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.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
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 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!