Make restaurant-quality vegetarian Birria Enchiladas at home! A frugal pantry hack uses chipotles for a rich sauce without the expensive dried peppers.

Lately, I have been getting into the rich, deep flavors of Mexican cooking, specifically that velvety, spice-laden flavor you get with birria. But let’s be honest, traditional birria usually requires hunting down three or four different types of dried chilies that cost a fortune and then clutter up your pantry for months.

That is why I am so excited to share my new easy, weeknight Mexican dinner: Birria Enchiladas made with Impossible Beef (but you could very easily use real beef if you prefer it — same exact recipe). We are capturing that nostalgic, slow-cooked flavor using a simple pantry staple you probably already have. This dish is savory, zesty, and undeniably cozy. It’s the kind of meal where you gather everyone around the table, tear off a piece of cheesy, sauce-soaked tortilla, and just sigh with happiness. Plus, keeping it vegetarian means we are lightening the load on our grocery bill without sacrificing a single drop of flavor.

Here is what you need to make this happen.

Since we aren’t soaking dried peppers for hours, we need to wake up our spices differently to get that “all day” flavor.

Here is the secret: Don’t just dump your chili powder or chipotles into the liquid. Fry them in the hot oil before adding the broth. This is called “blooming.” It releases the essential oils in the spices and caramelizes the tomato base in the adobo sauce. It makes a standard grocery store spice taste like it came from a specialty market.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 can (7oz Chipotles in Adobo (use 2-3 peppers + 1 tbsp sauce))
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp Chili Powder (dark)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 lb Impossible Beef (or preferred plant-based ground)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 cups Oaxaca cheese (shredded (or Monterey Jack))
• 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 1/2 white onion (diced)

Method

1. Bloom the spices: In a medium pot, heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and the chipotle peppers (with their sauce). Sauté for 1 minute until it smells incredibly fragrant.
2. Simmer: Pour in the vegetable broth, oregano, and cinnamon. Let it simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors marry.
3. Blend: Transfer carefully to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blast it until smooth and velvety.
4. Brown: While the sauce simmers, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Impossible Beef. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned and savory. Stir in about 1/2 cup of your blended sauce into the meat mixture for moisture.
5. Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. The Dip and Fry: Pour the remaining sauce into a shallow bowl. Dip each raw tortilla into the sauce, then quickly flash-fry it in a separate hot skillet for 10 seconds per side. (This keeps them from getting soggy!).
7. Roll: Place a spoonful of the meat mixture and a pinch of cheese into each tortilla. Roll them up tight and place them seam-side down in a baking dish.
8. Bake: Pour any remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
9. Serve: Top with fresh diced onion and cilantro for that bright, snapping crunch.