Charred vegetables rolled in corn tortillas, smothered in red chile sauce, and finished with a bright charred lime crema.
Vegetable enchiladas take the classic Mexican technique of rolling filled corn tortillas and baking them under a chile sauce, but swap meat for a mix of roasted zucchini, corn, and poblano, giving the dish a smoky, vegetable-forward filling. A charred lime crema drizzled on top -- lime halves blackened in a dry pan before juicing -- adds a bright, slightly smoky counterpoint that cuts through the richness of the sauce and cheese. The technique for good enchiladas starts with a properly cooked red chile sauce -- dried guajillo or ancho chiles rehydrated and blended with tomato and garlic, then simmered until deep and glossy, not thin and raw-tasting. Lightly frying the tortillas in oil before filling and rolling them keeps them from disintegrating once they're soaked in sauce and baked. Baked until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the tortillas turn slightly crisp, these enchiladas make a satisfying vegetarian main, showing that a well-made red sauce and a smoky filling don't need meat to feel substantial.
Serves 4
Toast dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry pan 1 minute per side, then soak in hot water 15 minutes until softened.
Blend softened chiles with tomatoes, garlic, stock, cumin, and salt until smooth, then strain into a saucepan and simmer 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 220C/425F. Toss zucchini, corn, and poblano with 1 tbsp oil and roast 15-18 minutes until charred at the edges.
Char lime halves cut-side down in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes until blackened. Juice and whisk into sour cream.
Reduce oven to 190C/375F. Lightly fry tortillas in remaining oil 15 seconds per side. Fill each with roasted vegetables and a little cheese, roll, and place seam-side down in a baking dish.
Pour red chile sauce over the rolled enchiladas, top with remaining cheese, and bake 15-18 minutes until bubbling. Drizzle with charred lime crema and serve.
Lightly fry the tortillas before filling -- this creates a barrier that keeps them from turning to mush once they're covered in sauce.
Strain the blended chile sauce through a sieve for a smoother texture free of tough chile skin bits.
Char the limes in a completely dry pan before juicing for a smoky depth in the crema that raw lime can't match.
Add shredded rotisserie chicken to the filling for a heartier, non-vegetarian version.
Use green tomatillo salsa instead of red chile sauce for enchiladas verdes.
Swap the roasted vegetable filling for black beans and roasted sweet potato.
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. Reheat in a 180C/350F oven for 12-15 minutes rather than microwaving, which can make the tortillas soggy.
Enchiladas date back to pre-Hispanic Mexico, where corn tortillas filled and rolled around other ingredients were common; the modern red and green chile sauce versions developed after Spanish contact introduced new spices and cooking methods to existing indigenous corn traditions.
Yes, a good quality store-bought red enchilada sauce works as a shortcut, though homemade sauce from dried chiles has noticeably more depth.
This usually happens if the tortillas weren't lightly fried first, or if too much sauce was poured on before baking -- fry the tortillas briefly and use sauce generously but not drowning.
Yes, assemble the enchiladas with sauce and refrigerate covered up to a day ahead, then bake straight from the fridge, adding about 5-10 extra minutes to the bake time.
Per serving (340g / 12.0 oz) · 4 servings total
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