Why am I calling these enchiladas Weeknight Bean and Cheese Enchiladas? Because they’re basic. Nothing frilly or fancy, just simple, basic enchiladas. But there are three things that, IMHO, turned these very basic enchiladas into something quite extraordinary. Read on to see the secret to making your enchiladas next level.
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How to Make Good Enchiladas
There are three simple things that make a really good enchilada, IMHO:
- Toasted corn tortillas
- Enchilada sauce that doesn’t come from a can
- Insanely good refried beans
Numbers one and two only a few minutes to complete, and make a huge difference in the end flavor and quality of the enchiladas. Number three might take a little longer, but it can be done ahead of time so that there’s no extra work on your weeknight. And if there is one of the three that I had to compromise on, it would be number three.
What Kind of Tortillas to Use for Enchiladas
Corn tortillas are best for making enchiladas. They hold up better to enchilada sauce and give a great toasty corn flavor, as long as you take the extra step to toast them. Toasting the tortillas in a dry skillet before assembling the enchiladas gives them a nice nutty flavor, makes them stronger, and prevents them from cracking open in the oven.
What Kind of Enchilada Sauce?
My Easy Red Enchilada Sauce only takes about 5 minutes to make, but makes a world of difference compared to canned sauce. Sure, it’s not full-fledged, grind-your-own-dry-peppers, from-scratch sauce, but we’re going for the best “weeknight” version here. This sauce still has an intense flavor that drenches the enchiladas and really takes the dish to the next level.
Bean Options
Refried beans are best for enchiladas. I made my (not) Refried Beans, from scratch, in the slow cooker the day before, but this can be done anytime ahead and the beans kept ready and waiting in the freezer.
If you don’t want to make your own beans from scratch, you can still doctor up two cans of beans. I suggest mincing a clove of garlic, finely dicing a jalapeño, sautéing both in a splash of oil until soft, then adding the beans, some cumin, and maybe even a splash of your favorite hot sauce (Cholula would be nice).
Cheese Options
Cotija is really great for topping enchiladas. If you can’t find Cotija, or it’s too expensive, you can go with my second favorite option: pepper jack. The creamy melty texture of pepper jack is also awesome with enchiladas.
Toppings for Enchiladas
I like to add a bit of chopped cilantro to the top of my bean and cheese enchiladas after baking, for a little punch of freshness. If you’re not into cilantro, sliced green onion also goes well with these flavors and also provides a little fresh green flavor. I also doubled down on creaminess and added sliced fresh avocado (again, after baking).
Weeknight Enchiladas
Servings 4 4 enchiladas eachIngredients
SAUCE
- 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp chili powder* ($0.30)
- 2 Tbsp flour ($0.02)
- 2 cups water ( $0.00)
- 3 oz. tomato paste ($0.33)
- ½ tsp cumin ($0.05)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- ¾ tsp salt ($0.03)
ENCHILADAS
- 16 small corn tortillas ($0.93)
- 4 cups refried beans ($1.60)
- 8 oz. Pepper Jack, shredded (2 cups) ($2.29)
- 1/2 large avocado, sliced thin ($0.75)
- 1/4 bunch cilantro (or green onions), roughly chopped ($0.25)
Instructions
- Begin by making the sauce. In a small sauce pot, combine the chili powder, flour, and oil. Heat over a medium flame, while stirring, for one to two minutes to toast the spices and flour. Whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, at which point it will thicken. Once thick enough to coat a spoon, taste and add salt as needed (1/2 to 3/4 tsp). Set the sauce aside.
- Toast the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium flame until they are just flecked with brown on each side. The tortillas should be slightly more firm, but still pliable enough to roll. Stack the tortillas on a clean plate as they come out of the skillet.
- Prepare a casserole dish by coating with non-stick spray, then spread a layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom (1/2 to 1 cup). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add about 1/4 cup of refried beans to each tortilla, plus a small pinch of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly around the beans and cheese, then place seam side down in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas are filled. Pour another 1/2 to 1 cup enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas in the dish, leaving some of the edges exposed so they can become brown and crispy. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake the casserole in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and bubbly around the edges and the center is heated through. Top with thin slices of avocado and chopped cilantro leaves (or sliced green onions).
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 Enchiladas – Step by Step Photos
Note: I only baked a half batch for the photos because I lost my large casserole dish. Oops!
Combine 2 Tbsp chili powder (mild, salt-free blend), 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, and 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a small sauce pot.
Let those three ingredients simmer together (stir frequently) for about two minutes. This toasts the spices and flour and creates a roux that will thicken the sauce.
