Tortillas and Spinach in Black Bean Sauce (Enfrijoladas de Espinaca)
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Tortillas and Spinach in Black Bean Sauce (Enfrijoladas de Espinaca)
Enfrijoladas are a satisfyingly simple, homey Mexican dish that you rarely see in the Unites States. Corn tortillas are dipped in a smooth bean sauce lightly spiked with chiles. In their simplest form, they are simply served up with more of the sauce and some cheese or crema.
For a slightly more elaborate version, enfrijoladas can be filled. A quick mixture of seasoned spinach and onions works great. Think of them like spinach enchiladas with beans instead of tomatos or tomatillos as the backbone of the sauce.
Pacific Natural’s Spicy Black Bean Soup is already the perfect consistency and flavor to use for enfrijoladas. This makes the whole thing so simple you can throw it together in fifteen minutes.
This recipe serves 4 and is vegetarian and gluten-free (double check the tortillas); it can be vegan if you omit the cheese or use a vegan replacement.
Recipe ingredients:
1 pound frozen spinach2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano (Mexican oregano if possible)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 quart Pacific Natural Foods Spicy Black Bean Soup
12 corn tortillas (double check ingredients for gluten-free)
1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese (or grated Monterey Jack) (omit or replace for vegan)
1 avocado, sliced
a few cilantro leaves
Cooking instructions:
- Defrost the frozen spinach and squeeze most of the water out of it. Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium high flame. Saute the onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Heat the soup in a small saucepan.
- Carefully dip a tortilla in the soup (using tongs so you don't burn yourself!). Hold it there for about 5-10 seconds, until it has softened but isn't falling apart. Remove to a bowl, fill with about 3 tablespoons of the spinach, and loosely roll up. Repeat for all of the tortillas, putting 3 in each bowl.
- Top each bowl with 1/4 of the remaining sauce, a sprinkling of the cotija cheese, a few slices of avocado, and some roughly torn cilantro and serve immediately.
This recipe is awesome! No–really. It is. I live in Texas and Tex-Mex recipes always get my attention but this recipe is a real Mexican dish and not one that I’ve seen in any restaurant. The tastes are delicious together. I’m never disappointed in Herbivoracious recipes but this one is special and incredibly quick to put together.
15 minute dish! Perfect.
Looks delicious!!
Nice!
This recipe used the challenge ingredient (black bean soup) in an unexpected way and having a spinach filling instead of chile, meat, or beans makes this a creative vegetarian twist on a traditional Mexican dish–retaining both the flavors and spirit of the original! I’ll also consider baking it for a large party as an enchilada dish so the flavors soak into the tortillas.
Thanks for sharing your creativity!
These Herbivoracious vegetable combos are exceptionally appealing when hosting a mixed group of people with decidedly different choices of diet!!
Keep up your delicious works ’cause we surely appreciate your efforts!!
I’m making this very soon…I’ve been craving it! Looks delicious and good luck!
Gr8 as always Michael, more so ‘coz its so simple but the presentation is exotic.
I really appreciate it, you guys! Thanks for the votes – and don’t forget you can vote once every 24 hours until the contest ends at 11:59 PM on Tuesday.
loved it
Congrats!!!! Sounds yummy.
K
How much fresh, baby spinach could I use to sub for the frozen spinach? It’s a fact that frozen spinach has insects and insect parts in it, so I always use fresh spinach.
Sandy – I don’t have an exact conversion in mind, but I would say one of those big plastic produce bags you find in any grocery store would probably cook down to about the right amount.