Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Amazing black bean and sweet potato enchiladas, smothered in salsa verde. A delicious, hearty vegetarian entrée.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 22, 2024
Quick! I’m sharing these enchiladas with you as a suggestion for a post-Thanksgiving meal this weekend (don’t forget, I have lots of vegetarian Thanksgiving options here).
The enchiladas are stuffed with creamy, hearty sweet potato, plus black beans, feta cheese, and spices. The sauce is super easy—just grab some mild salsa verde at the store. Or, you can go the extra mile and make your own.
Most restaurant enchiladas are so cheesy that I leave with a belly ache, but not these. They are delicious, satisfying and leftovers taste even better the next day. If you want to make a vegetarian dinner and hear, “I don’t even miss the meat,” these enchiladas are for you.
This recipe is actually one that I shared back in 2011, but it was missing some key instructions, like how to roast the sweet potato. So, I revisited it and tweaked it a bit, and they’re better than ever.
These enchiladas taught me some valuable lessons about cooking back then, so I’m leaving my notes for you below.
From 2011: Do you ever cut corners when you’re following a recipe? I do—all the time—and I’m always learning from my mistakes.
Take these black bean sweet potato enchiladas, for example.
I blundered through Gluten Free Goddess’ recipe, made it my own, and came out a better cook in the end.
Lessons learned:
- Substitutions can be ok: I subbed Target’s salsa verde for the Karina’s green chile sauce, which worked out fine.
- Skipping steps is usually not ok: I ignored her recommendation to warm up the corn tortillas first, so they broke to pieces when I tried to wrap the tortillas around the inside ingredients. As a result, my enchiladas weren’t as pretty as they could have been, but it didn’t affect the flavor. I need to trust that my fellow cooks will not recommend additional steps if they are not integral to the dish’s success!
- Additions are just fine: I love spicy food, so I knew adding a jalapeño was a good idea. And it was.
- Pay more for high quality ingredients: Packaged breads, including tortillas, tend to be full of preservatives and unnecessary ingredients. I paid more for these sprouted grain corn tortillas at my local health food store, and go figure, they taste better than the rest!
- Some flavors are so good together, you can’t go wrong: Black beans and sweet potatoes are a delicious combination. Even with all my mistakes, I ended up with a mighty delicious meal.
Please let me know how these enchiladas turn out for you in the comments! I hope they’re your new favorite.
Craving more Mexican-ish, cheesy goodness? Don’t miss my roasted veggie enchilada casserole or baked jalapeño poppers.
Watch How to Make Enchiladas
Vegetarian Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Amazing black bean and sweet potato enchiladas, smothered in salsa verde. A delicious, hearty vegetarian entrée. Recipe yields 10 enchiladas, enough for about 5 servings.
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 ¼ pounds sweet potatoes (2 small-to-medium)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 ounces (½ cup) crumbled feta cheese
- 2 small cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles
- 1 medium jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
Remaining Ingredients
- 2 cups (16 ounces) mild salsa verde, either homemade or store-bought
- 10 corn tortillas
- 4 ounces (1 cup) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and coat the flat sides lightly with olive oil. Place the sweet potatoes flat-side down on the baking sheet. Bake until they’re tender and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Leave the oven on, since we’ll bake the assembled enchiladas soon (no temperature adjustments necessary).
- Meanwhile, pour enough salsa verde into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish to lightly cover the bottom (about ½ cup). In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the remaining filling ingredients.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked through and cool enough to handle, scoop out the insides with a spoon. Discard the potato skins, and lightly mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or the back of a spoon.
- Stir the mashed sweet potato into the bowl of filling, and season to taste with additional salt (I added ¼ teaspoon) and pepper.
- Warm up your tortillas, one by one in a skillet, or all at once in a microwave so they don’t break when you bend them. Wrap them in a clean tea towel so they stay warm.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, spread about ½ cup filling down the center each tortilla, then wrap both sides over the filling and place it in your baking dish. Repeat for all of the tortillas.
- Top with the remaining salsa verde and cheese. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly golden.
- Let the enchiladas cool for about 5 minutes. Whisk the sour cream and water together to make a drizzly sour cream sauce. Drizzle it back and forth over the enchiladas, then top them with cilantro and red onion. Serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Gluten Free Goddess.
Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free corn tortillas.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the cheese. Stir a scant 1 cup vegan sour cream into the filling, reserving a few tablespoons for drizzling on top. Once baked, thin the vegan sour cream with a little extra water to make it extra-drizzly and drizzle it on top as shown.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Made them tonight, they are DELICIOUS! Just the right amount of heat- great recipe!!
Wonderful, Tania! Thanks so much for sharing.
This is heavenly!
I decided to make dinner for my mom and her boyfriend the night before they left for a vacay to London. Knowing that her boyfriend is vegetarian, I had to turn to google. I came across your page, and I never turned back!
The two could not stop raving about this dish. And honestly, either could I! I paired it with Cilantro Lime Rice – perfection. I’m going to be whipping up more of your recipes this coming week. Thank you, Kate!
You’re so sweet, Danielle! Thanks so much for your comment and review. I’m glad it all came out so well.
Hi Kate
Long time lover of your recipes and I have to say that this one is a family favourite in this house – my husband will not stop praising it!
I love that your recipes are straightforward to follow, don’t require a lot of complex ingredients and always taste delicious.
Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
Made this today, absolutely delicious. 5 star and easy to assemble. Definitely will make this again.
I am vegan so just used vegan cheese and didn’t bother with sour cream, so much flavour didn’t miss it
Thank you. I love your recipes
Great to hear, Kate! Thanks for sharing.
Saved this for months and finally made it. Delicious. I have to put the rest away after I serve myself so i don’t eat the whole thing in one sitting. I left out the feta (forgot to buy it). Didn’t miss it, also skipped the sour cream sauce to save a few calories. Could not imagine it tasting any better.
I’m glad you make it, Vali! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Kate,
I’ve been making the older version of this recipe for several years and although the new one sounds great, my husband loves the goat cheese in the old one. I can’t remember the old proportions or find a copy of the old recipe. Would you mind posting an archived copies for those of us who are slow to change?
Thanks!
Looks amazing! This is on your “pack for lunch” list- how long is this good for in the fridge? Sorry if I missed the answer in the note above.
It will keep well covered for 3-4 days. Note, the tortillas can get soft but they still taste delicious! I recommend reheating in the oven if you can.
I just made these and they are beyond delicious!
Wonderful to hear, Nita! Thanks so much for your comment and review.
Just wanted to note that this has entered my repertoire of classics. I sub out goat feta for the feta, and vegan (either Daiya or Parmela) cheddar shreds for the Monterey Jack, to make it low-lactose. It’s a winner every time!
Wonderful, Nori! Thanks for commenting and for your review.
Soooo tasty! These turned out delicious. I’m a busy mom and love to make more or even double the recipe when I cook so I can freeze and have a quick tasty meal without all the work later. Has anyone tried freezing these bad boys?
I believe readers have had success freezing these, Andi! Thanks for your comment and review.
Made this for dinner. Didn’t tell my son it was made with sweet potatoes (he supposedly hates them) and he loved it. Definitely will be making again
Mom win! That’s great, Lori. Thanks for your comment and review.
This was such a good recipe! The only change I made is that I cubed the potatoes and roasted them that way. Then I didn’t mash them and just mixed them in with the rest of the filling. I just knew I wouldn’t like the mashed texture. The flavors in this was so amazing! The green salsa was perfect!
Happy to hear that, Dani! Thanks so much for your review.
Omg these enchiladas are delicious!! I left out the feta and just used Monterey Jack. Will definitely make these again!!
Great to hear, Tracy!
I made these tonight for dinner and they were fantastic!!! I messed up and didnt see salsa verde so i used regular salsa and they were still great! Def making again with the verde. Thank u for sharing!!
You’re welcome!
Can I prepare this dish in full tonight and pop it in the oven the next day?
Hi Nicki! Great question. I haven’t tried that, but you can see if other readers have by searching the comments. The tortillas could get a little soggy from some of the ingredients and being in the fridge overnight. Let me know if you try it!
I made the recipe as written, except instead of topping with red onion and cilantro I topped with avocado (makes a very nice pairing). As I usually have several roasted sweet potatoes in the refrigerator for quick lunch sides, this dish came together very quickly.
All four of us really liked it – even the two teenagers who seldom enjoy the same dish. I will definitely make this again!
