Quick + easy homemade black bean and kale salsa verde enchiladas. This vegetarian main dish is hearty enough to satisfy everyone in the family! Leave off the cheese or use a dairy-free cheese to make these vegetarian enchiladas vegan friendly.
Today we’re making enchiladas with a super easy, creamy, vibrant green sauce using a store-bought ingredient that packs extra bright, fresh flavor: salsa verde!
I typically opt for a homemade red sauce in enchiladas, which is smoky and hearty and perfect in every way, but this salsa verde version? It’s different, in the best way possible.
To make the sauce, we’re going to blend a jar of salsa verde with cashews for creaminess and a thicker texture, cilantro for freshness, and garlic for a kick of heat. It literally takes 5 minutes to make, and transforms regular old salsa verde into a sauce perfect for smothering on top of enchiladas.
Pro tip: this sauce is also KILLER tossed with pasta and roasted veggies. We’ve been loving roasted broccoli and cauliflower, but whatever veggie you love works.
The filling for these black bean and kale salsa verde enchiladas uses an entire bunch of kale mixed with black beans, a little of the verde sauce, and spices. The filling gets rolled up into mini corn or whole wheat tortillas, covered in more sauce and cheese, and baked until golden and bubbly.
And, despite essentially just being a humble meal of beans and greens, these enchiladas turn into something special. They’re warm, hearty, and filling, but also fresh and vibrant…so kind of the perfect meal for spring, when it goes from warm and sunny to freezing and rainy all within the course of a few hours.
I think you’re going to LOVE these simple, vegetarian enchiladas. If you make them, let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, or take a picture of your enchiladas and share it with me on Instagram so I can see!
Black Bean + Kale Salsa Verde Enchiladas
Ingredients
sauce
- 16 oz jar of storebought salsa verde
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 cup cilantro tightly packed
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
enchiladas
- 1 large bunch of kale (8-10 large leaves)
- 2-15 oz cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup enchilada sauce from above recipe
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- optional: 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a few shakes of hot sauce, for heat
- 8 small corn or wheat tortillas use gluten-free tortillas to make this meal GF
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or dairy-free cheese of choice, to make vegan
toppings (optional)
- 1 large ripe avocado, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 handful cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Place all sauce ingredients into the bowl of a food processor or high powered blender, and blend on high until completely smooth. Set sauce aside, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days before using.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a large oven-safe casserole dish (make sure the dish is at least 10 inches long and as wide as your tortillas).
- Remove the kale leaves from their stems, and slice the kale into thin strips. Place kale in a large bowl with beans, 3/4 cup enchilada sauce, and spices, and stir well to fully combine.
- Spread out your tortillas, and scoop about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture onto each. Then, roll each tortilla up and place into the dish, nestling them in tightly together. Sprinkle any remaining bean/kale filling over top, then cover with all remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle the enchiladas with cheese, then bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling.
- Let cool 5 minutes in the pan before adding any toppings you’d like (avocado, red onion, cilantro, etc) and serving.