This is probably the best recipe I make – you have to try them! My family visited us in San Francisco last Christmas and at the end of the trip, we asked what the favorite meals were. We expected most to name one of the incredible restaurants we had visited throughout the trip, but I was shocked when my older sister claimed her’s were these enchiladas! My other sister even insisted on flying home with frozen leftover enchilada sauce! Note – this sauce freezes super well.

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas

Serves approx. 4

Ingredients

Enchilada Sauce:

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb tomatillos, husked, washed, and halved (I used purple, but green works too)
• 1 jalapeno, halved (If you don’t like spice, omit the jalapeno or use a smaller amount. One roasted jalapeno adds a surprising amount of spice)
• 1 small onion, halved and larger layers separated
• 4 large cloves garlic
• ¾-1 cup water or chicken broth
• ⅛ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt plus more to taste if needed

Enchiladas:

• ½ tbsp olive oil
• 8 street taco tortillas or 4 large tortillas
• 1 cup butternut squash (or sweet potato), chopped into ½ inch cubes
• 1½ tbsp taco seasoning
• ½ cup of dry beans, cooked, or 1 cup canned beans*
• 6 sprigs cilantro, chopped
• 3 green onions, sliced and divided (two for the filling and one for garnish)
• 8 oz shredded white cheddar cheese
• (optional) ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. If using dry beans, wash and soak the beans for 6 to 12 hours. If using canned beans, skip steps 1 and 2.
2. Pressure cook the beans in a pressure cooker (I use an instant pot) for 6 minutes on high. You can manual release the pressure (open the knob) 15 minutes after the beans have finished cooking.
3. Preheat the oven to 375F.
4. Arrange tomatillos, onion, and jalapeno cut-side down on a sheet pan. Place whole garlic cloves on the sheet pan. Coat/brush everything with 1-2 tbsp of oil.
5. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until everything is browned and the tomatillos look soft and collapsed.
6. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium-sized pan over medium heat.
7. Add cubed butternut squash to the pan and cook for about 15-20 minutes, tossing occasionally, until butternut squash is cooked through and a little brown on the sides.
8. Add taco seasoning to the butternut squash and toss while cooking 1-2 minutes until evenly coated.
9. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the butternut squash, beans, cilantro, green onion, and most of the white cheddar cheese. Leave some of the white cheddar cheese for sprinkling over the top. 
10. Mix the contents of the bowl until well combined. Salt to taste and set aside.
11. To finish the enchilada sauce, add the tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the blender, along with any juices from the sheet pan.
12. Add ¾ a cup of water or chicken broth and blend until smooth. Test the consistency and add ¼ cup more water if needed.
13. Mix the ground cumin and salt into the blender and taste for salt level.
14. To prepare the enchiladas, spread a layer of enchilada sauce along the bottom of a pan. If I am only making this for two people, I just use a glass bread loaf pan and make half the recipe.
15. Next, stuff the enchiladas with the butternut squash and bean filling and place face-down in the pan. It’s okay if the enchilada doesn’t close all the way.
16. Cover the enchiladas in enough sauce to where the color of the tortilla isn’t showing through, but not so much that they’re swimming in soup.
17. Sprinkle with remaining white cheddar cheese.
18. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
19. Remove the cover, optionally sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake another 3-5 minutes.
20. Remove from oven, sprinkle with one sliced green onion, and serve.