I do love avocado! Thanks for sharing, SW. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and review.
These enchiladas are sumptuous! We have them regularly! Thank you, Kate!
You’re welcome, Tree!
I made these today and they turned out so well!!! Absolutely delicious and satisfying.
That’s wonderful to hear, Amanda. Thanks for sharing!
I cook at least two of your dishes every Sunday for meal prep for the week. I post pictures on IG and tag you (when I remember). I have to say, these enchiladas are tied with your Southwestern Kale Power Salad for best recipes of yours I’ve made. There was a lot of filling, so I had two tacos while the enchiladas were cooking. Ah-maz-ing! Can’t wait to eat them all week.
Thank you for doing what you do! I’ve learned so much from following your recipes! Just two years ago, I was teaching myself how to steam veggies. Now I’m making homemade frittatas in my new cast iron skillet and getting requests at work for more of your carrot muffins! What?! Thank you again!
Thank you, Jaylee! You’re so sweet. I love that you meal prep and C+K makes your menu list every week! Keep letting me know what you think of the recipes!
Hello Kate! Thanks for the recipe. I made this except with cooked chunks of pumpkin & freshly made verde sauce. I also made it vegan with vegan cheese & coconut sour cream. It was yummy!
You’re welcome! I like how you made this your own and very fall feeling. Thanks, Lucia!
Hi! If prepping these a day in advance, would you recommend cooking them all the way or just going through step 6 (and then cooking them day-of)? I suppose my question is – how easily do these reheat once they’ve been cooked? Thank you!
I believe these have reheated well for readers in the past! You can always rewarm in the oven to help maintain the crispy.
Girrrrl! Ya done did it! Love this recipe and many more.
Ha, thank you Nichelle! I’m glad you like this and lots more recipes.
How far in advance can this be made and refrigerated before cooking?
I’m not sure exact time as I make mine immediately. I would be hesitant to let it rest too long without baking to ensure you get a crispy outer edge on your tortillas. But, you could see what other readers have tried by searching the comments! That can be helpful.
These are also delicious with your recipe for homemade enchilada sauce instead of salsa verde. Thanks for this yummy combination of ingredients!
I’m glad you liked this one, Katie! I appreciate your review.
Very tasty recipe thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Ria!
This is the second recipe my daughter and I tried as new vegetarians. Fabulous! Love this site. Keep sharing.
Love it! Thank you again, Elaina.
My wife often tries to sneak a healthy recipe in on me, but I’m so thankful that she made this one. This will be a staple in our recipe cycle. Too be quite honest, this is one I enjoy more re-heated than straight out of the oven. Perfection!!!
I love that she ‘sneaks’ healthy recipe on you! I’m glad you were excited about this one, Patrick. Thanks again for the review!
These are so delicious! I never go meatless because I worry that the food won’t have enough flavor to satisfy my taste buds lol. But these enchiladas are amazing; thanks for sharing!
Hooray! I’m glad you didn’t miss it in these. Thanks for your review, Lian.
This will be my new Sweet Potato Enchilada recipe. Used to use a different one, but wanted to switch things up. Glad I did! Love the variations of flavors with feta and cheddar cheese and lime juice! Only change I made was using a more heart salsa (Jack’s Special Salsa- my favorite) rather than salsa verde and turned out great!
I’m glad you switched it up too, Katie! Thanks for letting me know your thoughts.
These are simply fabulous!! The flavors, the textures. Another win.
Thank you, Sherrill!
Great recipe! This was so delicious I can’t wait to make it again!
Thank you, Lelane!
Can we substitute flour tortillas? Thanks!
That should work.
Hello Kate,
What a great recipe. It’s so easy to put together and tweakable
You are my go to food blogger. I’ve made quite a few of your other recipes, but I’ve made this particular one around 4 times this year. I usually use pinto beans.
I’m not a vegetarian, but I am trying to eat less meat thru out the week.
I just bought your cookbook a couple of weeks ago.
Cheers
I love it! Thank you, Walter. I’m excited you got the cookbook.
So so delicious!! We loved warming them up for breakfast too!
I’m glad you loved it!
I always love your recipes; about time I left a review!
