Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

If you are looking for the perfect veggie enchilada recipe then look no further. Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas are simple to make, using real wholesome ingredients, and are just so delicious! Bake some for now, and freeze some for later. Your future self will thank you!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas Recipe

My family has been mixing it up and  eating a lot of vegetarian meals lately! And this veggie enchilada recipe has been a welcome addition. It has so many veggies packed in, healthy protein (thanks to those black beans) and the best homemade enchilada sauce. This recipe has a few simple steps required to make it, but I promise it’s super simple to put together.

These veggie enchiladas also make an excellent freezer meal. I was lucky enough to have a few pans of frozen homemade enchiladas on hand when Skylar was born (see this post on how we stocked our freezer), and it was so great to be able to heat up a healthy dinner during those chaotic first few weeks! You can double this recipe and bake some for dinner and freeze the rest.

Veggie Enchilada Ingredients

• Butternut Squash (check out this guide on how to cut it!)
• Spinach
• Canned or Cooked Black Beans
• Avocado Oil
• Arrowroot Flour
• Spices
• Tomato Sauce
• Lime 
• Veggie Broth
• Onion + Garlic
• Tortillas
• Cheddar Cheese (optional)
• Cilantro (optional)

Substitutions

Veggies: Use this recipe as a rough guide on how to make vegetarian enchiladas. You can easily substitute another veggie for the butternut squash. In the summer it might be nice to use a veggie like zucchini! You can absolutely use what you have on hands for vegetables.

Arrowroot flour: You can replace this with tapioca starch.

Vegan: To make this vegan, skip the cheese, or use a vegan cheese.

Beans: You can omit the beans if you are avoiding legumes. Or you can substitute in another bean.

Enchilada Sauce: Want to skip out on the homemade sauce and use store-bought for an even quicker weeknight meal? Go for it. I like Siete Foods brand for store-bought. You’ll need about 2 cups of sauce.

What Type of Tortillas to Use

We tested this recipe with corn tortillas and almond flour tortillas (from Siete Foods). Both worked well! The almond flour tortillas tend to get crunchy in the oven, so if you using an alternative grain-free tortilla, you might want to cover it for the first half of the bake.

Feel free to use whatever tortilla you typically use to make enchiladas here, too. We also have tortillas an enchiladas in my first cookbook, and you can use those homemade tortillas if you’d like, too!

This recipe will fill between 10 and 14 tortillas, depending on the size of the tortillas you use!

How to Make Veggie Enchiladas

There are four main steps to making enchiladas:

1. Make the red enchilada sauce (it’s quick!)
2. Make the filling
3. Assemble the enchiladas
4. Bake!

It may seem intimidating as there are a few components to put this dish together, but I promise it’s super simple to accomplish.

Filling the Tortillas

My best tip for filling the enchilada is to make sure your tortillas are heated up! If you skip this step, your tortilla won’t be as flexible, and it could crack when filling, or unroll. So take the time to heat up the tortillas.

There are a few different methods of warming up tortillas, but the most common is to heat them up one by one in a hot skillet. Or to place them in the microwave to soften. I don’t recommend heating them over an open flame or under a broiler when making enchiladas as they can get too crispy.

Once you’ve warmed up the tortillas, place the filling in the center of the tortilla. Then, roll it up tightly and place it inside your baking dish.

How to Freeze and Reheat Black Bean Enchiladas

To freeze these enchiladas, make sure to assemble them in a freezer-safe container. Fully assemble them, but do not bake. Make sure the filling is completely cool before wrapping in plastic wrap and freezing for up to 3 months.

Transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator 12 hours before you plan to bake (also known as the day before you want to eat ’em!) to defrost.

Once the enchiladas are defrosted bake according to the instructions in the recipe!

What to Serve with Squash and Bean Enchiladas

Enchiladas are of course perfect with a side of rice! It would also be a welcome addition to serve with a side of corn or a bright side salad. Here are some recipes that will pair well with this dish:

• Cauliflower Rice
• The Best Rice Ever (Stove Top and Instant Pot)
• Avocado and Corn Salsa
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Spiralized Chipotle Slaw
• Easy Homemade Refried Beans

Leftover Ingredient Ideas

This recipe will possibly leave you with leftover tomato sauce and veggie broth! Both can be frozen for use at a later date. Or check out these recipes that call for those ingredients:

• Sweet & Smoky BBQ Sauce
• Grilled Chicken and Vegetables with Tomato Vinaigrette
• Sweet Potato Chili
• Instant Pot Lemon Vegetable Risotto

If you like this Mexican inspired recipe, check out these others:

• Chicken Enchilada Spaghetti Squash Casserole
• Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
• Mahi Mahi Tacos with Tropical Salsa
• The BEST Margarita Ever!

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

4.43 from 7 votes

If you are looking for the perfect veggie enchilada recipe then look no further. Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas are simple to make, using real wholesome ingredients, and are just so delicious! Bake some for now, and freeze some for later. Your future self will thank you!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

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Ingredients

  

For Enchilada Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
• 1 tablespoon chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 cup veggie broth

For Enchiladas:

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1 onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup veggie broth
• 3 cups finely diced butternut squash about ½ - ¼” diced
• 2 big handfuls fresh spinach
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 10-14 medium to small tortillas
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Cilantro for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Make the enchilada sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the arrowroot flour, chili, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin and stir together over the heat constantly for 1 minute. Add in the tomato sauce and lime juice, and then gradually add the veggie broth, whisking to remove any clumps. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning
• Make the filling: Heat oil in a large pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin and salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add veggie broth and butternut squash and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in 1 cup of the reserved enchilada sauce, spinach and black beans and cook until the spinach is wilted and the mixture is heated through.
• Spread ⅓ cup sauce on the bottom of the 9x13 inch (or similar sized) baking dish.
• Warm tortillas up either in a cast-iron skillet, under the broiler, or in the microwave until malleable. Place 1 tortilla down on a flat surface and fill it with about ½ cup of filling (this amount will vary based on the size of your tortillas). Roll up the tortilla and place it, seam side down in the baking dish. Continue until all of the filling has been used up, about 14 tortillas worth.
• Pour remaining sauce over the top of the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake, uncovered in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes. If desired, you can broil the cheese on top for 2-3 minutes at the end.
• Let the enchiladas rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
• Top with cilantro and serve warm with rice, cauliflower rice or side of choice.

Notes

For vegan, omit the cheese.

We tested this recipe with corn tortillas and almond flour tortillas (from Siete Foods). Both worked well! The almond flour tortillas got crunchier than expected, so if you using an alternative grain-free tortilla, you might want to cover it for the first half of the bake. Feel free to use whatever tortilla you typically use to make enchiladas here, too. This recipe will fill between 10 and 14 tortillas, depending on the size of the tortillas you use!

To freeze these enchiladas, make sure to assemble them in a freezer-safe container. Fully assemble them, but do not bake. Make sure the filling is completely cool before wrapping in plastic wrap and freezing for up to 3 months. Transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator 12 hours before you plan to bake (also known as the day before you want to eat 'em!) to defrost. Once the food is defrosted bake according to the instructions in the recipe!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 recipeCalories: 726kcalCarbohydrates: 100gProtein: 36gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 555mgFiber: 24gSugar: 7g

Course: Dinner

Method: Bake

Author: Lexi's Clean Kitchen

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