Earlier this year I talked about my visit to my friend Dana in Seattle, where we ate wonderful Thai food, mushroom enchiladas and dined at a beautiful French bistro. We drank local wine and toured several local markets that at the time, were just beginning to show signs of spring fruits and vegetables.
Not only is Dana a phenomenal cook (and Seattle dining tour guide: every restaurant we went to was more perfect than the previous) but she is a great cooking instructor, as well.
Dana teaches vegetarian cooking classes from her own kitchen and while I was there, she hosted a Mexican-themed class where we made smoky black beans, Mexican rice and roasted tomatillo guacamole, along with veggie-friendly, lighter-than-most enchilada.
I’ve had the recipe flagged since the class and finally made them a few weeks ago.
In my opinion, the best part of this recipe is the enchilada sauce, which is tomato-based and creamy, different than most enchilada sauces. It’s so rich that you’ll almost want to toss in a handful of Parmesan cheese, mix it with pasta and shelve your dreams of enchiladas for another day.
Don’t do that though. If you forge on you’ll wind up with a hearty enchilada recipe that has a ton of flavor, fresh vegetables and protein.
Enchiladas aren’t the prettiest dish, but you can add any number of fresh vegetables to the mushroom mix to adapt them to whatever season it is. Because the fresh corn at the farmers market looked great, I added a cup of corn kernels to the mushroom mixture for color, flavor and a little bit of crunch.
For the Sauce- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 28-ounce can tomato puree
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ - ½ cup water (optional)
- Kosher salt
For the Enchiladas- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried epazote (optional)
- 1 pound buttom, crimini or oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced (I used a combination)
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cooked fresh corn
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 8-inch flour tortillas
- 1 cup (packed) grated cheddar cheese
- Make the sauce: Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano and chile powder and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the tomato puree (it will splatter) and the sugar. Give it a good stir and reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the cream and mix well. At this point, you might need to pour in some water. You want a nice thick sauce but if it is too thick, pour in ¼ cup water. Cook over low heat until thickened and the flavors meld together, adding more salt and/or sugar as necessary, about 15 minutes. If the sauce is too thick for your taste, add the rest of the water. Set aside. (Can be made a day ahead. Allow to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. Re-warm on the stove, adding more liquid to reach desired consistency.)
- Make the enchiladas: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and epazote and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms. Don’t worry if the pan seems crowded, the mushrooms cook down considerably. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook until the mushrooms give off their liquid and the pan is mostly dry, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and the cilantro. Stir in the corn during the last minute of cooking. Add another pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Give everything a good mix, allowing the cilantro to wilt a bit, and turn off the heat. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush just a bit of sauce along the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Have the tortillas close by. Set one tortilla on a work surface and spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over the surface. Scoop roughly ⅙th of the filling into the middle of the tortilla and roll carefully and tightly. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. You may have a bit of filling left over.
- Using a spoon, spread the rest of the sauce over the top of the enchiladas, making sure to coat the ends as well so they don’t dry out. Sprinkle the top with cheese and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve hot.
51 Comments
Aggie
August 20, 2011 at 6:40 amI saw this the other day here and I’ve been wanting to come back and comment. I love that you posted a homemade enchilada sauce recipe, I’ve been wanting to make my own for a while. And I’m really loving these meatless enchiladas. Enchiladas are seriously one of my favorite dinners to make. I am all over these with the mushrooms!! I’ve never thought to put mushrooms in them, looks delicious!!
Keeping It Simple: Mexican Green Rice
August 18, 2011 at 6:01 pm[…] this week, it was enchiladas. Today, it’s Mexican style rice. You’re probably thinking one of two things: does she […]
Lisa from Lisas Yarns
August 18, 2011 at 6:37 amHoly yum – that sounds amazing. i heart mushrooms so I would for sure love this dish!
Marsha @ The Harried Cook
August 17, 2011 at 10:12 pmLoving catching up on these yummy dishes I’ve missed out while I’ve been on a blog-break! Gorgeous enchiladas… Bookmarking them! I love mushrooms 🙂
Laural @ Being Healthier
August 17, 2011 at 4:51 pmwhat a great meal idea! I am always looking for “worknight” dinners!
