I’ve been eating these Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas for lunch all week and the fact that I only have one serving left almost makes me want to cry… I might have to make a second batch pronto. Yes, they’re that good.
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It’s All About the Enchilada Sauce
What makes these enchiladas so amazing? Not only are they filled with super fresh flavors, but they’re smothered in a homemade enchilada sauce. Now, if you’ve made my homemade enchilada sauce before you know that it takes less than ten minutes to make and is 100x better than the canned stuff.
Well, this time I went one step further and added a little cocoa powder to the enchilada sauce. OMG. You won’t believe how rich and amazing the cocoa makes the sauce! It doesn’t taste like chocolate, just extra rich and good. It’s the same amazing chili/chocolate combo that works magic in the Aztec Cocoa. SO. GOOD.
The Simple Filling
Black beans give these enchiladas filling power and avocado offers that creaminess that you’d usually get from cheese. If you’re vegan, just make sure your tortillas don’t contain lard (some do, some don’t). Or, try making your own!
Should I Use Corn or Flour Tortillas for Enchiladas?
Enchiladas are supposed to be wrapped in corn tortillas, not flour flour tortillas, but I’m all about doing what makes you happy. Use whichever type of tortilla you like. But whatever type you use, consider giving them a quick toast in a hot skillet before wrapping your enchilada filling. It will give your enchiladas some extra toasty flavor!
Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas
Servings 5 two per servingIngredients
ENCHILADA SAUCE
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil* ($0.10)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder** ($0.60)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
- 3 oz. tomato paste (1/2 of a 6oz can) ($0.23)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.03)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
ENCHILADAS
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.59)
- 1 avocado ($1.50)
- 1 tomato ($0.86)
- 2 green onions ($0.13)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels ($0.33)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro ($0.13)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 10 8-inch tortillas*** ($2.49)
Instructions
- First prepare the enchilada sauce. In a medium sauce pot combine the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder. Heat the mixture over a medium flame until it begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the bubbling paste for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the water while whisking. Add the tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until smooth and continue to heat over a medium flame. Let the sauce come up to a gentle simmer, at which point the sauce will thicken. Once thickened, turn off the heat and set the sauce aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Drain and rinse the can of beans, then add them to a large bowl. Cube the avocado, dice the tomato, slice the green onion, and pull a handful of cilantro leaves from their stems. Add them all to the bowl, along with the frozen corn kernels. Stir everything together. Season with a little salt and garlic powder.
- Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup of filling and roll tightly. Place the filled tortillas in the casserole dish, seam side down. Once all of the filled enchiladas are in the dish, pour the enchilada sauce over top.
- Bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they’re heated through and the sauce is bubbly along the edges. Top with any remaining cilantro and enjoy!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Black Bean Enchiladas – Step By Step Photos
Start with the amazing sauce, so that it will be ready to go on the enchiladas later. Add 2 Tbsp cooking oil, 2 Tbsp flour, and 2 Tbsp chili powder to a medium sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and begin to whisk them together.
The mixture will begin to bubble. Keep whisking and cooking, after it begins bubbling, for 1-2 minutes. This toasts the flour and chili powder for maximum flavor.
Next, carefully add 2 cups of water, then 3 oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp salt, and 2 tsp cocoa powder. Whisk it all in until smooth, and continue to cook over medium heat until it comes up to a gentle simmer. When it starts simmering it will begin to thicken up. Once it’s thickened, just turn off the heat and set it aside until you’re ready to use it.
Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. Drain and rinse one 15oz. can black beans, then add them to a bowl. Dice one avocado and one small tomato, slice two green onions, and add them all to the bowl. Pull a handful of cilantro leaves from the stems and add it to the bowl, along with 1 cup frozen corn kernels. Stir everything together and then season with about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
Next, add a little of the filling to each tortilla and then roll it up tight. I used 8-inch flour tortillas and made 10 enchiladas, each with about 1/3 cup filling.
Roll the enchiladas tightly and then arrange them in your dish. Oh, and coat the dish with non-stick spray if you want the enchiladas to come out in one piece.
Then pour that amazing sauce over top! Bake the enchiladas in a preheated 350ºF oven for 25-30 minutes, or until they’re heated through and the sauce is bubbling along the sides.
It’s sad because the pictures don’t do these Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas justice. They’re SO GOOD. I wish you could see the carnival of flavors that are going on inside…
I promise they’ll “disappear” quickly. ;)
MAKING NOW looks like the pictures and I know from all the recipes that we made they all came out great and tasty. I am sure this will be delicious it came out perfect we loved it
MAKING NOW looks like the pictures and I know from all the recipes that we made they all came out great and tasty. I am sure this will be delicious
Is this a freezer friendly meal?
If so , how would you go about freezing it ?
I don’t think this one would freeze as well as other enchiladas since it has so many fresh veggies in the filling. I think it would get a little too liquidy and mushy upon reheating from frozen.
Hate looking fir recipes here. Yall show one recipe and a different one pops up. Just show the recipe of what yall post
Hi! Do you have any recommendations for how to adapt the sauce to exclude cocoa? Would it be fine to just skip it or should I sub something else in?
(Planning to make it for a potluck, but someone is allergic to chocolate)
I think you should be okay with just omitting. :)
Unfortunately I found the enchilada sauce to be way too hot for my liking, so I couldn’t eat it after the first bite. I was a fool and didn’t taste-test the sauce beforehand. Maybe less chilli sauce or cayenne next time? I’m not sure. But I bet it would’ve been delicious otherwise!
Hey Beth! Can I make the enchilada sauce a day ahead of time? I love this recipe and want to make it at the cabin, but don’t want to cart all the ingredients. Thanks!
Yes, you can!
Thanks!
Delicious! Do you have any recommendations for how to freeze this?
I actually haven’t tried freezing this one, unfortunately. My only concern would be the fresh vegetables in the filling that might get a little watery.
Thanks for getting back to me. I experimented and made them last night. I mixed all ingredients except oil and flour in a sauce pan until hot, then added cornstarch until desired consistency. They tasted amazing!!! My husband says he wants to can the sauce so it’s always on hand. Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing the outcome! Hopefully it will help someone else who has the same question. :)
Thanks Trish, I followed your lead and used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and no oil. Perfect enchilada sauce, finally! My boyfriend must watch his sodium and I have tried many recipes that did not work, but this one did, so thank you also Beth. So easy too!
Hoping to make this soon. We are vegan and oil free. Any ideas on what to use instead of oil in the sauce? Would vegetable stock work? Or maybe it could just be omitted? Thanks for any advice, it looks amazing!
The oil plays a really important part in the roux that thickens the sauce, so unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to recommend an alternative without doing some testing.
This recipe heading says it all; it’s all about the sauce. So rich & delicious I hope to never buy it from a can again. Recipe was super easy to follow & delicious. I used the carb balance tortillas. Great recipe, will definitely do again.
