When my husband and I met some six years ago I was amazed by how many things we had in common. We both loved literature, music, theology and art; we enjoyed long conversations and afternoon trips to a museum. By all accounts it was a match made in heaven. Except for one thing: he was a vegetarian. This isn’t such a big deal now since, after all this time together, he’s all but converted me. Yet I have to admit that it was a huge obstacle in the beginning. After all, I was raised on a good old Mexican diet of carne asada and machaca! All those vegetables were side dishes, or better yet, garnishes for my meat. 
Avocado Enchiladas with Smokey Chipotle Sauce
Nowadays things are pretty different around here. Although I enjoy meat when we eat out, I never cook it at home and have actually come to enjoy how being an “at home vegetarian” forces me to be creative with the dishes I cook. Case in point: Avocado Enchiladas with Smokey Chipotle Sauce. Of course, cheese enchiladas are also a vegetarian alternative but they aren’t as healthy as this avocado variation. Nor, in my humble opinion, do they taste as good. The avocado mixture used to fill the tortillas is so delicious it’s hard to resist snacking on it while putting the enchiladas together (ok, I don’t resist), and once you top it all off with homemade enchilada sauce it’s vegetarian paradise. After sautéeing onions and garlic in brown sugar, cumin and oregano you add diced chipotle, adobo sauce, tomatoes and sherry. Satisfying? Oh yes.
Avocado Enchiladas
Adapted from MarthaStewart.com
Ingredients:
- 1 chipotle chili, diced + 2 tsps adobo sauce (I used canned chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce from Whole Foods.)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/2 medium vidalia onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 cup sherry
- 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 4 Hass avocados
- 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons dried cilantro
- 1/8 cup lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 corn tortillas
- 8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, brown sugar, cumin, and oregano; sauté until the onion is soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sherry, chipotle chili, adobo sauce, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until thickened to stew consistency.
Heat oven to 400° F. Put 1/2 cup olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, fry the tortillas, one at a time, for 2 to 3 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towel-lined sheet to get rid of excess oil.
Peel and pit the avocados. Immediately toss with the lime juice (prevents browning), cilantro, salt and pepper. Mash well.
Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce into a small casserole dish. Spoon 2 tablespoons of avocado filling into each tortilla, sprinkle some Monterrey jack cheese on top, then roll the tortilla. Put it in the casserole dish, seam side down, against one edge. Repeat the process for the other tortillas, placing each rolled tortilla snugly against the one before it. Ladle the rest of the sauce over the rolled tortillas, top with remaining cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: These don’t reheat well because the avocado filling turns brown after a few hours. So eat up while it’s fresh!
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This entry was posted on Saturday, March 3rd, 2007 by Ariela and is filed under Cultural, Main Dishes, Mexican. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
41 Comments.
I guess I’m a closet vegetarian; left to my own devices I wouldn’t cook it or eat it.
These look like awesome enchiladas!! Amazing sauce.
Your enchiladas look fabulous! I will definitely try this recipe. Who needs the meat when you’ve got avocado and plenty of spice???
That looks so good… such a different recipe. I can’t wait to give it a try! Thanks for sharing it.
I need to pick up a few of the ingredients…but I am planning on making these next weekend. Awesome recipe. Can I actually wait that long?
I had the same situation with my husband. Our kitchen at home is pretty much veggie (helps with keeping kosher as well) and I really think my cooking skills are due to that decision. When I go to visit my parents and get to eat lots of meat (and I still love my mom’s cooking) now, I really miss all of the cooking we do at home. It’s really interesting how tastes change.
Ooooh Ari, these look stunning! And what a way to use avocados so that their flavour is celebrated!
Ari - you make a good point that vegetarian just takes a little thought, but can be incredibly tasty! I’ve just started experimenting with avocados recently, and this looks like a great idea.
I’d like me some of this!
Paz
Ariela, that looks so good! It’s funny, but I was a strict vegetarian for almost 20 years, and after I met my husband, I started to eat a bit of fish. I cook meat for him, and he cooks vegetarian for me!
Ari,
This looks delicious. I only recently started eating (and enjoying) avocados. I will be trying this soon. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Oh my, I am an avocado-aholic and this looks devine.
Ari, what wonderful delicious comfort food–warm, filling, and soothing. Your photo is so appetizing. I really like your addition of the sweet brown sugar; spicy and sweet go beautifully together.
Oooh! Love avocados! That looks great…my husband loves Mexican food and I’m sure he will enjoy this!
What is adobo sauce and is there a substitute? Or can I make it?
I’ll specify canned chipotle & adobo in the recipe!
This looks delish. I haven’t had much time for experimenting in the kitchen lately. And you know what that means… I have to cancel everything else in my life! But I’m not sure my boss would be keen on me calling in a cooking emergency. Keep up the good work.
Ari,
I’ve never had enchiladas! Yours just made me drool!
Oh. My. Heavens. I cannot wait to give this a try!
I try to make vegetarian meals now and then … but it just seems so overwhelming. Ridiculous, I know. But convincing meat-eaters that veggies can be filling? Not easy.
Thank God for recipes like this! YUM. (Plus, anything avocado is a-okay with me.)
These sound HEAVENLY, and I’m very much a meat eater. Give me some chilis and adobo and I’m happy.
I eat avocados everyday and I am always on the lookout for a great vegetarian recipe and these look awesome. Thnaks for sharing!
