Cinco de Mayo is in TWO DAYS, people!
I’m always down for any excuse to eat Mexican food, and Cinco de Mayo is no exception. Bring it on guac, salsa, chips, queso, tacos, and all the Double Bean and Corn Enchiladas.
Oh, and margaritas. We can’t forget about the margaritas.
I was thinking about Mexican food the other day…haha, just so casually, as one does. I was brought back to my family’s younger, more unrefined days of eating. My mom would make “taco ring” – a base of canned croissants, filled with meat and cheese. We had it for dinner at least once a week.
Luckily, things have evolved. Obviously, enchiladas aren’t taco rings, and I’m in no way trying to make that connection. But rather, now weekly Mexican meals are complete with all natural ingredients, vegetarian fillings, and over-the-top flavor!
So let’s get to it!
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
You NEED homemade enchilada sauce in your life. No more canned sauce with a bland, overly-tomato flavor. No, no, no, my friends. We’re making an easy homemade enchilada sauce with dried chiles, onion, and spices.
The Tortillas
No one likes a soggy enchilada, so I’ve done a lot of research about how to prevent those soggy tortilla messes. First key: CORN TORTILLAS! The second key: you need to fry them a little bit to create a layer that allows the sauce to bind to the tortilla without becoming soggy (science!). Note: do not fry to the point of crunchy, though.
So, our non-soggy corn tortillas are lightly coated in our homemade enchilada sauce and then filled with a totally delicious filling!
As the name suggests…double beans!
Black beans and pinto beans for protein, texture, and flavor! I like to mash about half of the pinto beans to change up the texture, too. They’re sautéed with onions, green chiles, garlic, corn, and a little extra cheese.
Rolled up in the tortilla, topped with more sauce, and cheese, our enchiladas are ready to bake. What’s better than a melty, cheesy topping on enchiladas? Absolutely nothing!
Now, go, pour yourself a margarita, and enjoy some Double Bean and Corn Enchiladas!
Print
Double Bean and Corn Enchiladas
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Prep Time: 25 minutes -
Cook Time: 25 minutes
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Total Time: 50 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings -
Category: Dinner -
Cuisine: Mexican
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A flavorful vegetarian Mexican dinner, made with homemade enchilada sauce!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder (not cayenne!)
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- Dash of black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
Enchiladas:
- 1-2 Tablespoons oil (olive or canola)
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 ounces diced green chilies
- 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
- Salt, to taste
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 corn tortillas
- Flavorless oil for tortillas
- Salsa, cilantro, avocado, jalapeno for topping
Instructions
- To make the enchilada sauce: first, remove stem and seeds from the dried chiles. Using a skillet over medium-high heat (or the fire from your gas stove) toast the chiles for 1-2 minutes, flipping to toast evenly. Cut the chiles in about 2-inch pieces and place in a microwave-safe bowl with 3 cups of water. Microwave for 5-6 minutes, stopping to stir and check every couple of minutes. The chiles will reconstitute and become soft. Set aside (reserving liquid!).
- In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, cook for 2 minutes, and add garlic. Stir in kosher salt, chili powder, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and tomato paste. Remove chiles from liquid (still reserving liquid) and add to skillet. Add 1 1/2 cups of liquid and stir to combine. Remove from heat and either cool slightly to add to blender, or use an immersion blender to blend together until smooth. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer (you may need to use a spoon to “squeeze” the liquid out. Return to skillet and simmer for 3-4 minutes to continue to enhance the flavor. Remove from heat and set aside.
- To make the enchiladas: Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a skillet, cook sliced onions for 4-6 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Add garlic, and green chiles. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Mash half of the pinto beans to add texture, and add all beans, and corn, to the skillet. Add a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup of each of the cheeses. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Coat a new skillet in a thin layer of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add tortillas, one at a time, and cook on each side for approximately 30 seconds until soft and pliable, but not crispy. Blot with paper towel to soak up oil as needed. I let them drip off as I remove them, then pile between paper towels.
- Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on bottom of baking dish. Dip tortillas in 1/2 cup of sauce, wiping off excess. Fill centers of tortillas, roll, and place in baking dish seam side down. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
If using frozen corn, run under water for a minute or two to defrost.
Make the enchilada sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge (or freezer if making well in advance).
As written, this recipe isn’t super spicy; if you enjoy really spicy foods, you may want to sauté a jalapeño with the onion or add extra as a garnish.
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Will you please consider making the (very nice) pictures optional (coming to me without pictures, but having a button for me to press to fill in the pictures)?
I have a limited amount of bandwidth (satellite only) and the pictures eat up too much of it.
Thanks, Jaye
Hi Jaye – I’m not sure if that’s possible but I’ll take a look into it!
These are the best enchiladas I have ever made. They are very time consuming but well worth it. Thanks!!
★★★★★
So happy to hear you love them, Lesa! Thanks for sharing! 🙂