I didn’t know quite what to expect with this since I have never made enchilada sauce myself, and though I have had savory sauces with cocoa, I was very curious how it would change it. What I can say is that I never need to buy enchilada sauce again. I accidentally doubled the cayenne but it was really good anyway, I enjoyed the heat it brought. The filling was very refreshing compared to my extra spicy sauce and it paired well. I’m actually thinking of making these again this week and I’m not even done eating them yet. May as well use the rest of the tomato paste, right?
I made the enchiladas today and they’re absolutely amazing. I can’t eat cilantra(thanks to genetics it tastes like soap) so I sprinkled a little queso blaco on them to garnish.
Is it possible to freeze these?
I’ve been meaning to leave this review. Why are you so magical when it comes to recipes? This is amazing and the instructions and pics are perfect! We make this every Monday for our ” Meatless Monday” attempt. Thank you!
Thank you, Crystal! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. ☺️
Hi, what size pan do you recommend for this? i use a 9×13 pan but my enchiladas are sticking out of my dish and the sauce pours out.
I believe we also used a 9×13 dish, but ours might be a bit deeper. You could use a 10×15 instead if you have one, or fill up your 9×13 dish and bake the extra in another, smaller dish. If they all fit in the dish but spill over just slightly, you could line a cookie sheet with foil and put it on the rack under the casserole dish to catch the drippings so they don’t scorch on the bottom of the oven. ~ Marion
I loved that I could make these with minimal purchased ingredients. We are at the beach property doing work and trying to save money, and didn’t want to buy a ton of stuff that required a single teaspoon while the rest went in the garbage after we leave in 3 days. Thank you for this.
In the end, I felt like the enchilada sauce overpowered the lovely filling. I think I would like to play with the recipe to somehow change that. Anticipating this, I added more avocado to the top of the dish after I pulled it out of the oven, and then some sour cream when I served it, which successfully toned it down, but it wasn’t quite enough. It was altogether tasty, but I really yearned for that black bean, tomato, avocado filling to fill my palate and it didn’t happen.
I’m going to try this one again. I’m not sure what I’ll do, though. It needs to be sauce-y and I don’t want to fatten it up with cheese…
Thanks for a great recipe with lots of leftovers we can pop in the freezer for our return!!!
Absolutely fantastic recipe. The enchilada sauce is 100x better than canned.
Easy, delicious and affordable which is everything I love about this site.
Thank you again for an amazing recipe!
Even my kids like this meal. I love that I can get them to eat veggies when I prepare this for dinner. I have used various different types of enchilada sauce paired with the filling from this recipe and it always tastes great. Thanks!
Made this recipe for the first time last night and it was delicious! I used fresh corn tortillas and they wouldn’t roll properly so I just made enchilada pie with tortillas on the bottom and the top. I was worried there wouldn’t be enough sauce, but there was plenty. Thank you for the delicious recipe. It was also very easy.
Delicious! Since I can’t eat avocado I followed the idea of an earlier reviewer to use butternut squash instead– worked great– pretty and yummy, too. Thanks for another “keeper” recipe!
This recipe is a big hit in my household for Meatless Monday! The sauce is amazing. Sometimes I dice up some poblano for the filling also. A helpful hit to anyone having issues with the tortillas falling apart: microwave them for about 30 seconds and they’ll hold together better.
This is my favorite enchilada recipe to make! It’s simple yet really delicious! I usually end up making it at least once a month.
These are really magnificent. The sauce is flavourful and sharp (but your regular enchilada sauce recipe is also amazing!), and the filling can be eaten alone as a salad. Flavours are super balanced and wonderful textures all around. Can’t wait to eat it again!
The flavor of these is delicious! Mine came out a little watery and fell apart, but that is partly because I didn’t coat the dish with non-stick spray (I think the meal plan version of this recipe didn’t mention that.) The sauce is delicious.
Can the tomato (diced) be omitted or substituted?
You could probably do that. It will be different, but I suppose if you don’t like tomato the difference will be a good one. :)
Just finished eating these for dinner. They were the best enchiladas my family has ever had! I had some left over sweet potato and mix that in with the filling and I feel like the sweetness pushed it over the edge. I will 100% be making these again.
I have tried and enjoyed tons of Budget Byte recipes, but this one is one of the best ever. Simple and affordable enough to be a staple, but so rich and delicious that it feels like a real treat!
Can these be frozen?
Yes :)
This recipe is SO delicious! I thought I would miss the cheese, but I don’t. The avocado adds the perfect amount of creaminess! Plus it reheats well for leftovers. Thank you for your awesome recipes Beth!!
I love this recipe, I probably wind up making it about once a month. The enchilada sauce is absolutely delicious.
I saved this recipe years ago and just made it now. I can’t believe I waited so long! My enchiladas came out delicious. I won’t be going back to canned sauce after it was so easy making the sauce. My sauce was originally a little too salty for my liking so I added a bit more water. Next time I’ll wait to add the salt. I thought I would miss tons of cheese, sour cream, etc., but I didn’t! It was a delicious and easy dinner that I will certainly make again.
Soooooo good! The enchiladas sauce is dynamite! The cocoa powder really adds something. I sprinkled a little Monterey Jack cheese on top, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. These are my favorite vegetarian enchiladas I’ve made so far. :)
Absolutely delicious!
Mine ended up being $2.55 a serving, but no big deal that’s still hard to beat for a delicious and filling meal.
I’m not a fan of green onions so I substituted with white onion, worked great.
I’m not vegan so I threw some cheese on top which of course increased the price per serving.
Will absolutely make again.
Love this recipe! The sauce is amazing. I didn’t have a ripe avocado so substituted cooked butternut squash and left the corn out of the filling too. So they became black bean and squash enchiladas and we loved them! I microwaved corn tortillas in a damp paper towel for about 40 seconds and they didn’t split that way.
These are very good. I thought I would miss the cheesiness aspect of enchiladas, but I definitely did not. I heated and mashed some of the beans before adding everything else in. I also did not have any tomatoes, so I used a half-ish can of diced tomatoes. I will be replacing my previous go-to enchiladas that included copious amounts of cheese and canned sauce with these.
This had got to be my favorite enchilada recipe. I’ve been making it for several years now – it’s so easy and you don’t even notice it’s vegan. Its great if you’re cooking for multiple dietary restrictions – people can always add sour cream if they want to. I love that you don’t need to cook anything in the filling. The cocoa powder in the sauce also adds a lot.
What a great combination of flavors, although and definitely not a weeknight meal for me -It took a while to make the sauce, warm the corn tortillas (warmed in a skillet with a little oil to prevent breaking) assemble everything together, all before baking. Perfect for a the weekend though! I’m usually not a fan of avocado, so I used a potato masher to muddle up beans and avocado and make the filling creamier. My kids even ate this of, no questions asked. We are transitioning to a vegan diet, I didn’t even miss the cheese! Served alongside a fresh Mexican cucumber tomato salad for the win!
