60-Minute Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Jun 9, 2020 (Last updated May 30, 2026) by Hannah Sunderani
Happy Tuesday Everyone! To start the week, I am sharing this Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas. This dish is fiery, smokey and comforting. Made with black beans and sweet potato, rolled in flour tortillas and smothered with zesty homemade enchilada sauce.
I think this recipe is perfect for the hot or cold months. It’s warm and hearty enough for fall/winter months, but bright and fresh enough for a summer gathering – especially with that avocado-lime crema to drizzle.
All-in-all I’m sure your family is going to love this recipe as much as we did! So, let me tell you exactly how to make it.
The ingredients:
Essentially, there are three steps to making these vegan enchiladas:
- Prepare the homemade enchilada sauce
- Make the enchilada filling (sweet potato and black bean)
- Blend together the avocado-lime crema to drizzle
So, this recipe is a bit of a 3-in-1.
Of course, you can always buy enchilada sauce from your grocers to save you time. But I urge you to make it yourself – it’s so delicious, and actually quick to do! It just requires a stocked pantry.
So, if you have the ingredients on hand, or if it’s not too much trouble to grab them, I highly recommend it. You will know exactly what’s gone into making your homemade enchilada sauce.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Homemade enchilada sauce is so easy to make – it only takes 5 minutes and the result is a super flavourful, smoky and spicy sauce for your casserole.
A good reason for this DIY sauce vs. store-bought is that you have full control over the flavour and texture. Sometimes store bought versions can be too tomato-y or too spicy, or the consistency might be too runny.
But, when you make the sauce yourself you can adjust the flavours to taste, and be sure you’re getting a thick sauce for spreading.
I must thank Cookie and Kate for inspiring me to make my own, and experimenting with flavours to create this recipe. I hope you enjoy it too, and feel free to play around with the seasoning! Add more chili powder for heat/flavour, or apple cider vinegar for brightness.
Enchilada Filling
Now for the fun part! Filling our vegan enchiladas. For this recipe, I’ve opted-in for a comforting mix of sweet potato, black beans and spinach. Seasoned and spiced for a mouth-watering filling.
So there we have it! A luscious and delectable sweet potato black bean enchiladas recipe. It’s warm and fiery, hearty and comforting, with a refreshing and bright crema to drizzle. Certainly, this recipe brings all the flavours, and is one to please the masses. I know you and your loved ones are going to love this vegan enchiladas recipe as much as we do.
And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
60-Minute Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
Homemade Enchilada Sauce (makes 1.5 cups)
- 3 tbsp neutral oil (avocado oil or coconut oil)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour , or gluten-free
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper flakes
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Enchilada stuffing
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado oil or coconut oil)
- 1 onion (red or white), chopped
- 3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado oil or coconut oil)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups baby spinach , tightly packed
- 1 can black beans (14 fl oz/400 ml), strained and rinsed
- 6 8-inch whole-wheat flour tortillas (or gluten-free tortillas)
Cilantro Lime Avocado Crema
- 3/4 cup coconut yogurt
- 1 avocado
- 1/2 cup cilantro , tightly packed
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Homemade enchilada sauce (makes 1.5 cups)
- Measure out all your dry ingredients, as well as tomato paste and veg broth. The recipe comes together quickly, so have them close by.
- Heat oil in a medium-sized saucepan on high. Once hot (i.e. the surface is shimmering) whisk in all-purpose flour and spice mixture. Continue whisking to combine, until thick and fragrant. Then add tomato paste.
- Slowly splash in vegetable broth. Continue whisking to form a smooth liquid. Bring sauce to a low simmer and cook for 5 to 10 mins, or until thick and saucy. (Consistency should be thick like ketchup). Splash in apple cider vinegar and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cover.
Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Chop sweet potatoes into bite-sized cubes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread sweet potatoes onto tray. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Cook for 20 mins. (Keep oven on for later).
