Black Eyed Pea Enchiladas

Lucky Enchiladas- easy to make and packed with flavor, these black eyed pea enchiladas are the perfect way to ring in the new year! 

I’m not one to believe in superstitions but I do like participating in food traditions during the holidays so I enjoy creating black eyed pea recipes for the new year. These black eyed pea enchiladas (AKA Lucky Enchiladas) might just be my favorite creation yet.

They feature a few of the usual ingredients found in enchiladas like onion, pepper, and corn, but with black eyed peas and kale for good luck in the new year. Because even if they won’t bring you good luck we know they will contribute to good health. Let’s cheers to that!

Black Eyed Pea Enchilada Ingredients and Substitutions

• Enchilada Sauce- Homemade enchilada sauce is ideal but I’m lazy and don’t want to wash another pot. Luckily Simply Organic makes a fantastic enchilada sauce so I usually opt for that.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil- We’re just using a few tablespoons to sauté our vegetables but if you want to make this recipe oil-free you can use a splash of vegetable broth (or water) instead.
• Onion, Garlic, Bell Pepper and Corn- You can use red or yellow onion, any kind of bell pepper, and fresh or frozen corn.
• Kale- Lacinato (AKA dinosaur) kale is my go-to here as the texture is much more palatable for enchiladas. Be sure to remove the stem and finely chop it so you don’t get any big chunks. If you’re not feeling kale, feel free to substitute a bag of baby spinach instead.
• Black Eyed Peas- I like to use a can of black eyed peas to keep things simple but feel free to cook your own from scratch if you like.
• Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika and Salt- These spices will add a ton of flavor, in addition to the enchilada sauce, so don’t skip them! You may decide to reduce or omit the salt, depending on your preferences.
• Vegan Cheese- Shredded cheese helps the filling bind together as it melts and adds more savory flavor, of course. My favorite brand is Violife colby jack but any kind you prefer will work.
• Tortillas- Be sure to choose tortillas that are pliable as you don’t want to deal with them breaking apart on you as you try to fold them. Been there done that!

How to Make Black Eyed Pea Enchiladas

1. Prep the filling. Sauté the onion, pepper, corn and garlic with the seasonings. Add the kale and black eyed peas. Cook just until wilted. Stir in the cheese.
2. Assemble the enchiladas. Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Warm your tortillas then fill each one with about 1/3 cup of the filling. Roll and place seam down in the baking dish. Cover with remaining sauce.
3. Bake. Cook the enchiladas in the oven for about 30 minutes. Serve warm with garnishes and enjoy!

These enchiladas are the perfect meal to prep for New Years! Just assemble, cover and refrigerate then wait to coat with remaining sauce until you are ready to bake.

Want more black eyed pea recipes?

• New Years Black Eyed Peas and Greens
• Mexican Black Eyed Peas and Greens
• Smoky Black Eyed Pea Hummus

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Black Eyed Pea Enchiladas

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Servings: 12 enchiladas

Ingredients

• 16 ounces enchilada sauce
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, cored and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt, more or less, to taste
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup kale
• 15 ounces black eyed peas
• ¾ cup vegan cheese
• 12 (8-inch) tortillas

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, spread ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom then set aside.
• In a large pot or skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until translucent. Next, add the bell pepper and garlic. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes more.
• To the skillet, add the cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes, until spices are fragrant. Add the corn and kale to the pot and continue to cook just until kale begins to wilt, for about 5 minutes. Lastly, stir in the black eyed peas and cheese. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Warm the tortillas by wrapping them in foil and placing them in the oven for 7-10 minutes. Carefully unwrap the foil and remove the tortillas one at a time, spooning ⅓ cup filling down the center of each. Roll the tortilla around the filling and place them side-by-side in the baking dish with the seams down. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over top.
• Bake, covered with foil, for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and hot. Garnish as desired, serve warm, and enjoy!

Notes

Garnish options: vegan nacho cheese sauce (I love Vegan Valley or my homemade nacho cashew cream) finely chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, avocado, etc.

Nutrition

Serving: 1enchilada, Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 806mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1261IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 3mg

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!