Black Bean-Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Christmas Sauce

Like you, I read lots and lots of Cinco de Mayo recipes this month.   I even posted one myself.   There were lots of delicious Mexican-inspired recipes and I was most taken with Liz of That Skinny Chick Can Bake fame and her Smoky Black Bean Dip.

I have a really bad habit of making appetizers for dinner (and sometimes apps solely to celebrate major holidays).   Trying to redeem myself, I decided to morph her dip recipe into an enchilada filling and a full entree.

See how I did.

Black Bean-Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Christmas Sauce
inspired by Smoky Black Bean Dip

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 T. olive oil 1 c. onion, chopped
1/2 c. dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/8 c. cider vinegar
1/8 c. agave nectar
1 t. chipotle powder
1 t. cumin
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
Tortillas (flour or corn)
4 oz. goat cheese
3 c. red sauce
3 c. green sauce
1/2 c. grated cheese
sour cream to garnish, optional

Make the filling:
Drain and rinse beans; set aside.  In a skillet, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan.  Add the onion, dried tomatoes, red pepper, and garlic.  Sauté for about 4 minutes.  Add the beans, vinegar, agave nectar, chipotle powder, cumin, salt and pepper.

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Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.   You may mash lightly with a spoon or potato masher or you may leave whole for your enchilada filling.

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Mashed up a bit.

Prepare enchiladas:
Place about ½ cup of each of the sauces in the bottom of an 9×9” pan. Heat tortillas slightly in microwave so they roll easily (about 25 seconds).   Place a bit of bean filling in the center of a tortilla (about 1/8 cup, more or less), put in a teaspoon or two of goat cheese, and roll up.   Place each enchilada in the pan on top of the sauce.   Repeat. When baking dish is full of enchiladas, cover half with red sauce and half with green sauce.

Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Note:   Add a bit of the dried tomato oil to the onions while they are simmering.   This additions lends just another level of flavor.

I had a bit of the red sauce left but I went heavy with the green sauce and did a striped design.

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Then, I covered it all in cheese.

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I think you could easily fill a 9 x 11 pan if you simply doubled the bean mixture and made a double batch of either the red or the green sauce.

 

Christmas sauce—half red chile sauce and half green chile sauce—is a New Mexican tradition.   I just can’t keep “The Land of Enchantment” out of my head and out of my kitchen.   I need to visit soon!

I had some delicious veggie enchiladas once at the now defunct Joseph’s Table in Taos.   These reminded me a bit of that meal.

Ahhh—to return to the Land of Enchantment…. (sorry about the obsessing)…

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Served with some whole-grain pilaf.

News Flash!

I get to attend a training/conference this summer in Santa Fe!!!!!!!   See, the stars are aligning.   I am so excited.   (I promised my boss that I would attend all the sessions and not skip out to site see.)

22 comments to Black Bean-Goat Cheese Enchiladas with Christmas Sauce

  • Liz

    Oh, you made my day!!! What a wonderful idea to morph this dip into an enchilada filling! Adding cheese makes almost every savory dish better 🙂

    • Liz, you certainly made our evening as we were munching on these enchiladas and thinking about NM! Thanks for the inspiration!

  • Taking On Magazines

    Wow, congratulations on the conference! I can’t wait to get your update on it once you get back. I do remember Liz’s dip and thought it was fantastic as well. I love how you adapted it.

    • Thanks, Christianne. Yep, I got lucky that I drew the straw for this conference. It should be fabulous—dealing with children in poverty. I am looking forward to it.

  • I am sooooo pleased for you and equally soooooo envious. I have been yearning for the Southwest too. And most particularly I wanted to visit Santa Fe. Yes, the stars aligned themselves. 🙂 I am enchanted with the enchiladas also. The Christmas sauce idea is new to me and I LIKE it. Delectable filling too. Congrats again!

  • You always make me hungry! I am jealous of that Sante Fe trip. Photos please”

    • Hopefully I will have some photos besides the inside of the conference center. I’m sure I will have a couple to share. 🙂

  • kitchenriffs

    Good, good stuff. Anything Mexican has my number. And Christmas sauce? Yes, please. Glad you get to visit Santa Fe!

  • Could you please pass that plate over? It looks really super, Debra. That baking dish looks very pretty too.

  • Mae

    Sounds good, but I don’t see what makes it smoky? You’ll surely get a lot of wonderful southwest foods in Santa Fe. I hope your conference/hotel is located in the central area where many of the good restaurants are.

    • The chipotle powder makes it smoky, Mae. If you don’t have chipotle powder, you can use chipotles in adobe sauce like Liz’s original recipe. No worries, I will be eating my way through Santa Fe, rest assured.

  • Mmm… smoky black beans and goat cheese in an enchilada–you have me drooling. BTW–I share your appetizers for dinner habits. 😉

  • You get to go to Santa Fe??? YAY and take lots of photos. I happen to like appetizers for a meal. It’s our Friday night tradition. Now about these enchiladas. They look delicious! I’ll have to give them a try.

  • Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!!! There’s nothing like Christmas in May! What a great batch of enchiladas and love your sauces!

  • Lucky YOU getting to go to Santa Fe! These look so doggone good – and of course, I am on the Green team so I am grateful that you added it in to your dish! 🙂