Wholesome Vegan Black Bean Enchiladas with Spinach and Broccoli
I’m excited to share with you this incredibly wholesome, tasty and flavour-packed recipe for Black Bean Enchiladas that's as nutritious as it is delicious. Loaded with wholesome ingredients like black beans, broccoli, and spinach, these enchiladas are a celebration of plant-based goodness. Let's get ready to create this delightful dish together!
The Marvels of Black Beans:
Black beans are a nutritional powerhouse, offering a rich source of protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals. They promote heart health, aid in digestion, and provide a sustained energy boost. Incorporating black beans into your meals not only adds a hearty texture but also contributes to a well-rounded and satisfying plant-based diet.
Black beans are an incredibly versatile ingredient, and thanks to is hearty texture, it works well in a variety of comfort meals such as vegan shepherd’s pie and loaded vegan nachos. If you are looking for something a bit sweeter, you can even use black beans in sweet vegan recipes such as vegan black bean brownies.
Elevating Flavour:
These Black Bean Enchiladas uncover a symphony of flavours created by a delightful blend of herbs and spices. This vegan recipe is not just about nourishment but also about transforming your palate with an exquisite combination that makes each bite a taste sensation.
Flavours in the Limelight:
Oregano: With its robust and earthy aroma, oregano adds a Mediterranean touch, enhancing the overall warmth and depth of these black bean enchiladas.
Cumin: The earthy, nutty notes of cumin bring a distinctive richness, complementing the beans and vegetables to create a harmonious balance of flavours.
Cinnamon: A surprising addition that brings a touch of warmth and sweetness, elevating the complexity of the sauce and infusing a subtle hint of sweetness.
Paprika: The smokiness of sweet paprika adds a depth of flavour, introducing a gentle kick that lingers on the palate.
Garlic: Minced garlic weaves its aromatic magic, infusing each element of the dish with a savoury intensity that's hard to resist.
Nutritional Yeast: This vegan kitchen staple contributes a cheesy umami flavour, enriching the overall taste profile and adding a layer of depth.
Dark Soy Sauce: Unveiling a savoury depth, dark soy sauce amplifies the umami notes from the nutritional yeast, creating a savoury symphony with every bite.
Broccoli Brilliance:
The addition of broccoli in these Black Bean Enchiladas is a stroke of culinary genius. Beyond its vibrant green hues, broccoli brings a plethora of benefits, both nutritional and sensory, to this already exciting vegan recipe.
Nutritional Powerhouse:
Broccoli, renowned for its nutritional density, introduces a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to these black bean enchiladas. It's a fantastic source of vitamin C, vitamin K, fibre, and folate, contributing to a well-rounded and health-conscious meal.
Textural Harmony:
Diced into small florets, broccoli adds a satisfying crunch to each bite of these vegan enchiladas. Its texture intermingles with the creamy black beans and tender spinach, creating a symphony of contrasts that elevates the overall dining experience.
Flavour Infusion:
Beyond its nutritional prowess and textural allure, broccoli introduces a subtle nuttiness to the ensemble. As it mingles with the aromatic blend of herbs and spices, broccoli's earthy notes complement the richness of cumin, the warmth of cinnamon, and the freshness of oregano.
How to Prepare Broccoli:
Dice a head of broccoli into small, bite-sized florets, allowing them to integrate harmoniously with the black bean filling. Sautéed to perfection in the flavourful medley of red onion, tomato, and spices, broccoli becomes a vibrant and essential component of the dish.
Wrap It Up:
In the art of creating our Black Bean Enchiladas, the tortilla wraps serve as the vessel that brings all the vibrant flavours together in a delightful package!
Discover the techniques for wrapping these enchiladas, ensuring each bite is a perfect harmony of fillings and texture.
Choosing the Right Tortillas:
Opt for soft and pliable burrito-sized tortillas to cradle the rich black bean mixture. Whether you prefer classic flour, whole wheat tortillas, or even creating your very own vegan flour tortillas the key is flexibility – ensuring they're easy to fold and seal.
Warming for Flexibility:
Before assembling, lightly warm each tortilla. This step enhances their flexibility, making it easier to wrap the enchiladas without the risk of cracking. A brief stint in the oven or a quick warm-up on a dry skillet is all it takes to achieve the perfect pliability.
Assembling with Precision:
Spoon a generous portion of the black bean mixture onto the centre of the tortilla, leaving space around the edges for folding.
Gently fold the sides of the tortilla inwards, securing the filling and creating a snug package.
Starting from the edge closest to you, carefully roll the tortilla away, ensuring a tight and neat enclosure of the filling.
Placing in the Oven Dish:
To ensure your vegan enchiladas stay neatly tucked in during baking, place them seam-side down in the prepared oven dish. This prevents any unravelling, giving you a beautifully presented and evenly cooked dish.
Pouring Over the Remaining Sauce:
Once your enchiladas are snugly arranged, pour the remaining sauce over the top. This not only infuses them with additional flavour but also adds a saucy touch that contributes to the overall succulence of the dish.
Into the Oven:
Bake the enchiladas until they are golden and bubbling. The oven transforms the tortillas into a golden shell that encapsulates the savoury goodness within and truly makes these black bean enchiladas a tasty and satisfying meal.
INGREDIENTS
Black Bean Enchiladas
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp plain flour
3 cups vegetable stock
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 small red onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 head of broccoli, diced into small florets
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp cumin
Handful of oregano
1 tbsp of nutritional yeast
1 tbsp of olive oil
2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
2 tbsp of maple syrup
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock
Handful of spinach
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
Tortilla wraps
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 160°C.
In a saucepan, combine oregano, cumin, minced garlic, cinnamon, and flour. Stir until fragrant (about 10 seconds). Gradually whisk in vegetable stock, then add tomato paste. Continue whisking until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.
In a separate fry pan, sauté red onion, tomato, and broccoli. Add minced garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano, nutritional yeast, olive oil, dark soy sauce, maple syrup, tomato paste, and vegetable stock. Mix well, then add spinach and black beans. Cook until the stock is mostly evaporated.
Transfer the black bean mixture to a large bowl. Add about a third of the sauce and mix to combine.
In an oven dish, spread a small layer of sauce. Take a tortilla wrap, place a few tablespoons of the black bean mixture, and wrap tightly. Arrange in the oven dish.
Repeat until the mixture is used up. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.
