Why This Mexican Weeknight Dinner Is So Much Better Than Enchiladas
When I was growing up, beans were a weekday staple. My mom would make them almost every day. And it was always especially exciting when she was cooking black beans, because those beans would almost inevitably turn into enfrijoladas.
What was once considered a “peasant” dish in Mexico is now one the most comforting meals you can make — and you can do it in 35 minutes or less! If you’ve never had enfrijoladas, think of a warm and cheesy enchilada. Now replace the outside salsa with a creamy and incredibly satisfying black bean sauce. The beans are lightly refried and blended until velvety smooth and it’s packed with flavor from garlic and blistered jalapeños. The filling options are endless, but personally I think cheese is the way to go.
It isn’t the prettiest to look at, but you’ll get over that quickly because it is the most delicious thing to eat. Serve it alongside a tangy salsa verde and some of your favorite toppings like avocados, sour cream, cotija cheese, red onions, and tomatoes.
Why You’ll Love It
The black bean sauce is ridiculously delicious. Normally you’d see beans as a side, but this recipe transforms them into a smooth and creamy sauce loaded with flavor.
The chicken boullion does all the work. The chicken boullion helps season the bean sauce without the need for added salt. It brings out all the delicious bean flavor.
It’s vegetarian-friendly. With a simple swap of veggie bouillon for the chicken bouillon, it’ll be a dinner your vegetarian friends will rave about.
Key Ingredients in Enfrijoladas
Black beans: Canned black beans are the star of the show. While you can opt for other beans (like pinto), black beans create the best consistency.
Tortillas: Tortillas create a soft barrier between the sauce and the melted Monterey Jack cheese. Use whatever kind you like: flour or corn.
Monterey Jack cheese: It’s the perfect melting cheese. While in Mexico they’d use cheese like Oaxaca cheese or Panela cheese, Monterey Jack cheese is very easy to find and melts perfectly. Plus it gets brown and crispy on the outside.
Tomatillos: Tomatillos bring the perfect level of acidity to the salsa verde and brighten up the whole dish.
How to Make Enfrijoladas
Make the salsa: Combine the tomatillos and jalapeños in a small saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. After simmering for about 10 minutes, blend with water, garlic, and salt.
Make the black bean sauce: Cook jalapeño until blistered and spotty on all sides. Off heat slowly add black beans, being cautious of the spattering. Add water, chicken bouillon, and garlic and cook until simmering, then blend into the sauce.
Assemble the enfrijoladas: Heat tortillas in a pan, overlapping as necessary. Heat, flipping and moving them around, until pliable. Add cheese to warm tortillas and fold in half like a quesadilla. Cook, flipping occasionally, until tortillas are browned and cheese is melted.
Serve with your favorite toppings: Lift each quesadilla with tongs and dip in the black bean sauce until covered. Shingle them on a serving plate, then top them with salsa verde and whatever sounds most delicious to you!
Helpful Swaps
Low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese can be substituted for Monterey Jack cheese.
Vegetable bouillon powder or paste can be substituted for the chicken.
One drained (26- to 28-ounce) can whole tomatillos can be substituted for the fresh tomatillos. Simmer the jalapeños in water over medium heat until softened and dark green, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and blend with the canned tomatillos, garlic, and salt.
Or use your favorite store-bought salsa verde for serving!
Enfrijoladas Recipe
It might not be the prettiest, but it’s the most delicious.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes to 35 minutes
Serves 4 to 8
Ingredients
For the salsa verde:
8 ounces tomatillos, papery husks removed and rinsed
2 medium jalapeño peppers, stems trimmed (halved and seeded if desired for less spicy heat)
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, peeled
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
For the black bean sauce:
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 medium jalapeño pepper, stem trimmed (halved and seeded if desired for less spicy heat)
1 (29-ounce) can black beans, or 2 (15-ounce) cans (do not drain)
1 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder or paste
1 clove garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
For assembly and serving:
4 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
16 small (5- to 6-inch) corn or flour tortillas (sometime labeled fajita size)
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sour cream or crema
1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 medium avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Instructions
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Make the salsa verde:
Place 8 ounces peeled tomatillos and 2 trimmed medium jalapeños in a small saucepan. Add enough water to cover the tomatillos. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the tomatillos turn a dull green color and the skins begin to wrinkle, about 10 minutes.
Drain. Transfer the tomatillos and jalapeños to a blender. Add 2 tablespoons water, 1 peeled garlic clove, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and blend until smooth. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Pour into a serving bowl.
Make the black bean sauce:
Heat 3 tablespoons canola oil in a large high-sided skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1 medium jalapeño pepper and cook, flipping occasionally, until blistered, 3 to 4 minutes total.
Turn off the heat. Being careful of splattering, slowly add 1 (29-ounce) can black beans (do not drain), 1 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder, and 1 peeled garlic clove. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth (or use an immersion blender and blend directly in the skillet), then return to the skillet. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed. Cover to keep warm.
Assemble and make the enfrijoladas:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add 4 of the tortillas in an even layer (they can overlap). Heat, flipping and moving them around occasionally, until soft and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, stacking them. Cover to keep warm.
Repeat heating the remaining 12 tortillas, adding 1 tablespoon canola oil to the pan before each batch and stacking all the heated tortillas together on the plate.
Increase the heat to medium. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese on one half of a tortilla. Fold in half like a quesadilla and place in the skillet. Repeat until you have 4 in the skillet. Cook, flipping occasionally, until browned and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes total.
Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat filling and cooking the remaining tortillas.
To serve, pick up each quesadilla with tongs and dip in the black bean sauce until covered. Arrange on a serving platter or individual plates, shingling them. Top with sour cream, diced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled Cotija cheese, sliced avocado, and the salsa verde as desired.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions
Low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese can be substituted for Monterey Jack cheese.
Vegetable bouillon powder or paste can be substituted for the chicken.
1 drained (26- to 28-ounce) can whole tomatillos can be substituted for the fresh tomatillos. Simmer the jalapeños in water over medium heat until softened and dark green, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and blend with the canned tomatillos, garlic, and salt.
Make ahead: The salsa verde can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Storage: Leftover black bean sauce and salsa verde can be refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat the black bean sauce over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen as needed.
Further Reading
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