Enfrijoladas are one of Mexico's most common 'dinner in a hurry' meals. They are less common North of the Border because people tend to limit beans to the 'side dish' realm.
But that usually means they've never tried warm corn tortillas drenched in a chili-infused bean puree.
It's a remarkably satisfying dish that relies on the thick bean puree to fill you up, and it's a great vegetarian option to keep in mind for quick meals.
You'll frequently see Anchos or Chile de Arbols used to spice up Enfrijoladas, but here we are using chipotles in adobo. I think the smoky haze of the chipotles works well with black beans.
Also note that using 3 chipotles gives this puree a kick worthy of a drunken mule, so you can dial back on the chipotles if you want a milder end product.
For this batch I'm using 2 cups of home-cooked black beans along with plenty of the bean broth. This is the equivalent of a single can of black beans -- I usually drain and rinse canned beans so you might need to add in some additional liquid down the road if you go that route.
Add the beans to a blender along with 3 chipotles, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth and taste for seasoning.
Ideally, the puree has the consistency of a thick soup so it can cling to tortillas. Add enough stock (or water) to get it there. This batch needed an extra few tablespoons of stock (and another pinch of salt).
Warm the tortillas in the oven (or microwave).
Add a big dollop of the bean puree to a plate and dredge a tortilla in it.
Flip and fill with onion and cheese.
Roll tight and place in a baking dish. You can add some puree to the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking.
Once all the tortillas are rolled, cover with the remaining bean puree. Give them a jiggle to get some of the sauce between them.
Bake at 425F for 8-10 minutes or until you think all of the cheese has melted.
I think adding avocado bits turns this dish from a snack into a complete meal, but remember that enfrijoladas are flexible so feel free to customize to your liking.
Cilantro, Cotija cheese, and Crema are also great candidates for toppings.
You can also add chicken or chorizo if you want to make them even heartier.
Easy right? But don't let the simple ingredient list deceive you; it's surprising how rewarding this dish can be.
Enfrijoladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups black beans (or pinto)
- 3 chipotles in adobo
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup stock (or water)
- 8 corn tortillas
- 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
- Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 avocado (optional)
- cilantro (optional)
- Crema (optional)
Instructions
- Add the beans, garlic, chipotles and salt to a blender and puree until smooth. Add stock (or water) until the puree has the consistency of a thick soup. Taste for seasoning and heat level.
- Warm the corn tortillas in the oven or microwave. Place a big dollop of bean puree on a plate. Dredge one side of a tortilla in the bean puree. Flip the tortilla and fill with onion and cheese. Roll tight and place in a baking dish seam side down (add some puree to the baking dish to prevent sticking).
- Continue rolling all of the tortillas -- this batch was enough for 8 rolled tortillas.
- Cover the tortillas in the baking dish with the remaining bean puree. Bake at 425F for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve immediately and top with your choice of avocado, cheese, cilantro and Crema.
Notes