Sweet Potato Enchiladas

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Delicious, meatless Sweet Potato Enchiladas are chock full of delicious and good-for-you vegetables, brown rice, black beans and salsa. This meal is a quick, family-friendly dinner!

Sweet potato enchiladas with a delectable filling, topped with melted cheese.

Sweet Potato Enchiladas

These Sweet Potato Enchiladas are a game changer! I whipped them up often during my college days, and they were one of the first dishes I introduced to my husband. He used to be all about meat in every meal, but these veggie-filled wonders made him rethink that. Trust me, they’re just as hearty and satisfying as any meat dish out there.

In this post, I’ll show you how to nail these enchiladas, top them off just right, throw in some cool variations (like a simple homemade taco seasoning), and prep them for later or freezing. Let’s get started!

Assembly of ingredients for sweet potato black bean enchiladas, showcasing the filling components.

Ingredients In Sweet Potato Enchiladas

These wholesome ingredients not only pack a nutritional punch but also elevate the enchiladas to the delicious dinner they are.

  • Brown rice: Gives a filling base and helps hold everything together.
  • Olive oil: Helps cook and sauté the veggies.
  • Sweet potatoes & bell peppers: Add a sweet flavor and a nice texture to the mix.
  • Taco seasoning: Gives a spicy kick to the filling.
  • Minced garlic: Brings in depth and aroma.
  • Black beans: Boosts the protein and adds some bite.
  • Salsa: Lends tanginess and moisture to both the filling and baking dish.
  • Lime juice & cilantro: Together, they offer a fresh, citrus-herby touch to the filling.
  • Cheddar cheese: Melts for a creamy texture and savory taste.
  • Red enchilada sauce: Moistens and flavors the enchiladas during baking.
  • Tortillas: Wraps up the filling to make the enchiladas.

QUICK TIP

For a quick enchilada seasoning, either grab a taco seasoning packet or make your own mix: combine 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of paprika and cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon each of oregano, roasted garlic powder, sea salt, and cracked pepper. Whisk them in a bowl, and it’s ready to use! To prep ahead, mix several batches and store for later.

 

Preparing the flavorful filling, combining sweet potatoes, black beans, seasonings, and other ingredients.

How To Make Sweet Potato Enchiladas

  1. Cook Veggies: In a big pan with some olive oil, cook the cut-up sweet potatoes until they’re a bit soft and have a light brown color, about 7 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
  2. Add Flavor: Mix in your spices and garlic. Turn the heat down a bit so nothing burns.
  3. Mix in Beans: Add black beans to the pan and stir them around.
  4. Add Extras: Pour in salsa, cilantro, and lime juice.
  5. Add Rice: Mix in your cooked rice. Give it a taste and add more spices if you want.
  6. Fill & Roll: Put some filling and cheese on a tortilla, roll it up, and put it in a baking dish.
  7. Bake: Pour some enchilada sauce and cheese on top, then bake. When it’s done, add any toppings you like. Enjoy!

What to top your Sweet Potato Enchiladas with

Whatever you like to top enchiladas with will likely work here. Below are some of our favorites:

  • Fresh lime: The juice and individual wedges so people can add more to their sweet potato black bean enchiladas.
  • Fresh cilantro: Sprinkle on finely diced or a big handful if you love cilantro.
  • Pico de gallo or a fresh tomato: Add a scoop of pico or dice up some cherry tomatoes to add on top.
  • Fresh avocado: Thinly sliced or chopped, avocado adds so much to this dish. (A scoop of guacamole also works great.)
  • Sour cream: Fat-free or lite work great! You can also use plain Greek yogurt.
  • Jalapeños: If you want some heat, add some thinly sliced jalapeños right on top.

Layering the filling into tortillas and assembling sweet potato enchiladas, ready for baking with melted cheese on top.

VARIATIONS

Switch It Up

  • Add an onion: Add 1/2 cup diced yellow onion when sautéing the sweet potatoes.
  • Sweet peppers: You can leave them out or substitute a green or poblano pepper.
  • Roasted sweet potato enchiladas: If you’d rather have roasted sweet potatoes (instead of cooking in the skillet), check out this post for making roasted sweet potatoes; use those in this recipe instead.
  • Make a black bean sweet potato enchilada casserole: Instead of enchiladas by following this recipe.
  • Reduce calories: You can use reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (and less of it) and fat-free sour cream. 
  • Add heat: If you like things spicy, add in a can of fire-roasted diced green chiles. You could also add a diced jalapeño pepper to the enchiladas. Another way to add more heat would be to add an extra 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.

Plate of sweet potato and black bean enchiladas with a delicious bite missing, showcasing the inside.

STORAGE

  • Enchiladas are freezer-friendly! Assemble without baking, store in a freezer-safe pan, cover with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen for 50-60 minutes. The filling can also be frozen and thawed as needed. Remember to follow general freezing guidelines for best outcomes.
  • For refrigerating enchiladas, place them in an airtight container or tightly wrap them, and store on the middle fridge shelf. They’re best consumed within 3-4 days. Keep wet toppings separate to retain tortilla quality, and always reheat thoroughly before serving.