The pictures look great, Ari–as they always do. I don’t know about the vegetarian thing though. I went without meat for almost a month to test some food allergy theories and while it was really easy to go that long–I can’t imagine never having meat again. *sob* There’s just too many tasty critters out there. As a result though, I can see why it would test your skills to be able to create such tasty and attractive dishes sans meat.
Sounds good!
Leo tu receta y veo la foto de las enchiladas y se me hace agua la boca.Que bueno fuera si tu y yo vivieramos mas cerca, entonces iria a comer a tu casa.
Diles a las personas que no son vegetarianas que pueden anadir un poco de carne azada como un ‘ side dish’ y luego tambien pueden poner un pco de fijoles al lado de las enchiladas.Te felicito y espero un dia que puedamos comer tus creaciones. NANA
I don’t eat a lot of meat and almost never cook it either, except for the occasional piece of bacon because who can say no to bacon? Anyway, these enchiladas look great. I have an avocado craving now.
Chipolte sauce makes everything taste so good!
Ari,
Are you totally dedicated to killing my diet? hee… because, yes, it’s all about me! Your recipes are killing me, they look so good. Dang girl.. I’m never going to be caught in a swimsuit, now.
meat eaters and veggies together can rejoice at the tastyness of your recipe! look at the bright green and bright red! very fun
As a huge carnivore I never would I have believed it…. but I think this vegetarian dish looks REALLY satsifying! My god.
Misterioso? Tu crees!
I’ve decided that I don’t like your blog for the simple reason that everytime I come to visit I leave hungry. My mother in law (God rest her soul) used to make me the best chicken enchiladas that I ever tasted. Yours look very tasty too.
Hi Ari - what a delcious and comforting looking dish this is! You guys must have loved devouring it!
What an awesome recipe. I love enchiladas but I most confess, I’ve only ever had the chicken or cheese kind. This avocado version looks amazing!
I haven’t had avocado enchiladas in years, but oh yum! So refreshing and delish! But you are right, it’s a problem actually making them because you’re so busy sneaking tastes of the filling.
You know, even my hurried sauce-from-a-can version of your recipe turned out fabulous! Thank you for the inspiration. I used fresh cilantro and cotija cheese.
yum! it’s been too long since i had avacado.
your enchiladas are stunning! I love avocado in anything!
My husband and I are totally opposite, I’m amased how things always work!
Lydia - It’s pretty hard to turn down such a spicy combo! I’m glad you like the recipe.
Kristen & Ruth L - My pleasure! And please do let me know if you give it a go.
Timi - That’s another reason we have a vegetarian kitchen, it makes it so much easier to keep everything kosher. I often cook for my students and since many of their families keep kosher it’s important that our home is up to par! And how lucky are you to go home and eat Mom’s cooking? You got me thinking about my favorite dishes that my mom makes and now I’m craving her lasagna, lol.
Ellie - Avocados are great! They are full of so many good for you vitamins and fat, plus who can resist the green color? So pretty.
T.W. - I had a super hard time cooking only vegetarian foods at first, but once I started to learn more about cooking and how to combine ingredients it became much more interesting. But sometimes I just have to go to one of our local restaurants and eat a good steak just the same!
Paz - Once again, wouldn’t it be cool if foodblogs were interactive? *swoon*
Madam Chow - What a nice arrangment! What is your favorite dish to cook for him and vice versa?
Denise - Awesome, it’s always such fun experimenting with new foods!
Peabody - Hehe, I think I’m an avocado-aholic too!
Aka Nik - Aw shucks, thank you. I’ll do my best.
Patricia - Really? You’ve never had enchiladas? I think it’s time that changed my friend!
Shawnda - I love, love reading comments like yours. I love sharing recipes and am overjoyed when my bloggy friends give them a try.
Abby - It’s not easy, heck it took my husband years to really convince me. And even then I still have to have my carne asada or steak at a restaurant every now and then! But it’s possible for veggie food to be filling - I think it’s so funny when our “uber carnivore” friends are surprised that one of our vegetarian dinners was actually satisfying.
Andi - Spice, it’s what good food is all about!
Helen - No prob. What are your favorite ways to eat avocados?
Utenzi - Haha! There are many tasty critters out there, especially where barbecue is concerned! I hope I haven’t come across as saying that I think everyone should be vegetarian because that is certainly NOT what I think. But if you live with someone who doesn’t eat meat coming up with inventive veggie recipes is a satisfying compromise. Then your food not only tastes great & fills you up, but also gives you an added opportunity to flex your creative muscles.
These look SO GOOD! I love spicy food but I never thought of pairing a sauce like this with avocados as the main ingredient!
Josefina - Nana I emailed you about this but I am BEYOND tickled that you are reading my blog!
Natalia - The other day my husband brought home some of that fake soy bacon, but I have to admit I didn’t like it. Much as I love cooking vegetarian there are some things that just cannot be replaced!
Jeff - It sure does!
Wende - Not killing your diet, just making it more interesting (see, it IS all about you!) There’s nothing wrong with eating these enchiladas so long as you only eat a couple of them. Plus, avocado is super good for you!
Connie - Colorfull combinations are always a welcome addition to any dish.
Naomi - They are, you should give them a try!
Jose - It’s hard to beat family cooking. Much as I cook I still don’t like my rice as much as my Mom’s.
Gilly - You betcha! It was all gobbled up.
Tali - chicken and cheese are great but why not throw avocado into the mix too? You won’t regret it, I promise.
This looks absolutely delicious-great color., too~
wow…I just read this Ari, my mouth started to water already! those look very delicious and I love avocados. I’m gonna try it sometime, thanks for the recipe!