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
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 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.
Still hungry?!
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Meghan
Oh man, these are delicious!! I used one Chipotle to keep it mild and carmelized the onions ahead of time. Then topped with cilantro, avocado and a drizzle of chipotle mayo (for those who wanted a little more kick). I will definitely make this again!
Patrick
Ahhh sounds delish 🙂
Teresa Sorensen
Omigosh These enchiladas were delicious! I discovered the Mexican Please website when looking for recipes to use up an opened can of chilis in adobe. What a wonderful introduction to authentic Mexican cooking! Now I am a frequent visitor to Patrick’s website and am making my own fresh salsas and learning to make my own homemade chili powder. Thank you Patrick for sharing your knowledge of Mexican cooking!
Patrick
Thanks Teresa, so glad you found this recipe! Cheers.
Lisa D
Fast, easy, delicious!
HL
Just made these tonight and they were fantastic - a very easy and budget-friendly weeknight dinner. SO GOOD - both my husband and I loved them 🙂
Debra
I can see these being a soggy mess! You don’t earn tortillas in the oven! All tortillas for enchiladas get lightly fried in oil before being passed through chile or in this case the beans. The light fry brings out the corn flavor and keeps the enchiladas from getting to soggy and falling apart. That’s how I learned to make enchiladas in my grandmother Agustina’s kitchen!
Patrick
Hi Debra thanks for your note! You can definitely fry the tortillas in oil if you want, but I've stopped doing that with enchiladas because it makes them too greasy for my taste. Warming the tortillas in the oven and dredging them in the sauce is a good alternative.
Mark L
We had these last night. Delicious, but they weren't fully warmed through and the onions were raw. I put them in a 375 F oven for 10 minutes.
You don't indicate what temperature to set the oven to bake these. Based on our experience, I would say higher than 375, but what?
Patrick
Thanks much for your note Mark!
I tend to eyeball them a little based on when the cheese is melted, but you're right I could be a little more specific in the recipe box. 400-425F for 8-10 minutes should do the job for most cheeses. Beans heat up lightning quick so they should be warmed throughout by then -- and keep in mind that I frequently put those raw onion bits in enchiladas but if that texture doesn't work for your palate here's another option:
Black Bean Puree we use all the time
In the above link the onion is blended into the black bean puree before using it -- this could be a decent option if you want onion flavor in the Enfrijoladas but don't want that raw onion crunch/texture.
Let me know if you have any other questions about this -- it's super helpful for other peeps to read your notes so thanks much for leaving them. Cheers.
Mark L
Thanks Patrick! I don't mind raw onions myself but they were a little much for my wife. This recipe is definitely a keeper, I'll try 400-425 next time and maybe switch to red onions or sautée the onions for a few minutes until translucent.
Incidentally I used two chipotles, the heat level was perfect. I could have probably taken 3, but with 2 it's certainly not lacking!
Patrick
Yeah 2 chipotles should provide plenty of heat. If you ever want just a pinch more heat you can always add a teaspoon or two of the adobo sauce from the can. Cheers.
Anita
I added roasted butternut squash to the filling. Wow! Sweet and rich So glad I tried the bean sauce!
Patrick
Yowsa sounds awesome Anita! Makes me realize it's been awhile since I've made these, thanks for the reminder!
Janny Smith
Looks good. I can't to try it and WOW my friends. I'm also looking for a great recipe for pickled carrots and radishes, an accompaniment to most Mexican dishes.
Patrick
Thanks Janny, hope they enjoy it!
Hmmm we've got all sorts of pickled recipes on this site but it's true that none of them have radishes in them. I would think that you could simply add some chopped radishes to these Pickled Carrots Sticks and come up with a pretty darn good result. Let me know if you try it!
Chloe
looks delicious. I think i will try adding in chicken or even some more veggies..it's a cool way to use beans
Patrick
Thanks Chloe! Yup, more veggies would be a great way to load them up 🙂
Hank Guerrero
Enfrijoladas have never been on my food itinerary nor common in So. Cal. BUT THEY WILL BE NOW. Thanks for the idea. Here people most likely to make bean burritos or bean tostadas.
Patrick
Thanks Hank! Yeah I used to live in your area and never saw them around much either -- kinda strange because they are so good and SoCal is so close to the border. Let me know how it goes for you.