Description
Don’t be afraid of chayote! It’s fairly easy to find, effortless to work with, and it lends authentic, refreshing flavor to veggie enchiladas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 T vegetable oil (plus more or spray for tortillas)
- 1 white onion, chopped small (about 2 C)
- 2 chayotes, diced 1/4″ (2 1/2 C)
- 2 medium zucchini, diced 1/4″ (3 1/2 C)
- 1 1/2 C frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1 large orange bell pepper, diced small
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 T finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 3/4 C finely grated Monterey jack cheese
- Kosher or sea salt
- 14 6-inch corn tortillas
- 2 C homemade or store bought red enchilada sauce
- Optional, for serving: crumbled cotija or feta cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet. When hot, add onion and chayote and cook until the onion is just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Add zucchini, corn, and bell pepper, stir, and cook 7 to 8 minutes, until the zucchini is softened but still holds its shape. Turn off heat and stir in jalapeño, cilantro, and cheese, then season with salt to taste.
- To soften the tortillas for filling, heat the oven to 300 (F). Place 6 tortillas on a baking sheet in a single layer, and spray or brush both sides thinly with oil. Bake 3½ minutes in upper third of oven, until warm and pliable. Fill this batch of tortillas by rolling ¼ cup packed veggie filling in each and placing seam side down in a 9 by 13 inch pan (don’t sauce the bottom of the pan; see notes for parchment packet instructions). Repeat the baking/filling process with all the tortillas (you may only be able to fit 12 in your pan). Turn oven up to 375 degrees.
- Spread sauce over all the tortillas. I sprinkled mine with a little extra crumbled feta I had on hand, which is completely optional. Bake about 20 minutes, until sauce is hot and bubbly.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Deborah Madison’s The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.
As written, recipe is gluten free and vegetarian.
To bake the enchiladas in parchment“pockets”, as shown, cut squares of parchment about 6 by 10 inches. Place two filled enchiladas seam side down in the center of each sheet (long edge of parchment parallel to length of enchilada) then place in the pan, keeping each successive serving snug against the last one. Bake as directed. I found it helpful to fold the paper ahead of time to form a “cup” for the enchiladas.
- Prep Time: 50 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Mexican