These Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas are perfect for a Tex-Mex dinner on a budget. Filled with black beans, tender sweet potatoes, and the perfect amount of spice, these vegetarian enchiladas are perfect for any night.
If you’re looking for more meatless main dishes, makes sure you also try this Zucchini Parmesan.
Back in college, enchiladas were my go-to recipe. I started off cooking as a 100% recipe follower, but enchiladas were the one thing I felt like I could just throw together with whatever I had on hand.
But how I wish I would have had this Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchilada recipe back then! Not only are these enchiladas hearty and filling, but they are also easier on the pocketbook because they are meatless. But even my meat-loving husband gladly ate these! So I really think that both vegetarians and meat lovers would fight over the last enchilada.
These are definitely a favorite enchilada recipe!
Ingredients
- Oil: This is for sautéing the onion, garlic, and spices. I like to use olive oil or avocado oil, but another neutral oil will work.
- Onion and Garlic: These are both for flavor.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar does not make this filling sweet, but it helps to bring out the other flavors.
- Cumin: This brings some smoky flavor.
- Chipotle Chile plus Adobo Sauce: You will need both a chile and some of the adobo sauce. I like to usually remove the seeds from the chile to remove a little heat, but feel free to leave the seeds in if you want it hotter.
- Black Beans: I use canned beans for ease, but you could also cook yours from dry.
- Sweet Potatoes: When you dice the potatoes, you want a fairly small dice. The larger you cut them, the longer they take to cook.
- Enchilada Sauce: I just use canned enchilada sauce. Make sure you use a brand you know you love.
- Tortillas: We love these enchiladas with flour tortillas. But if you like corn tortillas better, feel free to use those! You will probably get more than 8 enchiladas, though, since the tortillas are smaller.
- Cheese: I just used cheddar cheese. You can change this up, if desired.
How to Make Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
STEP 1: Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the onion, garlic, brown sugar, cumin, and chipotle chile as well as the adobo sauce. Cook this all together until the onion is soft.
STEP 2: Add in your beans, sweet potatoes, as well as 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pan.
STEP 3: Continue to cook until the potatoes are tender. The liquid should also be mostly absorbed. If needed, you can remove the lid to help some of the liquid evaporate.
STEP 4: Assemble your enchiladas. Pour one can of enchilada sauce in your baking dish. Place a tortilla in the enchilada sauce, the add some of your filling. Roll up and keep seam side down in the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
STEP 5: Pour the second can of enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas.
STEP 6: Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake until the cheese has melted and the enchiladas are heated through.
Tips and Tricks
These enchiladas can be made earlier in the day, and then baked just before serving.
This makes a generous amount of filling. If you come to the end of your tortillas and you still have filing, you can save it and serve it up later as a side dish, or top it with an egg for a fun breakfast twist.
If you aren’t a fan of black beans, you can swap in your favorite bean.
More Enchilada Favorites
Chicken, Black Bean and Zucchini Enchiladas
White Chicken Enchiladas
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Beef and Bean Enchiladas
Green Enchiladas
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Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce minced (seeds removed for less heat)
- 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
- 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 lb sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 cups water
- 2 cans (10 oz each) red enchilada sauce
- 8 6-inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, brown sugar, cumin and chipotle pepper plus adobo sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes.2 tablespoons oil, 1 cup chopped onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce
- Add the beans, sweet potatoes and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, 1 lb sweet potatoes, 2 cups water
- Pour one can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place one of the tortillas in the enchilada sauce. Fill with 1/8 of the sweet potato mixture, roll up and place in the dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.1 cans (10 oz each) red enchilada sauce, 8 6-inch flour tortillas
- Pour the remaining can of enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle on the cheese.1 cans (10 oz each) red enchilada sauce, 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
- Bake the enchiladas until they are heated through, about 10-15 minutes. Let the enchiladas stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Ladona says
I so enjoyed this recipe fabulous and will be a frequent dish for me. I also made extra and froze. Cannot wait to reheat the frozen ones. Thank you
Heather says
These are so yummy! I like to add whole kernel corn to the filling. I am always searching for an easy and tasty version of Mexican or Spanish rice. Do you have the recipe for the rice pictured as a side with your enchiladas?
Kathy says
Yum! Our family eats vegan so I made these without the cheese. I also used corn tortillas. The flavor and spice were perfect for our family.
Deborah says
Perfect! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Rachel says
Do corn tortillas work just as well as flour for enchiladas?
Deborah says
I haven’t tried corn, but I’m sure they would work well. You might get more enchiladas because corn tortillas are typically smaller than flour.
Joanne says
This is why, when people say they don’t like vegetarian food, I just can’t believe them. i mean, how could you NOT love this?!
Liz says
Lovely recipes. Thanks so much and have a great weekend.
Belinda @themoonblushbaker says
Love it! Such prefect Friday food when Mexican is on the mind