Whisk in 2 cups water, 3oz. tomato paste (half of a 6oz. can or about 4 Tbsp), 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Allow the pot to come to a simmer, at which point it will thicken. When it’s thick enough to coat a spoon, turn the heat off and add the salt (1/2-3/4 tsp). Set the sauce aside.
Toast 16 small corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat until there’s just a hint of brown on each side. This strengthens the tortillas so they don’t fall apart, and also gives them a nice nutty flavor. Just stack them on a clean plate as they come out of the skillet. (I usually do two in a skillet at a time).
Shred 8oz. of pepper jack (2 cups). Begin to preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Coat a casserole dish with non-stick spray, then pour a layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom (use about half, leaving half to pour over top). Spread about 1/4 cup refried beans down the center of each tortilla and top with a pinch of shredded cheese (make sure to save about half of the cheese to top the casserole). Roll the tortillas up tightly, then line them up all snug in the casserole dish.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the rolled enchiladas.
I like to leave the edges of my tortillas “unsauced” so they get nice and crispy and lightly browned. More texture and more flavor!
Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top…
Bake the casserole in the preheated 350ºF oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the enchilada sauce is super thick and bubbly, and the edges of your tortillas are nice and golden brown.
Top with thin slices of avocado and chopped cilantro (or green onions).
Seriously, these Bean and Cheese Enchiladas make me want every day to be a weekday. SO GOOD.
Who says basic equals boring?
This recipe is a hit in my household! I’ve made this several times, but most recently I adapted it slightly into a baby led weaning style for my 9.5 month old and he LOVED it. Topped with sour cream, guacamole, and fresh salsa for the adults.
This recipe has been in heavy rotation for years, and it’s such a great base to build off of! I usually add sautéed onion, bell peppers, and portobello mushrooms for a little extra veg, and it’s a great way to use leftover meat too.
A hit every time! Thank you!
My husband told me it’s the best Mexican I’ve ever made. I’ll never go back to beans in a can.
YUM!!! I adjusted the seasoning for our tastes and used black beans, but this recipe turned out beautifully. I don’t know if I’ve had better in a restaurant. I don’t think so. These were perfect! My husband said, “If good food is the way to a man’s heart, then I’ve just fallen in love with you all over again.”
Truly the best homemade enchiladas I’ve ever had. I’m shocked how easy the sauce is. We like to add diced and roasted sweet potato in these for an extra veggie.
Your website is a consistent go-to for dinner ideas. I made bean enchiladas for Wednesday night dinner. I took your advice and doctored up some canned beans. This is a great meatless meal and is definitely perfect for a busy weekday night!
Very inexpensive an customizable. After I cooked the beans in the slow cooker as Beth directed I let the beans thicken further in the refrigerator.
Another stellar recipe! I seriously haven’t found one that my entire family doesn’t like. This one was so easy, affordable, an so good. My husband said it’s his new favorite meal! <– yep, that's right! Thank you so much for sharing this one and all of your other recipes. They make meal time so much easier!
These enchiladas are EVERYTHING!!!! I doctored up my refried canned beans with finely diced yellow onion, garlic, cilantro paste, and cumin. I used double the amount of cheese, opting to shred some of the pepperjack finely and mix it into the beans and then using a bigger shred for the cheese on top. I’ll freely admit that I’m a cheese fiend though.
I have always hated corn tortillas (blasphemy I know) so I used low carb flour tortillas instead. They toasted up great in the skillet. And the sauce was absolute heaven!! I might make a batch and a half of sauce next time because we wanted more!
But they’re easy, filling, budget-friendly, and perfect. I will definitely be making them again!! My mouth is watering just thinking about making them again.
Delish!! These were easier than I thought and so good. I added taco-seasoned ground beef to the filling as well as the beans and pepper jack.
This is just so good. Just wanted to say the last time I made the veggie enchilada casserole (Also SO good!), I made a double batch of the homemade enchilada sauce and froze half. I pulled out the frozen sauce last night, it was defrosted by dinner today, and I think the flavors were even better when I used it to make these bean and cheese enchiladas. So good!
I used Trader Joe’s refried black beans (canned) and enchilada sauce (glass bottle) for an even quicker weeknight meal. The cheese I had on hand was mild cheddar, which was perfect. I’ll pick up some pepper jack to make this again. I added sliced black olives and canned mild green chiles, which I cannot recommend enough. This recipe is perfect! These turned out so wonderful. I’m pretty sure I could add in any sautéed vegetable as a filling, and these would still be amazing. This now my base enchilada recipe!
