Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite foods, though the thought of combining the two had me wondering.  I like my sweet potatoes plain and my black beans spicy…would they be good together?   When I came across a recipe for Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas, they looked so good, I had to to give it a try.  And I’m so glad!  Whoever decided to put these two flavors together in a tasty Mexican-inspired dish is pure genius.  The sweetness and spicy pair beautifully in this dish, and the queso fresco rounds everything out quite nicely.

I like that you can make the sauce and/or filling ahead of time, since they are the most labor intensive (by labor, I mean time to stand over the stove…they’re really quite easy).  Assembly is a cinch, and then bake until warmed throughout and the cheese is all bubbly.  This recipe makes a lot, which is a very good thing ~ leftovers heat up perfectly!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

 

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Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients

Sauce:

• 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1⅓ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Filling:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (3 cups)
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
• 16 ounces prepared medium salsa
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, drained and minced
• ½ cup vegetable broth (or water)
• 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 10 ounce round queso fresco, divided
• Cooking spray

Enchiladas:

• Cooking spray for baking dish
• 16 16-inch corn tortillas warmed
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1 avocado sliced (optional)
• Sour cream (optional)
• Cilantro (optional)

Instructions

1. Make sauce: Whisk all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until slightly thickened (about 3 to 4 minutes) and then remove from heat.
2. Make filling: In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened (about 5 minutes).
3. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salsa, garlic, chipotle chile, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft.
4. Mash mixture with a potato masher until combined. Add black beans and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes, or until black beans are heated throughout. Stir in 6 ounces of queso fresco and remove from heat.
5. Assemble and bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ cup sauce in bottom of dish. Fill warmed tortillas with filling (about ⅓ cup), roll and pack close together, seam-side down in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and queso fresco. Bake 15 minutes.
6. Broil: Adjust oven to broil and broil enchiladas for 5 minutes, or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve.

3.5.3251

Adapted from Vegetarian Times