- Meanwhile, toss onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and 1 tbsp neutral oil into a large deep skillet (or saucepan) on medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often until veg is softened (approx. 10 mins). Then add cumin, sea salt, chili powder and cinnamon. Toss to combine.
- Drop in spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted. Finish by dropping in roasted sweet potato and black beans. Stir to combine. Remove from heat.
- Assemble enchiladas by pouring 1/4 cup of the homemade enchilada sauce into your casserole dish. (I used a 8.5 x 11 inch baking dish). Spread out the sauce to coat the base.
- Grab a tortilla and add spoonfuls of filling mixture to the middle. You want it full, but not too full that you can't roll it (about 1/2 cup of filling should do). Snugly fold in the sides to form a log. Place the burrito seam side down into your casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, until you've used them all up and the tortillas are snug in the casserole dish,
- Drizzle the top of your pan with remaining homemade enchilada sauce. Spread to cover as best you can. Cook enchiladas for 20 mins, or until the top is golden and bubbling. Let cool slightly (approx. 10 mins) before serving.
Cilantro Lime Avocado Crema
- Meanwhile, prepare your crema by adding all the contents to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Drizzle enchilada casserole with the avocado crema. Optional to sprinkle casserole with more cilantro. Serve enchiladas with remaining crema.
Notes
Approvals
Nutrition
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I started Meatless Mondays last week and it did not go over well with my carnivore husband. This week I found your recipe and he loved it! The flavors are wonderful and everything came together perfectly. I loved the recipes for enchilada sauce and crema – coconut yogurt – who knew what that could add! This will become one of my favorite rotations regardless of the day.
I’m so thrilled that you liked the recipe so much Cindy! And that your husband did too. What a big win! Thanks for the very kind review. Also thrilled to hear you loved the enchilada sauce and crema. 🙂
We had some pumpkin leftover from a previous recipe of the week so we’ve put it with the baked potatoes and instead of canned bean, we soaked dried beans 8 hours and cooked it in salted water for 40 minutes. We also add so grated vegan cheese to the vegetables mixtures and also on the top of the enchiladas ! A success !!!!
This sounds so good Mona! I love the adaptations you made to make it your own. Definitely inspiring me to give it a go!
We had some pumpkin leftover from a previous recipe of the week so we’ve put it with the baked potatoes and instead of canned bean, we soaked dried beans 8 hours and cooked it in salted water for 40 minutes. We also add so grated vegan cheese to the vegetables mixtures and also on the top of the enchiladas ! A success !!!
This is one of my girlfriends favorite dinners. We made it a few months ago and she requested it for her birthday too! All day all I heard was how excited she was. The creama adds an amazing touch!
I made this with store bought enchilada sauce because #workingmomlife and it was delicious. Even my midwestern meat and potatoes husband loved it! Definitely a keeper!
Hi Shana! I am thrilled that your meat-and-potato loving husband loved this recipe. That’s always the best compliment. (My husband used to be the same way, so I can relate!). And I’m glad that you were able to find a quick enchilada sauce to use. I’m all for adapting recipes to suit your lifestyle! Thanks so much for the sweet comment.
I made this recipe tonight, complete with the homemade enchilada sauce! It was so good, I will not be purchasing the premade sauce again. Very easy to make and out together.
Hi Stephanie! I’m so thrilled you liked this recipe and the homemade enchilada sauce. It really makes such a difference, doesn’t it!? Thanks for the very sweet comment and enjoy your enchiladas. 🙂
This was so delicious! We didn’t have the ingredients on hand to make the creama so will make sure to buy those ingredients for next time! Can’t wait to make it again! Thanks for the recipe 😊
Hi Ruth! I am SO glad that you enjoyed this recipe! We love these enchiladas too. I hope you enjoy the crema the next time you make it. It adds beautiful freshness to the dish. I would love to know what you think. 🙂 Thanks so much for the sweet comment.
These were so good! I could drink that avocado Crema
So glad you loved the recipe Erin! And I could drink that crema too!