Wild Mushroom & Pepper Enchiladas with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Earthy mushrooms, sweet red peppers, smoky chipotle chilis, cheddar, feta and fresh cilantro make one mouthwatering meal! This vegetarian enchilada recipe is Mexican food at its best!

I had the pleasure of living and working in Mexico for 2 years when I was in my twenties. We worked on a yacht that traveled from the east coast of Mexico, through the Panama Canal, up the west coast and eventually spent a year in the Baja Peninsula. All in all it was 2 years in Mexico and Central America. I learned a lot about Mexican food in those years. I was young and American so before traveling around Mexico I only knew tacos, fajitas and nachos. But there is so much more to Mexican cuisine!

The cuisine of Mexico…

The cuisine of Mexico varies greatly from one region to another. On the east coast you see more of an African and Caribbean influence. To the west, Oaxaca is considered the culinary Mecca of Mexico and their cuisine is known to be a bit more daring, surprising, with an emphasis on seafood. They are also renowned for their numerous moles and giant empanadas. Up North you see more use of beef and flour tortillas inland but simple classics on the coast like ceviche. Pueblo is the home of the iconic mole poblano and a few varieties of stuffed chiles. Then Baja California, a thin peninsula hanging off the bottom of California is the home of what people often refer to as Cal-Mex cuisine. Lots of seafood, ceviches, lightly battered fish tacos, roasted cactus salad, and of course the home of margaritas and Caesar salads!

A few years ago I started teaching a Mexican Kitchen cooking class and these mushroom enchiladas are one of the dishes I teach my students to prepare. In Mexico the tortilla is similar to pasta in Italy. It is a cheap way of nourishing the family and a vessel for carrying the more expensive ingredients of meat, fish and vegetables. As in Italy, where the people grow up eating pasta at least once a day, in Mexico the tortilla is laid on the table in similar frequency. How you fold the tortilla and how you prepare it changes the dish.

How to use a tortilla…

• Quesadillas – Commonly served for breakfast, a quesadilla is most often prepared with ham and cheese but the stuffing options are endless. This is like Mexico’s version of a grilled cheese sandwich. They are gently cooked in an oil-less hot pan until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly browned.
• Tacos – Mexican street food. Soft corn tortillas are usually sold roadside with a variety of fillings to choose from. One of the most iconic versions is the fish taco with lightly battered fish.
• Fajitas. Similar to tacos but with flour tortillas instead of corn. Fajitas are most iconically served with sizzling beef, peppers and onions.
• Enchiladas – I often think of enchiladas as the Mexican version of lasagna. The fillings are endless and the sauce can be tomato based, tomatillo based, cream based, etc. The tortillas are used to roll up the filling and then the dish is covered in the sauce, topped with cheese and baked in the oven until bubbling and golden.
• Burritos – More commonly a Tex-Mex dish burritos can be found in Northern Mexico as well. These are made with extra large tortillas and stuffed with meat, rice, beans, etc
• Tortilla Chips – As with all peasant food nothing should be allowed to go to waste. If fresh tortillas are made and not used they are fried to make chips. The crumbs are used to thicken soups and sauces.
• Accompaniment – Tortillas are the bread of Mexico. Even if they are not being stuffed or rolled or fried they are often served alongside the main meal.

Mushroom & Pepper Enchiladas with Chipotle Cream Sauce

This is one of my favourite enchilada recipes. It is a vegetarian enchilada but carnivores need not worry. This dish is so full of complex flavour you will not miss the meat. The earthiness of mushrooms is contrasted by the sweetness of onions and peppers. The smoky chiles add an amazing dimension of flavour which, alongside the fresh cilantro (coriander), cuts the richness of the cheese and cream. These mushroom and pepper enchiladas are delicious on their own but can also be served with a Salsa Pico de Gallo found here in this recipe for Sweet Potato & Blackbean Burgers.

Mushroom and Pepper Enchiladas with Chipotle Cream Sauce

Smokey, earthy and sweet, these vegetarian enchiladas will become a new favourite! 

• Author: Jessica Verity
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
• Cuisine: Mexican

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 500g mixed wild mushrooms (or button or portobello), sliced
• 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 chipotle chiles (more or less depending on heat preference) ***see note above for sourcing
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream/ creme entiere fluide (530 ml)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 8 small corn tortillas or 6 medium flour tortillas
• 1 heaped cup of feta cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro/coriander
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
• In a large frying pan heat 1 glug of olive oil until hot. Add the onions and saute 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms, peppers and garlic until soft, beginning to brown and the mushrooms have released their liquid. 
• While the veggies cook place the chipotle chiles and 1/4 cup of cream in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour into a shallow bowl large enough to fit the tortillas and stir in the rest of the cream, salt and lime juice.
• Place 1 tortilla in the bowl with the cream and flip to coat in the cream. Remove and place on a work surface. Place some of the stuffing in the centre of the tortilla from top to bottom. Sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped cilantro. Roll up the tortilla and place in a baking dish seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, feta and cilantro (coriander)
• Pour the remaining cream sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
• Place the dish in the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, the enchiladas are bubbling and going golden brown, about 30-35 minutes.
• Serve with optional Pico de Gallo Salsa

Keywords: enchiladas, vegetarian enchiladas, Mexican recipe, enchilada recipe