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Enfrijoladas are a Mexican dish made of corn tortillas covered in a flavorful bean sauce stuffed with cheese. Ready in only 25 minutes and easily customizable to whatever you need, this recipe will be a house staple!
Enfrijoladas are one of my favorite inexpensive, delicious, and vegetarian-friendly meals.
Instead of the typical red or green sauce used in most enchilada recipes, enfrijoladas are made from corn tortillas dipped in a silky smooth bean sauce and then filled with fresh crumbly queso fresco, and topped with diced onions and even more cheese.
And it’s ready from start to finish in only 25 minutes!
These enfrijoladas are the perfect recipe for any meal because they are so versatile. Pair with an egg for breakfast, serve it with roasted radishes for lunch, or add more hearty ingredients to the filling for dinner.
What Are Enfrijoladas?
The name enfrijoladas means “in beans,” which references the bean sauce the corn tortillas are dipped in. They’re similar to enchiladas but dipped in a bean sauce made from either black or pinto beans instead of the typical red enchilada sauce or green enchilada sauce.
The sauce is rich, smoky, and smooth. It’s so delicious that I could eat it as a soup! It’s addicting and will keep you coming back for more.
Ingredients Needed
- Canned beans: Using canned beans makes this recipe simple, and the added liquid helps with blending. I used black beans in this recipe, but you could also use pinto beans!
- Chipotle peppers: These chipotle peppers in adobo sauce give a fantastic smoky and spicy flavor that we love. You can add more or less depending on your preferred spice level.
- Broth: Using vegetable broth keeps this dish vegetarian-friendly, but feel free to use water or other broths you may have.
- Queso fresco: Traditionally used in this recipe, but you can use Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, Mozzarella, or any cheese you like!
- Corn tortillas: The perfect vessel for all the sauce and cheese. I don’t recommend using flour tortillas.
- Spices: I like using garlic, oregano, and garlic to enhance the flavor.
How To Make Enfrijoladas
Blend: Add the black beans, chipotle peppers, onions, garlic, broth, salt, and oregano to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
Cook: In a medium pot, add oil and black bean sauce. Cook until the mixture is hot and bubbly.
Fry: Add oil in a deep skillet and ensure it reaches 350°F. Place a tortilla into the frying oil and fry for 15 seconds.
Assemble: Dip each tortilla into the black bean sauce, transfer it to a plate, and fill with queso fresco. You can either roll it up like an enchilada or fold it over like a taco.
Serve: Serve immediately topped with sliced red onions, fresh cilantro, and Mexican crema!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t feel like frying? For a healthier dish, skip frying the tortillas and just warm them up on the stove in a skillet or over an open flame.
- Bump up the filling: This dish is traditionally filled with just cheese, but you could add some shredded chicken, Mexican chorizo, or ground beef.
Serving Suggestions
Enfrijoladas pair well with so many Mexican side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites to round out the meal:
Storing and Freezing
To store, place the bean sauce in an airtight container by itself and keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days.
To reheat, I suggest reheating the bean sauce and then heating and frying the corn tortillas right before serving.
More Mexican Recipes
- Entomatadas
- Black Bean Soup
- Lentejas (Mexican Lentil Soup)
- Sopa de Fideo
- How to Cook Canned Black Beans
- Ensalada de Pollo
- Pastel Azteca
If you tried this Enfrijoladas Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Enfrijoladas
Ingredients
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans (undrained)
- 1-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce*
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying (optional)
- 1 ½ cups vegetable stock
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 12 corn tortillas
- 8 ounces queso fresco*, plus more for topping
- For topping: sliced red onions, chopped cilantro, and Mexican crema
Instructions
- Add the canned beans, chipotle peppers, onions, garlic, vegetable stock, salt, and oregano into a large blender. Blend until the black bean sauce is silky smooth.
- Heat a medium pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and pour in the bean sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes. (If the sauce gets too thick, add some water or broth and mix it in.)
- To fry (optional): Fill a large sauté pan or deep skillet with about ½ inch of oil and heat over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 350°F. (To test, drop a small piece of tortilla in the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready.) Cooking in batches, carefully add 1 tortilla into the frying oil and fry for about 15 seconds. Transfer it to a large plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Continue frying the remaining tortillas.
- If not frying, heat up the corn tortillas in a skillet or in the microwave for 1 minute until warm and pliable.
- To assemble the enfrijoladas, dip each tortilla into the bean sauce. Transfer the tortilla to a plate and fill with queso fresco. Roll it up like an enchilada, or fold it over like a taco.
- Serve immediately topped with sliced red onions, fresh cilantro, and Mexican crema.
Notes
- Chipotle peppers: Add more or less depending on how spicy you like it. I used 3 peppers with sauce.
- Queso fresco: If you can’t find queso fresco, use mozzarella, Oaxaca, or even Monterey Jack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent and easy instructions to make dishes , also ingredients that we have and use daily.
I have not made it yet, but know that I will. I love black beans. This will definitely be a staple in my diet.
Thank you so much, I love your recipes!