This was excellent! I made a refried bean recipe from scratch using black beans. Thank you!
Our go-to enchilada recipe this past year. I can’t tell you how happy my husband gets! Foolproof and delicious! Thank you so much for this and many other of your recipes that have gotten us through the lean times with smiles on our faces. Yum!
Super tasty! The homemade sauce is to die for. If we used canned refried beans, I am really partial to the Salsa style ones they sell at Trader Joes.
I made these with a few modifications to suit my tastes (and fridge inventory), but I’m sure it’s delicious as is, too.
-Added smoked paprika to the enchilada sauce
-Used 1/2 lb ground beef, 1/2 cup frozen corn, and 1/4 sauteed red onion to a can of refried beans
-Used sharp cheddar instead of jack cheese
Thanks Beth! Can’t wait to eat these all week :)
Delicious. Far better than a canned enchilada sauce I purchased. Minor tweaks based on existing pantry items: flour tortillas, adding onions to the quick bean recipe and mashing them, no avocado, and adding chopped olives to the top of the dish. Will definitely make again!
Could I substitute black beans instead? If so, the same amount or something different? Thanks!
Yes I think that would be great!
I love your recipes, Beth, and I make a ton of them! I tried this one last night with homemade non-refried beans, enchilada sauce, and even homemade tortillas that I fry on a dry cast iron. I used pepper jack AND cotija because I luckily had a coupon. The casserole turned out beautifully. Even put the nice avocado and cilantro on top and I love the tip about leaving the ends exposed so they crisp up. But….I really felt like it was missing something. Perhaps I didn’t have enough flavor in the beans? I added the whole jalapeno. I’m perplexed because I’m not a novice cook and it looked SOOO good – but fell a little flat with me and my boyfriend. Not being vegetarian, I’m ashamed to say we might be missing some of the animal fat from chicken or beef. But I’ll definitely try again but maybe put some chilies or pickled jalapenos right with the beans and cheese rolls. Some recipes just need more practice for me. Thanks for all you do!
You could definitely add a bit more spice or even some lime crema on top!
If you don’t make this, you’re a fool! So good.
We make fajitas with beans on the side, then add the fajita toppings into the beans the next night for enchiladas.
Thanks Dan!
I’ve made this well over a dozen times, its one of our tried & true recipes! Its great for meal prep because it reheats well and I’ve frozen portions and those reheated well too!
Love this!
Potentially dumb question: the recipe says 16 tortillas but I only see 8 enchiladas in the dish in your pictures. Are you doubling up the tortillas, cooking two batches, or am I missing something? When I made it I wound up with 16 individual enchiladas in my dish.
I’m sorry that’s not clear, but when I photographed this one I only made a half batch because my large casserole dish was in use! :)
Can I keep everything the same if I’m using chicken instead of beans?
Yes definitely!
I have made this recipe 3 times now and absolutely love it! It is simple, easy to modify if needed, very filling, and delicious! I always bought enchilada sauce for Mexican inspired dishes, but now I know how easy it is to make!
Thanks again for the great recipe!
I want to make this for a new mom – would you bake it to completion and then give it to her or put the enchiladas in the dish and let her bake it when she’s ready? I’ll include a whole avocado and not slice it so it doesn’t turn brown.
Hi there, I would bake it first since the tortillas might become soggy if sitting in the sauce. It reheats beautifully in my opinion!
This was my first budget bytes recipe and it was amazing! I only ended up making about 12 tortillas worth since that’s what fit in my casserole dish. I also used Trader Joes canned fat-free refried beans (didn’t do anything to spruce them up since I’m lazy) but these still came out amazing! The homemade sauce was so good. I didn’t need to add any additional salt after taking my sauce off the heat. I paired these with cilantro lime rice and I had enough leftovers to meal prep for the rest of the week. Don’t skip on the avocado on top, it’s really the final touch!
Wow. Made these last night (added shredded braised beef for extra oomph) for my Manfriend and myself, and we LOVED them. We ate almost the entire pan between the two of us. Really delicious, quite easy to make, and I am especially grateful for the homemade enchilada sauce recipe. This one is definitely going into the rotation. Thank you!
Hey the ingredient measurements are all wrong on the mobile app version of this recipe!
Thanks for the heads up. We’ll get that fixed right away!
This enchilada sauce was so easy and very delicious. I have to skip the cheese, but topped with guacamole after the bake (and a few shakes of habanero tobacco – WHEW!). Super inspiring as always! Thanks!
