Someone emailed me recently and said that they use white beans in place of chicken in recipes and I was like, “Wait, whoa, why haven’t I done that?” I use black beans and lentils in place of beef all the time, but for some reason it never occurred to me to use white beans in place of chicken. Well, today I tried it with these Spinach White Bean Enchiladas and it was AWESOME. (And yes, you can totally replace the white beans with about 1.5 cups of cooked chopped chicken for a meat version, if you prefer).
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What Kind of Tortillas Should I Use?
Corn tortillas are best for enchiladas because they have a great toasty corn flavor, and hold up well to the sauce. To get the most flavor out of your corn tortillas, don’t forget to toast them first! This enhances the flavor and makes them a little stronger. You can toast the tortillas over an open flame, or in a dry skillet (see the step by step photos below the recipe).
The Enchilada Filling
The filling for these enchiladas is super simple, with just some chopped spinach, white beans, creamy pepper jack, salt, pepper, and cumin. But thanks to all those colorful flecks of crushed peppers in the pepper jack, they’re not lacking in flavor. If you prefer, you can add some chopped chicken to or in place of the white beans in this recipe.
The Enchilada Sauce
Just to make sure these enchiladas were top notch, I drenched the them in a super rich pepper jack sauce. The sauce is creamy, cheesy, a little tangy, a little spicy, and a LOT delicious. I’m absolutely loving these creamy white enchiladas!
Enchilada Toppings
I topped my enchiladas with a handful of chopped cilantro, but if you don’t like cilantro, green onions also go well. If you happen to find avocados on sale, I think adding a few slices to the top of these enchiladas would be amazing.
What to Serve with Enchiladas
These Spinach and White Bean Enchiladas would go awesome with: Cilantro Lime Rice, Easy Taco Rice, Warm Corn and Avocado Salad, or Cumin Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
Spinach White Bean Enchiladas
Servings 4 3 enchiladas eachIngredients
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas ($1.10)
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese ($1.00)
- 1/2 lb frozen chopped spinach ($0.85)
- 15 oz can white beans* ($1.00)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- Handful fresh chopped cilantro for garnish (optional) ($0.13)
PEPPER JACK SAUCE
- 1 Tbsp butter ($0.14)
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 4 oz cream cheese ($1.00)
- 3/4 cup whole milk ($0.29)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese ($1.00)
Instructions
- Toast the tortillas on each side in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they are a slightly stiff and have browned just a bit on the edges. Stack them on a plate until ready to use. Toasting the tortillas increases the flavor and helps prevent them from cracking. Shred an 8oz. block of pepper jack cheese. Half will be used for the enchilada filling and half will be used for the sauce.
- Defrost the frozen spinach in a microwave or take it out of the freezer before beginning to allow it time to defrost naturally. Squeeze as much moisture out of the thawed spinach as possible. Place the spinach in a large bowl. Rinse and drain the white beans, then add them to the bowl with the spinach. Also add 4oz. of the shredded cheese, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and a little freshly cracked pepper. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Begin preparing the pepper jack sauce by adding the butter and minced garlic to a small sauce pot. Sauté the garlic in the butter for one minute over medium heat. Add the milk and cream cheese to the pot. Stir and heat until the cream cheese has fully melted into the milk and the mixture has thickened slightly. Season with salt. Begin adding the remaining shredded pepper jack, a handful at a time, and stirring it in until fully melted before adding more. Once all the cheese has been melted into the sauce, turn the heat off and allow it to cool slightly.
- Coat the inside of a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Begin filling the toasted tortillas with the spinach and white bean mixture and rolling them closed. Line up the filled tortillas in the casserole dish, seam sides facing down. Choose a casserole dish that fits 12 of the rolled enchiladas snugly to help keep them from unrolling.
- Once the tortillas are filled and in the casserole dish, pour the pepper jack sauce over top. Bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges of the tortillas are brown and the pepper jack sauce is thick and browned on the edges. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top, if desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make White Bean Enchiladas – Step by Step Photos
Begin by slightly toasting 12 6-inch corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toasting gives them a nuttier flavor and helps strengthen them a bit so they aren’t as likely to crack when rolled. You want to toast them just until they’re a little more stiff, but still pliable enough to roll. Stack them on a plate as they come out of the skillet and set them aside.
Shred an entire 8oz. block of pepper jack cheese. Half will be used in the filling of the enchiladas and half will be used for the sauce.
Thaw 1/2 lb. of frozen spinach (microwave or let sit at room temperature). I suggest getting “cut spinach” or “chopped spinach” so that you don’t have long strings of spinach leaves in your enchiladas. Once thawed, squeeze out as much water as possible from the spinach and place it in a large bowl. Rinse and drain one 15oz. can white beans and add them to the bowl along with 4oz. of the shredded cheese, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Stir the mixture until everything is evenly mixed. Set the mixture aside.
Begin preheating the oven to 350ºF. To start the pepper jack sauce, add 1 Tbsp butter and one minced clove of garlic to a small sauce pot. Sauté the garlic in the butter over medium heat for one minute to soften it up.
Add 3/4 cup whole milk and 4oz. cream cheese to the pot. Stir or whisk until the cream cheese melts into the milk and thickens it slightly. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt.
Once the cream cheese has melted in, begin adding the remaining 4oz. of shredded pepper jack, one handful at a time. Whisk in each handful until it is fully melted before adding more. Once all the cheese has been incorporated into the sauce, turn the heat off and let the sauce cool slightly while you assemble the enchiladas.
