These Black Bean Vegetable Enchiladas are truly delicious! There is nothing better than enchiladas made from homemade beans and enchilada sauce. The Enchilada Sauce de Ancho is really easy to make and it has an incredible flavor profile. I also created this Radish Pico de Gallo to add a much-needed fresh quality and crunchiness to the mix.
This year is off to a great start! We had the privilege of spending the first day and night of the New Year with Paloma, Severin, Jill and Beto. It was a short but sweet visit. After our house guests left, Robby and I decided to go through the entire house including all the cupboards and drawers. We managed to get rid of a number of boxes full of unneeded items!
We love to get rid of anything we aren’t using. Clutter is stagnant energy and actually weighs on your conscious as well as it keeps new things from coming into your life. Have you ever had a closet or a drawer that was a complete disaster and every time you walk by it you think to yourself “I have got to clean that closet out” but you don’t because it seems so overwhelming? Clutter is the manifestation of stuck energy and the feeling just gets worse until you finally break down and address it!
Some time ago I had a bunch of clothes that I never wore and I just could not get myself to let go of them. One day I went crazy and threw anything I hadn’t worn in two years into a few boxes. I brought them to the local thrift store and within one week a friend of mine who had a clothing line called to tell me she was sending me two huge boxes full of clothes. I was so completely shocked and excited! This has happened so many times in my life that I now know it to be true that when you let go of the old it opens the door for the new. So, get out those boxes and purge your clutter!
The great thing about enchiladas is, you can be as creative as you want to be. You don’t have to make them exactly as I did, you can add anything you like, exchange the black beans with pinto, add more or less cheese. The possibilities are endless!
If you’re someone who likes to make a lot of Mexican food, I recommend at least doubling the sauce. You can freeze some for later or use with other Mexican dishes you plan on making. The sauce is mild but if you like a spicier sauce I recommend adding 5 to 10 Arbol chilies.
This dish might seem daunting due to all the components but if you break it up and make the beans and sauce the day ahead, it can really help. Otherwise, I start by making the beans because they take the longest. Then I make the sauce and the Pico de Gallo. Next, I roast the peppers, shred the cheese and chop the veggies. I put everything into small bowls. When the beans are finished cooking I have everything ready to assemble the enchiladas with.
I enjoyed this meal with a pale ale beer.
Black Bean Vegetable Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce de Ancho
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Black Beans - cooked - strained - recipe below
- 1 recipe Enchilada Sauce de Ancho - recipe below
- 1 Large Tomato - diced
- 1 Small Poblano Pepper - roasted - diced
- 1 Small Red Bell Pepper - diced
- 1/2 Cup Fresh or Frozen Corn
- 3 to 4 Cups Jack Cheese - shredded
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 12 Corn Tortillas
Black Beans
- 1 Cup Organic Dried Black Beans
- 4 plus 2 Cups Filtered Water
- 1/4 White or Red Onion - diced
- 1 Whole Garlic Cloves
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
Enchilada sauce
- 3 Tomatoes
- 6 Dried Ancho Chilis
- 1/2 White Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Oregano
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin
- 2 Teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- Up to 1 Cup Filtered Water depending on how thin you like it
Radish Pico de Gallo
- 1 Bunch Radishes - diced
- 1/2 Red or White Onion - minced
- 1 Cup Cilantro - roughly chopped
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper - minced
- 1 Clove Garlic - minced
- 1/2 Lime - fresh squeezed
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - or to taste
Garnish options
- Cherry Tomatoes - I used orange heirloom
- Avacado or guacamole
Instructions
Black Beans
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In a 5 1/2 quart pot, put a small hand full of beans in the pot one handful at a time to make sure there are no rocks.
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Rinse the beans and add the water, onion, garlic and chilies.
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Bring to a boil then turn down to medium-low.
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Cover and cook for about 45 minutes.
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Check to see if you need to add more water, then cook for another 45 minutes or longer, checking on water levels.
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Add water as needed. You want the beans to be free-flowing.
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* Add Sea Salt AT THE END or they will be tough.
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Taste to see if they are soft, if so, add the salt.
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Let cook for 5 - 10 more minutes to infuse the salt into the beans.
Enchilada sauce
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Put peppers and onion in a pot of water and bring to a boil. Boil for a couple minutes.
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Core the tomatoes.
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After the peppers and onion have boiled for a couple minutes, add the tomatoes for about 2 – 3 minutes or until skin cracks.
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Dump everything into a colander, let cool and then peel the skins off the tomatoes.
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Add to the food processor.
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Add oil, garlic, oregano, cumin and salt in the food processor.
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De-stem and de-seed the peppers then add to the food processor and puree everything really well.
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Press thru a fine mesh colander into a bowl and then add the water and mix well.
Radish Pico de Gallo
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Add everything to a medium bowl, mix together, cover and set aside.
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Roasted pepper
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Roast the peppers on the stovetop on medium-high heat. A gas stove works the best but it will work fine on an electric stove.
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Char the peppers on all sides turning with a pair of tongs.
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When good and charred, steam them for 10 minutes in a covered dish or a paper bag rolled shut to hold in the steam.
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Take a paper towel and rub off the char. It’s ok to leave a little of the char.
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Slice in half and remove the seeds and stems. Dice and set aside.
Assemble
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Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
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Cover the bottom of a 9x14 inch baking pan with a thick layer of enchilada sauce.
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On medium-low heat, heat up tortillas on the stove top until soft and pliable.
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Hold a tortilla in your hand and fill with a little of the black beans, peppers, corn and cheese.
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Roll them up carefully and lay them side by side, seam-side-down and top with enchilada sauce and cheese then bake for 20 - 25 minutes.
Recipe Notes
If you have any vegetable mix leftover, you can sprinkle it on top of the enchiladas before you put on the sauce and cheese.
Health Benefits:
Black beans are high in cholesterol-lowering dietary fiber.1 cup of cooked beans provides you with over 1/2 of your daily requirements and reduces blood cholesterol that helps prevent heart disease. The fiber supports the digestive tract and the colon, which helps constipation, diverticulitis and other gastrointestinal disorders. They also maintain normal blood sugar levels, helping to prevent diabetes. Black beans are a very good meat substitute because of their 15 grams of protein in 1 cup and contain only trace amounts of saturated fat and no cholesterol. They contain phytochemicals, substances found only in plant foods that help fight cancer and other chronic diseases. They increase energy with the good amounts of iron in them and have more antioxidant (neutralize cell-damaging free radicals that may help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.) activity than other types of beans. They are also rich in .B vitamins, Folate, potassium (helps regulate your blood pressure and heart rate), magnesium, calcium (builds and maintains bones) and other heart-healthy nutrients.