Thanks, Beth! Our family loves your recipes and turn to them often. We love knowing we can trust your site for yummy, easy, and inexpensive meals! I am excited to try this recipe this week and the beans are prepping in the slow cooker right now. What is your advice for prepping the meal ahead of time? Maybe we roll the tortillas/enchiladas and store it dry (no sauce) in the fridge until we are ready to bake? Then add the sauce/cheese at the last minute? (I try to do as much meal prep as possible the night before since I come hone from work to two hungry toddlers and a hungry hubby!). Thanks again, Beth! Love your site!
Yep, that’s exactly the method I would use. :) I hope you enjoyed them!
These turned out delicious. I made the homemade refried beans and I can’t believe how easy it was. The whole dish came together beautifully. I did not have any avocado on hand but the dish was still delicious without them. Next time I will make the refried beans and the enchilda sauce the day before to save on time. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I so loved how filling these enchies are that I am making them again.
I altered your idea Beth of toasting tortillas to my energy level. I line the lower oven tray with some foil–some only to let hot air move some. I place tortillas on top tray spread out some and let them toast there some, enough to keep them from breaking, like you said.
Thanks for sharing recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe!! I frequently make enchiladas, but am never really happy with the results. This recipe is a keeper. I made them last night, subbing pork leftovers I wanted to use up for the beans. The sauce comes together really quickly, and I already had all the ingredients in the house. I usually use flour tortillas for my enchiladas, but a lot of the time they get too soggy. I toasted them before I constructed the enchiladas this time, and it worked like a charm! My food snob husband commented on how good they were too (which he rarely does). Seriously, can’t thank you enough for this one. I plan to make them constantly.
Awesome!! :D
I am making these tonight for my brother and his wife. I made the sauce and grated the cheese ahead of time so I would not be too tired when they come to visit. I love the sauce I have used it on two other types of enchiladas.
I will dress the canned beans with poblano pepper, yellow onion, garlic and some dried Mexican oregano. Just enough kick to not be boring.
I will serve this with a kale salad that I am also prepping tonight.
Thanks for sharing Beth,
I’ve tried a lot of enchilada recipes and this one is by far my favorite. Delicious, simple, and inexpensive. I prefer the flavor and texture of the not-refried-beans to the shredded chicken that I had been using in enchiladas in the past. The enchilada sauce is not bitter or sour like many of the more laborious versions that are out there. My carnivorous family loved them! Thank you!
Thank you for these easy enchiladas. I made the slow cooker refried beans and sauce, then had my 9 and 10 year olds assemble them. Next time I’m going have them make the beans and sauce themselves as well. I’m always looking for recipes that are good for teaching my kids how to cook. I’m glad I can add this to the list.
I make these all the time and they really are weeknight friendly and outstanding! A win for a full time student/working full time!
Do You have a recipe for refried Beans ?
Yep, it’s linked in the intro: (Not) Refried Beans
Is there a way to include the Nutritional Value Break down with all your recipes? I am on a weightloss plan and want to stay on track and I need to have that info to calculate.
Thanks
This is the best, most delicious, most satisfying meal I think I’ve ever eaten. This will be on my rotating meal menu, even the kids loved it! They couldn’t stop eating the (not) refried beans out of the crockpot. I just recently became vegetarian and am learning to cook with dry beans and this is a winner!
Making dinner has become more challenging now that I have a toddler underfoot. Thank you a recipe that’s easy and fast to make! Plus, my kiddo loved it!
Just made these with the addition of some shredded chicken I had on hand. but even without the chicken it would have been amazing. So easy and delicious!!
I want grocery and receipt too. I very poor and I am starving to death here you know what I mean.
I LOVE this recipe! It is always a challenge to find great vegetarian recipes for my husband. We have made these twice less than a week! Great job!!
Can you freeze these?
They would probably freeze decently, but I haven’t tried it.
This is so good! I cooked the beans in my Instant Pot and turned on sauté at the end to thicken. I have used the enchilada sauce before so I knew that would be great. I also added some seasoned beef with the beans. Husband needs a low salt diet so I left it out of everything. We are getting more used to low salt, so with the careful distribution of cheese, he found it “surprisingly good” without adding anything. (He is the reason I added beef. We’re working on that.)
Thank you for the simple, healthy, and tasty recipes.
These were so good! I used canned chipotle refried beans and queso fresco cheese. Toasted tortillas and a homemade sauce really do make a difference. I will definitely make these again.
Oh my god this is amazing! We made it tonight and will be making it many more times in the future. It actually was a lot easier than the recipe first seemed- there are a lot of steps but it comes together quickly and with little effort. Definitely a keeper. I love Budget Bytes! I could lose access to every recipe I’ve ever used and still be happy as long as I still had Budget Bytes and Sally’s Baking Addiction. Thanks Beth!!