Newbie cook here! I made these tonight & the flavor was great! But I used corn tortillas (those are my preference), & it was really hard to get them to roll up without breaking. It ended up more like an enchilada casserole – which was okay! – but does anybody have any tips for rolling corn tortillas without splitting them?
I think you have to heat them up first. The microwave should be fine.
I also used corn tortillas and found they split, even when microwaved. Instead I warmed each tortilla in a skillet with a little bit of oil. About 10 seconds on each side. The oil made it pliable and they rolled up nicely. A child helper in the kitchen makes this process go nicely!
How does the avocado in this recipe hold up if I am meal-prepping for the week? I cook for two people and usually make meals for 6 people so that we have leftovers. I’ve always avoided recipes containing avocados because they go brown so quickly.
Since you’re baking them you should be fine to keep in the refrigerator for up to three days.
These are the bomb! Is there something I can do with leftover enchilada stuffing?
You could just eat it like a salad!
This is one of our favorite recipes – I’ve made it at least 30 times (seriously!). But I’ve signed up to bring a meal to some neighbors in need, and I have a couple questions … having a hard time finding the info through all the *glowing* reviews. :)
1. For a gluten free option: I’m using corn tortillas, of course, but how would I go about thickening the sauce? Corn starch instead of flour? Gluten free flour? If so, how much of either?
2. Should I cook them fully then leave instructions to reheat? Or would you recommend preparing them and refrigerate, with instructions to pop them in the oven for the full cooking time?
Thanks so much!
Hi Emily! How wonderful of you. Yes for gluten free thickening I would recommend cornstarch or arrowroot starch. Then I would make it as easy as possible on them by cooking them ahead and just leaving them instructions to reheat.
Made this the other night and was very pleased with how easy the filling is! I like that you don’t have to cook it together first; that saves a lot of time. I made the homemade sauce to go with it. Maybe I’m a weirdo, but I actually do like the canned sauce. This is a good recipe to have on hand if you need sauce, but to make it REALLY fast I would just use canned. The sauce took me closer to 20 minutes to make. The only change I made was using a can of diced tomatoes in the filling and using the juice for some of the water in the sauce because I didn’t have a fresh tomato (and they aren’t in season yet).
I am the dinnertime hero whenever I make this dish. I can not count on leftovers, although the recipe makes plenty. (I like it both ways, but I do omit the cayenne when my toddler eats it because they get the sauce all over their face in appreciation.)
Help! I accidentally mixed all the enchilada sauce ingredients together 🤦♀️ (I usually read through the recipe first), should the sauce still be pretty good?
Im giving this 5 stars, if only for the enchilada sauce!!! I made mine with a different filling but this sauce is so rich, its out of this world. Definitely adding it to my repertoire :)
I’ve always wondered, why does Enchilada sauce seem to have a tomato paste base with added water as opposed to crushed tomoatoes / tomato sauce?
Also, I blitz in some canned adobo peppers to the sauce, it gives it an awesome, fully bodied, smoky heat.
The concentration of tomato paste creates a different flavor and texture than regular crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, even when combined with water like in this recipe. I’m sure you could make a variation using crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, but it would be a different result from what you see here.
Even my very picky omnivore brother ate a second helping of these. I got the recipe from the vegan meal plan. Thanks so much for another winner!
These are bomb. Been making them for years and people always ask for the recipe.
Is the sauce spicy at all? I’m the type to occasionally think BBQ sauce is spicy. I can handle most jarred “mild” salsas, but anything more than that and I’m on fire. I never cook with cayenne pepper, I don’t even own it–but wondering if it would be worth it to branch out and try it?
If you think BBQ sauce is spicy I think cayenne will be way too spicy for you. I wouldn’t waste your money, just leave it out when you see it.
What is the nutrition info for this? Looks so good!
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
I was super skeptical about this enchilada sauce, but HOLY COW it is GREAT!! The only other red sauce I’ve ever made and enjoyed this much involves dried chiles and a looooot of work, this is so nice for quick meals!! I didn’t use the cocoa powder because I didn’t have any and don’t like chocolate, and so didn’t want to buy the only giant-size tin that my grocery store offers. Might invest in it now since I know this is going to become a regular in my recipe rotation! The sauce was amazing, and so was the enchilada filling. Made this as part of the meal prep with the lime cumin sweet potatoes and looked forward to lunch every single day! Added shredded cheese to the top before baking because I am a cheese junkie, but this would have been just as amazing without it.
Delicious! My avocado was criminally underripe, so I added some chopped up chao cheese for creaminess. It came out fantastic!
These are so good! I made them for my vegan husband, and I thought I would miss the cheese because I love enchiladas. but they’re DELICIOUS! Thank you!!!
The whole family loved these! The enchilada sauce is amazing! Great filling, too!
Looks delish? Tips for freezing??
Hi Emily! Yes, I think it would freeze decently well. You could freeze them in foil pans or line a glass pan with parchment paper and make them in there. Then freeze in the glass pan, once frozen pop them out with the parchment, place in a freezer safe bag. Then they’re ready to cook or reheat by just placing back in the pan!
Made these and they were an absolute delight! I served them with pickled red onions, cilantro, and had sour cream and cheese available if we felt they were lacking in richness. No sour cream or cheese was necessary! This is now my go-to enchilada sauce recipe!
Be aware, this made us A LOT of enchiladas. I used standard corn shells (apx 5 inches?). I was able to fill a 9×13 Pyrex, and then my 9×9 Pyrex as well!
I did not use canned beans, but instead made them from dry in our pressure cooker.
I also recently made the sweet potato and chorizo enchiladas recipe, and used this same enchilada sauce recipe… And as soon as I got the oil, chili powder, and flour cooking, realized I didn’t have any tomato paste in my hous!! I did a quick Google, and saw some folks suggesting Harris’s and some suggesting ketchup…
So, I to sub in I used a 2:1 mix of chili paste (Aldi) and pasty sauce (some local brand– essentially spicy ketchup).
I was waiting to with bated breath, but we both taste tested it, and it seemed to work! Just in case anyone else is ever in a pinch!!
I’ve made this recipes three times now, it’s so wonderful. I added a can of refried beans for an even creamier texture (although the avocado does a good job of that already).
For those of us that aren’t vegan: you won’t miss the cheese, but adding cheese to the mixture is totally possible and works out well, too.
Could someone please give me the nutritional information for these enchiladas! They look awesome! Thanks!
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
Oh.WOW. This enchilada sauce is INCREDIBLE!! And so easy! Thank you. It seems that the sauce could be made in bigger batches and then frozen, have y’all had luck freezing the sauce?
Beth has found that the sauce freezes okay when it’s already on the enchiladas, but if you freeze it by yourself it separates just a bit upon thawing. The flavor doesn’t change, though! :)
I doubled the avocado, added a little tomatillo salsa and some lime juice to the filling and added more cocoa (also used dark cocoa). It was delish! I definitely will be repeating.
I’ll have to try it with dark cocoa next time! Great tip Sarah!
