Vegetable Enchiladas with Poblanos and Beans  Green_icon

Serves 2 • Cooking Time About 1 hour on Low • Slow Cooker Size 4 to 7 Quarts

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Preparing enchiladas can be a labor-intensive endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be. We streamlined this dish and turned it into a meatless weeknight meal. First, we chose a hearty filling and bold flavors that work well in the slow cooker. Nutrient-rich beans were a given for bulk and protein. Zucchini, corn, and tomatoes were all in the running, but poblano chiles won over tasters with their noticeable but mild kick. For the best texture and flavor, we decided to sauté the poblanos with aromatics and a robust selection of spices—chili powder, cumin, and coriander—before mixing them with the beans. To keep this dish light and fresh-tasting, we chose tomatillo salsa over heavier red enchilada sauce and included a small amount of Monterey Jack cheese for the filling and melted cheese topping. Once filled, we placed the enchiladas seam side down in the slow cooker and nestled them tightly together to ensure that they wouldn’t fall apart during cooking. Jarred tomatillo salsa is also called “salsa verde.” See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1

cup canned black beans, rinsed

1

teaspoon canola oil

1

poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

1

onion, chopped fine

2

garlic cloves, minced

½

teaspoon chili powder

¼

teaspoon ground cumin

⅛

teaspoon ground coriander

1

cup jarred tomatillo salsa

2

ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (½ cup)

Salt and pepper

4

(6-inch) corn tortillas

1. Mash ½ cup beans in bowl with potato masher until smooth. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add poblano and onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Off heat, stir in mashed beans, ¼ cup tomatillo salsa, ¼ cup Monterey Jack, and remaining ½ cup whole beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Lightly spray inside of slow cooker with vegetable oil spray. Spread ¼ cup tomatillo salsa in bottom of slow cooker. Stack tortillas, wrap in damp dish towel, and place on plate; microwave until warm and pliable, about 1 minute.

3. Working with 1 warm tortilla at a time, spread ⅓ cup filling across center of tortilla, roll tortilla tightly around filling, and place side by side in prepared slow cooker, seam side down. Pour remaining ½ cup tomatillo salsa over enchiladas, covering tortillas completely, then sprinkle remaining ¼ cup Monterey Jack across center of enchiladas. Cover and cook until enchiladas are heated through, about 1 hour on low. Serve.

Per serving:
Cal 410
Fat 15g
Sat Fat 5g
Chol 30mg
Carb 55g
Protein 17g
Fiber 12g
Sodium 1090mg
*To reduce sodium level to 950mg, use low-sodium beans.