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Enfrijoladas

Learn how to make enfrijoladas – the tasty cousin to enchiladas! With an easy bean sauce and simple fillings, you can have dinner ready in 30 minutes!

4 black bean enfrijoladas on a plate sprinkled with chorizo, queso and crema

Enfrijoladas Recipe

Beans and tortillas have been a staple in Mexican cuisine for centuries, but have you ever tried enfrijoladas?

What does enfrijoladas mean?

Enfrijoladas are similar to enchiladas except they’re dipped in frijol (bean) sauce instead of chile sauce.

Everyone is familiar with enchiladas, but today I’m here to shine the spotlight on this lesser known sister!

These enfrijoladas feature black beans with a hint of smoky chipotle and garlic.

They’re made with corn tortillas, although there’s no rule against using flour tortillas if you want.

4 black bean enfrijoladas on a plate sprinkled with chorizo, queso and crema

I enjoy these without any filling at all. No, you don’t need to stuff them!

They’re hearty enough on their own and make a tasty vegan dinner.

Eat them as is, or throw some toppings on there like sour cream, avocado or some chopped onions.

If you feel like stuffing them, I have some delicious options for you.

Being the cheese fanatic I am, I must recommend crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterrey Jack cheese.

If you haven’t tried queso fresco enchiladas yet, change that ASAP. It’s a game changer!

No one even misses the meat with all that cheese, and it’s a good vegetarian option for Meatless Monday.

If meat is your style, try shredded cooked chicken or cooked and crumbled Mexican-style pork chorizo.

You can even make breakfast enfrijoladas with scrambled eggs and bacon. Yum!

Como hacer enfrijoladas

Begin by making the enfrijolada sauce. It’s easy to whip up in the blender with canned beans, garlic cloves and chipotle peppers.

Chipotles are smoked jalapenos that have been canned in adobo sauce.

They have a rich smoky flavor and a little bit of heat. Use more or less depending on how spicy you like it.

Corn tortilla being fried in oil for enfrijoladas

You can use either black beans or pinto beans depending on your preference (or what you have in your cupboard!).

Blend everything until smooth and pour into a pan to heat. You may need to add additional liquid to thin it out.

Before you can begin assembling, you’ll need to warm you tortillas so they’re pliable without cracking.

My favorite way is to dip them in a hot oil “bath.” This is the way my abuela taught me and they don’t crack or get soggy and fall apart.

You could also heat them on a comal on the stove or microwave them, as long as they’re soft and flexible!

Whole corn tortilla being dipped in black bean sauce for enfrijoladas

After warming the tortilla, dip in the bean sauce.

If using a filling, add it now and fold the tortillas in half or roll up.

As you make these, they can be eaten immediately since all the ingredients are cooked and hot.

Or, place them in a heat-safe dish and warm in the oven.

The oven method is ideal if you want to make these ahead of time, or if you have a filling like Monterrey Jack cheese which needs melting.

Serve with your favorite taco toppings and chocolate tres leches cake for dessert!

4 black bean enfrijoladas on a plate sprinkled with chorizo, queso and crema


Try these other Mexican food favorites like authentic Mexican Corn in a Cup

Mexican Corn in a Cup recipe (Elotes). Now you can have this street food at home!

This Mexican Carne Guisada recipe (tender chunks of stewed beef) made a wonderful taco filling for a simple dinner

Easy carne guisada recipe - tender chunks of beef in Mexican gravy! Authentic recipe from Texas #mexicanfoodrecipes #mexicanfood #easyrecipe #dinnerrecipes