What kind of oil could I substitute for the vegetable oil? I’m not a fan. Maybe coconut oil or just olive oil?
Olive or avocado would be just fine.
I loved these! I really appreciate that the filling is substantial and the recipe is vegan.. I added an extra can of beans and then turned the leftover filling into salsa by adding some apple cider vinegar and lime juice – nachos for lunch today! My family thought they were better than what they order at the restaurant!
These were amazing! Wouldn’t change a thing. Adding this to my heavy rotation.
I didn’t have tomato paste so I substituted a can of salsa and blended it up with just a little water and the other listed ingredients. It turned out so tasty! Thanks for the recipe!
Can these be frozen before cooking so I can just pull one or two out of the freezer when I want one?
While I haven’t tried that, I bet it would work!
Thanks for the amazing recipe! I just made this tonight, planning on taking these as work lunches the next few days as my meal prep and it’s so delicious! The sauce is perfect, so much flavour I could eat it on its own! Can’t wait to make more soon.
HOLY WOW! I was expecting this to be yummy but it blew my mind with all the flavor! The enchilada sauce is to die for! I added a bit more cayenne and used hot chili powder (I like spicy) and had to use fresh garlic since I was out of powder, but wow it was good! Definitely will make again!
Does this really work as a meal prep? I prep for 4 days at a time, no way the avacado would stay good?
when the avocado is cooked inside something i find that it lasts much longer. 4 days shouldnt be a problem!
Has anyone tried this with the frozen avocados? Do you think it would work?
This has become a regular dish now and I’ve made it probably about 6 times. The amount of filling usually makes enough for two batches (I have a smaller glass pan that fits about 8 filled tortillas) so it’s perfect for two nights worth of dinner and the best part is the second night everything is already mixed and ready to go and only has to be thrown in the oven! I often skip the green onions because I hate having to buy a bundle and not using them all.
The sauce is lick-the-plate yummy and the fillings tastes fresh and healthy. The recipe is definitely a keeper!
This was an incredibly easy and delicious recipe! Will absolutely make again!
Omg this was amazing!
Yet again, another winner! These were wonderful! The sauce was great and the ingredients inside the enchiladas tasted so wonderfully fresh. It’s also budget-friendly. I’ll be adding this to my regular growing rotation. Thank you!
Made the dish a few weeks ago and it was awesome! But does the corn need to be frozen?
No, I just find frozen corn to be the best for flavor, price, and convenience. :)
You weren’t lying when you said these will disappear! Holy cow, what an amazingly delicious recipe! So super easy, quick, and still great as leftovers. My only regret is not making more from the start.
Can you make these enchiladas in a crockpot?
I wouldn’t suggest that. They would likely turn out very soggy.
Can you make the sauce with almond flour or gluten free flour? Need gluten free. :( Will use corn tortillas instead of flour but need to adapt the sauce as well.
Unfortunately I haven’t tried either of those ingredients, but I suspect almond flour would not work as a thickener. Your best bet is probably gluten-free flour.
Hey! I made my sauce with tapioca flour and it turned out perfect! Made them totally gf and with pinto beans because I’m allergic to black beans and the recipe is yummy! Thank you :)
I made this with good old pillsbury gluten free flour and it thickened up just fine.
Followed this recipe exactly and they came out delicious. My whole family loved them and I was super excited that they were vegan as well.
In this recipe you added cocoa powder to your enchilada sauce, but on the other enchilada sauce recipe you didn’t. Why? and how did you decide to add it? Thanks
I just wanted to change it up a bit. :) The cocoa powder adds a little more earthiness and richness to the flavor.
If I want to have leftovers, won’t they taste bad due to the avocado browning?
Nope. You won’t notice. :)
My meat-eating husband and I make this recipe ALL the time — it’s fantastic. We often have a bit of extra filling, so I just sprinkle it over the tops before pouring the sauce on.
Question — do you think these would freeze well (or well enough)?
Yes, I think it would freeze decently well. :)
I had less frozen avocado than I thought, so I added some cottage cheese to the mix as well for some extra creamyness. It worked out really well! Other than that I followed the recipe by the letter and it turned out really tasty! Got compliments from my mom who was visiting as well :)
I only have frozen, diced, avocado. How much would you use, in weight, for this recipe? Thanks!
Never mind, Google says it’s 120 g / 4 oz avocado flesh :)
Unfortunately I don’t know about how much one avocado weighs, but I would estimate about a cup to a cup and a half of diced avocado.
So dang good! I didn’t know what to expect, but these enchiladas turned out really well! I used whole wheat tortillas, and they were even better the next day for lunch! Kinda spicy but in a good way. I left out cayanne, and may only use 1/2 the chili powder next time….overall, delicious!
I made this for the first time tonight, and I wanted to applaud how flexible the recipe is. Enchiladas are a pretty flexible dish anyway, but plain meat ones get boring and mixed-vegetables ones are improved by a little care in composition. I had the basics , and I also had some odds and ends in my fridge that I wanted to use up, so I added some red pepper and some cheese and a little leftover rice to the filling. Avocado on the side, because I have a picky toddler. And (also due to said toddler) I toned the chili powder way down and omitted the cayenne; I was worried about ruining the sauce, but it was DELICIOUS anyway. So thank you for a recipe that adapts easily.
By the way, my other favorite veggie enchilada recipe is Suvir Saran’s cabbage and carrot enchilada, which he tops with a roasted red pepper sauce. But the toddler won’t eat that one at all. (Tonight she ate two bites of the black bean enchilada filling and then a bowl of sour cream. I consider this a win.)
Oooh, cabbage and carrot enchiladas sound interesting! :)
I think the Chill powder in Australia may just be extra spicy, but the sauce was so hot it was almost inedible. The filling was delicious. I had some left over and baked up a corn tortilla to do a tostada and it was awesome, especially with a bit of fresh lime juice squeezed n.
Caitlin, In the U.S., chili powder refers to a blend of spices – chili, paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, etc. I looked at some online recipes, and the chili accounts for only 1/12 or less by volume of the blend. Pure chili powder is called cayenne or ground red pepper (or whatever variety such as ground chipotle) here. So, if Australian chili powder is pure chili or a higher percentage of chili in a blend, then yes, it would be hot!!!
I used corn tortillas and they TOTALLY fell apart. That’s okay this time because it’s just me and they tasted good but I couldn’t serve that to someone else. Also this recipe has way too much sodium/serve….more than a Big Mac. I even cooked my own beans with no salt.
This recipe is amazing. I’ve been cooking it for my family for several years now and come back to it again and again. It’s so simple and so versatile. Works great on corn or flour tortillas. I also love the filling on corn tortilla chips.
Tonight I made the sauce and filling and put it on baked sweet potatoes. In the oven now!
Great recipe, instead of a can of black beans, we used 1/4 of the Slow Cooker Black Bean soup recipe on this site, just didn’t blend it. Great flavor.
Great recipe! We are not vegetarian or vegan but both enjoyed it a lot and would recommend it.
