Black Bean Quinoa Enchiladas with Green Chili Sauce

I made these over the weekend and liked them so much I made a second batch for the week ahead and wanted to capture the recipe. I typically cook based on what veggies are around and what needs to be eaten. Often my meals are thrown together and I don’t usually follow a recipe so when I nail a keeper I like to share. Makes 7-8 depending on how you fill tortillas.

Ingredients:

1 Onion – medium white or yellow – chopped and split (half for beans, half for green chili sauce)

1 Bell Pepper – red, orange or yellow – chopped

3 cloves Garlic – chopped

1 Can Black Beans – drained

1 Cup Quinoa – rinsed

4 oz. Pepper Jack – grated

Package of Tortillas – I used flour. Corn may tear too easily, unless you are making homemade which tend to be more pliable (and delicious).

Green Chili Sauce:

2 Large Poblanos roasted and blistered skin removed – in Austria we don’t get Poblanos so I used 8 long thin Turkish green chilis. I actually didn’t even roast them, but sautéed them in a pan. Their skin isn’t as thick and waxy, but their flavor isn’t as deep and rich either!

2-3 Serrano peppers

3/4 cup Veggie Broth

4 oz. herbed cream cheese, heavy cream or sour cream

1 teaspoon each ground cumin, ground coriander

For Filling:

Cook the quinoa – 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water: bring to boil, stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes covered before fluffing with a fork. This is a good time to preheat the oven to 375.

While the quinoa is cooking saute half the onions, garlic and bell pepper in oil of choice. Add the black beans. Stir and set aside.

Mix Quinoa and Black Bean mixture together. Stir in half the shredded cheese.

For Sauce:

Saute the other half of the onions, serrano peppers and the poblanos* or other peppers if you are not roasting and removing the blistered skin, add the spices.

*If you are using Poblanos – roast in a 475 degree oven, over a gas flame or better yet over an open fire on a grill! Once they are roasted put them in a paper bag to steam which makes the skin easier to remove.

In a blender, Vitamix or food processor add the broth, peppers, onion mixture, cream cheese.

Pour the Green Chili Sauce in a large open bowl.

Assembly: Take a tortilla and dip in Chili Sauce to get the whole tortilla wet (yes, do it)!

Fill the tortilla with the black bean quinoa mixture, roll and place in baking dish. Once you are done rolling all, pour the remainder green chili sauce on top, cover with remainder shredded cheese and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until you can hear the bubbling sizzle of goodness. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.

Serve topped with a plop of guacamole and fresh cilantro.

Notes: This is a great recipe to make in stages. I had actually made the bean quinoa mixture one day just as it’s own “bowl” style meal and the next day decided to turn it into enchiladas! I made the full pan of enchiladas in the morning and put in the fridge until dinner time.

I also think sweet potatoes would be a great addition to the filling. The beans and quinoa could be the base and you choose what else goes inside. Spinach mushroom is good too, but you really have to cook that mixture thoroughly to get out the excess liquid as to not have soggy enchiladas. I’d love to hear your suggestions!