I’ve read a lot of recipes and information about enfrijoladas, and so I am aware that his might not be a particularly authentic recipe. At its core, this is a dish of tortillas dipped in a rich black bean sauce, folded and baked. The sauce is sometimes made with dried beans and a host of Mexican spices, sometimes they are topped with a sprinkling of queso fresco. Somewhere along the way versions more like a cheese enchilada developed. My version is based off a restaurant dish I had years ago that suddenly popped into my mind recently. I have simplified it to make a very easy but truly delicious meal, perfect for a Cinco de Mayo dinner.
Truly, this is really easy dish to make, good enough for company but also a brilliant weeknight dinner. It’s practically a pantry meal – you can keep the cheese in the freezer and even freeze extra chipotles and the sauce in ice cube trays in the freezer. If you can’t find queso quesadilla, any melty cheese like Monterrey jack or Swiss will work. The sauce takes minutes and rolling the tortillas is not hard. I set up a simple little assembly system, but whatever works for you. I love meals where you have a flavorful centerpiece, but cope for customization with topping and extras. It’s fun for a fun event for family and friends. Follow it up with Strawberry Margarita Pie, Margarita Ice Box Cake, or a Strawberry Coconut Tres Leches Cake for a real celebration.
Ingredients
1 (15-ounce) can of black beans
1 chipotle chili in adobo
1 Tablespoon adobo sauce
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
2 Tablespoons cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
12 corn tortillas
16 ounces grated queso quesadilla
Diced onions
Diced avocado
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Sour cream
Directions
- Rinse and drain the black beans well. Put in the carafe of a blender with the chipotle, adobo, cilantro, broth and spices. Puree until smooth. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, sprayed with cooking spray.
- Soften the tortillas so they will roll into nice enchiladas. Here’s what I do. I put the baking dish next to the stove and heat and 8-inch frying pan over high heat. I put one tortilla in at a time and heat, flipping over, just until soft and pliable. Put the tortilla on top of the sauce in the dish, put about ¼ cup of cheese down the center and roll it up, placing it at one end of the dish seam side down. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and cheese, adding a little sauce to the dish as needed. The last two or three you may need to roll on the counter. Pour over the remaining sauce, covering as much surface as you can. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. You can assemble about 2 hours ahead of time.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees and bake the enfrijoladas for 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the everything is heated through. Serve with the diced onion, avocado, cilantro, limes and sour cream to top.
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