Nailed it. Instructions were awesome! Sauce was very mole-esque without the labor and delicious. Thanks for posting this
Just put the first bite in my mouth. WOW.
Great recipe so delicious!:)
Could have used some salsa in the enchiladas. Otherwise tasty!
I made these last night and they are tasty! I made a few changes to accommodate the large tortillas I used. I needed more filling, so I beefed it up with extra green onions, a little red onion, some chopped fresh spinach, and a few spoonfuls of cooked brown rice. The husband and I agree, this recipe is a keeper!
Also forgot to mention that I whipped up some cashew cream to dollop on top of these! Delicious!
I made these the other night for dinner! They were AWESOME! It was surprisingly easy to whip them together and I think this is going to be a new staple meal. We typically have most of these ingredients on hand! I did skip the cocoa powder in the sauce, but it tasted fantastic without it.
I was very generous with the sauce on the enchiladas, but I still ended up with at least 1/2 cup of leftovers sauce. I’m not sure what to do with it, but I don’t want to waste it since it’s so delicious!
Too bad you skipped the cocoa powder for the sauce. The cocoa “makes” the molé. A little cocoa also makes chili so much better. Try it just once. You’ll never go back!
omg, this looks so good. Will have to try it . . .
This has become a go-to for family dinner nights. Always a hit.
I’ve made this before and loved it, but I’ve since discovered I have an avocado allergy – any ideas for replacements? Maybe some cheese (monterey jack?) for creaminess and mushrooms for filling?
I know this is a year after your comment but my husband doesn’t like avocado so we replace it with diced sweet potato that we’ve partially cooked (boiled) before adding to the mix. Hope that helps :)
This has become a staple in my recipe collection because it is so delicious and we are vegetarian. Made it for the neighbors, too and they were raving. Once I had to substitute the black beans with pinto beans and it was just as fantastic. Thank you so much for your great recipes!
This is really good, especially that yummy, yummy sauce. Would love it if I could think up a way to add a little different texture to it – maybe corn?
These look amazing and I’m planning to make them tomorrow. However, I was wondering if you had tried them with corn tortillas?
I haven’t made this particular recipe with corn tortillas, but I have made enchiladas with corn tortillas many times. I like to toast the tortillas in a skillet before filling them. Baking time and everything else should be the same.
I have made them with corn tortillas as a friend who came over for dinner is gluten intolerant (the little bit of flour for the sauce didn’t bother her) and it was very good. Not quite as delicious as with flour tortillas but definitely very good.
Honestly, I’ve never had enchiladas before and these did not disappoint. i had a lime on hand and used half of its juice in the filling(try it next time, it’s delicious). Also it was sooo quick and easy to make! Would definitely recommend to anybody, no matter their diet.
Tried this recipe tonight and it was so good! I cheated and added cheese to the filling and it was fantastic. Will be making this again!
We looooove this recipe. The only problem for us was that the sauce was way too hot–I’ve never had enchiladas so hot (hence the four stars instead of five). I eliminate the cayenne and then it’s fine (still plenty spicy, I think, but not overwhelmingly hot). With that tweak to the sauce, this recipe has become a Friday night tradition in our house. We all (including our two-year-old) love it. Thanks so much for an awesome recipe!
It’s probably the chili powder that you used. What brand is it? I’ve found recently that some brands actually contain cayenne. :( The McCormick chili powder that I usually use has no cayenne and is completely mild.
I had some extra sauce leftover even after I finished all the enchiladas, so I used it as salad dressing. I might have to make another batch of this sauce just for that purpose!
WOW. All I can say is, we were pleasantly surprised by the amount of flavor in this recipe. As a Mexican cook, I was hesitant to try this, but the picture looked so good and curiosity got the better of me, and I am so glad I did! This is my new favorite vegetarian recipe. I regularly make chicken/beef/pork enchiladas, and these are now at the top of my list. One tip: I spread a spoonful of sauce at the bottom of the baking dish to get the tortilla totally covered before I set the enchiladas in. Served with my spanish rice, it was perfect. So good, thanks for posting!!
Hi Beth,
I’ve made this before and love it to bits. Planning to make this again, but replacing the filling with that from your black bean quesadillas (that one’s a winner too!).
Question about the enchilada sauce though – does it freeze well?
Cheers!
I find that the sauce freezes okay when it’s already on the enchiladas, but if you freeze it by yourself it separates just a bit upon thawing. The flavor doesn’t change, though! :)
Made these for the first time last night (sans the cocoa) and my wife (vegetarian) LOVED them so much. I am not vegetarian but I think these might be the best enchiladas I have ever had!
Can you make this without the cocoa powder? Wasn’t able to get it in the budget this week. I really want to try these. Sounds yumm-o! We looovvee enchiladas.
Yes, absolutely. It will just be a regular style enchilada sauce instead of a mole style.
I just want to say thank you, because this is a staple in my home. I add cheese on top, and will add whatever garden veggies I have (jalapenos!!!). I also bake the filled tortillas a bit to crisp them before I finish cooking with the sauce. I asked my boyfriend what he wants for dinner today, and he says, “enchiladas?”. There aint no question on what kind, because it’s ALWAYS these. We’re not vegetarian, but damn if it isn’t more convenient to not cook a protein.
These are so great. They’re perfect to make on the weekend and eat for lunch all week. The avocado gets a little mushy when you do that but I’ve made them with squash and corn too to avoid that :)
My boyfriend said that wasn’t made from a recipe it was made from love. He went for seconds and said I’m gonna murder these.
These are amazing! I subbed sauteed onions for the green onions, and roasted sweet potato cubes for the corn. Delicious, definitely making again!
Beth I’ve been making your recipes almost exclusively for about 5 months now (since I stumbled upon your site) and this is the one I have made the most (I think) so I’m overdue to leave a review. These enchiladas are AMAZING! Even my husband who doesn’t love the idea of a vegan meal gobbles these up! I have also taken the filling along with tortilla chips to be eaten as a dip/salad to a couple potlucks and have had many people ask for the recipe. As with most of your dishes, my picky 3 year old loves it as well! After having a child and becoming a part time stay at home mom I didn’t have the money, energy or time to cook the way I use to. Thank you for making cooking enjoyable again!!! Plus it’s healthy! You truly are providing an important public service during a time when money is tight and prepared food is over processed junk. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” Ann Wigmore
Here, Here! Hooray for Beth! You have made cooking so fun that even my husband cooks now! We discovered your site about a year ago and it has been a wonderful experience for our growing family. Please keep doing what you are doing!
I made these tonight and they were fantastic. I used 1/2 the filling in flour tortillas per the recipe and the other 1/2 in corn tortillas. The corn ones came out much better.
I used dried New Mexican Red chilies blended up in our old coffee grinder to make our own chili powder.
I have a dairy allergy and my husband is vegetarian. This recipe was perfect for both of us. Thank you!
That was amazing enchilada sauce! I’ll never buy canned again! Thanks so much for the recipe! 5 stars for the sauce…I made up my own filling!
