Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Sweet potato black bean enchiladas are oil free, vegan, gluten free and make a delightful dinner.  Packed full of flavorful spices with an easy homemade enchilada sauce and roasted sweet potatoes, these enchiladas will quickly become a dinnertime favorite.

Before I became vegan, enchiladas were my go-to at Mexican restaurants.  I'd get cheese and onion enchiladas bathed in red sauce, eating every glorious bite and scooping up the remnants with tortilla chips.  Then I'd leave with a stomachache.  These meals are fond memories with friends and family, but the things they did to my body are not fond.

As I started taking animal products out of my diet I discovered this beautiful combination and never looked back! Sweet potatoes and black beans are a match made in heaven.  I have often eaten an entire plate consisting of these two things for a meal and been completely satisfied.  So then, rolling them up in a tortilla and baking them with a cashew cream sauce feels otherworldly to me.

How to make black bean sweet potato enchiladas

These oil free vegan enchiladas do require some time to make, but a lot of it is hands-off.  I can get this meal on the table beginning to end in about an hour.

Start by roasting the sweet potatoes.  Next, while the sweet potatoes are roasting make the enchilada and cashew cream sauces.  This sounds like a lot of work, but I promise you it is not.  Both sauces come together in no time.  When the enchilada sauce is done spread ½ cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 13" pan to prevent sticking.

Once the sweet potatoes are fork tender remove them from the oven and add them to a medium sized bowl with the black beans and a few tablespoons of the enchilada sauce.  Scoop about ⅓ cup of the sweet potato mixture into a tortilla shell.  Roll up each tortilla and then lay seam side down in the prepared baking dish.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Pour a cup of the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top and then drizzle with the cashew cream sauce.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the enchilada sauce is bubbling and the enchiladas are warmed through.

Substitutions for black bean sweet potato enchiladas

• I use my homemade gluten free tortillas when making these enchiladas, but you could also use corn or flour tortillas.  If you're using corn tortillas warm them slightly in the microwave or a pan to make them more flexible and easy to roll.
• A store bought enchilada sauce would work just fine here if you don't want to make your own.  Enchilada sauce comes in 10 or 28-ounce cans.  A 10-ounce can is right on the verge of being enough, but you can stretch it by reducing the amount you put on the bottom of the pan to ⅓ cup.  Or you can use two 10-ounce cans and slather the enchiladas in the sauce (my preference).  If you're making the enchilada sauce from scratch, try using this easy Instant Pot vegetable broth instead of store bought.
• Instead of the cashew cream sauce you could use this cashew mozzarella recipe, a shredded store bought vegan cheese, or skip it altogether.
• If sweet potatoes are hard to find you could also use butternut squash or any other slightly sweet squash.
• Pinto beans can be substituted for the black beans.

What should I serve with vegan enchiladas?

I like to serve these enchiladas with a side of rice or quinoa and a big green salad with my avocado ranch dressing.  Or try these loaded vegan potato nachos as a side or appetizer.  The enchiladas are pretty filling, so eating them alone with a bigger portion is plenty for a meal too!  However you choose to eat them, you're going to fall in love!  Enjoy!

Sweet potato black bean enchiladas

Sweet potato black bean enchiladas are vegan, gluten free and make a delightful dinner option.  Packed full of flavorful spices, an easy homemade enchilada sauce and roasted sweet potatoes, these enchiladas will quickly become a dinnertime favorite.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 356kcal

Author: Maggie

Ingredients

Enchiladas

• 3 cups sweet potatoes (about 2 large) diced
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika smoked if desired
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon aquafaba or olive oil
• 1 15-ounce can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans
• 10 6-inch gluten free tortillas or corn (or flour if not gluten free)

Oil Free Enchilada Sauce (or use two 10-ounce cans red enchilada sauce)*

• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable broth or water**
• ¼ teaspoon salt to taste

Cashew Cream Sauce***

• ½ cup cashews soaked in hot water for 2 hours
• ½ cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Set aside a 9 x 13" baking dish for the enchiladas.
• Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle on the garlic powder, paprika and salt. Drizzle on the aquafaba or olive oil and then toss to thoroughly coat the potatoes with the spices and oil. Spread into an even layer and roast for 25 minutes, or until fork tender, tossing once halfway through.
• While the sweet potatoes are roasting make the enchilada and cashew cream sauces.

Enchilada Sauce (if not using canned):

• Add all ingredients to a blender container and blend until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add the contents of the blender to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 2-4 minutes until it starts to thicken and desired consistency is reached. It will continue thicken the longer you cook it. Season with salt and more spices to taste. Enjoy!

Cashew Cream Sauce:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.

Enchiladas:

• Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly. Once the sweet potatoes are done roasting add them to a medium bowl along with the black beans and 3 tablespoons enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
• Taking one tortilla at a time scoop ⅓ cup of the sweet potato mixture into a tortilla. Roll it up and put it seam side down in the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. If the tortillas aren't flexible and are hard to roll, place them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds.
• Pour ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Drizzle ½ cup of cashew cream sauce over the top.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the enchilada sauce is bubbling and the enchiladas are warmed through. Allow to sit 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

*If using canned enchilada sauce reduce the amount you spread on the bottom to ⅓ cup.  A 10 ounce can is barely enough to use in this recipe.  I suggest using two 10-ounce cans and slathering the enchiladas with the sauce.

**If you are using water, make sure to taste the sauce and add more spices or salt to taste as necessary.

***This makes more cashew cream sauce than you will need for the recipe because it is hard to blend in portions less than this.  Use the leftover sauce as a salad dressing or drizzled on pizza and roasted vegetables.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 572mg | Potassium: 754mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 14581IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 5mg

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