This was quite yum, even if I did take some liberties with it. We made layers of tortilla and bean mixture instead of rolling into enchiladas. I think next time I might even double the sauce. I served it with avocado, salsa and fresh lime for squeezing on top!
I am so excited to have found your site and this recipe. I am on a sodium restricted diet (I don’t do salt substitutes either, they change the flavor in my opinion) and some of my family members have allergies, so many things we really enjoy eating are not on the menu anymore. I look for recipes that I can make from scratch and control the salt added so I can add favorites back into meal rotation. This recipe just opened up a whole new dimension for me based on the ingredients and the reviews! I can’t wait to make this recipe on my next day off!
I never cease to be amazed with the simplicity and deliciousness of your recipes! I made this last night and it was SO easy but tasted better than most enchiladas I’ve had in restaurants. Agreed that the homemade enchilada sauce kicks it up a notch, as does toasting the corn tortillas. My fiance doesn’t even like enchiladas and was excited to take these in his lunch today! Thank you for all the great and straightforward recipes!
Finally getting around to leaving a review for this awesome dish. I make this recipe so often and it’s honestly better than many restaurant enchiladas! I usually shortcut on the beans, but always make the sauce (so easy) and I feel like that makes all the difference. Yummm!
I made this for dinner today. I used fullwheat tortilla’s, as I had that on hand, then laid some leftover corn and salsa. And for the last minute I steamed some carrot, to add some texture. It was delicious!
I was also surprised with how light it felt, despite eating two it didn’t make me feel as stuffed as enchiladas usually does. I will definetly make this again!
Holy moly! This was great! I added shredded chicken with the beans and cheese and I only had flour tortillas on hand and this was amazing! My husband loved it! His only request was that it be spicier. This recipe will def. be added to our favorites list! Thanks so much! (also I think it would do well making then freezing for a later date! :)
This is my second time making the Weeknight Enchiladas, and honestly, it’s AMAZING!!! I used ground beef instead of chicken. I didn’t toast the corn tortillas in a dry skillet because ground beef is greasy. Since I’m living alone now, I have plenty of leftovers for dinner. Thanks again, Beth!!!
Hi Beth!
I was just wondering if it is okay to freeze any leftover enchiladas that there may be? I am trying to compile a list of recipes off of your site that would be great for freezing!
Thanks a bunch! :)
I do think these will probably freeze well. :)
do you think these would hold up just as well with flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas?
I often make enchiladas with flour instead of corn. The flavor and texture is definitely different. Flour tortillas do get quite mushy, but I kind of like that sometimes, which is why I use them occasionally. If you don’t like mushy, stick to the corn.
I have tried many enchilada sauces and yours is the BEST! It’s my go to for all my enchilada dishes.
Hello,
I can always count on you for last minute dinner ideas. I browse through and see what I can make based on the ingredients I already have.
I made these enchiladas and I had the following modifications:
– I used potato instead of beans (didn’t have beans). I boiled the potatos and mashed them, added a little bit of milk, salt and pepper
– I added a dash or ground oregano to the sauce
Delish!
I am Mexican American and I usually make the sauce from scratch, which is a little labor intensive.
The recipe for the Weeknight Enchiladas is one of the BEST recipes I’ve ever made from Budget Bytes!! This was my first time making enchilada sauce from scratch, and honestly, it’s better than the canned version. I’ve added shredded chicken to the filling, since my sister isn’t a huge fan of vegetarian dishes. Also, I used a combination of Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, and garnished the enchiladas with some green onions. I was able to make sixteen enchiladas, so there will be leftovers. Thank you so much, Beth for this phenomenal recipe!!! :-)
Wow, Beth! I can’t believe how good this is. I made these as an experiment, not thinking it would be so much better than canned beans and sauce. What a difference! LOVE them.
This is an awesome recipe! Especially the enchilada sauce – it was very quick to make and tasted wonderful! I live in Egypt so I can’t get refried beans, so I used chickpeas and mixed them with some spices – mainly cumin and paprika – worked great. Black beans would work too.
refried beans is cooked red beans with onion, garlic, and spices
I am a convert thanks to this recipe. Never again will I buy canned enchilada sauce. I didn’t know how bad it was until I tried the real deal, these enchiladas were luscious and restaurant-quality. Thank you!
How is it possible that this enchilada sauce is so AMAZING when it’s made with just a few staple pantry ingredients?! I used black beans and baked butternut squash cubes, along with the cheese and green onions for a filling and it’s my new fave weeknight dinner. Can’t wait to experiment with other fillings. Thank you for another amazing and affordable recipe!
