Sofia And Francisco's Enfrijoladas
Enfrijoladas are a go-to weeknight dinner throughout Mexico and we get why: tortillas smothered in a smooth, rich bean sauce makes for a super simple, yet comforting dish. "At home, enfrijoladas are traditionally made with leftover frijoles negros from the night before," says Sofia Casarin of Tamoa. "But we like to use whatever frijoles we have on hand because each variety provides something unique to the bean sauce."
Sofia and her partner, Francisco Musi, founders of Mexico-based brand Tamoa, shared their go-to enfrijoladas recipe with us to celebrate the launch of our collaboration that features 3 limited-edition bean varieties: Amarillo, Atolito, and Pichoaca.
"We make this recipe at home all the time and love experimenting with fillings and toppings. Francisco is Lebanese-Mexican so sometimes we use labneh instead of crema." Sofia also shared that the sauce makes an excellent bean soup by simply adding more bean broth. This is the exact kind of versatility we love to see in a recipe, because it builds confidence and creativity in the kitchen, and delivers a delicious meal in no time.
What Are Enfrijoladas?
Enfrijoladas (literally "bean-ified") are a traditional Mexican dish of corn tortillas dipped in smooth bean sauce, folded, and topped with cheese, crema, onions, and other garnishes. They're similar in concept to enchiladas, but instead of chile sauce, the tortillas are coated in pureed bean sauce.
The beauty of enfrijoladas is their simplicity. They're traditionally made with leftover beans from the night before, blended smooth with aromatics and thinned to a sauce-like consistency. It's the kind of practical, delicious home cooking that turns leftovers into something special, perfect for weeknight dinners when you want comfort food without a lot of effort.
The Star: Chaparro Beans
Let's talk about Chaparro beans, firm, meaty beans that create an excellent bean sauce for enfrijoladas. These beans have a robust texture and earthy flavor that, when pureed with onions, garlic, and chipotle, creates a sauce that's rich, smooth, and deeply satisfying.
What makes Chaparro beans great for enfrijoladas is how they puree. They break down into a velvety smooth sauce while maintaining rich flavor. When thinned with bean broth to the right consistency, they coat the tortillas beautifully, creating that luscious, saucy quality that makes enfrijoladas so comforting.
As Sofia notes, you can use any variety of Mexican heritage beans for this recipe. Each brings something unique, Flor de Mayo creates a lighter sauce, Bayo makes it rich and creamy, Ojo de Cabra adds earthiness. This versatility is part of what makes enfrijoladas such a practical weeknight dish, use whatever beans you have.
The Importance of Quality Tortillas
Sofia and Francisco emphasize using tortillas made from 100% nixtamal and heirloom corn. Nixtamal is fresh masa dough made from dried corn kernels that are soaked and cooked in calcium hydroxide (cal), then ground into paste. Tortillas made from nixtamal have complex flavor, tender texture, and authentic taste that you simply can't get from instant corn flour like Maseca.
Look for "100% nixtamal" on tortilla packages at Mexican grocery stores or tortillerías. If you can find tortillas made from heirloom corn varieties, even better, they add another layer of flavor and connection to traditional Mexican foodways.
Good tortillas make a real difference in enfrijoladas. They need to be sturdy enough to hold up when dipped in sauce but tender enough to be pleasant to eat.
The Bean Sauce
The bean sauce is what makes enfrijoladas special. Cooked beans get sautéed with onions and garlic until the aromatics are golden and sweet. Meanwhile, a dried chipotle chile gets toasted until aromatic, then softened in boiling water. Everything gets pureed together, beans, aromatics, softened chipotle, until very smooth.
The chipotle adds smoky heat that elevates the sauce beyond simple pureed beans. It's not overwhelming, just enough to add complexity and a gentle kick. If you prefer less heat, use less chipotle or skip it entirely.
Bean broth and chile soaking liquid get added gradually to thin the sauce to the right consistency. You want it thick enough to coat the tortillas but thin enough to be saucy, not pasty. Think of the consistency of heavy cream or a smooth enchilada sauce.
The Cooking Technique
The tortillas get lightly cooked before being dipped in sauce. You heat a little oil in a skillet and cook each tortilla for about a minute per side until lightly browned but not crispy. This step is important, it warms the tortillas, adds a bit of flavor, and helps them hold up better when coated in sauce.
The bean sauce stays warm in the skillet on extra-low heat. Using tongs, you dip each cooked tortilla in the sauce, turning to coat both sides. As you remove them, you fold them like tacos and arrange on plates.
If you're adding filling (shredded chicken or scrambled eggs are traditional), you add it as you fold. More bean sauce gets spooned over the top, then you add your toppings.
The Toppings
Toppings are essential to enfrijoladas. Traditional options include:
- Thinly sliced white onion for sharp crunch
- Queso fresco crumbled on top for salty, tangy richness
- Fresh cilantro leaves for herbaceous brightness
- Mexican crema (or labneh, as Francisco likes) for cooling creaminess
- Spicy salsa for extra heat and acidity
Everyone can customize their plate with their preferred toppings. The contrast between the warm, rich bean sauce and the cool, fresh toppings is part of what makes enfrijoladas so satisfying.
Versatility
What Sofia and Francisco love about this recipe is its flexibility. You can:
- Use any Mexican heritage bean variety
- Fill the tortillas with shredded chicken, scrambled eggs, cheese, or nothing at all
- Top with traditional Mexican garnishes or experiment with Lebanese touches like labneh
- Turn the sauce into soup by adding more bean broth
- Make it vegan by using vegetable oil instead of lard and skipping dairy toppings
This kind of versatility builds confidence in the kitchen. Once you understand the basic technique, you can adapt it based on what you have and what sounds good.
A Weeknight Winner
What makes enfrijoladas so valuable is how they transform simple ingredients into something comforting and delicious with minimal effort. If you have cooked beans (including leftovers), good tortillas, and some basic aromatics, you can have this on the table in 30 minutes.
It's the kind of recipe that becomes part of your regular rotation, the thing you make on Tuesday nights when you want something satisfying but don't have time or energy for anything complicated. And it's flexible enough that you never get tired of it because you can vary the beans, fillings, and toppings.
Part of the Tamoa Collaboration
This recipe was shared to celebrate our collaboration with Tamoa, the Mexico-based brand founded by Sofia and Francisco that's dedicated to preserving Mexican heritage bean varieties and traditional foodways. Their work connects small-scale Mexican farmers with consumers who appreciate quality, heritage, and authenticity.
The collaboration featured three limited-edition varieties, Amarillo, Atolito, and Pichoaca, showcasing the incredible diversity of Mexican beans and the people who grow them.
*A Note On Our Recipes:
Every recipe here was developed and tested using farm-fresh beans from Foodocracy and Primary Beans. Older beans, anything past a year in your pantry or beans from other sources may need more coaxing. Give them a soak and add extra cooking time, and they'll get there eventually.
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