These Ground Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas are a no-fuss, flavorful meal combining well-seasoned turkey and hearty black beans. Tucked in a soft tortilla and smothered in rich enchilada sauce, they’re a perfect pick for a satisfying dinner.
Ground Turkey Enchiladas With Black Beans
When it comes to comfort food that’s both filling and flavorful, Ground Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas fit the bill perfectly. Packed with well-seasoned turkey and robust black beans, each bite is a perfect combination of textures and tastes. Wrapped in a soft tortilla and generously smothered in a rich enchilada sauce, this dish is a straightforward recipe that doesn’t skimp on flavor, making it a go-to choice for simple dinners or gatherings. Whether you’re a seasoned enchilada enthusiast or new to this fantastic classic, this version is sure to become a favorite.
Why We Love This Turkey Enchiladas Recipe
- Unbeatable Flavor: The combination of seasoned turkey, hearty black beans, and tangy enchilada sauce creates a taste sensation that’s hard to resist.
- Wholesome Ingredients: Lean ground turkey and nutrient-rich black beans make this a healthier spin on a classic favorite.
- Cheese Galore: The melty blend of sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack adds a touch of indulgence.
- Easy to Whip Up: With straightforward steps, this dish can grace your dinner table in under an hour.
How To Make Ground Turkey Enchiladas
Bust out your favorite skillet and baking dish – these ground turkey black bean enchiladas are about to be your din din! Whipping up these enchiladas is a breeze, and the results are even better! So delicious and satisfying, and I have a 4-year-old who agrees 100%. Here’s a brief step-by-step guide to easily get these flavorful rolls from your kitchen to your table.
Ground Turkey And Black Bean Enchiladas Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing and adding flavor.
- Onion and Garlic: Brings a depth of flavor, fragrance, and sweetness.
- Ground Turkey: The main protein source, it’s leaner than beef but still delicious.
- Ground Cumin & Chili Powder: Offer warmth and a mild spicy kick.
- Dried Oregano
- Salt and Pepper
- Tomato Paste: Provides thickness and a concentrated tomato flavor.
- Black Beans, rinsed and drained: A hearty addition that provides texture and nutrients.
- Chicken Broth: Gives moisture and a subtle meaty flavor.
- Lime: Adds zest and freshness.
- Flour Tortillas
- Cheeses: Cheddar cheese & Monterrey Jack cheese
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Brings moisture and a tangy, savory flavor.
- Green onions, sour cream, and lime wedges: Used for garnish.
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Set oven to 400˚F and grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- Sauté: In a skillet with olive oil, cook onions and garlic.
- Cook turkey: Add ground turkey, season, and cook until browned.
- Add mixins: Mix in tomato paste, beans, chicken broth, and lime juice. Cook briefly.
- Assemble enchiladas: Fill the tortillas with the turkey mixture, roll them up, and place them in the baking dish.
- Add sauce and cheese: Spread enchilada sauce, then sprinkle cheeses on top.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from the oven, let cool briefly, garnish, and enjoy with lime wedges.
Tips And Variations For Making Turkey Enchiladas
- Tortilla Tip: If your tortillas are too stiff to roll without breaking, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds. This softens them up and makes them easier to work with.
- Ground Turkey: I like using ground turkey for this recipe, and I use lean ground turkey to keep the dish healthier. You can also use ground chicken or ground beef.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add in some veggies like bell peppers or corn for added texture.
- Add Heat: For a spicier kick, include chopped jalapeños or chili flakes.
- Homemade Sauce: While store-bought enchilada sauce is convenient, making your own at home can enhance the flavor. Grab my recipe here for homemade Enchilada Sauce.
- Cheese Choices: This recipe calls for sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack, but feel free to experiment with different cheese combinations like Pepper Jack for a spicier kick or a Mexican blend for variety.
- Leftover Use: If you have leftover filling, it’s great for making tacos, burritos, or even as a topping for nachos.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these enchiladas with a fresh green salad, mango guacamole, or a refreshing restaurant-style salsa. A side of Spanish rice can also complement the hearty enchiladas.
Storage
Once cooled, store the enchiladas in an airtight container. They will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply microwave or bake in the oven until warmed throughout.
More Enchiladas Recipes
- these Overnight Breakfast Enchiladas
- or these Crock Pot Chicken Quinoa Enchiladas
- Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- and even this lovely twist on Mediterranean Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Beef Enchiladas
ENJOY!
