Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas

Name: Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 8 enchiladas
Ingredients: 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach; thawed or 1 pound fresh spinach; cooked (see Notes) 1 can (15 ounces) black beans; drained and rinsed 1 ½ cups corn; fresh; frozen or canned; drained and rinsed 3 green onions; thinly sliced ⅓ cup chopped cilantro 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese; divided 3 cups or 1 can (28 ounces) enchilada sauce 8 whole-wheat flour tortillas (7 to 8-inch diameter)

A tasty combination of black beans and veggies wrapped in tender tortillas, covered in a flavorful tomato sauce and topped with creamy mozzarella cheese.

Video

Casserole dish with tortillas filled with a bean, corn and spinach mix with red sauce.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 8 enchiladas
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed or 1 pound fresh spinach, cooked (see Notes)

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups corn, fresh, frozen or canned, drained and rinsed

3 green onions, thinly sliced

⅓ cup chopped cilantro

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

3 cups or 1 can (28 ounces) enchilada sauce

8 whole-wheat flour tortillas (7 to 8-inch diameter)

Directions

Wash hands with soap and water.
Rinse fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Drain extra water from spinach and chop.
In a large bowl, combine spinach, beans, corn, green onions, cilantro and 1 ½ cups of cheese.
Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add a small amount enchilada sauce and spread to cover the bottom.
Fill tortillas with spinach mixture. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish.
Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheese on top.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until enchiladas are heated through and cheese is bubbly. Serve warm.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

Use fresh spinach or other greens instead of frozen. Stovetop: cook rinsed greens over medium-low heat, stirring now and again, for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through. Microwave: heat in a covered dish for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the microwave's power.
Try corn tortillas instead of whole wheat flour tortillas.
Serve enchiladas with your favorite hot sauce or salsa. Try a Food Hero salsa recipe provided by the Latin Heritage workgroup: Salsa Roja and Salsa Verde

Make your own enchilada sauce!

¼ cup (2 ounces) tomato paste
¼ cup flour
2 teaspoons cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
⅛ teaspoon pepper
3 cups low-sodium broth (any type)

Combine tomato paste, flour, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and pepper in a saucepan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Thanks to the OSU Extension Latin Heritage Workgroup for this recipe.

Comments

Submitted by Kris77 on Mon, 07/05/2021 - 16:54

We really enjoyed this recipe! It was good vegetarian comfort food and quite easy and quick. Next time, I will use large 10 inch tortilla shells, as we put as much filling as we could into 10 small 7 inch shells and there was quite a lot leftover. We spread the extra filling over top of the tortillas and then covered with sauce and cheese. It worked out just fine. We used a little extra cheese on top and substituted 3 Tbsp of parsley for the cilantro. I would like to try the homemade enchilada sauce recipe next time.

Submitted by tierrabonita on Tue, 11/03/2020 - 10:42

Wow this was easy and tasted great! We used fresh kale and warmed it in the micro a few minutes before chopping it. We also warmed the tortillas first in the micro which made them easier to roll. And it was great the next day too!

Submitted by kokeshc on Fri, 05/08/2020 - 17:56

This was such a sweet, simple, and comforting dish! Perfect on a cool summer evening if you're craving something a little more hearty.

There is a corn allergy in my household so we went without--but fresh spinach, black beans, cheese, and enchilada sauce are a killer combination. I found that a 5oz container of fresh spinach was the perfect amount as a substitute for the 10oz of frozen! It cooks down in the oven, just not all the way as the frozen would have. Depending on what you have in your kitchen and your spinach preferences, it's delicious either way :)