Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

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Bean and Cheese Enchiladas are a hearty vegetarian dish that is perfect for weeknights. Versatile and easy your whole family will love them.

My family is definitely a meat eating family. I generally do all of my meal planning around what meats that we have on hand. And if I don’t have meat on the table I am usually hit with the “WHERE’S THE MEAT?!” question.

Unless I make something so hearty that they don’t even miss it. Something like these Bean And Cheese Enchiladas. They are so cheesy, so saucy and so filling that I don’t even think my family noticed they were eating a vegetarian meal.

And they loved it.

I personally loved how easy they are to make. All you need is a handful of ingredients and you’re good to go which makes these babies perfect for those busy weeknights.

Let’s talk about what you’ll need:

Ingredients needed to make Bean and Cheese Enchiladas:

REFRIED BEANS: I prefer to use refried beans in my enchiladas because they make the filling much creamier. It just works better with the melty cheese and the sauce. You can use refried pinto or black beans. If you are concerned about them being strictly vegetarian make sure that they are “vegetarian beans” that aren’t made with lard.

OAXACA CHEESE: I love love love Oaxaca cheese in this. It is a creamy, stringy Mexican cheese that is similar to mozzarella. It melts so perfectly. If you can’t find it, you can substitute mozzarella or jack cheese.

ENCHILADA SAUCE: You can certainly make your own enchilada sauce like I do with my Pulled Pork Enchiladas but I was short on time with this recipe so I used canned and it worked perfectly. Use your favorite. Ours is Rosarita’s.

CORN TORTILLAS: I know some people prefer flour tortillas with enchiladas but around here we use corn. I prefer the texture of them and find they hold up better in the sauce without getting too chewy.

OIL: For cooking the tortillas so that they are pliable.

COTIJA CHEESE: I like to crumble this cheese over the top of the enchiladas. It adds a tangy saltiness.

CILANTRO: Mainly I add this for the pop of color but you can totally leave it off if it’s not your favorite.

DICED AVOCADOS/PICO DE GALLO/SOUR CREAM: Optional garnishes.

How do you make Bean and Cheese Enchiladas:

This recipe is so so easy! Follow along with these step by step photos and instructions to see just how easy it is.

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STEP #1: Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet and cook tortillas on both sides 30 seconds to 1 minutes or until the tortillas are pliable.

STEP #2: Place 1 tablespoon of refried beans and a small handful of cheese in the center of each tortilla and roll to close. Save about 2 cups of cheese for the top of the enchiladas.

STEP #3: Pour 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Place rolled enchiladas seam side down on top of enchilada sauce.

STEP #4: Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly and cheese has melted. Turn on the broiler for 1 – 2 minutes to brown the cheese. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

STEP #5: Remove enchiladas from the oven. Top with crumbled cotija cheese and chopped cilantro if desired. Serve alongside pico de gallo and diced avocado.

Variations:

These bean and cheese enchiladas are pretty variable too! If you prefer pinto to black beans that’s fine. Just swap them out! You can also substitute Monteray Jack or even a blend of cheddar and jack for the Oaxaca.

My family loved these enchiladas! They will definitely be on our monthly menu rotation and I’m sure your family will too!

Looking for more Mexican inspired dishes? Try these

Mexican Pizza (Taco Bell Copycat)

Hot Nacho Dip Recipe

Shredded Beef Taquitos