Begin filling the tortillas with the spinach and white bean mixture, rolling them up, and then placing them in a casserole dish coated with non-stick spray. I had enough filling for 12 enchiladas, but I chose a dish that was slightly too small, so I only made 10 (if you have leftover filling, you can make quick quesadillas with it in a skillet!). Make sure your enchiladas are in the dish with the seams facing down and that they fit snuggly together.
Pour the pepper jack sauce over the enchiladas. I like to pour it down the center and let some of the tortillas stay exposed on the sides. This gets them extra toasty and delicious.
Finally, bake the enchiladas in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the tortillas are brown and crispy on the edges and the pepper jack sauce has thickened and browned around the edges. Top the enchiladas with chopped cilantro for garnish, if desired.
Creamy heaven!
Dig in!
Thought I was going in a different direction and had green chili enchilada sauce on hand so substituted for the milk everything else the same absolutely delicious thank you!
Made these last night and they were so good! I used skim milk and neufchatel because that’s what I had on hand at home. This will be going in a regular rotation!
Variety is the spice of life. I appreciate when other people offer up their take on a recipe. Thanks to all of those that have shared ! Love cooking, great site for inspiration!
I made this last night, and it was very delicious and satisfying! My fiance especially loved it. He probably would have inhaled the entire casserole dish if I had let him! We both really liked the sauce. We have been trying to eat more plant based meals, and your website has made it easy! Thank you
I love this recipe and how easy these freeze. I use 6 sheets of foil as dividers between and under the enchiladas (so the pan looks like this from the side: -UUUUUU-), two per sheet of foil. Spray some Pam, place the enchiladas, and pour the cream sauce over each section. When they’re done, eat your servings, let the rest cool, then roll up the foil around each pair and freeze in a plastic bag. They reheat beautifully, although I try to let them thaw in the fridge first of I can remember.
I made this recipe exactly as is the first time, which was pretty good. The second time, I made the sauce only and used your (Non) Refried Beans as the filling with the leftover half block of pepperjack shredded inside as well. They are the best enchiladas I have ever made, hands down. My boyfriend and I are fighting over the leftovers lol. This sauce deserves its own post!
Also, I’ve found that I need to cover the entire bottom of the pan with the sauce as well (not just the top). I leave only the outer edges of the tortillas uncovered, otherwise they’re way too chewy.
I made this a few weeks ago and ended up having to use pinto beans instead of white because that’s all I had, also did fresh spinach. The sauce-WOW!!! The dish turned out amazing, it disappeared quickly 😀 This will definitely go into my regular rotation!
I made this recipe for the first time tonight, and it was excellent. My 16 month old niece approved it as well. I was worried the pepper jack may be a little hot for her, but the cream cheese really tones it down so it is absolutely kid friendly. For adults you may want to spice it up a bit more if that is your thing, but I thought it was great as is. I did use flour tortillas instead of corn because I prefer the flavor, and they did not get soggy at all with the sauce! Overall, these were filling, easy to make, quick, and super cheap. Will be adding to our rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
I’ve made this recipe countless times and it is always so so satisfying! I use fresh spinach instead of frozen and I try to make a pico de gallo, with spicy serranos, to top them with, it adds a nice spicy kick to the enchiladas. Thanks for your amazing recipes Beth! This recipe, along with the hearty black bean quesadillas are a staple in my heart + kitchen.
Does this recipe keep in the freezer well or no? Wondering if it’d work for meal prepping. Thanks!
Yes it would do great!
These were amazingly good! I cooked my white beans from dry in an instant pot in stock with bay leaves, onion, and garlic and used 2 cups drained in place of the canned beans. I think this is our favorite recipe from your site I’ve made! We’re not full time vegetarians, but your recipes make it so easy and good to go meat free half the time. Thank you!
Wanted to try this but didn’t have pepper jack cheese so made with a Mexican blend cheese combo. To give it some heat, I added some scotch bonnet hot sauce to the sauce. I had some fresh spinach I needed to use so subbed that and cooked in the micro with some veg. Broth for a minute. Thanks for the great recipe!
Oh man scotch bonnet you’re brave! Thanks for sharing!
I made this last night as written and it was quite good. I really liked the fact that the tortillas weren’t overly drenched in sauce and came out crispy on the ends. Next time I may bump up the heat a bit by adding a dash of cayenne pepper to the sauce, but overall this is an excellent quick and easy recipe I’ll make many times again. Thanks for sharing!
We support adding more heat if that’s your style! Happy to hear you enjoyed it.
This recipe is FABULOUS. I doubled the Sauce. The cream cheese is the key to the sauce. I used fat-free. Made 12 . Didn’t last long. Yum-Yum! Thanks for a keeper recipe darling!
Best Regards,
Michael W.
Thanks Michael!
This is my absolute favorite recipe! We eat it at least twice a month. I serve it with finely chopped tomatoes on top and some Cholula.
Excellent recipe! I used chicken instead of beans and added green enchilada sauce to the stuffing mix to give it moisture. I would probably make with flour tortillas next time. Corn are tastier but a pain to work with.
Thanks for your review of a totally different recipe. Why do people feel the need to alter a recipe and then leave a “review” of it. Keep it to yourself. Your review offers no help in deciding if someone wants to try a recipe.
Tina made one substitution that Beth even suggested in the description of the recipe (chicken instead of beans) and added one ingredient. That is not such a huge alteration that she made a “totally different recipe”, and since chicken is drier than canned beans I think the addition of the enchilada sauce is actually a very helpful suggestion.