Hello! I’m the girl who almost ate six enchiladas because no one was watching. I say “almost” because I didn’t want my husband to starve—considerate, right?
If you’re less considerate, go ahead and dig in. No judgment here.
Spinach and mushrooms with cheese are always a winning combination. Add artichokes and a quick, bright tomato sauce and you get something truly special. These enchiladas are ridiculously good.
Soft tortillas are filled with a creamy yet wholesome mixture of kidney beans (protein!), sautéed mushrooms, wilted spinach (more greens!), tender artichokes and sour cream. They rest on a sweet-spicy-tangy tomato sauce, are covered with more sauce, then finished with Monterey Jack and a generous handful of fresh coriander. This is the kind of dish you’ll eat fast—no pauses, no regrets.
After a break from savoury recipes, these enchiladas felt like the perfect comeback. The filling was inspired by a recipe I love, and I added mushrooms and swapped black beans for kidney beans to suit local tastes. The tomato sauce is essentially a simple pasta-style sauce with cumin and chilli powder for warmth, plus a touch of cinnamon and oregano. I use fresh puréed tomatoes and a bit of tomato paste to deepen the flavour, and instead of store-bought vegetable stock I boost the sauce with bay leaf, chopped onion and garlic. It’s the kind of sauce you put together as you go—simple and flexible.
The cheese doesn’t have to be Monterey Jack, but it melts beautifully and has a slightly sharper flavour than regular cheddar. If you can find it, use it; otherwise, a good melting cheddar will do. The tortillas I used come in packs of six large wraps—if your baking dish is narrow, cut them in half. An 8×8 square pan works well.
Canned artichokes are available from specialty brands; they’re worth the splurge because their meaty texture makes the enchiladas very satisfying. If you skip artichokes, double the mushrooms to keep the filling substantial.
There are a few components to prepare, but none are difficult. Working with two pans—one for the sauce and one for the vegetables—keeps things efficient. The result is a comforting, flavourful dish you’ll want to make again and again.
Spinach Artichoke Mushroom Enchiladas
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- For the tomato sauce
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 7 to 8 small tomatoes puréed
- 2 tsps cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika optional but recommended
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 200 gm carton tomato purée I prefer Dabur
- Water as needed
- Salt to taste
- For the filling
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 8 to 10 button mushrooms chopped small
- 250 gms spinach rinsed and stems removed
- 1 400 gm tin of artichokes drained
- 1/2 cup kidney beans cooked and cooled
- 2 tbsps sour cream or hung yoghurt
- 1 tsp paprika or chilli powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- If you prefer them spicy, add chopped jalapeños to the filling
- For the assembly
- 6 large tortillas
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Handful of fresh coriander finely chopped
- See post for details about specialty ingredients and substitutions
Instructions
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For the sauce, heat olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. (Reserve about a tablespoon of the onion and garlic for the filling.)
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Add the puréed tomatoes and cook until the mixture darkens. Stir in the spices, then the tomato purée. Add salt and about 1/2 cup water, adjusting for your preferred sauce thickness—neither too runny nor too thick.
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Bring to a boil, taste and adjust seasoning, then cover and set aside.
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For the filling, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the reserved onion and garlic until golden. Add mushrooms and cook until their released moisture evaporates. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
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In the same pan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and toss in torn spinach. Cook until it begins to wilt, then add drained artichokes, breaking them into pieces as you stir. Cook briefly until the spinach starts to stick, then add to the bowl with mushrooms.
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Mix in the cooked kidney beans, sour cream, paprika and salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease an 8×8 or 9×13 pan. Spread about 1/2 cup of sauce over the bottom to keep the tortillas moist and flavorful while baking.
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Assemble each tortilla on a plate: spoon about 2/3 cup filling into the centre, roll tightly and place seam-side down in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, leaving the edges bare, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until bubbling, the edges brown slightly, and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
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Let the enchiladas rest 10 minutes, then serve topped with chopped coriander and extra sour cream if you like. To reheat, warm in the oven at 100°C for 15–20 minutes, covering if the cheese browns too much.