Description

This is a wonderful recipe for using up odds and ends in the fridge — half a zucchini, a slightly wilted pepper, a few odd leaves of kale — basically any veggies that need using. Plus, it’s delicious, and when my kids were small and wouldn’t eat most vegetables, they’d eat them in this dish without noticing. It’s amazing what some Mexican spices, enchilada sauce, and a generous amount of melted cheese will cover up!

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 Tbsps olive oil, divided, plus more for the baking dish
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground meat (or use plant-based ground meat or crumbled extra-firm tofu for a vegetarian version)
4 medium tomatoes, diced, or 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with their juices
2 tsps cumin
1 1/2 tsps coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups (or more) of mixed vegetables, diced small
8‒10 corn tortillas
16 oz enchilada sauce (either red or green, or a combination)
~8 oz melting cheese like Colby Jack

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375℉. Brush or spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with olive oil.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the ground meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is mostly cooked through, add the tomatoes, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and salt, and mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Move to a bowl.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the same pan (no need to wipe it out), and when it’s hot, add the mixed vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes until they’re softened. Add the vegetables to the meat mixture and stir to incorporate.
Line the bottom and the sides of the prepared baking dish with tortillas. You will need to fold and tear them a bit in order to get the surfaces fully covered. Pour in the meat-vegetable mixture and spread it out evenly. Cover the top with more tortillas.
Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas, then spread the cheese on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the dish is hot throughout and the cheese has melted and browned. Cut into portions and serve.

Notes

For the veggies, I used mushrooms, fennel stalks, cilantro stems, zucchini, the kernels from an ear of cooked corn, jalapeños, a green pepper, carrots, and a few string beans. Use what’s in your fridge!