More Sweet Potato Recipes:

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

5 from 14 votes
Delicious, meatless Sweet Potato Enchiladas are chock full of delicious and good-for-you vegetables, brown rice, black beans and salsa. This meal is a quick, family-friendly dinner!
Sweet potato enchiladas with a delectable filling, topped with melted cheese.
Print Recipe

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Sweet potato enchiladas with a delectable filling, topped with melted cheese.
5 from 14 votes
Delicious, meatless Sweet Potato Enchiladas are chock full of delicious and good-for-you vegetables, brown rice, black beans and salsa. This meal is a quick, family-friendly dinner!
Course Dinner, Vegetarian
Cuisine Mexican, Vegetarian
Keyword Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas, Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 12 enchiladas
Chelsea Lords
Calories 334kcal
Cost $11.20

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (made from 1 cup uncooked rice)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cups diced sweet potatoes, in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 cup sweet bell peppers, very thinly sliced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning Note 1
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 can (15.25 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 and 3/4 cup salsa, divided; I used mild
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 cup red enchilada sauce
  • 12 white or whole-wheat tortillas
  • Optional: sour cream, extra salsa, cilantro, green onions

Instructions

  • SWEET POTATOES & PEPPERS: Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into small pieces. In a large skillet (12 inches), combine 2 tablespoons olive oil and the sweet potatoes over medium-high heat. Cook until the potatoes begin to get tender (about 8 minutes) and then add in the 1 cup of thinly sliced sweet peppers (remove stems and seeds and chop) with the last tablespoon of olive oil. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  • SPICES: Add in the taco seasoning packet or homemade taco seasoning (see note 1) and 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add in the 1 can of drained and rinsed black beans. Stir for another 30 seconds to a minute.
  • FINISH FILLING: Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in 1 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Stir. Add in the cooked rice and stir again to combine. Taste the filling and adjust seasonings to preference (increase any spices; add salt and pepper).
  • ENCHILADA PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of salsa to the bottom of the pan and spread evenly with a wooden spoon.
  • FORM ENCHILADAS: Scoop 1/2 cup of the mixture onto the left side of a tortilla. Sprinkle with a handful of Cheddar cheese -- about 1 and 1/2 tablespoons. Roll up tightly. Place the enchilada seam-side-down into the prepared pan. Repeat until the pan is filled with enchiladas. (I usually fit 8 in a 9x13 pan and save the remaining 4 to make in an 8x8 pan.)
  • BAKE: Pour 1 cup red enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are warmed through.
  • GARNISH: Remove and serve with sour cream, extra salsa or freshly chopped tomatoes, additional cilantro, additional limes/lime juice, and/or ripe avocado or guacamole.

Recipe Notes

Note 1:Taco seasoning: To make homemade taco seasoning, combine the following in a small bowl and whisk together: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper. Make up several batches of this and save for the next time you need more!

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1158mg | Potassium: 434mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4507IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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56 Comments

  1. How you know your a talented photographer? Being able to make a full fledged meat eater pass up a steak for that. Pinning.

  2. HOLD UP. Your hubs didn’t not the general meat-less qualities? Okay, I need to make this for my man…I can’t get that guy to eat something meatless if my life depending on it. And, if for some reason he doesn’t go for it…
    Well, more for me 😀 Pinned!

  3. Healthy and meatless definitely sounds like a great meal, Chelsea! I love the look of these sweet potato enchiladas! What a fabulous idea to use sweet potatoes as a Mexican dish! And I think my husband would totally go for this too, even though it’s meatless! 🙂 Pinned!

  4. 5 stars
    Chelsea, I love this enchilada recipe! Between the sneaky “meatlessness” and the gorgeous photos, you have me sold! I can’t wait to make this!

  5. I LOVE these enchiladas! They look delicious filled with that amazing sweet potato! So good, definitely bookmarking the recipe to try! Your photography is stunning!

  6. Oh my gosh, how perfect are these enchiladas! Enchiladas are one of my favorite things ever, and this reminded me that I haven’t made them at home in awhile. So genius to use sweet potatoes in these! 🙂

  7. Awesome looking enchiladas Chelsea! I love that they are meat free, I’ll have to test them out on my major carnivore husband and see if he approves!

  8. Hahaha, I’ll have to try these – I have a carnivore for a husband too, who is definitely not impressed when I try to have a meatless meal. It’s just not a meal without meat according to him! If this was given a thumbs up by a meat loving guy, I will definitely have to try it on mine! 🙂

  9. 5 stars
    Definitely a delicious weeknight recipe Chelsea! I can definitely see myself making it for the family during the week – and of course piling on a whole lotta cheese.

  10. Anything sweet potato and I’m totally in, but in an enchilada with all kinds of cheesy goodness?! I’m ready to faceplant into the entire pan. These look seriously amazing, Chelsea! And your photos are gorgeous. 🙂 pinned!

