Homemade Enchiladas

I haven’t made enchiladas in a long time, and I’ve never really shared a good recipe on this blog, so when Brian suggested that I make them this week, it seemed only fair that I share them with you. Enchiladas are a funny thing to post about; it isn’t as though there aren’t other recipes out there. I won’t even claim that these enchiladas are the most amazing. But they are really easy, homemade and use ingredients I almost always have on hand. I also suspect I haven’t made this recipe the same way twice. You can easily add meat, tofu, spices or vegetables to this recipe and, at different times, I have. Last, but not least, this recipe makes 8 enchiladas, which means we always get two meals out of a batch. I would love to hear your favorite enchilada additions — share them in the comments!

Homemade Vegetarian Enchiladas

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8 enchiladas

Homemade Vegetarian Enchiladas

Ingredients

For the Sauce

3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano (Mexican if you have it)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
16 ounces canned tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt to taste

For the Filling

vegetable oil
2 (15.5 ounce) cans of beans (I like pinto + black), drained and rinsed
1 small onion, diced
spices to taste (chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, etc)
optional: chicken, beef, tofu, vegetables -- addition of ingredients may result in more filling than can fit into 8 tortillas

Also

8 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Make the sauce: Combine the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and stir to combine. Cook on medium heat until the sauce is warmed through. Set aside.
Make the filling: Heat a tablespoon of oil in the a skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, diced onion and spices (and any other filling ingredients you may be using). Cook until the onions are soft and any other ingredients are done to your liking.

Create the enchiladas: Coat the bottom of a baking pan (I use a glass 9x13" Pyrex) with some of the enchilada sauce. Fill and roll the tortillas one at a time, using about 1/2 a cup of filling. Arrange the enchiladas in the pan as you go.

Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas in the pan. Spread with a spoon if necessary. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake the enchiladas in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Enjoy!