Butternut squash, kale, and black bean enchiladas with salsa verde

I have been on a major Mexican food kick lately. All I want is tangy, spicy, yet healthy food. If that’s what you’re craving, keep reading.

These kind of feel like a Cal-Mex enchilada to me. The butternut squash adds a hint of sweetness to balance out the tangy salsa verde and the kale and black beans add protein.

I used queso fresco in the filling here, but if you’re vegan or lactose intolerant, feel free to use extra firm crumbled tofu instead. Just cook it for a few minutes with the rest of the filling and add a bit more of the salt, cumin, garlic, and chili powder so the tofu is well seasoned.

To me, these enchiladas feel hearty yet wholesome. Perfect for if you want to eat something cleanish but still really flavorful and satisfying.

Ingredients – enchiladas

• 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chili lime salt, plus more to taste (see note)
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups kale, stems removed, massaged
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
• 3 cups roasted tomatillo salsa or salsa verde (see note)
• 12-15 8-inch corn tortillas

Ingredients – toppings (optional)

• 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons queso fresco
• 2 tablespoons crema or sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Notes:

• I get my chili lime salt at Trader Joe’s or I use Tajin (available at most U.S. supermarkets). If you can’t find it, use regular salt and add a squeeze of lime and some extra chili powder to your filling.
• To avoid soggy enchiladas, you want a thick tomatillo salsa. If your salsa is a little watery, cook it down over medium low heat for about 10 minutes or until most of the water is evaporated. I used the tomatillo salsa from Trader Joe’s and needed to do this.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss butternut squash with olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon chili lime salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Place squash on a foil-lined baking sheet, arranging the squash so that pieces aren’t touching. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until squash is tender and browned on the bottom. Remove squash from oven and keep oven on.
3. While squash is roasting, cook kale and 1/2 teaspoon of chili lime salt in a large saucepan over medium heat until kale is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in black beans, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Cook everything for another minute. Remove kale-black bean mixture from heat.
5. Gently stir in roasted butternut squash and crumbled queso fresco. Add more chili lime salt to taste.
6. Assemble your enchiladas in a 9×13 inch casserole or baking dish. Using a spoon, coat the bottom of the pan with a layer of salsa verde. I used about 1/3 of my salsa.
7. Wrap your tortillas in 2 moist paper towels and microwave for 15 seconds so they are soft and pliable. This will prevent them from breaking as you roll up your enchiladas. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each tortilla, roll it up, and place it seam side down in the pan. Repeat until you run out of tortillas or filling, or you fill your pan. Note: I used about 12 tortillas to fill my pan and had a bit of extra filling left over. Spoon the remaining salsa verde on top and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Top enchiladas with chopped red onions, cilantro, crema and more queso fresco, if desired. Serve hot, with a large margarita.