Refried Black Bean & Chorizo Enfrijoladas with Avocado Salsa
If you love Mexican food, then you’re going to love enfrijoladas – a unique spin off enchiladas! This dish is made like traditional enchiladas but with refried black beans instead of enchilada sauce, and topped with avocado salsa and chorizo. It’s the perfect combination of flavors and textures and is sure to satisfy your cravings for Mexican food. So give enfrijoladas a try – you won’t be disappointed!
What are Enfrijoladas?
Enfrijoladas are a dish from the Mexican state of Michoacán, which was created by indigenous people living there.
The traditional preparation involves frying tortillas in oil and then filling them with shredded cabbage, beans, cheese (usually queso fresco or Cotija), garlic cloves, and salt before cooking them over an open fire. The tortillas are then topped with a smooth bean puree.
The word “enfrijolada” means tortilla cooked in black bean sauce. A typical recipe calls for cooking the enfrijoles (beans) in lard or oil until they’re tender but not mushy; then you saute onions and garlic along with whatever other vegetables your heart desires before adding them to the pot. Lastly, puree the mixture into creamy refried beans over an open flame (or use your stovetop burner), add salt & pepper to taste and use to cover your crispy tortillas.
This recipe is visually stunning and packed with flavor – sure to impress your friends and family! Using the refried beans as a sauce also can free up the filling so you can add more veggies or cheese inside. Feel free to swap out the chorizo and cortina for other meats, sautéed vegetables and/or cheeses as well. This is an easy recipe to make vegetarian or vegan too. If you are a Chillaquilles or enchilada fan, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try!
Enfrijoladas with Refried Black Beans, Chorizo & Avocado Salsa
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 8 corn tortillas
- 12 oz fresh chorizo
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/2 medium white onion thinly sliced, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt
- 2 15 oz cans black beans rinsed, or 3 cups Frijoles de la Olla, drained
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 oz queso fresco or Cotija cheese crumbled
For the Avocado Salsa
- 1 avocado diced
- 1/8 white onion thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp cilantro minced
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Brush both sides of each tortilla with 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas in batches until lightly browned and starting to crisp, about 1 minute per side. Set aside.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 7–9 minutes. Transfer the cooked chorizo to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon, and set aside.
- Add garlic and half of the onion to the same skillet. Season with salt and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer the garlic mixture to a blender using a slotted spoon, reserving the pan with oil. Add beans and broth to the blender and purée until smooth, reaching a yogurt-like consistency. Season with salt.
- Heat the reserved pan over medium-high heat with oil. Transfer the bean purée to the skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Working one at a time, and using tongs, dip tortillas in the bean purée, turning to coat and allowing them to soften for about 3 seconds per side. Transfer the softened tortillas to a baking sheet as you go. Fill each tortilla with 1 tablespoon of chorizo and 1 tablespoon of queso fresco, folding them over like tacos.
- Divide the filled tortillas among plates and spoon the remaining bean purée over them. Combine the ingredients for avocado salsa.
- Top with cilantro-avocado salsa, remaining chorizo, and remaining queso fresco.
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