Enfrijoladas

Enfrijoladas is a Mexican dish made with corn tortillas soaked in a flavorful refried bean sauce and topped with queso fresco (fresh cheese), avocado, and cilantro. This dish is authentic, very simple, delicious, and easy to make!

What are Enfrijoladas?

I grew up eating enfrijoladas (4-year-old Anna LOVED them, and still does!) and I’m pretty sure I was eating them every day at one point. Enfrijoladas are similar to enchiladas but covered in a bean sauce rather than a chili sauce. Enfijoladas are also very popular in low-income households as the ingredients are very affordable and easy to access. You can make an entire batch of enfrijoladas for a family of 4 for under $10. There are different versions of enfrijoldas but the most authentic is the most simple; made with just beans, broth, onion, pepper, and tortillas. They are so easy to make, with only 5 main ingredients and about 15 minutes of cooking. They are also super picky eater and kid-friendly!

They sound very simple but just wait until you take your first bite. They are comforting, saucy, delicious and so nourishing. This enfrijolada recipe is 100% plant-based and made with health in mind. This recipe is also packed with protein and fiber. 95% of Americans are not getting enough fiber so adding more beans to your diet is a smart thing to do! Want to take these enfrijoladas to the next level? You need to add my vegan queso fresco! First, gather these super simple ingredients:

Ingredients and Substitute Options

Beans: I have used canned beans and freshly boiled beans before. Homemade beans (frijoles de la olla) are always better, but I loved how canned beans turned out. I like using both. I typically use black beans but grew up with the pinto bean type of enfrijolada because that is what my mom used most of the time. Choose whichever you like best.

Vegetable broth: 

This is a significant player in this recipe. For best results, I recommend choosing the first option if possible:

1. Water + Bouillon. I love using No Chicken base Better Than Bouillon but you can also use the vegan version of Knorr bouillon (powder). Knorr is actually what they typically use in Mexico.
2. Vegetable broth. You would need to buy the packages of vegetable stock. The flavor varies depending on the brand/type of stock. 
3. If you don’t have either of the above use water with a bit of extra salt and onion powder. I’ve made it this way before and it came out just fine.

Onion: It enhances the flavor a lot more than you would think. Since this dish is so simple, that I don’t recommend leaving it out.

Serrano pepper: If you don’t like it spicy, leave the serrano pepper out or use a milder pepper. The original recipe my mom used to make me when I was little did not have any pepper in it. However, as I got older I started loving spicy foods.

For The Best Enfrijoladas:

• Use tongs to flip the tortillas and a spoon to coat them with extra beans.
• Avoid soaking the tortilla in a pan for longer than a minute because it can break and get super soggy.
• Some enfrijolada recipes call for frying them in oil for a few minutes before soaking them in the bean sauce. My mother never made them this way but it’s an option for those who would like to try it.
• If you don’t mind washing another dish, try blending the bean puree for an extra smooth texture! I usually prefer having some texture of the mashed beans but a smooth bean puree is also yummy.
• Add toppings of your choice. I recommend adding queso fresco, sour cream, avocado, and salsa.
• Eat immediately and eat hot for best results. You can refrigerate for up to 5 days but I bet you they won’t last that long 😉

You can mash them with a potato masher or the back of a spoon if you want more texture like the beans shown in the photo above to the right-hand side. You can also blend them to get a smoother bean sauce like the beans shown below:

Enfrijoladas can be stuffed with cheese but are usually not stuffed with anything at all. I recommend adding anything you’d like as a stuffing or a side. Enfrijoladas are great eaten by themselves but you can also pair them with a side of Mexican rice, calabacitas (Mexican Zucchini), and ensalada de nopal.

More Delicious Vegan Mexican Recipes:

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Esquites (Mexican Street Corn)

Torta De Carnitas (Mexican Sandwich)

Caldo De Pollo Vegano (Mexican Chick’n Soup)

Enfrijoladas

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Anna Rios
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 8–10 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Enfrijoladas are corn tortillas soaked in a black bean mixture and topped with queso fresco (fresh cheese), avocado, and cilantro. This dish is authentic, very simple, delicious, and easy to make!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2.5 cups of cooked black beans or beans of choice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 onion, diced
• 1 serrano pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp oil
• 8–10 corn tortillas
• Salt to taste

Toppings (optional):

• Vegan Queso Fresco
• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Salsa
• Jalapenos

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Instructions

1. Set a medium pan on medium-high heat and add oil. Once hot, add diced onion and Serrano pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Add cooked black beans (or beans of choice) to pan and let heat up completely. Once heating up, mash with the back of a spatula or potato masher.
3. Once beans have been mashed well, add vegetable broth, stir in slowly, and bring to a simmer.
4. Turn down to a low simmer to avoid drying them out and submerge one tortilla at a time. Make sure to fully cover tortilla in bean mixture for at least 1 minute but not longer to avoid it getting too soggy.
5. Repeat the process until all tortillas have been dunked and covered in bean mixture.
6. Serve on a plate and add vegan queso fresco, cilantro and avocado!

Notes

*best when fresh

*can keep in fridge for up to 5 days

*can blend bean mixture for smoother consistency

• Prep Time: 5
• Cook Time: 10
• Category: Mains
• Method: stove
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 enfrijoladas