Healthy Beef and Bean Enchiladas

There is so much to be said about these enchiladas. About their cumin and chili spiced centers. About tender beef and earthy black beans. About the sweetness of crushed tomatoes and the way the tortillas turn soft and slightly flaky when baked, like pastry dough. About gooey melting cheese bubbling across their rolled backs. About more cheese. About even more cheese.

I’d really like to tell you all about the enchiladas. I’d even like to invite you over for a frosty, salt-rimmed margarita and spoonfuls of caramel flan. But unfortunately I cannot, largely because of this predicament that I’ve gotten myself into:

Oh hey! That’s my bathtub!

And that, dear friends, is also my sink, my dish washing center, and the place I scald myself with nearly boiling water each day.

My kitchen sink is clogged. Now, I’d like to think that most decent, self-respecting human beings would take that as a cue to maybe order take out, make a few easy, no-cook dinners. To really cut back. I unfortunately am not one of those wise individuals, as I’ve taken to making the most elaborate, use-every-dish-you-can-find meals and desserts. It’s almost masochistic, really. It’s as if the anxiety of not being able to prepare  any damn dish I please causes me to lash out and consider cracking open Mastering the Art of French Cooking for my own production of Julie and Julia. Because I think Julie Powell got herself in a bind like this once. Only she ended up with a book deal and a movie…and I…well I’ll likely end up with a hernia and an eviction notice.

But anywho.

Enchiladas.

 

They’re satisfying in the way that all oozing cheese casseroles can be. They remind me quite a bit of meat lasagna, actually. But that could just be due to lack of sleep and a strange recurring dream where Snoop Dogg takes me to soccer practice. I don’t take him for a soccer mom, though.

These beef and black bean stuffed enchiladas are so flavorful. So pleasing. Daniel remarked that they’re one of his favorite meals I’ve made, right after “that pizza you make with the olives, ham, and mushrooms.” That pizza, friends, is Domino’s.

I love to remake comfort foods in a lighter, more wholesome and healthy way. It’s almost the best challenge you could give me. Try these and let me know what you think! And then please come over and help me wash the dishes in my bathtub.

Beef and Black Bean Enchiladas

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the peppers and onions and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

Add ground beef and use a fork to crumble it. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer pink.

Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, black beans, and ¼ cup of the salsa. Mix well.

Now preheat your oven to 350º F. Spread half of the remaining salsa over the bottom of a 13×9” baking pan.

Lay your tortillas on a clean work surface and spoon a heaping ¼ cup onto the center of each. Roll tightly and line them up, closely packed into the baking pan, seam side down.

When all of the tortillas have been filled and placed into the pan, evenly pour the remaining salsa over the top.

Sprinkle the pan with the cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the enchiladas to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

 

 

Healthy Beef and Bean Enchiladas

Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 369kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced bell peppers any color
  • 1 medium onion sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ pound lean ground sirloin
  • 1 15- ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 12 6- inch whole wheat tortillas I used La Tortilla Factory Low Carb tortillas
  • 1 16- ounce jar hot salsa divided
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling it as it browns, until it’s no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, black beans, and ¼ cup of the salsa. Mix well.
  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spread half of the remaining salsa over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
  • Lay your tortillas on a clean work surface and spoon a heaping ¼ cup onto the center of each. Roll tightly and line them up, closely packed into the baking pan, seam side down. When all of the tortillas have been filled and placed into the pan, pour the remaining salsa evenly over the top. Sprinkle the top with the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the enchiladas to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

Nutrition Information: Calories 369, Fat 17g, Carb 41g, Fiber 21g, Sugars 3g, Protein 28g

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 369kcal | Fat: 17g

 

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47 thoughts on “Healthy Beef and Bean Enchiladas

  1. Beth

    YUM. I’ve had a hankering for black bean enchiladas lately but I usually stop at just filling the tortilla and just eating it right there. Maybe I should branch out a bit and put them back in the oven smothered with cheese – these look unreal.

    Reply
  2. Megan (Braise The Roof)

    Haha holy cow I can’t believe you’ve had to resort to cleaning your dishes in the bathtub! You would never know with the caliber of dishes you’ve been posting. You’re a better woman than me, that’s for sure. :)

    I heart Mexican food. I haven’t made one with beef in a while…I’ll put that on the to-do list!

    Reply
  3. Sophia Elizabeth

    Hello, I just wanted to say I love your blog!!

    Im a student at Mt. Mary college in Wisconsin and for the class im in we were to start a blog. For this weeks assignment I need to interview a successful blogger and I was wondering if you could answer some questions for me. If you wanted to, Ill post the questions on my blog if you could answer them for me. Thanks much!!

    Reply
  4. Stephanie @cookinfanatic

    Oh my goodness, our ktichen sink clogged too at our old apartment and I did the exact same thing in the bathtub!!! This makes me feel so much better because I seriously thought I was outta my mind for continuing to cook but sounds like I’m not alone – love it! These enchis look fantastic.