Susan
August 17, 2011 at 12:38 pmThese sound wonderful, Maris! What a flavorful meatless meal.
5 Star Foodie
August 16, 2011 at 7:16 pmAwesome enchiladas, I like the combination of mushrooms, beans and corn in the filling!
kankana
August 16, 2011 at 5:44 pmMost of the time I think the dishes which doesn’t look that pretty turns out to be the yummiest!
Chrissy
August 16, 2011 at 5:41 pmmushrooms in a-ny-thing is fabulous. I love that you used a combo of mushrooms. Definitely on my to-cook list!
Priyanka
August 16, 2011 at 4:42 pmNice choice of filling….Added to my must try list
Natalie
August 16, 2011 at 4:14 pmOh wow, mushroom enchiladas, they’re definitely going on the Friday night dinner list, if I can wait that long!!
Donna
August 16, 2011 at 3:43 pmI think Mexican is such a natural cuisine for meatless meals ~ your enchiladas look fabulous!
Elle @ We can begint to feed...
August 16, 2011 at 1:57 pmMaris, I haven’t ever eaten an enchilada, ever! This looks so good.
Carolyn
August 16, 2011 at 1:56 pmThese really do sound like phenomenal enchiladas. I usually use a sauce out of Cook’s Illustrated but yours sounds good enough to sway me away!
lisa {smart food and fit}
August 16, 2011 at 1:45 pmWonderful vegetarian option for meatless Mondays! Thanks for sharing and have a great day Maris!
blackbookkitchendiaries
August 16, 2011 at 1:33 pmthis looks so yummy!! *swoon* thank you for sharing this and have a great day.
Heather @girlichef
August 16, 2011 at 1:09 pmMmmm…these sound wonderful, I love the veggie option!
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc.
August 16, 2011 at 12:56 pmThese looks SO good. I think my kids would even like these. They love Mexican
Bee
August 16, 2011 at 12:43 pmI am a big fan of enchiladas in any capacity 🙂 These look delish! I need to experiment with more veggie-centric meals.
Sue/the view from great island
August 16, 2011 at 12:31 pmThe weather getting a little cooler has got me thinking along these lines. I love enchiladas, but I usually make a fairly bland cheese and onion version. I can’t wait to try the sauce—I usually used the canned stuff. And I just bought a vintage baking dish at the thrift store that these will fit perfectly in…Thanks for the inspiration!
Heavenly Housewife
August 16, 2011 at 11:31 amAlthough I am not a veggie by any means, I do eat a lot of vegetarian food just because it tends to be more healthy. I love the sound of your enchiladas, this would made an awesome dinner.
*kisses* HH
Mary
August 16, 2011 at 11:13 amThese look and sound incredible. I’ve never had them made with these ingredients but I am game to try them. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
emily (a nutritionist eats)
August 16, 2011 at 10:29 amI haven’t had enchiladas in forever, but these sound wonderful! I may have a craving coming on…
BakerbyNature
August 16, 2011 at 8:15 amYum, Maris. This is such a great dinner option for vegetarian friends; I usually fins myself playing safe with a basic pasta.
Lynne @ 365 Days of Baking
August 16, 2011 at 8:01 amOoh, I’ve never had mushroom enchiladas, and the sauce sounds great, Maris. These are on my to-do list. Thanks!
marla
August 16, 2011 at 7:49 amThese enchiladas sound great – love that creamy sauce! Awesome that your friend teaches those classes 🙂
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour
August 16, 2011 at 7:26 amSounds like a winner! My family loves enchiladas and are always wanting to go to Mexican restaurants. I’ll try them a home!
Blond Duck
August 16, 2011 at 6:19 amI’ve been dying to make spinach enchiladas…I think mushroom enchiladas would be the perfect combination!