Hi,
I love your blog and have tried many of your recipes (with much success). Your step-by-step photos make following the recipe a cinch!
Have you given any thought about adding some nutritional facts broken down by serving (i.e. weight)? I know it would be quite a bit more work, but it would make tracking macros SO MUCH easier. I know that I sometimes skip over recipes that do not include them.
Thanks and please keep up the awesome work,
Andrew
I absolutely LOVED these!!! Im pretty picky about enchilada sauce but this recipe had me licking the spoon!! I had extras which headed up nicely for lunch !! Cant say enough about this recipe..MUST TRY! What a great introduction into the blog as well… Ive now tried 3 other dinners and loved each one. This is my new go to for recipes… sorry Pintrest!
I was super excited to try this recipe. I love all Mexican food and this one looked simple and delicious. We regularly make your black bean and avocado enchiladas, so often that I double the enchilada sauce and throw the other half in the freezer for the next meal. I also made your refried beans recipe over the weekend and wish I had doubled it! So with those two components already prepared this was a breeze. So simple and I will be adding it to our regular rotation. Thank you, Beth for all that you do. I come back to your blog time and time again for good reason!
Just finished eating these. So simple, so tasty! This recipe really depends on using quality ingredients. Your recipes for refried beans and enchilada sauce really make this recipe great. Thanks Beth!
I made this yesterday and it was so awesome I had to have it for breakfast this morning! I made the refried beans, enchilada sauce and tortillas all from scratch, which was a bit of an endeavour but super tasty! I didn’t have an avocado to go with it but the dish is still great without it. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Very good! Used 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and it was moderately spicy. Used bagged shredded cheese, but next time I will grate my own. Only thing I would do differently is to cover the pan with foil for baking, and maybe remove last 10 minutes to crisp up and get the cheese bubbly. I also prepped this by assembling the enchiladas earlier in the day and kept them covered in the fridge until dinner time.
My boyfriend stated these were better than restaurant enchiladas! Any tips for leveling up to a meat filling? I would assume it’s just meat plus a pinch of cheese and everything else stays the same.
Yep, you can just add in some browned ground beef, or if you want to kick it up a notch you could always brown the beef with some garlic and maybe a little extra chili powder or cumin. :) Shredded chicken would also be good.
This was perfect for a casual Sunday night dinner with my sister! The hardest part was trying not to eat them all at once so that I can still have some leftovers for dinner all next week :)
Looking forward to using the leftover refried beans from your slow cooker recipe for huevos ranchers for breakfast, too! Yay!
Fantastic! Made last night, great flavors for a simple dish! We reconstituted some dried chile peppers,chopped them, and added them to the sauce for added heat and smokiness. Love the avocado and cilantro on top. Well definitely be added to my dinner rotation!
Just tried making these the other night and I’m so glad because they hit the spot perfectly. I had already frozen cooked pinto beans on hand (thanks to your blog), so I just de-thawed, left them un-rinsed, smashed them, added a little water and chicken bouillon until they were my desired texture. I also had some cheddar in my freezer and used that instead of jack cheese. My husband isn’t a fan of meatless meals most of the time so I pulled some leftover shredded turkey (yes from Thanksgiving) out of the freezer to supplement. I planned on making a half batch but the glass dish I used only fit 6 enchiladas. Which considering that my husband doesn’t usually care for enchiladas, didn’t leave me worried. Less of a chance of throwing away leftovers. Needless to say, my husband loved them and I need to make another batch soon, since he ate most of them and I barely got any. Thanks Beth!
Hey Beth,
Could you share how you did the retried beans on the Instant Pot? Thanks!
Sure! I just put all the ingredients in there (the ingredients from my not-refried beans recipe) and used the “beans/chili” preset, then used my hand mixer to purée them in the end. :) It was super easy!
Thanks!! I’m going to try it today.
Do you have any trouble storing these? It seems that I can only make these when I have friends over so they can all be eaten. In the past, if I leave the leftovers in the fridge the tortilla is a soggy mess the next day. Do you ever freeze them?
