Mexicali Rosas. The place of my childhood dreams. Every family event, honor roll, Tuesday, any reason I could find, I would suggest that we go to Mexicali Rosas. As a kid, my order was always a cheesy quesadilla. As I became older, the chicken chimichanga always called my name. The day that restaurant closed was one of the saddest of my life. This is where veggie enchiladas come in.

Josh and I both love Mexican food. One of the issues we face with it, is that most places often have problems with cross-contamination and or are mostly meat based. I thought “how can I try to combine all the flavors we love, all the while, making it meatless and gluten free.

Mondays are rough. The ease, joy, and freedom of the weekend is over and most are back to the grind. You want a meal that will comfort you and you can use as leftovers for the week. This is the meal to do it. It is a bit of time, but honestly, so worth it, and you will have leftovers. Part of this recipe involves my Mexican rice (which you can find here).

2020

We have been keeping true to our mantra this year (and by we I mean me) to consume less meat and eat a more vegetarian / pescetarian diet. This recipe for veggie enchiladas does not make me feel like I miss meat, at all!

I hope you all have a great week, happy March! Next week, Josh and I will be on vacation, and I am super excited.
L

Veggie Enchiladas

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1 Can Pinto Beans
1 Can Black Beans
3 Cups Mexican Rice (See recipe on my site)
Salt & Pepper (To your taste)
Corn Tortillas (As many as you can fill!)
Salsa Verde Recipe (See Below)
2 Poblano Pepper
1 Onion (Quartered)
3 Garlic Cloves
8 Tomatillos
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 TSP Cumin
1 TSP Oregano
1 TSP Kosher Salt
Jack Cheese (Enough to top your enchiladas and put some in your filling.)
Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil (To fry tortillas)

Instructions

Line a broiler rack or pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Position it about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler. Place the tomatillos, chiles, and garlic on the broiler rack. Brush the onion quarters with the oil and place them on the rack. Broil the vegetables until they’re browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the garlic to a plate. Flip the remaining vegetables and continue broiling until the tomatillos turn sort of a drab olive green, the chiles are blackened and blistered, and the onion is singed and tender, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the broiler and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Using your fingers, remove the stems, skins, and seeds from the chiles and discard. Peel the garlic. Toss the tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt in a blender and purée until smooth.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly oil a 15-by-10-by-2-inch baking dish or roasting pan. Spread 1/2 cup green enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Mix your filling (beans, rice, cheese) and set aside.
Heat the canola oil in a pot or pan your choice. When it is heated up, toss the tortillas one at a time for about 10 seconds per side. Use a paper towel to remove excess oil.
Fill your tortillas and place them seam side down in your baking dish. Once you have filled them all and lined them in the dish, cover them in the salsa verde. Put the remainder of your jack cheese on top. Place in the oven and bake for 30 mins. Serve immediately. If you wish, serve with guacamole, sour cream, and or cilantro.