These black bean enchiladas topped with creamy queso are make-ahead friendly, loaded with flavor, and totally comforting.

With the start of cozy season upon us, there’s nothing better than a pan of hot and cheesy enchiladas, so I’ve got queso black bean enchiladas on deck for you today.

They’re filled with seasoned refried black beans and topped with the easiest creamy queso sauce. And the best part? They’re make-ahead friendly – assemble them up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and then bake when you’re ready to treat yourself (and anyone else lucky enough to get a bite or two).

Ingredients

Canned black beans
Pico de gallo
Taco seasoning
Whole milk
Cream cheese
Pepper jack cheese
Enchilada sauce
Corn tortillas
Unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Olive oil

How to Make Queso Enchiladas

☑️ Make the Black Bean Filling

Heat the oil in a large pan and, once it’s hot, add the drained beans, taco seasoning, and pico de gallo. Stir and bring the mixture to a simmer.

the black beans, taco seasoning, and pice de gallo in a pan.

Lightly mash some of the beans. Leave some whole so the filling has texture. A potato masher works best, but a fork will do the job, too.

Scrape the mashed beans into a bowl and set them aside.

☑️ Make the Queso

Melt the butter in the same pan over medium-low heat. As it melts, scrape up any bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add the milk and stir. Once the milk is steaming hot, add the cream cheese. I like to add it in chunks so it melts faster. Stir and break apart the cream cheese until it’s melted into the milk.

Add half of the shredded cheese to the sauce. Whisk it into the milk and, once it’s melted into the sauce, add the rest of the cheese and whisk again until the cheese sauce is smooth and creamy.

☑️ Assemble and Bake the Enchiladas

Spread some enchilada sauce in the baking pan. Roll each tortilla with about a 1/4 cup of the filling inside. Place the rolled tortillas seam-side down in the baking pan.

Top the enchiladas with the cheese sauce and drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top.

the enchiladas in the pan ready to be baked.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes at 375°F. Take the foil off and bake them uncovered for about 10 minutes or until they’re bubbling hot. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top for garnish.

More Enchilada Recipes

Queso Black Bean Enchiladas

These black bean enchiladas are topped with a simple queso sauce and baked until bubbling hot. It’s serious comfort food that’s make-ahead friendly, so a cozy dinner is ready whenever you want to indulge.

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Author: April Anderson

Servings: enchiladas

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Bake Time: 30

Total Time: 1

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans drained and rinsed
1 ounce packet of taco seasoning
1 cup pico de gallo
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup whole milk
4 ounces cream cheese cut into chunks
8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
8 ounces enchilada sauce
12 (5") corn tortillas
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro optional for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the beans, taco seasoning, and 1 cup of pico de gallo. Stir and bring to a simmer.
Mash the beans, leaving some whole, and stir. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes, stirring often, until it's thickened. Transfer the beans to a bowl.
Lower the burner heat to medium-low and, in the same pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. As the butter melts, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Once the butter is melted, add 1 cup of milk. Stir and once it's steaming hot, add the cream cheese chunks. Stir until it's melted into the milk. It helps to smoosh the cheese chunks on the bottom or sides of the pan so they melt faster.
Add half of the shredded cheese to the pan and whisk until it's melted into the sauce. Add the rest of the cheese and whisk again until the cheese sauce is smooth. Take the pan off the heat.
Spread half of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13" baking pan.
Add just under a 1/4 cup scoop of the bean filling on each tortilla. Roll the tortillas and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
Pour the cheese sauce over the enchiladas. Spread it so the tortillas are covered. Drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top of the sauce.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake them for 10 minutes or until bubbling hot. Garnish with the cilantro for serving.

Notes

Tortillas: Corn tortillas tear easily, so I find it helps to warm them on sheet pan in the oven so they’re more pliable. I pop them in a couple of minutes before I use them while the oven is heating. If they do tear on you, no worries. You can’t even tell once you’ve covered them with the cheese sauce.

Make Ahead: You can assemble the enchiladas ahead, cover them, and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a day. When it’s time to bake them, leave the pan at room temperature while the oven heats. Bake them as instructed.

Storage: Leftover enchiladas will keep in the refrigerator for several days. Or you can freeze them for up to a month.