Well I had some major issues……all of which could’ve been solved by not using misshapen homemade tortillas (I was never good at arts&crafts) or by not adding extra ingredients to a filling mix you said was already a lot and then trying to cram them into tortillas that barely passed as round.
Onto your recipe. Amazing! Can’t wait to make it again!
I will say that I added cream cheese to make the inner mixture creamier…otherwise, I stuck to the recipe and it was awesome! Super filling!
We loved it. I have a gluten-free d.i.l, do you think I can swap out the flour as thickener in sauce with corn starch? Anyone have any idea how much corn starch would be equal to the 2 TBS of flour? (It’s easy to find gluten free tortillas.)
Thanks again to Beth for being culinary genius and mistress of thrift.
The cornstarch will create a very different texture in the sauce than flour, so I’m not sure how that would work. Maybe you could try masa (corn flour) instead of wheat flour. That would keep with the flavor theme better, too. :)
Can you use tomato sauce instead of paste? I’m going toske them for the first time tonight
Nope, you definitely need paste for this one. Paste is super concentrated so it helps thicken and delivers a lot of tomato flavor. Sauce wouldn’t have the same effect, unfortunately. :(
Rice flour works just as well as wheat flour. Try to get finely textured white rice flour to avoid the grittiness of brown rice flour. (It is easily available at oriental food stores in white boxes, about the size & shape of a quart of boxed broth.) It can be substituted 1 for 1 in recipes to make a roux.
Potato starch/flour can also work well… though I’ve used rice flour for so long I haven’t had much need to work with it.
I googled bean and avocado (because I had avocados I needed to use) and came across this recipe. It took no time at all and was incredibly delicious. Can’t believe I made enchilada sauce from scratch. Will never use canned again. This will become one of my go to recipes. Hubby loved it, too! Thank you so much for a great dinner recipe!
From the reviews I thought this would taste amazing but it tastes really healthy. There is a lack of flavor so my family ended up eating it with salsa and cheese. I may still make this again but next time I will try adding a vegetarian bullion cube to the water.
I’m sorry, healthy is a bad thing? My boyfriend and I found this recipe fantastic and full of flavor! Thanks Beth!!
I’m a vegetarian and my husband won’t eat anything that doesn’t have meat in it so cooking can be pretty difficult. I made these and he almost ate the whole pan. Even my Romanian father-in-law gobbled them down and didn’t realize there wasn’t meat in them. I’ve made this recipe about four times and use the enchilada sauce for other recipes as well.
WHOA!! These were awesome! My husband was blown away. Said they were resaurant quality. While I was happy that they were healthy and guilt free. The filling is delicious on its own. In fact, I ate the leftover bit with a spoon while I was baking them. I can see myself making this as a salsa to serve with chips.
Very delicious. I haven’t had a recipe from you I didn’t like yet. It’s awesome!
Very delicious. I haven’t had a recipe I didn’t like yet. It’s awesome!
I’ve made this like 4 times and it is a consistent HIT, even with the carnivores. The balance is ridiculous!
I love enchiladas with zuchinni (extra moisture!) and I also added red and green peppers and chicken. I like how versatile this is – you can add or take away so many of the elements based on what you have. Beth, I have been following your website for years and it meshes pretty well with exactly what I want to eat all the time, and I really appreciate all the work that goes into it. Keep on recipe-ing!
Awesome recipe!
The filling is delicious by itself and works great as a taco salad with or tortillas.
Thanks, Beth!
I love, love, love this recipe! Our tortillas are sold in packs of 12 — how would you recommend I scale the recipe up? I could just increase the quantities accordingly, but I wondered whether you had any ideas about additional filling ingredients. I hesitate to venture out on my own because they are already so delicious!
I wonder if zucchini would be good in it (cut into very small pieces). I think red onion would also be fab, although there is already green onion in it. :)
Stumbled across this recipe quite a while ago. Made it once, LOVED IT from the start! Made it a second time with extra sauce, PHENOMENAL! The filling can even be used as a cold bean salad, and was served to rave reviews this summer (cold salad for a BBQ supper). Just want to say thanks so much for all your great recipes!
I’ve made this a few times (love it!) but does it freeze well?
I think it would, yes.
OMG! This is the best. I’ve tried other enchilada recipes before, and they just weren’t quite right. But immediately after biting into this, my husband said ‘I think you nailed the sauce this time’. Great recipe. Tastes just like enchiladas from my favorite restaurant. Awesome!
These were very good considering it didn’t even have any cheese! Love the sauce.
Absolutely love these enchiladas and your site!! thanks for the great ideas! Much appreciated!
Thank you for your blog! We recently went down to one-income and I’ve been doing recipe research in order for us to remain on one-income, and I’m constantly on your blog! Your meals are cheap & ridiculously DELICIOUS! Thank you!
P.S. I’m from New Mexico and take my enchiladas very seriously; though these are not New Mexican enchiladas, this recipe is a favorite in our house. Creamy, spicy, & SOO DELICIOUS! YUMM! Thank you thank you thank you!
Beth this meal is amazing! My 8 year old asked if I could pack it in his lunch tomorrow! Your recipes have been a life saver for me. A year ago, for health related issues and allergies I had to transition to a plant based diet. And I LOVE all of you’re vegan recipes!!! Can’t wait to get your new cookbook!
Amazing. I think the sauce could use some tweaking to be a little more complex in flavor (kind of just a one-note chili flavor as is), but it didn’t bother me too much as I scarfed these bad boys down.
Hi Beth, I just wanted to say I really love your site. I’ve been enjoying your avocado enchiladas and mentioned you on my blog.
http://www.hisgirlfridaydotcom.wordpress.com
I have no real comment, but I wanted to rate the recipe after making it for the tenth time. It is phenomenal, and words have not yet been invented to describe how strongly I feel about the enchilada sauce.
Thank you so much we love thease. My meat eaters couldn’t get enofe.
these are great. I add two broiled Anaheim chili’s to the filling. broil chili’s in the broiler until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. put them directly in a plastic bag and seal to steam for a few minutes. the skin of the chili’s will come off easily. cut the chili’s in half lengthwise and discard the seeds. chop and add to your filling. tonight I’m going to add a cup of cheddar cheese to help bind the filling.
I just need to say that I love these things! I am always trying new recipes, but this is my one go-to that I could eat every single week. Even my dad and my sister, two big meat eaters who scoff at anything vegetarian/vegan, love this dish. Kudos!
My son recently developed a severe lactose intolerance and enchiladas are his favorite meal. I’ve been searching for recipes that don’t include cheese and this looks delicious. Avocado has definitely been helping him cope with the lack of cheese!
My family enjoyed this tonight! Thanks!
You are so great to figure out the exact cost – very inspiring!
Keep up the great work Beth!
I just made these enchiladas and boy oh boy they were amazing! At first I was skeptical because of the lack of cheese in the recipe!!! But I think the avocado makes them creamy. Highly recommended!!!!!!!
