Quick Vegetarian Enchiladas: Using Canned Beans for Speed

22 Minutes from Pantry to Plate

It is 5:47 in the evening. The kids just got back from practice. There is homework all over the kitchen table. You are staring into the pantry for the third time this week, wondering if pizza delivery is really that awful. Everyone is hungry.

Does the situation sound familiar? I have been there more times than I want to say.

anything. Here’s the deal: you can have dinner in 22 minutes without having to chop anything.These Quick Vegetarian Enchiladas use canned beans, jarred sauce, and shredded cheese to make a cheesy, bubbly dinner that everyone will love. It tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.

The key is to use convenience foods in a smart way. You do not have to do any prep work to get protein and fiber from canned black beans. Jarred enchilada sauce has a lot of flavor without having to simmer. And pre-shredded cheese makes it possible for everything to go from the pantry to the baking dish to the table in record time.

What busy families like about this recipe:

• ✅ 22 minutes total from getting the ingredients to serving
• ✅ No chopping, dicing, or other laborious prep
• ✅ Flavors that kids like (tested on kids ages 4 to 12 in my house)
• ✅ Clean up in one pan—you only need the baking dish
• ✅ Easy to change to fit dietary needs and picky eaters

Let us get dinner going!

Why This Recipe Works (My Story)

After three years of crazy weeknight soccer practice, I came up with this recipe. During that time in my life, I had about 17 minutes between coming home and the whole family falling apart. Something had to change, and it was not going to be our health or our sanity.

I had a big breakthrough when I stopped thinking of canned beans as a “shortcut” and started thinking of them as a smart plan. Here’s what I learned about how to make canned beans work perfectly in enchiladas:

The Secret to Rinsing: Draining and rinsing canned beans gets rid of about 40% of the sodium while keeping all of the protein and fiber. It only takes 30 seconds and makes a big difference in nutrition.

The Trick with the Texture: People often say that bean enchiladas fall apart or feel mushy. What is the answer? Only mash half of the beans. The whole beans give the paste a satisfying texture and look, while the paste holds everything together.

The Soggy Tortilla Fix: I tried at least a dozen different ways to fix the problem and failed. Finally, I found that pouring sauce over the top of rolled enchiladas—not inside them—and baking them at a high temperature stops the dreaded soggy tortilla syndrome.

My kids, who are 7 and 10, ask for these enchiladas every week. They love helping to sprinkle the cheese, and even better, they eat everything on their plates. That is the real victory.

Notes about food: As written, this recipe is vegetarian. You can easily make it vegan by using cheese that does not contain dairy. You can also make it gluten-free by using corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas, which hold up better to the filling.

What You will Need

toppings! You will need only six ingredients that you probably already have on hand, along with some easy toppings!

15 g2 cans of black beans, each 15 ounces, drained and rinsed
Using canned beans saves you about two hours compared to cooking dried beans from scratch. Rinsing gets rid of extra sodium while keeping all the nutrients, like 15 g of protein and 15g of fiber per cup!

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel)
This one item has tomatoes, chiles, and spices all in one can. The flavor that comes with it means less work for you.

1 packet of taco seasoning (or 2 tablespoons of your mix)
You can use your favorite brand for convenience, or you can make your own with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika if you want to keep the sodium level low.

8 8-inch flour tortillas
Flour tortillas are better for this quick method because they are more flexible and less likely to break. Use corn tortillas if you want to avoid gluten, but be careful with them.

2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend Shredded cheese that has already been shredded melts just fine and saves time. Grating your own cheese from a block is the best way to get the best melt.

too. Choose a mild, medium, or hot red enchilada sauce based on how spicy your family can handle it. If you want a spicier taste, green enchilada sauce works well too.## Toppings You Can Choose

• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• New cilantro
• Chopped green onions
• Chopped avocado
• More salsa
• Wedges of lime

What You Need

Important:

• A 9×13-inch baking dish that does not need to be lined, just sprayed with non-stick spray
• A medium-sized mixing bowl
• Fork (to mash beans)
• Tongs (for picking up hot tortillas)

Not required but useful:

• A microplane or box grater (if you want to grate your own cheese)
• A plate that can go in the microwave (to warm up tortillas)

That is all! You only need to bake one dish and mix one bowl, so there is not much to clean up. Just what you need on a busy weeknight.

Step 1: Prepare your ingredients and preheat the oven (2 minutes).

Set your oven to 425°F. Indeed, this temperature is higher than you might anticipate. This high heat makes the edges crispier and the baking faster.

Use non-stick cooking spray on your 9×13 inch baking dish. Put all of your ingredients in a line so that you can easily get to them.

Tip: To keep your enchiladas from getting soggy, cook them on high heat. Do not give in to the urge to lower the temperature! Step 2: Make the filling in two minutes.

Put both cans of black beans that have been drained and rinsed into your mixing bowl. Put in the whole can of diced tomatoes with green chiles, including the juice. Add the taco seasoning by sprinkling it on.

Use a fork to mash about half of the beans. Do not cut the other half.

Why This Is Important: The whole beans give the filling a lovely texture, and the mashed beans make a paste that holds it all together. If you mash too much, you get baby food. If you mash too little, you get a filling that falls apart. Half and half is the perfect amount.

Stir everything together until the seasoning is spread out evenly. Your filling is ready! Step 3: Magic on the Assembly Line (8 Minutes)

Put the stack of tortillas on a plate that can go in the microwave. Put it in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. The heat keeps them flexible and stops them from cracking when you roll them.

One warm tortilla at a time:

1. Put about ⅓ cup of filling in the middle.
2. Roll up tightly
3. Put the seam side down in the baking dish that has been prepared.

Do the same with all eight tortillas, making sure they fit snugly in the dish.