  11. These look amazing Chelsea! Not only are they so pretty in the dish, they look like they taste great too! I saw your My Husband is a Carnivore board just the other day – it made me LOL! Pinned so I can make these later!

  12. I love a secretly healthy meal – those are the best! These enchiladas look so flavorful and delicious. I definitely don’t miss the meat!

  13. Looks and sounds delicious! May be perfect for using up my overflowing basket of sweet potatoes 🙂 Beautiful photos, too!

  14. Sweet potato enchiladas?! Why have I never thought of that… this is amazing! Definitely a meal I want to eat tonight… and I just so happen to have some sweet potatoes on the counter #forthewin. Pinning!

  15. legit just wrote about this in my last post, getting Dave to consider meals dinner that don’t involve meat!! these look seriously bomb and the pictures are GORGEOUS! loves

    1. So glad to hear!! Thanks so much for trying these and leaving a comment Donna! 🙂 Have a wonderful day!

  16. Made these last night! So good and taste very fresh. I also made these for my bf who didn’t even notice that there was no meat in these!!!

  17. 5 stars
    Hi Chelsea! I’ve never taken the time to write a comment for a recipe, but I had to this time! I LOVE how healthy you made this. I usually have to change recipes to “fix” them (sometimes with a lot of trial and error…haha!), but you’ve done all the work for me! Thank you!!! I made these enchiladas and they were WONDERFUL! Everybody loved them! Super easy and quick to make, yet full of flavor!

    I’ve checked out several other recipes you’ve made and I have them in my “queue”.

    Thanks again for all your work!
    Melody

  18. 5 stars
    I just made these, and they were soooo good! I forgot to buy the lime and cilantro, and I used colby jack cheese that I had left over, and they were still super yummy. Now, I only ended up making six in a 9×13 pan, so I don’t know how I was supposed to possibly fit twelve in there, but this worked out great. I had a little bit of filling left over, and it tastes wonderful by itself.

  19. 5 stars
    I made these last night for cinco de mayo and they were SO delicious and flavorful! We had a mixed crowd of vegetarians and meat eaters and everyone found them to be filling. I wish I had made a double batch!

    1. I am so glad to hear you all liked these 🙂 This is one of my families favorite recipes! Thank you for your comment!

  20. I am really liking your recipes! You go into great detail on what needs to be done and how to do it. Thank you.

  21. Do none of your husbands know how much meat costs???? I’m making my menu for the week and my hubby is ASKING for me to find meatless ideas. This looks delish and going on this weeks menu!

  22. I’m having a hard time deciding which one of your recipes to try first! Have you ever tried roasting the sweet potatoes, or does sauteing give the same flavor?

    1. Haha! Thank you Pamela! 🙂 I have tried roasting them before and while I do think the flavor is slightly better with roasting than sautéing, I don’t find the work to be worth it for the final taste. But if you want to, definitely roast them!! 🙂

  23. 5 stars
    I am not sure why people rate these recipes when they haven’t even made them. (Makes me crazy)
    Well, I have made these enchiladas and I LOVE THEM. I am one of those people that think dinner is not a
    meal without meat. But, like your husband, this is one meal I do not feel like I am missing meat. I made it
    exactly as recipe calls and I will now say that it is one of my all time favorite meals. Very filling, healthy and
    delicious. I have pinned several of your recipes, but this is the first that I have actually made. Now I know
    I must try your other recipes.

  24. Nutrition Facts (if anyone is interested)
    Servings 12.0
    Amount Per Serving
    calories 323
    % Daily Value *
    Total Fat 13 g 19 %
    Saturated Fat 5 g 24 %
    Monounsaturated Fat 4 g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
    Trans Fat 0 g
    Cholesterol 22 mg 7 %
    Sodium 1001 mg 42 %
    Potassium 335 mg 10 %
    Total Carbohydrate 44 g 15 %
    Dietary Fiber 9 g 35 %
    Sugars 9 g
    Protein 10 g 20 %
    Vitamin A 79 %
    Vitamin C 203 %
    Calcium 18 %
    Iron 22 %
    * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.

  25. Quick question, does this actually produce enough filling for 12 regular sized tortillas, or 12 taco-sized tortillas?

  26. 5 stars
    This was SO good!!! Super simple to make! Had to cook the sweet potatoes much longer since I didn’t dice them small enough. Family all thought there was meat in it. My 16 yr old is not a huge sweet potato fan but LOVED it! Thanks Chelsea!!

  27. 5 stars
    I love your new recipe format! This combo has an amazingly good taste and is quite popular in Mexico. Enchiladas and tamales are like pizza. You can make them any way you want and they will taste great.

  28. Wanted a vegan enchilada w/o tomatoes and wheat tortillas. The beans rice and sweet potatoes mixture was awesome. I had to get corn tortillas and made homemade green salsa but used the red enchilada sausage as it doesn’t have tomatoes in it! Delish! I wanted to introduce my husband to sweet potatoes that weren’t like the candied he’d had as a kid(&hated). He loved these enchiladas!❤👍 Thanks

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