black bean enchilada filling (gf, df)
Have you heard of Meatless Mondays? I used to be a lifestyle counselor and this was one of my favorite campaigns to show my clients. As the name implies, the campaign encourages people not to eat meat on Mondays to improve their health. The idea is that by reducing meat intake by 15% (the equivalent of 1 day per week), you improve your health, reduce your risk of chronic diseases (such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and stroke), and reduce the environmental impact on the planet. If these benefits weren’t enough, eating meatless saves money, increases your fruit and vegetable intake, and is a great way to learn new recipes.
I love the philosophy of eating meatless more often. I almost always eat meatless lunches and usually make at least 1-2 meatless dinners a week and love the fresh, healthy feeling I get when I eat this way. Plus, when I start your week out with healthy behaviors, like exercising and eating nutritious foods, I find I’m more likely to continue these behaviors throughout the week.
This is one of my favorite recipes for eating meatless and it’s gotten even better! I’ve updated the recipe, adding lime zest and homemade enchilada sauce (recipe soon!). It’s also a perk that I can get fantastic homemade salsa and whole wheat tortillas locally.
This filling is HEAVENLY. It was so good to eat just by the spoonful when I was tasting it. You could easily serve the filling with chips for a quick dip or serve it as a fresh salad, maybe with some diced avocado mixed in. It’s very versatile, and so incredibly delicious.
I think these would be even better with fresh grilled corn, but since it wasn’t quite in season here, I made do with what I had. You could certainly switch up other ingredients, adding in a jalapeno, bell peppers, spicier salsa, or green enchilada sauce if you want to play with the flavors. The recipe can also easily be cut in half if you’re only cooking for a few.
If you can’t bring yourself to omit meat from the meal, only add one can of beans and then add 3/4lb of your favorite chicken or beef. But I really think you’ll appreciate trying these meatless. They are amazing. So, happy Meatless Monday!
Black Bean Enchilada Filling
Ingredients
For filling:
- 2 (14.5oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5oz) can corn, drained (you could also use 1–2 ears of fresh corn)
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 3 roma/plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
- 1 can diced green chiles
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4c grated monterrey jack cheese*
- 1/2c salsa
- juice and zest of 1-2 limes
- 1/4c chopped cilantro
- 1/2tsp pepper
For enchiladas:
- 8–10 medium flour tortillas*
- 1c grated monterrey jack cheese (or more, to taste)*
- 1 recipe red enchilada sauce (or one large can)*
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine black beans, corn, onion, tomato, chiles, garlic, and cheese. Stir in 1/2c salsa, juice of 2 limes, and cilantro and pepper to taste. Taste mixture and season with additional pepper or more salsa as needed.
- To make enchiladas, spray a 9×13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Scoop 1/2-3/4c filling into the center of each tortilla and roll up, folding in each end as shown. Form a single layer in baking dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly.
Notes
*Gluten & Dairy free notes: For gluten free, use brown rice tortillas and be sure your enchilada sauce is gluten free (La Victoria brand is). For dairy free, just skip the cheese. They’re delicious even without it!
These look great! I’m always looking for good meatless recipes that are still filling and nutritious. Thanks for sharing!
I have been thinking about doing more meatless meals. I think that we will start with this one. Thanks!
Made this tonight…a little too much lime for me…I think next time I’ll reduce the lime and increase the salsa for more kick.
Emily, I made these last night and they were AMAZING–even Truman loved them! I’m going to toss out all of my other enchilada recipes!
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So. much. love.