Black bean sweet potato enchiladas topped with creamy, smoky cashew sauce are total healthy comfort food, and they're super simple to make!
Instead of vegan shreds, these black bean sweet potato enchiladas use my chipotle cashew cream sauce as the topping. It's smoky, creamy deliciousness!
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Making the filling
I wanted this recipe to be a fast and simple as possible, so the black bean sweet potato filling involves some shortcuts to reduce your total cooking time.
First of all, I'm not going to specify how you should cook these sweet potatoes. You can make them in the microwave, boil the cubes on the stovetop, or cook them in the Instant Pot. You can also buy frozen sweet potato and defrost it. Do you.
You'll be shocked to hear that I used my Instant Pot to make my potato cubes. To do this, peel and cube the sweet potatoes, then add them to the pot with a cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
If you want to cook your beans or make your enchilada sauce from scratch, I encourage you to go for it! But in the interest of saving time, this recipe calls for premade versions of both. You do you.
I'm using all dried spices for this filling. No mincing, no saute, no oil. Just measure a those flavorful spices right into the bowl with the beans and potatoes, mash them up, and you're ready to roll those tortillas.
Making the smoky chipotle cashew cream sauce
There is one place where I didn't use a shortcut, and that's the creamy topping for these enchiladas. Instead of bagged cheese, you top these off with smoky, flavorful chipotle cashew cream sauce.
To make the cream sauce, you just need to soak cashews for 10-15 minutes, then drain them. Raw or roasted cashews will work fine. If you're using roasted, just opt for that slightly longer soaking time.
Toss the soaked, drained cashews into the blender with the rest of the cream sauce ingredients, and blend to creamy perfection.
Depending on how long your cashews have been in your pantry, how long you soak, and even the humidity in your kitchen, the perfect amount of water you use in this sauce can vary. In the recipe, I start you off with just ¼ cup of water, and then you can add more, if needed, to reach a nice, spreadable consistency.
If you'd rather not make this cream sauce (or if you can't do cashews), you can use a bag of vegan pepper jack cheese or a cup of your favorite vegan cheese sauce instead.
This cream sauce is great on these enchiladas, but I like to make a bigger batch, because it's also lovely on tacos, in burritos, or drizzled onto a burrito bowl!
Putting it all together
Once you've got your filling mashed up and the cream sauce prepared, you're ready to assemble! Start by spreading enchilada sauce over the bottom of your pan.
Before you start rolling your enchiladas, it's crucial that you warm your tortillas, especially if they're not the most fresh. You can warm them on the stovetop, in the oven, or in the microwave. Here's how.
Once your tortillas are warmed, arrange a few tablespoons of the black bean sweet potato filling down the middle of a soft corn tortilla, then place the rolled tortilla -- seam side down -- into the pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Smother the top of your enchilada casserole in the remaining enchilada sauce, then do the same thing with the chipotle cashew cream sauce. From there, you're ready to bake and serve!
You can serve these as-is or with your favorite toppings. I like to top them with chopped tomato, green onion, and fresh herbs.
Storage directions
You can store leftovers right in the baking pan, if you like. Just cover with foil or, if your pan has one, a lid. They'll keep for three to four days.
Otherwise, transfer the enchiladas to an airtight container, making sure that the rolls are still seam side down. Cover and store for up to four days in the fridge.
You can also freeze these for up to 6 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Then, warm them through in the microwave or in the oven on a lined baking sheet.
More ways to use sweet potatoes
📖 Recipe
Black bean sweet potato enchiladas recipe
Ingredients
For the cashew cream sauce
- 1 cup cashews - soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes
- ¼ cup water - NOT the soaking water - you may need up to ½ cup, but start with ¼ cup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast - optional
- 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons mild chipotle chili powder - to taste
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
For the enchiladas
- 3 cups peeled, cubed, & cooked sweet potatoes
- 1 15 ounce can black beans - drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 10 ounce can red enchilada sauce
- 10-12 small white corn or flour tortillas - warmed
- optional garnishes: chopped tomato, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
Make the cream sauce
- Combine all of the cream sauce ingredients in your blender or food processor, and puree until you have a completely smooth, spreadable mixture. You want it thick but not to thick that you damage your tortillas when you spread it over the top of the casserole! If needed, add up to 4 extra tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach this consistency.
Make the enchiladas
- In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato, black beans, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, coriander, and 2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together, mixing well. You want to incorporate the spices, but you don't want to totally mash up all of the beans. Go for an even, chunky mix.
- In a 9X12" pan, pour about ⅓ of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading it across the bottom.
- To make one roll, spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the black bean sweet potato mixture down the middle of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla into a tube, then place the rolled tortilla seam-side-down in the pan in a single layer. Repeat until you've filled up your pan. This usually takes 10-12 tortillas, depending on their size and the size of your pan.
- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over everything, trying to evenly coat your enchiladas. Do the same with the chipotle cashew cream, spreading it to cover everything, then put the pan into the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, and let your enchiladas sit for 5 minutes before serving topped with your garnishes of choice.
Equipment
- 9/12" baking pan
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!