Layered Black Bean & Quinoa Enchiladas

Black bean & quinoa enchiladas with Mexican rice
photo courtesy of Brandon Boren

Enchiladas are one of the most well-known Mexican dishes. It consists of a corn tortilla that is placed around an array of ingredients and is then smothered in a of chile sauce. This recipe tastes best when made with a bold red chile sauce to balance the flavors since the filling is quite zesty. The quinoa and black beans make an awesome replacement to meat or cheese enchiladas, not to mention that they are much more healthier. To make this recipe vegan, just omit the cheese.


Ingredients for enchilada filling:

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

Black bean & quinoa filling
photo courtesy of Brandon Boren

1 1/2 cups water
2 cups black beans or 29oz canned (rinsed & drained)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 lime (juiced)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Filling preparation:
Heat a bit of oil in a small saucepan. Add the quinoa and toast until it becomes golden brown. Add water, cover with the lid, drop the heat to a simmer and leave it to cook for 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is finished, mix it together with all of the remaining filling ingredients in a large bowl.

Ingredients (additional):
Oil for frying
Red enchilada sauce (click here for recipe)
Tortillas (enough for layering in baking dish)
Cheese (optional)

Preparation for layering enchiladas:

Black bean & quinoa enchiladas
photo courtesy of Brandon Boren

Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Once hot, fry the tortillas one at a time on both sides just until the tortilla is softened and easily pliable without ripping apart. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
To assemble the enchiladas, spread enough enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of an oven-safe dish. Arrange the softened tortillas over the sauce, cover with more sauce, and spread the quinoa & black bean filling over it. Add another layer of tortillas and top with more red chile sauce. Next, cover with a generous sprinkling of cheese. Repeat these layers until a minimum of 3 layers thick. It is easiest to remember that everytime you assemble a layer of tortillas, you must cover it with the sauce.
Once you have your desired amount of layers, spoon enough sauce to cover the top and edges of the tortillas. This will keep the enchiladas moist while baking. A final sprinkle of cheese is optional. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is browned to your liking. Let cool a minimum of 5 minutes before serving and serve with your favorite toppings.

Red Chile Sauce

Red chile sauce can be used as a base to everything from enchilada sauce to chile con carne. Although this recipe makes quite a bit of chile sauce, it freezes really well. This is a recipe that has been in our family for as long as I can remember and it is quite easy, but it can get a bit messy. My best word of advice? Don't wear your nice clothes.

Ingredients:
8oz (1/2lb) dried red chile (New Mexico, California, guajillo, etc.)
1/2 onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
8 large garlic cloves
4 cups reserved chile water (see below)
Salt and pepper to taste

Strained red chile sauce
photo courtesy of Brandon Boren

Preparation:
Clean the dried chiles by cutting off the stem and removing the seeds inside. Boil chiles in enough water to cover for 10 minutes or until softened. Reserve 4 cups of the water used to boil the chiles. Transfer the chiles to a blender, along with onion, garlic, spices and 2 cups of the chile water. Place the blended sauce in a colander over a bowl. Use a spoon to help pass the strained chile sauce through the colander. Once all of the sauce has passed through, place the leftover chile paste in the blender with the remaining 2 cups of chile water and re-blend. Repeat the straining process through the colander once more. Add salt and pepper to taste. The strained sauce is ready to use or can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.