I’ve been craving goat cheese lately. I can’t get enough! If someone will put it on a salad, sandwich, or just scoop it directly in my mouth, I’m gonna eat it.
Goat cheese is such a great cheese for summer — light, sweet, and flowery. On those nights it’s just too hot to cook, it can be the center piece of a charcuterie and cheese board dinner alongside fresh berries, honey, olives, salami, and a really nice bread.
When a recent craving for Mexican was hard to ignore in the face of my on-going need for as much goat cheese as possible, these Goat Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas were born. I knew they’d be good, but OH MY!! I ooohed and ahhed through our entire meal. They were absolutely to die for!
I started by adding some great smokey flavor with the serrano pepper and corn tortillas. I fire toasted both of them over the open flame on my grill (this works over a gas stove burner too). Either way, be careful! The serrano blackened and sizzled in a couple of short minutes. I love this pepper because it’s warm with great flavor without torching your mouth, especially after removing the seeds. I typically put a couple in my homemade guacamole and even my toddler daughter isn’t alarmed by their presence.
I also toasted the tortillas one at a time and set them aside. I like the La Tortilla Factory yellow corn + wheat tortillas. They’re super soft and sturdy enough for a meal like this. A couple of turns over the flame for each tortilla was a little time consuming, but I swear it was well worth it in that first bite. Don’t save your summer grilling just for burger and hot dog nights, there’s so much you can toss on the grill. Tortillas and Mexican food, too!
The next steps are easy as pie! (Mmmm, now I want pie!) Divide about three ounces of goat cheese across the six toasted tortillas; a nice heavy schmeer is just fine. Then top with the black beans, sprinkle a few minced serranos, and roll. These will tuck together nicely inside a casserole or other baking dish.
Pour a little of your favorite enchilada sauce in the bottom and over the tops. I like a verde sauce, but red works if that’s your jam! Sprinkle the tops with the remaining goat cheese and serranos and bake! Do this in a foil pan out on the grill (but not over direct heat) if you want to completely save yourself from warming up the house.
Our entire family gobbled these up — the husband, the four-year-old, and me! He was shocked to learn they were meatless at the end, and has already requested these be put back on the rotation.
It seriously doesn’t get easier than this. We finished the meal off with some chunky homemade guacamole using serranos.
Goat Cheese Black Bean Enchiladas
serves 3
INGREDIENTS
1 serrano pepper
6 medium tortillas
4 oz. goat cheese
12 oz. black beans
6 oz. enchilada sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Over a flame, preferably on your grill, roast the whole pepper until the skin is bubbled or blackened. Set this aside to cool.
2. Over the flame, or on a hot grill, toast the tortillas. Flip each a couple of times and watch closely to prevent burning; it takes less about a minute. Set these aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prep a baking dish with cooking spray and a few spoonfuls of enchilada sauce.
4. Slice the serrano lengthwise, scoop out the seeds. (I use gloves to avoid handling the seeds.) Then mince the pepper, set aside.
5. If you’re using canned black beans, drain and rinse. Set aside.
6. Evenly divide about 3 oz. of the goat cheese by spreading in each of the tortillas. Then spoon about 2 oz., or 1/4 cup, of black beans in to each tortilla. Sprinkle a pinch of peppers over the beans. Fold and roll each tortilla and place the enchiladas in the pan. It’s fine for them to be pressed and squished next to each other.
7. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Then, sprinkle the tops with the remaining goat cheese and peppers.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes. Serve with choice of homemade salsa or guacamole.
ALSO TRY THIS:
Cheesy Black Bean and Sweet Corn Dip
Cumin Scrambled Egg Breakfast Tacos
Roasted Tomatillo and Pineapple Salsa
Recipe by Brandi Koskie; Photos by Kacy Meinecke