Weeknight Enchiladas are the perfect vegetarian meal - and trust me, you won't even notice the absence of meat in this. With toasted corn tortillas stuffed with cheese and refried beans, these enchiladas are restaurant quality and so easy to get in the oven.
With an assembly time of less than 30 minutes, your tummy will be satisfied in no time. This recipe makes plenty, so you'll have more than enough for the whole family, or some leftovers to get you through your lunch break the rest of the week. Don't forget to top these with sour cream, avocado, or any other fresh ingredients that you like!
Ingredients:
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups water
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
For the enchiladas
- 16 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups refried beans
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- ½ large avocado, sliced thin
- ¼ bunch cilantro (or green onions), roughly chopped
Directions:
To make the sauce, in a small sauce pot, combine the chili powder, flour, and oil. Cook over medium heat while stirring, for one to two minutes to toast the spices and flour. Whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, at which point it will thicken. Once thick enough to coat a spoon, taste and add salt as needed (½ to ¾ tsp). Set the sauce aside.
Toast the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium flame until they are just flecked with brown on each side. The tortillas should be slightly more firm, but still pliable enough to roll. Stack the tortillas on a clean plate as they come out of the skillet.
Prepare a casserole dish by coating with non-stick spray, then spread a layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom (½ to 1 cup). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Add about ¼ cup of refried beans to each tortilla, plus a small pinch of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly around the beans and cheese, then place seam side down in the casserole dish. Continue until all of the tortillas are filled. Pour another ½ to 1 cup enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas in the dish, leaving some of the edges exposed so they can become brown and crispy. Top with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake the casserole in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is thick and bubbly around the edges and the center is heated through. Top with thin slices of avocado and chopped cilantro leaves (or sliced green onions).
So good! I make these every week and I've not gotten bored of them.
Do you know someone who loves enchiladas? Make sure to share this recipe with them!
Check out our video below that shows you how to make these delicious Weeknight Enchiladas.