Pumpkin in an enchilada?! Yes please! As we welcome fall, I want to honor seasonal veggies and fruits. These pumpkin enchiladas do that in the best way I know how! They are savory, smoky, earthy, a hint sweet, and everything that you want in an enchilada. Pure heaven!
This recipe is not difficult, but it is a sort of labor of love. They take a little bit of time, but every step is worth it when you take a bite!
I begin this recipe by roasting a whole pumpkin. I use a pie-pumpkin. Do not be discouraged! This is super easy, and quite satisfying! Pie pumpkins also know as “sugar pumpkins,” are sold at most grocery stores and farmers markets this time of year! You can even save the seeds, quickly roast them, and eat them as a snack while you prepare your pumpkin enchiladas.
The sauce is made by toasting some dried Pasilla, Guajillo Chiles, Chiles de Arbol, fresh onion, garlic cloves, and a tomato. I soak the chiles and then blend them up into a beautiful sauce! It is absolutely delicious! I could eat the sauce by itself! It’s that good.
Another important method to mention is frying the tortillas in a bit of oil before you dip them in the sauce and roll up your enchilada. The frying and crisping up of the corn tortilla gives it more constitution (not to mention it adds extra delicious fried flavor). After each tortilla is fried, I dip it in the enchilada sauce, fill it with the roasted and mashed pumpkin, roll it up, and top it with more sauce and vegan cheese.
This recipe is more than tasty- it’s incredible. Make it for your vegan friends and non-vegan friends alike! Pumpkin enchiladas are perfect for the fall season and taste like perfection in your mouth. Enjoy, and please comment below your thoughts!
I’ll first give you the enchilada sauce ingredients, and then the recipe for the pumpkin enchiladas! This recipe makes about 6-8 enchiladas depending on your tortillas size. Cheers dears!
Enchilada Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 dried Pasilla Chiles
- 2 dried Guajillo Chiles
- 2 Chiles de Arbol (optional- it adds a bit of spice)
- 3 cups of pepper soaking liquid (you will see in the methods)
- 3 cloves of garlic (skin on)
- 1/2 of a yellow spanish onion (cut in half)
- 1 medium vine tomato (whole)
- 1 tsp. agave
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. salt
Enchilada Sauce Method:
- Set a tea kettle to boil some water, or just a regular small pot. You want only about 4 cups of water. Get that going while you toast your chiles and vegetables.
- In a large non-stick pan (I use a large cast-iron skillet), place all of the chiles, the garlic, onion, and tomato. Evenly disperse them in the pan to where the edges are making contact. No need to peel the garlic. After it is done toasting the peel will fall right off. No need to chop the tomato- roast it whole. I do chop the half onion in half, just to give it more surface area to roast, but keep this method super simple.
- Toast all of these ingredients for a few minutes on each side or until they become fragrant. You do not want to burn the chiles- that will make them bitter. We just want to enliven the flavors a bit.
- When the chiles have toasted, place them into a bowl, and cover them with the boiling water. Let soak for about fifteen minutes.
- Remove the stems from the chiles and add them into a blender along with 3 cups of the soaking water. Add in the rest of your toasted ingredients along with the agave, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Blend well.
- It should be nice and thin without many chunks. If you find your sauce to be chunky, strain it. Put the sauce into a saucepan and let it simmer for about ten minutes.
- Now you are ready to make your enchiladas!
Pumpkin Enchiladas Ingredients:
- 1 pie pumkin (AKA sugar pumpkin)
- 3-4 cups of enchilada sauce (see recipe above)
- 3-4 Tbs. avocado oil (or more as needed)
- 1 cup of vegan cheese of your choice (I used Trader Joes Vegan Cashew Mozarella)
- 6-8 large white corn tortillas (6-8 inches)
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
Pumkin Enchiladas Method:
- First you want to roast your pumpkin. Set your oven to 425° F. Slice the pumpkin in half from top to bottom with a sharp knife. Basically, start at the top of the stem and slice downwards to the bottom of the pumpkin.
- On a lined baking sheet, rub your pumpkins with a little bit of avocado oil (or olive oil) to make sure they’re fully coated. Season liberally with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- Bake your pumpkin halves flesh side down for 25 minutes.
- When they are done, take them out. You can either scoop out the pumpkin flesh, or wait for them to cool almost completely and the outer skin with just peel away.
- Put the roasted pumpkin into a bowl and mash. Set aside. This is your filling.
- Set the oven to 375° F. Prepare a baking dish. I ended up using my large cast iron that I used earlier for toasting the chiles- but feel free to use a traditional baking dish if you please.
- Next, set up a, “enchilada making station.” You want a pan to fry your tortillas, a pan of the enchilada sauce to dip, a plate to roll your enchiladas, and then a baking dish. Preferably you have everything in a sort of “line” for easy and swift enchilada rolls.
- Put a Tbs. or so of avocado oil in a small skillet and heat on medium/high heat. When its hot, begin frying a tortilla. Fry until it is slightly golden on both sides, but still pliable (about 1-2 minutes per side). You may have to add a little bit more oil later. Just keep an eye on it. This is a crisping of the tortilla, not a deep fry.
- Then with tongs, take out your tortilla from the oil and submerge it in your enchilada sauce.
- Take that saucy tortilla, and place it on a plate. Fill it with 2-3 Tbs. of your roasted pumpkin mash, and roll. Place it in your baking dish!
- Repeat these steps until all of your tortillas are fried, dipped, and full of pumpkin.
- Your baking dish should be full of beautiful enchiladas! Scoop and pour extra sauce over all of your enchiladas until beautifully covered.
- Top with a vegan cheese of your choice. I used Trader Joes new cashew mozzarella vegan cheese because it has a mellow flavor and a nice creaminess that compliments the smokiness of the sauce.
- Cover with foil, and bake at 375° F for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake for and additional 15 minutes.
- Enjoy! I topped mine with a little cilantro for a fresh flavor and for beauty purposes!
This dish would go GREAT with my Cilantro-Lime Rice or my Vegan Jalapeno Coleslaw. Happy fall folks! I hope that you share this recipe with the ones you love! It is divine!
