Description
Easy Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas are a flavorful and hearty Mexican-inspired dish featuring seasoned ground turkey, black beans, and a rich enchilada sauce, wrapped in tortillas and baked to melty perfection. This recipe offers gluten-free and dairy-free options, making it versatile for many dietary preferences.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounces (1 can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounces (1 can) fire roasted tomatoes
For Assembly
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce (homemade or store-bought, gluten-free)
- 8-10 corn, grain-free or flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese or vegan cashew queso
Optional Toppings
- Sliced radishes
- Pickled onion
- Avocado slices
- Sour cream (vegan if desired)
- Cilantro
- Red onion
- Jalapenos
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
- Cook Turkey and Season: Add the ground turkey, chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
- Add Beans and Tomatoes: Stir in the black beans and fire roasted tomatoes. Cook together briefly, then remove the filling mixture from heat.
- Soften Tortillas: Place tortillas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, flip the stack, then microwave an additional 30 seconds to make tortillas pliable.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spread 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Divide the turkey mixture and 1 cup of shredded cheese evenly among the tortillas. Roll each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish in a single layer, fitting as many as possible (about 8-10).
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining 1 1/4 cups of enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add Vegan Queso if Desired: If using vegan cashew queso, omit the shredded cheese and instead pour the warm queso over the enchiladas after baking.
- Serve: Serve hot with desired toppings such as sliced radishes, pickled onion, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, red onion, and jalapenos.
Notes
- Paleo/Whole30: Replace black beans with roasted sweet potatoes, use grain-free tortillas, and substitute vegan cashew queso for cheese.
- Dairy-Free: Omit shredded cheese and use vegan cashew queso instead.
- Gluten-Free: Use grain-free tortillas, corn tortillas, or certified gluten-free flour tortillas.
- Make Ahead: Prepare the filling in advance, store in an airtight container, then fill and bake when ready to serve.
- Storage: Store baked enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat enchiladas on a baking sheet at 350°F until warmed through or use the microwave.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as instructed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