Hack for the Family: Let the kids help put it together! Kids of all ages can fill a spoon and sprinkle cheese. They are much more likely to eat dinner if they help make it. Step 4: Sauce and Cheese Crown (2 Minutes)

Put the whole can of enchilada sauce in the middle of the rolled-up enchiladas. Do not pour it on the edges; keeping the ends of the tortilla sauce-free helps them stay a little crispy.

Make sure to cover the edges of the tortillas with the shredded cheese. This “cheese blanket” trick keeps the edges of the tortillas from burning. Step 5: The High-Heat Bake (8–10 Minutes)

Put the dish on the middle rack of your oven that has been preheated to 425°F.

Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Turn on the broiler for one minute at the end to get that beautiful, Instagram-worthy spotty browning. Pay close attention—broilers work quickly!

Visual Cue: The cheese should look like a pizza ad, with bubbles around the edges and golden-brown spots on top. Step 6: The Important Rest (5 Minutes)

Take the enchiladas out of the oven and let them sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Why This Is Important: The filling needs a little time to set. As soon as you cut into them, they transform into a scalding-hot, molten mess that burns your tongue and disintegrates. If you wait five minutes, you will get neat slices and food that is easy to eat.

Serve hot with your choice of toppings, such as sour cream, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, more salsa, or lime wedges!

Tips for Storage and Making Ahead

Option to Make Ahead: You can make the enchiladas up to 24 hours ahead of time by putting the filling in the tortillas, the sauce, and the cheese on top. Wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and put it in the fridge. Add 5 minutes to the cooking time when you are ready to bake.

Can go in the freezer: Put together uncooked enchiladas, wrap them tightly in foil, and freeze them for up to three months. You can either thaw it overnight in the fridge before baking it, or you can bake it straight from the freezer at 375°F for 35 minutes.

How to Store Leftovers: Put baked enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Heating up: To get the best results, reheat it for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven without covering it. This will make it crisp again. You can also use the microwave for 90 seconds, but the texture will be softer. Do NOT freeze enchiladas that have already been baked; they will get mushy when they thaw.

—# Tasty Changes

Protein Boost: Mix in scrambled eggs, leftover rotisserie chicken, or crumbled cooked chorizo to the bean filling.

Extra Veggie Version: Add a can of drained corn, sautéed spinach, or diced bell peppers to the mix.

Too Much Cheese: For a filling that is even creamier, add 1/2 cup of cream cheese.

For “Green Enchiladas,” use salsa verde instead of red sauce and Monterey Jack cheese instead of Mexican blend.

Enchiladas for breakfast: For brunch, add scrambled eggs to the filling and top it with a fried egg.

Information about nutrition

Per Serving (2 enchiladas):

Main Benefits:

• A lot of fiber and protein from plants
• A good source of calcium and iron
• When beans are eaten with cheese, they make a complete protein.
• Rinsing beans cuts down on sodium by about 40%.

Questions that come up a lot

How do I keep canned bean enchiladas from getting mushy?

To keep your enchiladas from getting soggy, you need to cook them at 425°F and let them sit for 5 minutes. Also, do not soak the tortillas too much. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas, not inside them. For this quick-bake method, flour tortillas work better than corn tortillas.

Can I make these ahead of time for a busy weeknight?

Of course! Put everything together up to 24 hours ahead of time, cover it tightly with foil, and put it in the fridge. Add five minutes to the time it takes to bake. You can freeze unbaked enchiladas for up to three months if you want to keep them for a long time. To use them, thaw them overnight in the fridge or bake them from frozen at 375°F for 35 minutes.

Are canned beans good for family dinners?

Yes! Rinsing gets rid of about 40% of the sodium while keeping all of the fiber and protein. One cup of canned black beans has 15 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber. When you add the cheese’s calcium and the tomatoes’ vegetables, this meal is nutritionally complete.

How can I make these less spicy for toddlers?

Use mild enchilada sauce instead of diced tomatoes with green chiles, and use plain diced tomatoes instead of diced tomatoes with green chiles. The cheese takes away any remaining heat. You can serve it with a “fire extinguisher” dip on the side made of sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Is it okay to use refried beans instead of whole beans?

Yes, but cut the taco seasoning in half because refried beans are usually already seasoned. The texture will be creamier and smoother, which is actually better for kids ages 1 to 3. Adults, on the other hand, usually like the chunky texture of whole beans.

What sides go well with enchiladas to make a full meal in 5 minutes?

You could have bagged salad with a squeeze of lime juice, microwaveable Spanish rice cups, or frozen roasted vegetables. The oven’s 425°F heat can cook a tray of frozen broccoli or corn on the lower rack at the same time, so dinner and sides are ready at the same time!

How do I properly store and reheat leftovers?

Put in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to four days. You can reheat it in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes (to make it crisp again) or in the microwave for 90 seconds (to soften it). Do not freeze enchiladas that have already been baked. When they thaw, they get mushy.

Last Thoughts

These Quick Vegetarian Enchiladas show that using easy-to-find ingredients does not mean giving up taste or nutrition. You can make a bubbling, cheesy, protein-rich dinner for your family in just 22 minutes with six things you probably already have in your kitchen.

Enchiladas that hold together well and taste like they took a long time to make are made by baking them at a high temperature, putting the sauce in the right places, and using the half-mash bean technique. You can freeze them, make them kid-friendly, and enjoy them on hectic weeknights when pizza delivery seems like the only option.

You now have a better choice. This option is not only tasty and healthy, but also more cost-effective and faster than waiting for delivery.

Your Tuesday night just got a lot easier!

*Do you like quick dinners with a Mexican twist? Look through our collection of quick weeknight meals and family-favorite recipes that will help you get dinner on the table quickly!