Enchiladas Verde w/ Cashew Crema

I love enchiladas...not the kind with tons of processed cheese, be it vegan or otherwise, but the kind just like this one...fresh veggies and fresh sauce. It may not look like much but these were super! This is straight up casual dining at its best. Unfortunately it doesn't plate as well as I was hoping so make sure to keep this amongst your closest friends and family who don't mind a messy yet delicious meal. The verde sauce was amazing. I made it the day before so it could really set and combine flavors. It would make for a great salsa or even a taco salad dressing. And this version of the cashew crema is nice with the smoked paprika flavor, giving it just a touch of the smoky paprika flavor (add more if you like). Another cashew cream that would work fantastic here is this 'Cilantro Lime Cashew 'Sour Cream'.  

I didn't go to far from the original recipe as I loved everything about it and it was fantastic. I added some black beans for protein and carrots for more color. Also, if you don't want to make the verde sauce, feel free to use a good brand pre-made verde sauce instead. But I highly recommend making your own as it is delicious!

Enchiladas Verde w/ Cashew Crema

Cashew Crema

1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2+ hours

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

2 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

salt, to taste

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

Verde Sauce 

2 lb fresh tomatillos, husked and quartered

1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup parsley or cilantro, chopped

himalayan salt & cracked pepper

Enchiladas

1 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2″ pieces

2 ears of corn, shucked with the corn cut off the cob

3/4 cup or 1/2 pint cherry/grape tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and diced (optional)

olive oil

1/2 -1 teaspoon cumin

himalayan salt & cracked pepper
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

9 - 12 corn tortillas

Start with your paprika cashew crema, this can be made in advance, a day or two and kept in the fridge, or you can assemble it while the enchiladas are cooking as long as you soak your cashews first. Soak cashews in two cups water for 2+ hours, drain and rinse well. Place cashews, lemon/lime juice, paprika, onion powder, salt and 1/2 cup water into food processor/blender and blend until smooth, about 4 minutes or so. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin to desired consistency. Taste for flavor. Add more paprika to your liking, but keep in mind the color will change.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the zucchini, corn and tomatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil. Add cumin and a pinch of salt & pepper, toss to coat with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in an even layer on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper, silpat or lightly greased with oil and roast for 15 - 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

While the veggies are cooking, start your sauce, this can also be made a day or two in advance. Place the tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno, and vegetable broth in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor/blender, add the parsley or cilantro, salt and pepper to taste and process until smooth. Set aside. You may need to process your verde sauce in two batches. It makes quite a bit. 

Once everything is ready, start putting the enchilada's together. Wrap your corn tortillas in a dampened paper towel and microwave 45 seconds. This steams the tortillas and makes them pliable. Pour 1/3 of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 c of the vegetable mixture, a spoon full the black beans, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Once filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes at 400 degrees F, until heated through. You may also like to leave the foil off for the last 10 minutes to let the exposed tortillas get a bit crispy.

Serve with the cashew crema. A side of avocado would be great too.

If you only use half of the recipe like I did, the left overs make great taco fillings.

Enjoy!