Thanks
I actually like soggy enchiladas for breakfast the next morning. But my husband wants his fresh and toasty, so I make a small batch–enough for 2 of us for dinner, plus some leftovers for me to eat either cold or nuked in the morning or take to work for lunch. It’s easy enough to save the left over sauce and refries and assemble the rest of the recipe a couple of days later. Half of this recipe would be perfect for us–4 for him, 2 for me and 2 leftover. I like to thicken my enchilada sauce with a corn tortilla or 2 pureed with the water in a blender, along with a couple of dried ancho chilies soaked in some of the water instead of the chili powder
These turned out great! I roasted some chopped up sweet potatoes with some salt and smoked paprika while I was making the beans and sauce and added them inside the tortillas. I also found I needed more sauce so I added some crushed tomatoes and a bit of extra water. And I couldn’t resist adding chipotle powder to the beans – I used black beans. Eating them right now with some lime juice. Thanks for another great recipe, Beth!
I made your (not) refried beans yesterday and made enchiladas tonight. In an effort to avoid buying more groceries though, I made my own whole wheat flour tortillas, leftover rice mixed with my own taco seasoning accompanied the beans as a filling, and I made the sauce by mixing a jar of salsa verde, that had been lurking in my pantry, with some sour cream and half & half to temper the heat. Nomnomnom!!!
And by these, I mean enchiladas in general. Not just this specific recipe. I also swear by this enchilada sauce!
Very innovative! Nice work! :D
Every time I make sauce like this, it turns out bitter. Is it the kind of chili powder I am using? It isn’t burnt. Just a bitter flavor. This time I did not use the chili powder in a can, but made my own with paprika, cumin, garlic and coriander and it was less bitter. I did not have the proper ingredients. Also, I added a tiny bit of sugar to cut the bitterness.
Any advice most welcome regarding the bitterness issue.
I enjoy your blog and have used many of your recipes and they have all been excellent.
Thank you so much for continuing this blog. It is fun to follow the evolution of your cooking.
Jicky, Although Beth’s recipe says chili powder, I always use chile powder which is dried ground chile pepper vs the spice blend called chili powder. I do add a little sugar and also a little bit of cinnamon. Cinnamon cuts the bitterness like sugar does but if you try that, try a little at a time. I thought the tomato paste was a very good addition in this recipe.
Hmm, yes, it sounds like it might be the brand of chili powder that you’re using. That’s my best guess, anyway! And I think adding a pinch of sugar is about the only thing I can think of that might help, as well. :(
Thank you both so much for the replies. I made the enchiladas with the sauce recipe using paprika, cumin and some other spices instead of the ready made chili powder and it was so delicious. Wonderful recipe. I don’t think I have ever made a recipe from your blog that I have not enjoyed greatly. Thanks!
I made these last night. I’m typically home all day working from a home office, but had an unusual day of appointments in town. I had just defrosted black beans so subbed those in the not refried recipe – VERY good. Although I have a red chile gravy recipe I like, used yours and I REALLY like the bit of tomato paste – seemed like it amped up and smoothed out the flavors.
This recipe “saved” me today – quick, full of flavor and like others, I think this is very healthy made at home with good stuff and not overloaded with cheese like restaurant dishes. Thanks, Beth!
Just wanted you to know that I’ve been swearing by your red enchilada sauce since I stumbled upon it sometime last year. It’s so delicious, and for so little effort and expense! Now I just need to attempt that refried beans recipe and see if I can give this recipe a shot x)
Pinning this and will def be making soon! I love the idea of making my own “refried” beans in the crockpot–simple, tasty and cheap!! YAY!
Tonight we are having leftover bean, bacon and potato soup and the ciabatta bread from your blog. Thanks so much for the great ideas, I love finding good recipes that also fall in line with my budget!
I made them tonight, they are awesome!!!!
I have a batch of your slow cooker (not) refried beans in the freezer, and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to use em. This seems like it! How would you go about thawing?
I just transfer it to the refrigerator the day before and then they’re soft by the time I need to use them. :)
After making the sauce, I realized I had a can of diced tomatoes (the kind with green pepper, celery and onions in it) that I was looking to use up, so I tossed it in with a drained can of kidney beans and some browned ground beef. It works as a great base for a chili recipe too.
I just whipped up a batch of the sauce since I was so curious to try it out (even though I still need to go to the store for the rest of the ingredients). It came out fantastic, and I love that the recipe didn’t require a bunch of different dried chili’s, which are hard to find around here. I had to swap out one of the cups of water for a small can of plain tomato sauce, since I didn’t have any tomato paste, but it worked out just fine. I may try some chicken broth in place of the water too next time I make this.
By the way, with regards to jazzing up the plain refried beans – you can also mix in some bacon fat along with the crumbled bacon.
The zucchini and corn filling sounds great too, like a calabacitas inside an enchilada.
These looks DELISH! Anything with avocado is an automatic must-eat for me! Thanks for such an easy, simple recipe,
Brittny | http://www.brittnykindred.com
Do you think you could use potato flakes to thicken up the sauce instead of flour to make a gluten free alternative?