Made these tonight, and they were delish! I softened the sweet potatoes in my Instant Pot because I didn’t want to wait to cook them in the oven :) 4 mins on high pressure and they were perfect (for me): soft and easily mashable. Also added yellow pepper because I had some, and 1/2 tsp ground coriander. It was spicy and delicious! Thanks, Kate!
Really tasty
Thanks, Michelle!
This dish was amazing! I was skeptical with the sweet potatoes and this is now going to be a go-to!
I’m excited you loved them! Thanks for the review, Lynn.
Hello! Do you bake the enchiladas at 400 too?
Yes! :)
I made some today – everyone loved it! Would definitely make it again; super easy to make and tastes delicious!
Wonderful, Fizza! Thanks for your review.
Made this last night for dinner and it’s SO GOOD! I would definitely recommend to everyone. We didn’t roast the sweet potato’s as I was short on time, so I boiled them and they still came out great.
Thank you, Jenn! I’m glad you loved it.
OMG! This is absolutely delicious! Definately a keeper!
Thanks for sharing, Jeanne!
Love these, just like so many of your recipes. Thank you
Thank you, Charlene!
Holy s#%+! ITS SO GOOD. For realz peeps! Make it, eat it, enjoy it, impress with it! :)
This made my day! Thanks, Valentina. I’m happy you are so excited about this recipe!
Made these last night and they are so good. I followed your advice and got good quality tortillas and it really makes a difference. I don’t usually love corn tortillas. This is another one of your recipes that I will be making again. Can’t wait to make this for my friends. I added some chunks of avocado as well. Every one of your recipes has been a big hit. Keep up the great work! Your cookbook is one of two or three that I reach for most often. I tell all my friends about it when they ask for recommendations. So happy I stumbled upon your website a few years ago.
Thanks for coming back for more recipes, Melissa! I’m glad you got good corn tortillas. It does make a difference. I appreciate your review!
Great recipe!! I would leave out the feta though as it takes away from the sweet potato flavor. Also would add oven temperature for baking. I used 375 degrees. I’m going to make this again and try the vegan version. Thanks for a great recipe.
You’re welcome!
are these freezer friendly?
I haven’t tried them, but I recommend checking the comments to see if other readers have and their tips!
This was delicious!!! So easy to make, thank you for posting!! I shared a pic of the final product on my Instagram and already had a couple pleiple ask me about the recipe…forwarding them to your page, thanks again so much!
Love it, Katie! Thanks for commenting and sharing your love of C+K.
Looking forward to trying this recipe. It looks GREAT. After searching the comments, I was unable to find any info/feedback on whether this can be prepared the day before. Options would be baking and reheating, or assembling, refrigerating, then baking the next day. Thanks in advance. Also, I was unable to access the nutrition information for this recipe; link did not work.
Thanks for sharing! The nutrition link looks to be working, make sure you allow plug-ins as it acts like a pop-up.
Hi there – this looks amazing!! I was thinking of throwing some shredded chicken in the mix for extra protein, what are your thoughts? Also, do you think this would last as leftovers? For how many days? We do a lot of meal prepping in my house but I worry this would get soggy. I appreciate your response!
I’m a vegetarian so I don’t have too much to add with animal protein, sorry! I would see if others have tried it. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
Made this today in place of another red sauce recipe. Your recipe turned out great. I added Beyond Meat Beef Feisty Crumbles to the filling and used a 28 oz can of Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce. Thanks for the recipe (your pictures of the dish looked great, also).
Thanks for sharing, Paul!
I made these tonight, with a few modifications. I apparently missed getting a jalapeño at the grocery store, so I didn’t add that, and I didn’t feel like mincing garlic, so I just threw in 1/4 tablespoon of garlic powder. I added the juice of one whole lime (No idea how many TBSP that is). Next time, I think I would like to add some caramelized onions. I heated up the corn tortillas in a large skillet on medium low heat, four at a time, to keep things moving along. I still had some filling left over once the casserole dish was full, so my roommates and I stood around and filled the corn tortillas with the sweet potato mix and drizzled some salsa verde on top and ate it right there. Since we weren’t hungry after that, I wound up putting the whole casserole in the freezer, uncooked, with hopes it will be easy to throw in the oven this weekend and add the rest of the toppings. Overall, super super tasty!! I will definitely be making this again!!