cider beer braised cheesy mushroom and butternut squash enchiladas
If you use White Claw as your “cider beer,” please show yourself to the virtual door.
I speak low of White Claw even though I’ve honestly never tried it. I have 0 desire to do so, really. The mental image that bursts to mind is of rich college kids with hipster beads around their foreheads throwing empty cans of the shit on the beach and yelling obscenities at innocent passersby. Rather specific of my brain to throw that narrative out, but hey, I speak truth here on FMG.
I know many an upstanding person who enjoys White Claw, so if you do, whatever, your prerogative. Please don’t mangle these enchiladas by throwing an apple-flavored variety (if they even make that?) into the filling and calling it dinner. That’s immoral. A sin. The food gods will strike you down. Or I will, if I’m faster at the task.
I created these enchiladas because I bought an extra bag of butternut squash and didn’t want it to rot before heading out to Chicago on Friday. Friday. Friday. Yikes. Usually before trips I focus on small grocery runs and form meals around whatever components lie around the cabinets and fridge drawers, and this meal came to life in my mind due to.
I also obsessively scrub down my whole house. Apparently this is a common habit of vacation goers. You? I even throw Comet in my bathtub, got down on my hands and knees, and scraped at the grossness caked on the porcelain. I was quite proud of myself. Usually I get the countertops and toilet sparkling, but it takes an act of Congress to get me to do the tub.
That was a digression and a half. From Tex Mex to toilets and back again. If you’re reading this while scrolling through your phone on the toilet, why not button up and run out to get the ingredients for enchiladas?
Saucy, cheesy, fully vegetarian, and there’s beer, folks. Perfect weeknight meal.
Beer Beer, Beer Here!
Braising anything requires an extra bit of patience, but thankfully the time required is quite passive, so you can mill about doing whatever while the pot of incredibly fragrant filling simmers down.
Start with a quick saute of garlic and shallot, then throw in a blend of spices both traditional to the cuisine and unique to the autumn flare of this dish. Chipotle sauce (1-2 teaspoons depending on your desired level of smoke and spice), honey, chili powder, cumin, ginger powder, and cayenne. Stir in a container of quartered baby portobella mushrooms and cubes of butternut squash, then pour the cider beer.
The magic happens here! Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook down the liquid until mostly absorbed and evaporated, around 15-20 minutes. If you absolutely need to expedite the process, you can raise the heat up and strengthen the simmer. As long as the squash is tender and nothing is swimming in soup, you’re good to go. Finish with a hit of kale and some of the cheddar cheese.
Take your trusty casserole dish and spread about 1/2 cup of red enchilada sauce on the bottom. To fill the tortillas, place about two spoonfuls in the center, roll, and set seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with each tortilla. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce atop the tortillas and then the remaining cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
The result? A bubbling, rich mass of gooey enchiladas.
Filling will probably dribble out the sides of the enchiladas, but no fear – nibble on it as you serve, or alongside your in-tact enchiladas.
I like me some green, so avocado and cilantro nearly always embellish my enchiladas or tacos or whathaveyou. A squeeze of lime juice over individual servings adds a light tartness I love as well.
And leftovers? They keep really nicely in the fridge for about 3 days. The filling’s flavor deepens over time. If you want to prep ahead, cook up the filling, then assemble and bake whenever you plan on an enchilada dinner.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Sooth your enchilada cravings:
Saucy Zucchini Enchilada Roll Ups
Skillet Cheesy Quinoa Enchiladas Verdes Bake
Spicy Beef and Zucchini Enchiladas with Citrusy Mango Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1-2 tsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 can cider beer
- 10 oz baby portobella mushrooms, quartered
- 2 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 2 cups kale, roughly torn
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce, homemade or store bought
- 8 corn or wheat tortillas
- avocado slices, Greek yogurt, and chopped cilantro, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Saute the garlic and shallot until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chipotle sauce, honey, chili powder, cumin, ginger, and cayenne pepper, then toss in the mushrooms and butternut squash. Pour the can of cider beer and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the liquid is largely absorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese and the kale.
- Warm tortillas in the microwave under damp paper towels for 30 seconds to make more pliable.
- Spoon 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Working one tortilla at a time, scoop 2 tablespoons of enchilada filling in the center, then roll and place seam-side down in the casserole dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. If you have leftover filling, carefully poke it into the open sides of the tortillas.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Garnish with avocado, cilantro, and sour cream or Greek yogurt, as desired.
