Beef, Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas by Foodie’s Chef Laura Brennan

      

October 15, 2020

This is a straightforward enchilada recipe with a bit of a twist:  I’ve used sweet potato puree to replace some of the cheese (reducing some saturated fat and increasing the fiber content).   The sweet potato can be roasted ahead of time.  I roasted it the day before, peeled the skin away, mashed it with a fork and refrigerated it.  Doing this step ahead will definitely save some ‘day-of’ prep time.

  • Prep: 1 hrs
  • Cook: 30 mins
  • Yields: 8 Enchiladas - 4 servings (2 enchiladas per serving)

Ingredients

1 sweet potato, about 1 pound

1 cup diced onion

½ cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup diced green pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed to a paste or thinly sliced

3-4 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil

1 ½-2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

Fresh ground black pepper

1 pound ground beef

Pinch ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin seed

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 can fire-roasted (or other) diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)

1 can (15.5 ounces) pinto beans, drained, rinsed and drained again

1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)

3 tablespoons sliced scallions, divided

1 cup grated cheese: cheddar & jack or jack & mozzarella, divided

1 package of 8-each, 8-inch tortillas (I used flour & corn tortillas, labelled: “enchilada style”)

¾ cup prepared salsa, your favorite, plus extra for serving

2-3 tablespoons softened butter (for the casserole dish and buttering the tops of the filled enchiladas)

Optional: sour cream to serve alongside

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Roast the sweet potato. Wash & dry the potato and poke gently with the point of a knife or fork. Roast at 375 degrees for about 1 hour or until soft and collapsed. Remove from oven and let cool until easy to handle. Peel away the skin and mash with a fork. Season to taste with a pinch of kosher salt and some fresh ground pepper. Set aside. (This can be done the day before, see above Headnote.)

Sauté the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the diced onions and the diced bell peppers (both colors) to the pot. Stir to combine. Season with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook until vegetables have softened and are translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and add the chopped/sliced garlic. Stir and cook for another minute.

Add the ground beef. Use a large spoon or spatula to break up the ground meat as it cooks.

Add the dried herbs and spices (cinnamon, cumin, chili powder, oregano). Stir to combine. Add another ¼ teaspoon kosher salt at this point to season the meat.

Add the tomatoes, the pinto beans and the corn to the pot. Stir to combine. Turn heat to low and simmer the mix until most of the juices have been absorbed. Add the mashed sweet potato puree and stir to combine well. Turn off the heat.

Add about ½ cup grated cheese and 2 tablespoons sliced scallions.

Taste and adjust seasonings to your palate. (Maybe you want more spice, for example.) Set aside.

Briefly warm up the tortillas, following directions on the package. (Warming the tortillas makes them more pliable and easier to roll.)

Butter a baking dish with some of the softened butter. Choose a dish that will hold the stuffed enchiladas snugly in one layer.

Stuff and roll. Spoon a scant ½ cup of filling down the center of a tortilla (keep the rest warm by covering with a towel). Roll the tortilla into a cigar-shape and place seam-side down in the bottom of the baking dish. Repeat. You should have enough filling to make 8 enchiladas.

Spread the remaining softened butter over the top of the rolled enchiladas. Spoon ½ to ¾ cup salsa down the center of the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle ½ cup (or more) cheese on top and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of sliced scallions and serve with a dollop of sour cream and extra salsa on the side.

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