I’m not sure which I loved more… the filling by itself or the enchiladas. Great recipe! Loved every bite!
These enchiladas are good, but the sauce is the real magic. We use this sauce instead of your “regular” enchilada sauce recipe on the site now whenever we make enchiladas.
So amazing! I’ve been missing Mexican food since I moved abroad and these were perfect! Only things I changed were using olive oil instead of vegetable oil (I live in Spain and olive oil is so much cheaper) and crushed red pepper flakes instead of cayenne. Thanks so much for this – turned out wonderfully!
This recipe is definitely a keeper. I made it for the first time last night, and my boyfriend and I very much enjoyed it. In fact, I ate the leftover filling this morning for breakfast. Next time I make something that calls for enchilada sauce, I’m using this recipe. Perfecto!
This is a truly great recipe. It’s cheap AND delicious AND easy AND healthy AND in the oven in 20 minutes. Now I just need twenty more like it. Thank you!
Would olive oil and whole wheat flour be acceptable substitutes? Or would that completely ruin it?
I think the whole wheat flour would make the enchilada sauce grainy, so I wouldn’t suggest that. Olive oil can be used, though! :)
I have subbed with the white whole wheat flour before.
I know I’m super late to this but I’ve subbed whole wheat flour in the enchilada sauce most of the times that I’ve made it. There’s no perceptible difference, IMO.
2nd time I’ve made this and my fiancé continues to rave. I’m generally the one pushing for healthier food, but it’s not always easy to find things we can both enjoy. The flavors are so deep in this sauce that it eats like unhealthy, comfort food. Win/Win!
Wow! I’ve made this recipe probably about 20 times and realized that I needed to give you major props for it!
I make this recipe a minimum of twice a month. I had to cut the salt down to 1/4 t. in the sauce, and I use fresh garlic in the filling mix and it’s just out of this world!! I also only bake it for about 15 minutes when I use corn tortillas so that it’s still a little saucy.
If I could eat only one thing for the rest of my life, this would be it! Thank you soooo much for sharing this recipe with the world!
This is so good! I omitted the corn, doubled the avocado (because YUM!) And added cheese. Lots of cheese. Haha! But I have no doubt it’s good just the way you made it, too! I haven’t come across a recipe yet that I don’t enjoy, and as I try to incorporate more black beans into our rotation, I am loving that you use them so often!!
Looking forward to the book in 2014!!
that’s called MOLE and it’s a traditional mexican recipe, so don’t take the credit. thanks!
and yes it is deicious
Hahhaha I was not implying that I invented the combination of chile and cocoa.
First, I want to tell you that I have never commented on anything on the internet but, after after trying several of your recipes, I need to say thanks and encourage you to keep going. I am getting reunited with my kitchen, healthy eating and cooking for friends and family and it feels awesome. I will be looking forward to your book.
I discovered this gem of a website yesterday, and after reading all the stellar reviews, decided this was going to be my first recipe- I was not disappointed! I’m a newbie vegan, and have been searching for great-tasting dishes that I can serve to my meat-eating boyfriend without him wincing and this is THE recipe for the job. I made it exactly as stated, served it over rice, and my boyfriend got Mexican blend cheese sprinkled on top of his. It was only after his second serving (I doubled the recipe to have for dinner tonight too) did I tell him the vegan secret. He was amazed and already requested it for next week!
Oh my goodness! When my mom first introduced me to this blog, I didn’t expect much out of it in the realm of vegan options. Man was I wrong! Cannot wait to make these tomorrow evening for dinner. So much gratitude for your amazing recipes.
Love the sauce, love the avocado/bean combination. This is a definite keeper. I even tried freezing a couple of these (wrapped individually, with the sauce separate) and they were perfect when reheated, even the avocado. Terrific recipe.
This was amazing. Just the right amount of heat for a bite. Got a hearty approval from the husband who is usually anti-vegi. I am looking forward to make it again, thanks for another gem Beth!
Hello! I made these two days ago and they are FANTASTIC! Do you happen to know the nutritional or caloric breakdown?
I’ve made these for my family on my dinner duty night about 3 times now, and they’re always a hit! The sauce is just to die for, it’s my favourite part. My adamantly carnivorous brother and father insist on meat, though, so I usually brown some ground beef with taco-y spices and add a little scoop in each before rolling. I’m 100% fine with the vegetarian version, though. Avocado and beans, sign me up!
This was super tasty!! I am not a fan of avocodo but the flavor was really good. I am so looking forward to trying out more recipes.
Made these last night and they were amazing. My girlfriend was raving. We both love how deep the flavor was and yet healthy. Props!
This is the first recipe from this website I trie and it was delicious – will definitely be cooking this again in future! Thanks for the photos – it made the instructions really clear.
I LOVE these enchiladas. I just have had one problem when I make them. I prefer the soft flour tortillas, but it seems like they get mushy really quick when doused in the enchilada sauce. Any ideas on how to remedy this? Maybe bake them for a little while without the sauce so they get a little crispy?
Yes, you can definitely bake them without the sauce to crisp ’em up and then pour the sauce on at the end :) I know it’s weird, but I LOVE how the tortillas get mushy from the sauce!
We really enjoyed this recipe, but we enjoyed using the leftover filling to make huevos rancheros for breakfast this morning even more. Oh. My. Goodness. It was amazeballs. You must try it!
We really enjoyed this recipe, but we enjoyed using the leftover filling to make huevos rancheros for breakfast this morning. Oh. My. Goodness. It was amazeballs. You must try it!
These were fabulous as are all of your recipes. I have never been disappointed by budget bytes! I did not miss the meat at all and no one else did either 3 out of 4 kids loved them and my husband agreed they were delicious. Thanks!
Hey Beth, this tasted great! Do you think this is freezable?
I haven’t frozen them myself (because I ate them so quickly!) but I definitely think they would freeze good.
Tried this recipe last night. Good, but the mole sauce uses way too much salt, in my opinion. I’d cut the amount to only 1/2 teaspoon at most. And *maybe* reduce the cayenne a bit too – but that’s only because I’m a wuss when it comes to spicy food! ;)
Made these for dinner tonight! My carnivorous husband cleaned the casserole dish. I wasn’t crazy about the enchilada sauce, but the filling was incredible.
I made these for dinner tonight! I didn’t have enough fajita sized tortillas so I ended up frying up some small corn tortillas and using half of the filling for tacos and half for enchiladas. SO GOOD! I’ve never tried anything from your blog that I didn’t like. Thanks!
IF you were to recommend an enchilada sauce in a can, which brand do you guys think is best? Might not have time to make the sauce when I prepare this tmrw
Ha, honestly, I never even used to look at the brands :P I would just pick one off the shelf! I wish I could offer some advice.
Love almost everything I’ve made from your blog, especially these. I used canned hominy instead of frozen corn, and OMG they were yummy! Thank you for so many great ideas!
