Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas
These Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas come together in just 40 minutes. Made with canned refried beans, red enchilada sauce, sauteed onions, garlic, ground cumin, and plenty of yummy cheese.
Sometimes you just need something super fast and easy for dinner. On those nights, skip saute’ and go straight to assembly. But when you want a budget meal that doesn’t feel like a budget meal, take the extra few minutes to sauté the onion and garlic and bloom the cumin, and set out plenty of topping options. We love a budget meal without the budget feel.
Ingredients Needed For Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas
Ingredient Notes
Refried Beans – Any brand works here. If you want a vegetarian option, traditional refried beans tend to be made with lard. Look for “vegetarian” on the front of the can. If you’ve canned our Pressure Canned Pinto Beans, you can make your own quick refried beans!
Red Enchilada Sauce – Canned enchilada sauce keeps this recipe fast! Any brand works, but we love using either Old El Paso or Las Palmas. You can switch it up and use green enchilada sauce, too!
Yellow Onion – Sautéing a yellow onion until soft gives this bean filling flavor and depth. Don’t have time to saute an onion? Use a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles instead.
Ground Cumin – Blooming spices during the saute give you a deeper flavor. Be careful not to burn the cumin. This process is quick, just about 30-60 seconds of continuous stirring.
Minced Garlic – Helps build out the flavor with the onions and cumin. In a pinch, substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder directly into the beans.
Flour Tortillas – We love using 8-inch flour tortillas. They roll up easily and hold up well once baked. Corn tortillas work too, warm them in a dry skillet first so they don’t crack when you roll them.
Pepper Jack & Monterey Jack Cheese – We love this combo. Monterey Jack is a mild and semi-soft cheese that melts like a dream. We use it to top the enchiladas. We use pepper jack inside the enchiladas for a little kick. Or use one or the other.
Topping Ideas
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced white or red onion
- Pickled red onions
- Sliced or pickled jalapenos
- Lime edges
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Diced tomato
- Salsa or pic de gallo
- Shredded lettuce
- Fresh or pickled radishes
- Roasted sweet corn off the cob
- Black olives
How to Make Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and ground cumin, stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
In a small bowl, mix canned refried beans and onions with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well incorporated.
Fill each tortilla with approximately 3 tablespoons of refried beans and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese.
Roll each tortilla up tightly and place them in a baking dish with the seam-side down.
Pour the enchilada sauce over your enchiladas and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Remove the enchiladas from the oven and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the top of your enchiladas.
Remove from oven, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make enchiladas ahead of time?
Yes! Prepare the enchiladas as directed, but hold off on adding the enchilada sauce and remaining cheese. Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake. When you’re ready to bake, let them sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes to avoid putting a cold dish in a hot oven and cracking your casserole dish. Add the sauce and remaining cheese and bake as directed.
Storage Instructions
Store enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Looking for more Mexican dishes? Try these!
Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
Cheesy Pinto Beans (Easy, Creamy, and Ready in 20 Minutes)
Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Jiffy Cornbread
Want to pressure can your own pinto beans?
Check out our Canning Pinto Beans Recipe!
Easy Refried Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgion olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion, about 1/2 medium sized onion
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 medium clove)
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 8 ounce block pepper jack cheese shredded (approx 2 cups loosely packed)
- 4 ounce block monterey jack cheese, shredded (approx 1 cup loosely packed)
- 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and ground cumin, stir constantly for about 30 seconds.
- In a small bowl, mix canned refried beans and onions with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until well incorporated.
- Fill each tortilla with approximately 3 tablespoons of refried beans and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese.
- Roll each tortilla up tightly and place them in a baking dish with the seam-side down. Pour the enchilada sauce over your enchiladas and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
- Remove the enchiladas from the oven and sprinkle 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over the top of enchiladas.
- Remove from oven, top with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
