rack to heat. They will become more flexible and easier to roll.
- or similar shape) baking dish. Spread to coat.
- Pour a coating, and place one corn tortilla in the sauce dish. Flip it over and coat the other side. Fill the container with about a 1/3 cup of filling. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side-down at the edge. Continue rolling and filling tortillas until they are all filled. Add more sauce if necessary to moisten the tortillas. Restock Leftover filling can be added to the sides of the dish. If there is not enough room to roll tortillas into the baking dish, you can continue moving, causing, and filling them on a smaller serving plate.
- Pour the remaining enchilada salsa on top of the enchiladas in a line down the middle. TIP: For slightly dryer enchiladas, use less sauce. The more you use sauce, the softer the tortillas become.
- Then, bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. Serve with desired toppings. These enchiladas taste great on their own, but we chose to top them with avocado crema, fresh jalapeno, and cilantro (recipe is below).
- The best way to store leftovers is to keep them covered in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to one month. Reheat leftovers in an oven at 350 degrees F (176 C) for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