Ground Turkey Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound extra lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 15 ounces canned black beans, rinsed well and drained
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 1 whole lime, juiced
- 12 (6-inch) low carb flour tortillas
- ½ cup shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 1½ cups red enchilada sauce, divided
- thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
- light sour cream, for serving
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Grease a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for 20 seconds.
- Add the ground turkey; season with oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato paste until well incorporated.
- Mix in the beans, chicken broth, and lime juice, and bring to a boil; cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.
- Place 1 tortilla on your working surface and spoon about 3 tablespoons of the turkey mixture onto one end of the tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and set aside. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and ground turkey mixture.
- Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Arrange rolled-up tortillas seam-side down over the enchilada sauce. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with the cheeses.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
- Garnish with sour cream and green onions, and serve with lime wedges.
Notes
- Variations: Customize the filling with additions like bell peppers, corn, or zucchini.
- Homemade Sauce: Opt for DIY enchilada sauce to adjust spices to your taste.
- Meat Substitution: Swap out turkey with ground chicken, pork, or beef as desired. Adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Tortilla Tip: Soften stiff tortillas by microwaving them wrapped in a damp towel for about 20 seconds.
- Cheese Choices: Experiment with cheeses; try Pepper Jack for a kick, or use a Mexican blend.
- Spice Level: Tailor the heat by adjusting chili powder or adding minced jalapeño.
- Leftovers: Repurpose leftover filling for tacos, burritos, or nacho toppings.
- Storage: Store cooled enchiladas in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Absolutely delicious! Lots of taste and still scrumptious as leftovers!
Love this recipe, quick & easy. I add spinach into the mixture to get more veggies.
These enchiladas were delicious! I used corn tortillas as they are gluten free, and froze half for a future meal, minus the cheese. Will definitely make these again.
So yummy!!
These are really good. I made homemade enchilada sauce (for the first time!) and used this recipe for the filling. I followed the recipe as written and they came out great! Yummy! I’m not big on green onions, so I garnished with a bit of avocado.
I tripled the recipe and added green chilis and olives and it was bomb dot com.
Will make again.
These were delicious. I didn’t have the jalapeño which would have been even better so I subbed in some green chilies. Thanks for the recipe
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Can these be frozen?
Fabulous, quick and easy.
Thank YOU! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Don’t normally write reviews, but I’ve now made this 3 times in 2 weeks. It’s so yummy!! Love something I can use ground turkey with, that I don’t notice it’s the more bland version of ground beef 😂 also served with some Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. You gotta try this!
That’s wonderful! I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Made these with homemade enchilada sauce and they were delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe!
That’s great! I’m very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
These was a big hit with my husband and grandson who is 13! I prepared the recipes exactly and honestly, I can’t thing of a thing I would change. It is so simple and delicious! My husband and I served sour cream over ours along with the green onions and it was the perfect addition although my grandson opted out of those two ingredients but he still loved them. I used the X-treme Wellness tortillas and they were not soggy at all!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Finally made these and my entire family thought they were great! No soggy problems here all I did was cook until all of the liquid in the pot was absorbed… easy.
Delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Norma
That’s great! I’m very glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
We enjoyed these for dinner tonight!! Even though my hubby and son prefer ground beef neither complained and tore through them. I will definitely make again! So good!
I am very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Amazing!!! I’ll say I:
1. Cooked turkey separately
2. Used a slotted spoon to fill my tortillas to cut down on liquid which alleviated the soggy situation.
3. Enjoyed them with my husband and daughter. Then discussed adding to our staple recipes!! Everyone will find what works for them but your recipe is very encompassing to the healthier enchilada request. Thank you!
That’s wonderful! I am very happy you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
My whole family loves these, including my picky kids! This is in our regular dinner rotation.
That’s great! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU!:)
Can enchiladas be made in advance?
Sure. Follow the recipe directions down to the 15th step, then cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate. When ready to bake, pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, top with cheeses, and bake at 400˚F for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Very easy and very flavorful.
These were so good! I did add more chicken broth like your update suggested and they were yummy. I did half with corn and half with flour tortillas. I think I did like the corn better since they weren’t as soggy. This will become a regular at our home!
UPDATE: I have made this recipe at least a dozen times and it is my go-to for my friends right after they have babies. Here are some optional adjustments I have tried:
1) Soggy tortillas fix: Use corn or 50/50 corn/flour tortillas. If you have time a quick pan sear on both sides before adding the filling makes them hold up beautifully.
