Vegan Enchiladas in Red Sauce

Enchiladas rojas are common throughout Mexico. Not only are there plenty of regional styles, every family makes those styles differently. In Huasteca, some enchiladas rojas are made with chiles de árbol, while in Zacatecas, they’re made primarily with ancho chiles. The fillings may change and the toppings may vary, but they are always done in a red chile sauce, commonly made with a combination of guajillo and ancho chiles. This version is one of my personal favorites, but you should feel free to fill them with your own favorite ingredients.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12 enchiladas

Author Jason Wyrick

Ingredients

Filling:

3 large portobello mushrooms, lightly rinsed and patted dry
2 fresh ears corn, shucked
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 cup refried black beans

Sauce:

4 guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated
4 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and rehydrated
1 cup reserved chile water
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt

Tortillas:

Corn oil, for frying
12 6-inch corn tortillas

Toppings:

2 cups shredded red leaf lettuce
1/2 cup salted pepitas

Instructions

Filling: If you have a wood-fire grill, light it with alder or mesquite wood, or use alder or mesquite chips soaked for an hour. If you have a gas grill, use soaked mesquite chips. Allow the flames to die down and the wood to get very hot. Brush the portobellos and corn with the olive oil and toss them in the salt. Grill them until the corn develops dark brown spots and the portobellos develop deep grill lines. On a very hot grill, this should take only about 5 minutes. Let the portobellos and corn cool until you can handle them, then slice the portobellos into 3/4-inch wide strips and cut the corn kernels off the cobs. Set aside.
Sauce: In a blender or food processor, purée the guajillos, anchos, chile water, lime juice, oregano, and salt. Heat the sauce in a medium skillet over low heat. Place a medium skillet on a burner next to the sauce and place a plate near the sauce. Add a 1/4-inch layer of oil to the skillet and bring it to 375°F. Add a tortilla to the oil for about 3 seconds.
Submerge the fried tortilla in the sauce for about 10 seconds, then transfer it to the plate. Slather 1 1/2 tablespoons of the refried black beans on one side of the tortilla and top the beans with about 3 portobello strips and 2 tablespoons of corn. Fold the tortilla in half and transfer to a plate. Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas.
Spread the remaining sauce evenly over the tortillas and top them with the shredded lettuce and pepitas.

Recipe Notes

Time-Saving Tip: Rehydrate the chiles for the sauce while you grill the portobellos and corn.

Note: If you don’t have a grill, you can slice the portobellos and sauté them over high heat for 5 to 6 minutes in the oil and salt. Use the corn fresh instead of cooking it.