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Monday, March 5, 2012

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas


There are some meals that you whip up that you think this will be OK.  There might be something in the fridge or pantry that needs to be used up.  Or you just don't feel like putting a lot of effort into it.  You think that in terms of eating it will make do but won't be one of the blow your socks off nights.  That was what I was thinking when we needed dinner. A dinner I had not planned.  All I knew is there were sweet potatoes that were desperately calling my name.


One of my favorite meals at a local joint is black bean and sweet potato enchiladas.  I always have black beans on hand.  We already discussed the sweet potatoes.  Done and done.  The one and only problem was going to be convincing Mr. J that this meatless meal was going to be dinner.


I wasn't sure how the end results were going to turn out.  I didn't think it would be horrible but I wasn't sure just how great it would be.  I smiled sweet and hoped Mr. J wouldn't recognize that this was a new recipe and I wasn't 100% confident for dinner.


Well it ended up being beyond delicious. It was super quick to put together.  The were just the right amount of spices.  You could taste the sweetness from the sweet potatoes but it blended nicely with the spice.  We made 4 enchiladas or 1/2 the recipe below. Perfect for dinner one night and leftovers for lunch the next day.  Mr. J loved it and there was no mention of the lack of meat during the meal. 


Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas

by Emily Morris
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Keywords: blender bake saute vegetarian Mexican
Ingredients (serves 8)
    For the Sauce
    • 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil
    • kosher salt and black pepper
    For the Filling
    • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
    • 1 15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed
    • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and coarsely grated
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 1/2 pound Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
    • 8 6-inch flour tortillas
    Instructions
    1. Heat oven to 450° F. In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chili powder, half the onion, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper until smooth.

    2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining onion and half the garlic and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the black beans, sweet potato, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, tossing frequently, until the sweet potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar.

    3. Spread 1 cup of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Roll up the bean mixture in the tortillas (about ½ cup each) and place the rolls seam-side down in the dish. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and 1 cup of cheddar. Bake on the top rack of oven until the cheddar is brown and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.

    4. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and the scallion whites and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Cook, tossing frequently, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Sprinkle the enchiladas with the scallion greens .

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    19 comments:

    1. You had me at sweet potato! YUM! :D

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    2. these look amazing - LOVE those ingredients!
      Mary x

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    3. yummy recipe..Perfectly made

      Aarthi
      http://www.yummytummyaarthi.com/

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    4. This is wonderful! I love making enchiladas but never tried them with sweet potatoes - brilliant! Have a great day, Emily!

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    5. I just love unexpectedly delicious dinners like this! I've never thought about putting sweet potatoes in enchiladas before, but it sounds to die for!

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    6. This sounds so authentically Mexican and looks simply drool worthy - I want dinner for breakfast ;)

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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      1. A spicy breakfast but delicious all the same!

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    7. I wish I liked black beans!!! I have heard of using sweet potatoes in enchiladas before, looks like a great meatless meal!

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    8. This sounds absolutely amazing! I need to try sweet potatoes and bean together, and mmmmm can I just keep staring at that cheese?

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    9. Sweet potatoes and black beans all brought together for a wonderful southwestern dish. I really am liking this recipe-yum! Awesome and creative dish. Buzz buzz!

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    10. Ohh, I love these! A great alternative to meaty enchiladas! I don't usually think about adding sweet potatoes to a Mexican dish, but yum yum!

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      1. I never have either but black beans and sweet potatoes are a surprisingly great combo.

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    11. I love when recipes are surprisingly fantastic! This one looks great :) I haven't eaten enough sweet potatoes this winter, and definitely need to use this recipe to kick start it!

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      1. Its a great one. You can simplify it was any enchilada sauce recipe or canned version. It hasn't occurred to me yet that soon sweet potatoes won't be around.

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    12. Man-o-man, those look delicious! I hadn't seen the recipe when you mentioned them, but wow! I bet you'll be making them again and again! My best to your family and enjoy your vacation in Florida - it was GREAT meeting you!

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    13. No wonder you guys liked this, it looks delicious!

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    14. That looks amazing! I love black beans and I love sweet potatoes. Great combination!

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    Thanks for leaving a message. I always love hearing your thoughts and comments.