    Reply
  5. Heather

    Well, don’t you have a way with words?! I need them for lunch right now. Too bad I’m using my lunch break to run today….maybe dinner next week. :)

    Reply
  6. spabettie

    haa… I would be the same way… cooking with each and every THING in my kitchen! hope the sink is fixed soon!!

    I love enchiladas… and while I have a “go to” assembly, I like to make them different each time… these look great!

    Reply
  7. Cindy

    I think I have made red sauced enchiladas exactly 3 times since being married.

    Every time I bougth a jar of MILD sauce and we all scalded our tongues off.

    I did the happy jig when I realized your “sauce” was hot sause and not ENCHILADA sauce.

    it’s printing. right now. I guess I’ll have to risk impending divorce if I ever make a batch of burn your stomach lava-ladas again.
    These M’Lady…are perfect!

    Reply
  8. Tina

    Enchiladas are one of my FAVORITE meals. Love them. Yours look amazing.

    And I really hope the sink gets fixed soon. That sounds like the biggest pain!

    Reply
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  10. Colleen

    I made these for dinner to night and my kids LOVED them! I even snuck some chopped up spinach into the filling! Thank you so much for an enchilada recipe that’s actually healthy and good. :)

    Reply
  11. Eric

    Just a tip I like to use. I stopped rolling my enchiladas years ago. Now I just layer the tortillas in a 13X9 Pyrex and made it like lasagna. Tastes the same and its so much easier. I havent made this yet, but I love your site and have copied many of your recipes. You do a great job and I especially like all the pictures of the steps in cooking.

    Reply
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  13. Online Sunshine

    I made these last night and they are yummy!
    I reduced the amount of cumin to about 1 tsp, used medium salsa instead of hot, and used a Mexican blend cheese (and a bit more than what you listed ’cause I loooove cheese!).
    Also, I had a hard time fitting 12 enchiladas in the pan, so I just did 10, which is how many come in the package of tortillas anyway.
    I will say that if you are craving enchiladas, I would try using enchilada sauce instead of the salsa. But otherwise, these are really good!
    Oh, and I love your sense of humor and the way you write. :)

    Reply
  14. Jenny

    I made these tonight just as you wrote it. I really wanted them to be good-2 enchiladas for under 400 calories? I NEEDED these to be good. They were FANTASTIC!!!

    Please do this with more of my favorite meals. Pretty please!!!

    Reply
  15. Lindsay

    Recently discovered your blog and these enchiladas – along with many of your recipes I have tried – were amazing. Thanks for sharing :)

    Reply
  16. Nicole

    I made these last night for dinner, and they were SO great. Most importantly, the hubby loved them and it was healthy!! :) Thank you SO much for the recipe!!

    Reply
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  18. Lora

    I just discovered your blog through Pinterest! You are an amazing writer which is saying a lot because I am not a lover of reading. Your words flow and leave me hoping for another paragraph! I am currently battling type II diabeties and want to thank you for the nutritional information. My body fights weight loss due to high sugar levels so knowing Carb count is critical. Thanks for your story!!

    Reply
  19. Jenn

    I know you posted this recipe a while back, but I just discovered your blog through Pinterest. I just wanted to thank you right away for this delicious recipe, I’m typing in between bites right now! I made a double batch to freeze some, but I don’t think the rest will make it to the freezer! Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!

    Reply
    1. Marisa

      How did they come out after frozen? I just discovered this recipe but I’m cooking only for myself, so I’m wondering if I can make some freezer meals out of this.

      Reply
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  21. John B

    Last night I made some exceptional pinto beans from a new recipe I found. This morning I mixed some with leftover rice and some shredded cheese in a tortilla and warmed them until the cheese was melted. They were even better that way. What I’m trying to get at is that these enchiladas would probably be great with pinto beans as well. Either way, I’m dying to make this recipe as it looks SOOOOO good!

    Reply
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  27. teachermrw

    I divided the receive in half, as I was oohing for myself. I also used red kidney beans accidentally instead of black beans. Both cans of beans are of the same brand. So, by the time I opened the can and realized what I had done, it was too late to turn back. So, I went with the red kidney beans. I also added a bit of sugar to the mixture, and used regular flour tortillas. Very yummy!

    Reply
    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Hey Meghann,
      No reason other than I didn’t have any enchilada sauce at home and I almost always have salsa on hand. I ended up really liking the chunkiness of the salsa, too.

      Andie

      Reply
  28. Tracy

    This is the 3rd time that I have made this for my family. Being a Texas girl, I Love Mexican food and having it be healthy is a huge perk. Everyone loves them and even eats the leftovers. I also have made it with shredded organic chicken breast and it was amazing. THANKS!!!!!

    Reply
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