Vivienne
August 16, 2011 at 6:02 amlooks very tasty…i def want to try that rich sauce! we dont get a lot of mexican options here down under unfortunately!
polwig
August 15, 2011 at 10:02 pmI love mushrooms and cheese and addition of more veggies is icing on the cake. Beautiful !!!
Greg
August 15, 2011 at 10:00 pmYou aren’t kidding, that sauce sounds fabulous! I have some fire roasted ones I got on sale, hmm….
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
August 15, 2011 at 7:14 pmThis is even easier than frying them all separately in a frying pan! Great idea Maris! 😀
Roz
August 15, 2011 at 7:02 pmOh my goodness Maris, this looks incredible. Dana sounds like the best kind of friend!! Hope you have had a good Monday.
camille
August 15, 2011 at 6:47 pmI seriously saved this recipe before even reading all of it, it sounded THAT GOOD. I think I’ll need to halve it, though – my husband is not a mushroom person, and I very much am, so this is an “only me” recipe!
Candace
August 15, 2011 at 6:46 pmThis recipe sounds delicious. I love it that you’ve made a healthier yet still tasty Mexican dish. I’m going to give this a try!
Nelly Rodriguez
August 15, 2011 at 5:52 pmYum and vegetarian! Love it! Actually…I love enchiladas anything 😛
Cookin' Canuck
August 15, 2011 at 5:18 pmGreat writing as usual, Maris and these enchiladas sounds fantastic. I’m intrigued and wanting to try that sauce.
Courtney
August 15, 2011 at 3:21 pmI will have to look her classes up! I’m thinking of signing up for some fun cooking classes and her’s sounds great. Yum!
Rachel @ Not Rachael Ray
August 15, 2011 at 3:10 pmYum, looks like the perfect meal for the next time hubby has a late night at work 🙂 That’s when I cook all my vegetarian recipes. I could probably eat a whole pan of these!
Juliana
August 15, 2011 at 2:47 pmYour mushroom enchiladas look delicious, specially with corns and lots of cilantro.
Hope you have a great week ahead Maris 🙂
Sarah (everydaysapicnic)
August 15, 2011 at 2:30 pmYummy – this recipe sounds so good! I think I need more Mexican food in my life 🙂
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique
August 15, 2011 at 2:12 pmLove mushrooms, and this! Looks great.
yummychunklet
August 15, 2011 at 1:46 pmI’ve been wanting to make an enchilada dish for awhile now. This looks fantastic!
Liz
August 15, 2011 at 1:19 pmOh, gosh, I think I’ve just discovered my favorite enchilada ever!!!! How fabulous!!!
Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray
August 15, 2011 at 1:08 pmThese look and sound delicious! I’m always looking to bookmark savory meals that I think my novice cooking skills can handle. 🙂
Melissa@IWasBornToCook
August 15, 2011 at 1:02 pmGreat minds think alike – I posted enchiladas today too (chicken). These look really good!
Emma
August 15, 2011 at 12:52 pmUh oh, I recently made a heavier-than-most pan of enchiladas…. and since I was alone for the week, proceeded to eat the whole thing over the course of the next five frickin’ meals. It lasted forrrrrrrrrr…evvvvvvvv….ur.
If there had been mushrooms inside, though, eatin’ ’em all up would have been a continual treat.
Nami | Just One Cookbook
August 15, 2011 at 12:49 pmIt’s so nice to have a friend who teaches a cooking class! I agree, the tomato-based creamy enchilada sauce is definitely different and I am curious how it tastes like. My kids and I might like this version as we love tomato base and creamy food… How delicious!
Junia @ Mis Pensamientos
August 15, 2011 at 12:45 pmi love the idea of using the roasted tomatillo guacamole with mushroom enchiladas! this is seriously flavor party!
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
August 15, 2011 at 12:34 pmMushroom enchiladas are delish! I haven’t had them since I was in TX maybe it is time to change that.
Bev Weidner
August 15, 2011 at 12:23 pmOh dear goodness! This is MY kind of meal. I just made some recently:
http://bevcooks.com/2011/07/spicy-chicken-and-spinach-enchiladas/
But you see, mushrooms own my heart, so I’m making your version next!