These vegetarian cauliflower potato enchiladas are baked with a rich, smoky sauce made with roasted carrots, tomato paste, and chipotle peppers. It’s comfort food with the bonus of plenty of veggies!
I’ve passed by them a million times.
I buy a lot of vegetables there – spinach, Brussels sprouts, kale. But that bag of baby carrots at Costco is huge even for that store. I always knew there would be no way we could finish them before they went bad.
But I was desperate. I needed some carrots and I had zero desire to add another stop to my afternoon.
So I bought them, and then I told everyone about it on Instagram.
I was met with comments that families from two to four people easily finish them in a week. It felt like a challenge.
And I tried. With all the hummus I could round up, I tried.
But there they sit, teetering on the edge of spoiling, needing to be cooked, frozen, or… something.
I started by making my roasted rosemary carrots with walnuts. Then, I asked around for ideas.
I got some great ones, but also a lot of desserts. There is rarely an occasion that I need a spare cake sitting around due to lack of self-control, so I started thinking about what I’d had lately that used carrots.
A great taco spot here (Tacos Lucha if you ever happen to be driving through Visalia) makes a taco with cauliflower and a carrot puree. I haven’t actually had it yet, but people rave about it.
Ever since I made enchiladas for the Food on Tap cookbook, I’ve also been a bit addicted to them. I hadn’t made enchiladas much before that and I loved how they turned out.
So I started thinking about an enchilada sauce made mostly of carrots and some chipotles. Then I remembered I had both riced cauliflower and potatoes, and considered it would make a good filling.
It all came together exactly how I pictured it.
I should also say that I’m not a huge carrot lover. That sounds crazy from someone who bought a lifetime supply at Costco, but I really only eat them with hummus and sometimes roasted. I’m not a fan of carrot soups, but there is something about the chipotle that cuts the carrot flavor in the sauce.
Don’t get me wrong, you’ll know its there from the sweetness, but it’s not as strong as you’d expect. The recipe manages to have a comfort food feel, but with the potatoes, carrots, and a sprinkle of bright cilantro it provides a great segue meal into spring!
- 1 pound carrots, chopped
- 1 pound gold potatoes, sliced
- 1 pound riced cauliflower, or finely chopped florets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobe + 1 teaspoon sauce
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 8 large corn tortillas, warmed
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Spread the carrots in a single layer on one half of a full-size baking sheet. Spread the potato slices in a single layer on the other half. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir the vegetables around a bit to coat them. Rearrange the vegetables on each side in a single layer.
- Spread the cauliflower on a quarter or half size baking sheet and toss with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Bake the carrots and potatoes for 20 minutes. Stir. Return to the oven and also place the cauliflower in the oven at this time. Bake both for 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender. Let cool. Leave the oven on.
- To make the sauce, transfer the carrots to a high-powered blender. Add the chipotle pepper with sauce, tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, paprika, salt, and vegetable stock. Puree for 20 to 30 seconds until smooth and thick. Set aside.
- To make the enchiladas, transfer the potatoes and cauliflower to a large bowl. Stir well, mashing them together. Stir in the cilantro, chili powder, salt, cumin, and paprika. Next, stir in the yogurt and then 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir well until all ingredients are combined and the filling is thick to the point where it holds together when scooped and shaped.
- Spray a 9-by-11-inch baking dish with non-stick spray. Transfer 1/4 cup of the carrot sauce to the dish and spread it evenly in the bottom.
- Lay the tortillas out on a flat surface. Place an equal amount of filling on each tortilla. Working one at time, roll the tortilla around the filling and place it in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheddar cheese.
- Baking for about 15 minutes, until the sauce begins to bubble and the cheese melts. Let sit 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with torn or chopped fresh cilantro, if desired.
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Hah, that explains the carrot dishes ask on FB! 🙂 We always buy too much of all Costco produce. How about pickling?
Ha, yeah. I did end up pickling some with other veggies!