Vegetarian enchiladas with roasted aubergine and black beans
Smoky roasted aubergine and black bean enchiladas topped with melted vegetarian cheddar, coriander and soured cream.
These vegetarian enchiladas are smoky, satisfying and proper comfort food — all the joy of a takeaway, but with roasted aubergine and black beans doing the heavy lifting. They’re brilliant for a midweek supper or for feeding a fussier crowd at a casual dinner.
Roasting the aubergine concentrates flavour and gives the filling a lovely texture; a touch of chipotle paste adds warmth without overpowering. They hold together best if you warm the tortillas first and allow the finished bake to rest a little before serving.
Ingredients
- 2 aubergine — about 600 g total
- 45 ml olive oil
- 10 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 1 brown onion — medium, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 1 red pepper — finely diced
- 400 g tinned black beans — drained and rinsed
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 60 g tomato purée
- 250 ml vegetable stock — hot
- 15 g chipotle paste — about 1 tbsp, adjust to heat preference
- 8 soft corn tortillas — small to medium size
- 150 g grated vegetarian cheddar — reserve half for topping
- 15 g coriander — roughly chopped
- 1 lime — juice and wedges to serve
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml black pepper
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 100 g soured cream — to serve
Equipment
- baking tin (approx 23 x 33 cm)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C conventional and line a baking tin with a little oil or greaseproof paper.
Cut the aubergines into 2 cm cubes, toss in a large bowl with half the olive oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin, half the sea salt and a little black pepper. Spread out in a single layer on the prepared baking tin and roast until very tender and golden at the edges, about 25 minutes.
While the aubergine roasts, heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over a medium hob. Gently cook the brown onion for 4–5 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and red pepper and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
Add the tinned black beans, tinned chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, vegetable stock, chipotle paste, caster sugar, remaining sea salt and black pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer and bubble gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the roasted aubergine, the juice of the lime and half the grated vegetarian cheddar so the filling becomes cohesive.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave the filling to sit for 5 minutes — this lets flavours meld and the mixture thicken a touch.
Warm each soft corn tortilla briefly in a dry frying pan over a medium hob — about 15–30 seconds each side — until pliable.
Stack the warmed tortillas and wrap them in a clean tea towel; leave them wrapped for 5 minutes so they steam slightly and become fully pliable.
Spoon about 3–4 tablespoons of the filling down the centre of each warmed tortilla, scatter a little of the remaining grated vegetarian cheddar and some chopped coriander, then roll snugly and place seam-side down in the baking tin. Repeat with all tortillas.
Spoon any remaining sauce from the pan over the rolled enchiladas, sprinkle the rest of the grated vegetarian cheddar evenly on top and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Remove the tin from the oven and leave the enchiladas to rest for 10 minutes so they settle and are easier to serve.
Serve the enchiladas with dollops of soured cream, a sprinkling of fresh coriander and lime wedges.
Tips
- Warm the tortillas properly — heat each briefly then wrap in a tea towel. Cold tortillas are brittle and tear when you roll them.
- If the filling looks too wet, reduce it a little longer on the hob; a slightly thick filling stops the enchiladas becoming soggy.
- Make ahead: assemble the filled tortillas, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then top with cheese and bake straight from chilled (add an extra 5–10 minutes baking time).
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days — reheat covered in a 180°C fan/200°C conventional oven until piping hot.
- If you prefer less heat, halve the chipotle paste or swap for smoked paprika alone; the smoky flavour will remain.
Substitutions
soft corn tortillas → soft wheat tortillas, same quantity
Stays closegrated vegetarian cheddar → grated mozzarella or a mix of mozzarella and mature cheddar, same quantity
Noticeably differentchipotle paste → smoked paprika plus a pinch of chilli flakes, adjust to taste
Stays closetinned black beans → tinned kidney beans, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 16 g
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make these enchiladas vegan?
Yes — swap the vegetarian cheddar for a vegan grated cheese and use a plant-based soured cream. Check the chipotle paste ingredients, but most are vegan.
How do I stop tortillas from splitting when rolling?
Warm them until pliable then keep them wrapped in a tea towel while you assemble. Use small portions of filling and roll snugly so they hold together.
Can I freeze these?
Assembled, unbaked enchiladas freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly and bake from frozen, adding about 15–20 minutes to the oven time and covering with foil for the first half so the cheese doesn’t overbrown.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes — the aubergine and bean filling keeps in the fridge for 2–3 days. Reheat gently to thicken before assembling into tortillas.
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