Black Bean and Spinach Enchilada Bake

It has been very cold here for the past few days and I've been thinking a lot about warm and cozy comfort food. On cold, dark evenings there is something about undeniably comforting about sitting down to a steamy, cheesy mess of a casserole straight out of the oven.

This black bean and spinach enchilada bake is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. It evolved out of a recipe I got from Everyday Food several years ago (one of my favorite food magazines that was sadly discontinued a few years back). Over the years I have toyed around with the recipe, adjusting proportions here and adding veggies there. My version includes spinach and reduces the amount of mushrooms a bit to keep crowds happy while maintaining the rich, meaty mushroom flavor that is so important to this dish. The earthy combination of mushrooms, veggies, and cheese is a real crowd pleaser and the dish is incredibly versatile and easy to make. I hope you grow to love this recipe as much as I do.

Start by chopping 1 8-ounce package of mushrooms into medium or small pieces (I prefer cremini mushrooms, but button mushrooms will work fine). Heat about 1 tablespoon oil or butter in a large skillet (the largest you have!) over medium heat and add the chopped mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (or more if you like things a bit spicier), stirring well so the mushrooms are coated with chili powder. Cook the mushrooms until they barely start to brown, about 5-8 minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, finely chop garlic (2 cloves) and roughly chop spinach small-ish pieces. You'll need 10 ounces of spinach, one full bag or about two bunches (if you're not using bagged spinach, make sure to clean it VERY well!). This should equal around 8 cups of chopped, packed spinach. It may seem like an awfully large amount of spinach, but it cooks down quite a bit. Don't worry!

Once mushrooms barely start to brown, stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then stir in the spinach. Cook the mixture until the spinach wilts and the liquid begins to evaporate, another 5-8 minutes. Stir in 2 to 2 1/2 cups black beans then remove from heat. If you are using canned black beans, you'll need two cans and you'll have a bit left over. Make sure to drain and rinse them well.

Now starts the fun part! You'll be making layers similar to lasagna.

Cut 3-4 tortillas in half or in thirds and arrange 6-7 tortilla halves in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Play around and arrange however they will fit best. You may need to cut one or two tortillas into thirds, or you may find that it works better with tortilla thirds. In the photo below I used 6 tortilla halves and one tortilla third (the smaller piece on the far right). Play around and see what works best for you. I usually cut the tortillas as I go. Cover  the bottom of the pan with tortilla pieces, but don't worry about filling in the gaps between tortillas halves.

Cover the tortillas with half of the bean mixture then dollop 3/4-1 cup salsa on top of the bean mixture (the salsa won't entirely cover the beans and tortillas). You can use any prepared, bottled salsa you have on hand. This recipe calls for 3 cups of salsa, so you'll need two standard-sized salsa bottles (which are usually 16 ounces) with a bit left over. Any brand works fine. Then top with 1/2-3/4 cup shredded cheese. Monterey jack or a Mexican blend are best.

Repeat this process once and finish with a layer of tortillas and the remaining salsa and cheese. The finished layers should be as follows: tortillas, bean mixture, salsa, cheese, tortillas, bean mixture, salsa, cheese, tortillas, salsa, cheese.

Cover with foil and cook for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, then uncover and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown. This can be made up to one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Notes:

I developed this recipe for a 9x13 pan, but you may have to play around with the proportions if you are using a smaller or larger pan.

If you are cooking for folks who dislike the texture of mushrooms, I suggest chopping the mushrooms into very, very small pieces (like the size of corn). That helps with the texture problem while maintaining the flavor.

A word about salsa and heat levels: I've found that salsa with a higher heat level (I prefer medium) gives the recipe a bit more flavor. I've made this recipe with medium-heat salsa for people with low heat and tolerance (including young children) and have had no complaints. The heat of the salsa seems to dilute and mellow during the baking process. However, if you're concerned about the heat level or cooking for people with a very low heat tolerance, feel free to use mild salsa.

My favorite way to serve this is with a small dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt or a few slices of avocado. It is delicious paired with a simple salad of lettuce, sliced yellow or red bell pepper, toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), a sprinkle of cotija cheese, and a simple creamy vinaigrette of lime juice, plain yogurt (just a bit), and olive oil.

Black Bean and Spinach Enchilada Bake

Adapted from Everyday Food

Makes 6-8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 8-oz container of cremini or button mushrooms, chopped

10 oz spinach (one bag or around 2 bunches), chopped (about 8 cups packed spinach)

2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed (from about 1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cans)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

8-10 corn tortillas, halved or cut into thirds

3 cups salsa (any brand, mild or medium heat)

1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey jack or a Mexican cheese blend)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and chili powder and stir well to coat the mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms barely start to brown (about 5-8 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then stir in chopped spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and some of the liquid begins to evaporate (another 5-8 minutes). Add the black beans and stir to combine. Remove from heat. 

2. Arrange tortilla halves (or thirds) at the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Because tortillas are round there will be gaps between the tortilla pieces. Layer one-half of the black bean mixture, top with 3/4-1 cup salsa, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat twice, finishing with a layer of tortillas, the remaining salsa, and the remaining cheese. 

3. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.

Variations:

• Mushroom lovers: reduce black beans to 1 1/2 cups (1 can) and increase mushrooms to 2-8 ounce packages (1 pound total)
• Summer veggies: replace spinach with 2-3 finely chopped or shredded medium zucchini and/or yellow squash; 2-3 finely chopped bell peppers; or some combination of the above
• Greens: Reduce black beans to 1 1/2 cups (1 can) and use 1 pound (16 ounces) of any combination of greens (kale, collards, chard, spinach)