Hmm, I’ve never cooked with potato flakes, so I’m really not sure. It sounds like it’s worth a try, though. :) You could also maybe try corn flour?
OMG I need to make these…
These look so good! I have a LOT of crushed tomatoes left over from the weekend. Can i use that in place of water and the tomato paste?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The tomato paste is far more concentrated than crushed tomatoes and part of the function of the tomato paste is to help thicken the sauce, which crushed tomatoes won’t do.
Looks great….love enchilada sauce recipe! Love cooking beans in crockpot..no fuss, easy, and no worry of the beans scorching in the pot!!! Great recipe. Pinned. Thanks.
Great recipe Beth. Such an easy and fast one. However, even though i know a thing or two about cooking, kitchens, ovens etc. i have two questions.
1. Do you think adding butter after the baking is a good idea? I like the taste and the smell when it melts and i think it will compliment the whole meal.
2. Do you prefer white wine with the meal or you can suggest another drink.
Why am i asking?
I want to make a surprise for my wife and i want the whole package :) I’m sure you’ll understand. Thank you.
Personally, I think butter would be too much, but everyone has unique taste buds. :) A cold, crisp/dry white wine would be great with this, or a Corona with lime. :)
I lived in Mexico for several years and fell in love with their crumbly white cheese (they just called it seco queso de vaca) and we bought it by the chunk that often had an imprint of the bottom of the bucket they made it in. After moving back here, I really missed it and then discovered that feta cheese is very close in both texture and taste. I would use it in the filling and then wait until after the enchiladas are cooked to sprinkle the rest on the top. One other nice benefit is that it is lower in calories than the pepper jack cheese.
The sliced avocado and creamy pepper jack cheese look so good. I’ve never actually made enchiladas though because they seem rather unhealthy. Do you have any suggestions on how to make them more wholesome? Also, do you happen to know if corn chips would work in place of the tortillas?
I think if you use low fat or homemade refried beans (like mine) they’re quite healthy. :) Just beans and a skosh of cheese. You could always add some diced up vegetables in the enchiladas, or on top. I was tinkering with the idea of doing a zucchini and corn filling. You could probably use corn chips instead to make it more like a baked nachos, but then that’s way less healthy because those are fried.
I don’t think they are unhealthy especially this version. Corn tortillas are nutritios,corn is a whole grain, if you are worried about GMOs there is always organic corn tortillas at places like Whole foods. If you fry the tortillas which is the Mexican way, well that ups the calorie count a lot, but this recipe is not fried. Cheese has tons of nutrition and calories that we need for life, and don’t even get me started on beans, it is one of Gods most excellent wholesome nutritious food. I may be a little biased though since I grew up eating enchiladas in Mexico.
I totally agree that this is not an unhealthy dish! Esp if you make your own beans and use corn tortillas!
Buying dried whole chiles (or better yet, given where you live, growing a few types in pots and then drying them) makes all the these amazing chiles based sauces so customizable and really special. I know toasting and grinding whole chiles may take this recipe out of the super easy weeknight category but so worth exploring and really cost effective!
Those pretty green avocados you have sliced over the top make me want to dive right in.
Thank you so much for this and all the great recipes you publish. I am a big fan of Tex-Mex type dishes and really appreciate a health, but even tastier version. Cant wait to try this recipe.
Would you use cotija inside and on top of the enchiladas? Thanks!
I probably would. :)
So so easy, and so delicious. Can never go wrong with enchiladas (or anything Mexican really!) and avocado. I find avocado so essential in anything Mexican because it cuts the heat so nicely! Love your website!! :D
Sounds delicious! Can you confirm the cheese amount? 8 ounces is one cup, yet you reference 2 cups in the directions. Thanks!
That looks like an 8oz (weight) block of cheese, so when your shred it, it ends up being roughly 2 cups (volume). I think you could also just by pre-shredded cheese, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Pepper Jack pre-shredded. In my opinion, if my choices are between less and more cheese, I always choose the MORE cheese option :-)
This is a matter of weight vs volume. The 8 oz is the weight of the block of cheese (or you could buy an 8 oz bag of shredded cheese). When the 8 oz block of cheese is shredded, the volume is 2 cups. If you look at an 8 oz (weight) bag of shredded cheese, it says it is 2 cups (volume).
Thanks. That’s what I figured (volume) but thanks for clarifying. I’d assumed it would have been specified. Thanks again.
The other commenters are right, for cheese 8oz. (weight) equals 2 cups once shredded. :)