Enfrijoladas Recipe -- What To Do With All Those Mexican Beans

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.

Enfrijoladas also happens to be on the lookout for a stable, long term relationship.  It's more than willing to change its ways in hopes of being kept around, so you can customize it to your liking without losing the strongest attributes of this wildly versatile dish.

Enfrijoladas Recipe:  Beans, say hello to Chipotles

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.

I'm using 2 cups of these Frijoles de Olla along with plenty of the bean broth.  (If you are using canned beans this is basically the same amount you would get from a single can of beans.)

Add to a blender along with 3 chipotles and 2 garlic cloves.  Puree until smooth.

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.

Warm the tortillas in the oven (or microwave.)

Add a big dollop of  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, enfrijoladas are flexible.  Cilantro, Cotija cheese, and sour cream are also great candidates for toppings.

You can also add chicken or chorizo to make them even heartier, but this could make you go all Humphrey Bogart over them.

Enfrijoladas, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Buen Provecho.

Update:  I recently made a batch of Enfrijoladas using Peruano Beans. 

Enfrijoladas Recipe

Enfrijoladas is a wildly versatile dish that is quick, easy, and will always be there for you.

4.77 from 26 votes

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 838kcal

Author: Mexican Please

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

You can add chicken or chorizo to the inside of the tortillas to make them even heartier.

If you are using canned beans I would probably drain and rinse the beans first and rely on the chipotles and garlic to flavor them. If you do rinse them you'll need to add salt to taste.

Anchos or Chile de Arbols can be used in place of the Chipotles.

Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

You can use a similar technique to make some Entomatadas:

And here are two more bean recipes that might hit the spot.  Mexican Black Bean Soup:

And our Pinto Bean Soup.