Black Bean and Roasted Poblano Enchiladas
Hearty black beans and smoky poblano peppers combine in this recipe for black bean and roasted poblano enchiladas.
The transition from summer to fall is never an easy one for me when it comes to meal planning. Sure, fall gives me the urge to bake all the things, but that doesn’t really translate into figuring out what to cook for dinner. I’m always sad to see our tomatoes go. I miss all the summer produce when it’s gone. So I look for recipes that are good anytime of year to get me through the transitions.
Mexican food is my favorite anytime of year, so it’s often my go-to when I’m feeling uninspired or simply can’t decide what to cook. These enchiladas include two of my favorite ingredients, black beans and poblano peppers, and they are hands down the best enchiladas I’ve made. They are a great meatless entree, hearty and full of flavor. Clara loves black beans, so these were an especially big hit with her.
The black bean and roasted poblano enchiladas are topped with a tangy and bright tomatillo sauce and sprinkled with cheese before baking. Where some enchiladas feel heavy and weighed down by too much sauce and/or cheese, these enchiladas are filling without being heavy. Always a good thing when you’ve got your favorite guacamole to eat, too.
4 poblano chiles
2 (13-ounce) cans tomatillos, drained
2 onions, finely chopped, divided
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided
⅓ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 cloves garlic, divided
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded and divided
8-10 (7 to 8-inch) flour tortillas
- 1
Heat the broiler with a rack 6 inches from the heating element. Place the poblanos on a foil lined baking sheet. Place under the broiler and cook, turning as needed, until the skins are blackened and blistered on all sides. Remove from the oven, transfer to a medium bowl, and cover. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. When the poblanos are cool enough to handle, peel away the skins and discard. Seed and chop the peppers. Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚.
- 2
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tomatillos, half of the onion, half of the cilantro, broth, cream, half of the olive oil, 3 whole garlic cloves (peeled), lime juice, sugar and the salt. Pulse until smooth, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with pepper if needed.
- 3
In a bowl, mash half of the beans with a fork until mostly smooth. Heat the remaining tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5-7 minutes. Mince the remaining 2 cloves of garlic, then add to the skillet along with the chili powder, coriander and cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped poblanos, mashed beans and remaining whole beans. Cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 4
Transfer the bean mixture to a large bowl (or, if your skillet is large enough, just add everything to it). Mix in 1 cup of the cheese, ½ cup of the tomatillo sauce, and the remaining ½ cup of cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread ½ cup of the tomatillo sauce over the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with a damp dish towel and microwave about 30-60 seconds, until warm and pliable.
- 5
Working one tortilla at a time, fill with about ⅓ cup filling down the center. Roll up the tortilla tightly around the filling and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until the filling is used up. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top.
Cover the dish with lightly greased foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.