2) Look up Julio’s Seasoning on Amazon (or get it in your H-E-B spice aisle if you live in Texas!) and generously season the filling and enchilada sauce with it. It is KILLER.
3) Sub Greek yogurt for sour cream
4) Someone else recommended adding extra chicken broth and reducing for additional flavor depth and HECK YES. It is a game changer. I add 2-3 cups sometimes depending on what I have in hand. It is never too much hah!
I love this recipe (and blog) dearly and cant recommend this dish enough!
I am planning on making this and will need to carb count for
a family member…Is the carb information for one or two enchiladas?
Thanks for the beautiful blog!
Hi!
Yes, the serving is 2 enchiladas. I hope you’ll enjoy! 🙂
So, the bad news is: I should have gone with my instincts and only cooked at 350 (could just be my oven), because they cooked REALLY fast and dried out a little. the GOOD news is: there was enough filling left over to make a second pan that I am freezing and will cook up on one of our busy nights and I’m really excited about that! I did use corn tortillas and would agree with adding more broth to enhance the flavor of the filling. Overall I am very happy I found this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
I made these with Mission Carb Balance flour tortillas and they were pretty soggy… is there a specific brand anyone has used that they recommend? Or should I go for corn instead?
All around delicious flavor and dish, it was a hit!
Can I use vegetable broth instead of chicken?
Oh for sure!
I had some filling left over. Was gonna eat it with some eggs for breakfast 😁😁
I would!! 😀 Throw an egg on it and YUM! :-))
Instead of adding more salt I just added a cup of chicken broth (since I had to make that much anyway) and then let it reduce down. This gives it a lot more flavor. It was delicious!
I got cancer 3 years ago and have been struggling. When I was finally able to eat again after losing 40 lbs due to chemo, I was craving Mexican food. My hubs and I are both from the Southwest, and NEEDED some home flavor… but I wanted something a bit “healthier” than my loaded-down cheese enchiladas. I was attracted to this recipe because of the lean turkey and the added protein in the black beans.
I have now been making these regularly for at least a couple of years now, and we love them. They are tasty enough to feel like we are getting some Southwest flavor, but light enough to not feel bad about eating them. I make my sauce from scratch and this delicious dish pulls together quickly. Thank you!
Thank you, Deb, for sharing that. I pray that cancer is behind you and that you are well and healthy. 🙏❤️
I am happy to hear that you found one of my recipes and liked it. 😊 When I worked on this recipe, I also just wanted some Mexican food – tacos, burritos, or enchiladas! But lighter. So that’s how these enchiladas came to be. I go to this recipe more often than any other recipes that I’ve shared on Diethood.
CAN you make ahead and freeze?
Yes, but not cooked; prepare it all, cover the baking dish, and freeze. When ready to cook, remove from freezer and set on counter to thaw, then cook.
Made these for dinner with our leftover turkey. They were so delicious, I will definitely make again! Great mix of seasonings!
These were so good….my only mistake was using hot enchilada sauce by mistake so the kids couldn’t eat it but it was perfect for my husband and I
Made it for dinner. Was a hit. I added some seasoning to the enchilada sauce. Really tasty. Thank you.
This was delicious. Thanks for sharing. Turkey tacos just weren’t going to do it tonight. So glad I found your recipe.
Can you make ahead of time and freeze?
Making this asap! My soon to be 5 year old is soooooo picky-how did you get your kids to eat these?! I can’t even bribe her with toys or her favorite thing to eat, ice cream, to try new things,nothing works lol! I will try and see what happens!
One of my husband’s favorite meals is chicken enchiladas. I need to make this gorgeous turkey version for him!
Black beans as bugs! Love it! And I love this recipe – I’m an enchilada lover, too! Fabulous!
Enchiladas are one of my favorite meals, so now I’m craving these!
I wish I had these for dinner tonight! I love that you lightened them up with turkey!
I wish I could reach through the computer and snatch these up for myself! Love, love, love them!
Well, now I’m HUNGRY! These look awesome!
These enchiladas are the stuff dreams are made of! I’d certainly love to try one or two of these for lunch…
I absolutely love black beans and since ground turkey is a staple in our house I definitely need to give these a try. They look delicious!
Gotta try these Kat! They look delish!
Looks delicious.