I just made these, and they are divine! I used corn tortillas instead though. A little tip: if your corn tortillas keep breaking when you roll them, toss them in the microwave for 30 seconds! They should come out a lot more pliable! And thanks for your awesome recipes, Beth!
Awesome recipe, can’t wait to try this out! I like the idea of adding coco to this, reminds me of Cincinnati style chili which is amazing!
Oopsie! I totally skipped the part where you said enchiladas are supposed to be wrapped in corn tortillas and to use whichever type we wanted; partly coz it was almost midnight when I asked that question and I was already tired and mommy brain but corn tortillas it is! Sorry about that :)
Oh, well I’m glad you found the answer before I had a chance to get back to you :D I hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
Hi Beth, how’s your evening going :) I have a quick question if you don’t mind. I was planning on making this for dinner tomorrow night. We have lots of frozen corn tortillas and I was thinking about using them up. Do you think it would be a good substitute using corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas? :)
Just made this! Covered the whole thing with a layer of shredded Mexican blend cheese, and it was delicious! And I definitely ate the leftover filling with a spoon while waiting for them to cook.
I am wondering if you could assemble these one day and then bake the next, or if you think that we need to bake it all on the first day and then reheat. I wasn’t sure with the avocados. Also, do you think that you could use the same amount of fresh corn cut from the cob (since it’s summer and it’s available)?
I would definitely do that. You don’t have to worry about the avocados turning black because they’re wrapped up inside so no one will see and the oxidation doesn’t affect the flavor at all. Plus, oxidation only occurs when they’re exposed to air, and when they’re all mixed up with the other ingredients and wrapped tightly in the enchiladas, they don’t get that much exposure :) Ooh, and yes, fresh corn would be *awesome*.
My BFF emailed this recipe to me. She has made it a few times and loves it. DAMN TASTY!!! I was impressed by how simple it was to create, but even more impressed by the BIG flavor. I can’t believe I have never attempted to make enchilada sauce before. A kitchen success! Looking forward to checking out more of your recipes.
I’m Mexican, and have always made enchiladas from scratch the hard way. Some times it’s worth it to cook your tomatoes and chiles, make a sauce, fry your sauce, thicken your sauce etc…, but these were SO simple and SUPER delicious. I recently cut meat from my diet and these are oh so encouraging. I think I’ll make them at least weekly. My husband added feta cheese and lemon over his, and that was even better if you’re not vegan. Try them!
Holy crow these were amazing! I ended up halfing the cayenne and throwing in some black pepper because I’m a big ol’ baby with spiciness, but in the end I probably didn’t need to. What a perfect meal, thank you!
Thanks so much for this post… I always refer back to it for the enchilada sauce. It’s so easy and so much tastier than the canned variety. Love your recipes!
YUM!!!!
I tried this, making a few adjustments, and we enjoyed it thoroughly. Thanks!
Wow. These were awesome! Thank you! Didn’t even miss the cheese. Love your blog!
Omg, too much salt!! We couldn’t handle the saltiness. We’re going to try cutting down the salt next time.
Um, holy mackerel, these were the business. So easy and cheap to assemble, and a major hit with my 20 month old twin toddlers (they love black beans, tomatoes, and avocados, so I was pretty sure it would be a slam dunk with them), as well as with my normally carnivorous fella. Will be making again next week.
So this may sound strange, but I wonder if these would taste any good replacing the tortillas with eggs? My roommates actually made enchiladas recently and they used egg instead of tortillas and when it came out of the oven it smelled so delicious! Do you know how to do that?
That’s a really interesting idea! Do you mean like an omelette? I suppose you’d have to cook the egg in a skillet first, then fill it, roll it, and bake again. But I don’t think I’d bother baking it at that point, I’d just let it heat through in the skillet after filling and rolling. Much faster.
I think it’s more of a crepe, they just layered the toppings and egg crepe. I did find out it was some paleo recipe she had (though I think she layered the top of it with cheese haha) and just put it in the oven to warm up. I will have to give it a try and let you know the results!
My husband and I ate the whole pan in one sitting. I un-veganed it by crumbling queso fresco on the top–otherwise I made it exactly as written. I may never buy enchilada sauce again! So delicious! Thank you.
Oh man these were so good and so easy. I ended up using the entire 10 pack of tortillas to use up the last of the filling. And the leftovers just got better as they sat in the fridge!!
Delish and easy! My novice cook husband made these and I was so happy. Our kids ate it too and didn’t once complain about the veggies they normally don’t like. YUM!
I made these today to be enjoyed for lunch and dinner. They’re INCREDIBLE, and since I already had most of the ingredients handy, very cheap. I didn’t have cayenne pepper, so I used crushed chili peppers. I also couldn’t find cocoa powder near me, so I melted down a square from a paprika chocolate bar I had in the fridge.
I will definitely make these again in the future. Thanks!
Super tasty! Just made this last night for my boyfriend and me. I added some chicken to his and we both loved it. I got fajita tortillas, but fitting 8 in was a tiiiight squeeze. Got it to work and boy, it was tasty!
my 7 year old had seconds, my anorexic picky 3 yearbold ate evry morsel, and my man child boyfriend had 3 of them. I honestly usually am terrified of big chunks of avocado and tomato and made these to get over my fear and am so glad I did. will be making them again!!
Soooo goooood! I’ve made these twice now, first time I thought I had no cayenne, so I used red pepper flakes, then found the cayenne … and added it too. So spicy, but so delicious, I made it just the same way the second time. Hot DAMN it’s good, my mouth is watering just thinking back. AND I keep forgetting to have avocado, it could only be better with that.
Thanks Beth! I love your site.
These are KILLER good!! Thank you Beth! I’ve had them bookmarked for a while and finally made the tonight. The cocoa powder really does make the sauce taste rich and amazing, not like chocolate in the least. For those reading this comment: mine definitely had a spicy kick (which I adore), so if you’re sensitive to spicy-ness, limit the cayenne :)
do you think this is something that could be made in advance a few days since the avocado is baked? like if I baked it over weekend then reheated whole dish later in the week? Thanks?
Yep! I baked it one day and then reheated it for the next three or four days. So, I’m sure it would also work if you reheated the whole dish. But, if you’re going to reheat in the oven, just cover it so that it doesn’t get dried out the second time around.
The only thing I will do differently is not to use chipotle chili powder in the enchilada sauce. My lips are still burning. Note to self: buy a different type of chili powder next time.
This may be one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten ever.
I make your recipes on a regular occasion and I have to say this was one of our very favorites. Amazing taste combo
I was craving avocado tonight and a quick Google search for avocado and black beans brought me here. I needed to use the ripe avocado I had on hand. These enchiladas hit the spot! So easy and filling! I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes on hand so I used a fresh red bell pepper in its place, and added a wee bit of reduced fat cheddar inside each enchilada before rolling it up. Outstanding! The enchilada sauce is the bomb, I had leftover sauce so I am freezing it for next time! So comforting and satisfying, I’m going to take a food coma nap now!