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Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili (Instant Pot)

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Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili is such a flavorful and unique chili recipe that you will not even miss the beef. Bonus- it is cooks in just 5 minutes, such a great benefit of the Instant Pot! That is so much better than an hour or two on your stovetop, right?! ย 

Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili in blue bowl garnished with cilantro and jalapenos

This quinoa chili has the perfect combo of flavors, it is a little sweet from the sweet potatoes, and balanced with savory onions, garlic and peppers, then the chili powder adds a nice warmth that you expect from chili. All-in-all the flavors are completely balanced, no one flavor overpowers the other.

You can make this Instant Pot Chili ahead if you have a busy week you are prepping for. You can make it on a day when you have a little more time to spend in the kitchen, then store it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. The flavors will deepen with time in your fridge! When you reheat it you may need to add a little water or broth as it will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

RELATED: Instant Pot Chili

Making It Vegetarian

I know a lot of Sweet Potato Chili recipes available are vegetarian. This one is not, but you certainly can make it that way! Simply swap the beef broth for your favorite vegetable broth.

Adding Meat

This Instant Pot Chili recipe doesn't include any meat, like a classic chili recipe. However, you can definitely add meat if that is what you are looking for! I recommend choosing a ground turkey (93/7), ground chicken, or ground beef (85/15) to compliment the flavors in this sweet potato chili recipe.

Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili being ladeled out of the Instant Pot

When you sautรฉ the onions, celery, and garlic, add the protein of your choice and crumble while it cooks for about 5 minutes. Drain any excess grease and then proceed with the recipe.

You may want to add a cup of water and and additional ยฝ teaspoon chili powder to the recipe to accommodate the extra ingredients.

Step by Step

  1. Sautรฉ Veggies and Seasonings

    2. Start by setting your Instant Pot to sautรฉ, once it reads HOT, add the oil, onions, celery and garlic and soften for about 5 minutes.

    Stir in the can of green chilies and all the seasonings (chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, garlic & onion powder). Now, turn the sautรฉ function off.

  2. Set Cook Time

    3. Next add in the sweet potatoes, quinoa, beef broth, and chopped bell pepper. Stir it once, then pop the lid on and lock the pressure valve to "seal". Set the Instant Pot to Soup mode or pressure mode, on high, for 5 minutes.

    Sweet Potatoes, Quinoa, and spices in the Instant Pot

    Do a quick release by turning the pressure valve to "vent" at the end of the 5 minutes.

  3. Add Beans and Tomatoes

    4. Add the diced tomatoes (undrained), chili beans in sauce, frozen corn, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Give it a good stir and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

    A bowl of quinoa sweet potato chili garnished with a jalapeno and cilantro

    This gives the beans and tomatoes a chance to warm thru and the honey to melt into the soup. It will also allow the soup to cool enough so it doesn't burn your mouth!!

Topping Ideas

You can top this chili just like you would top a classic chili. Here are some of our favorites:

  • Cilantro
  • Fritos
  • Avocado
  • Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Shredded Cheese
  • Jalapenos– fresh or pickled
  • Tabasco
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Chopped Bell Peppers
  • Chopped Green Onions

What To Serve On The Side

If you plan to have this for dinner here are a few things that go PERFECTLY with quinoa sweet potato chili

More Chili Recipes

Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili in a blue bowl

Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili

An amazing Instant Pot Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili Recipe with balanced flavors of sweet, savory, and spicy. This is a great unique chili recipe to add to your weeknight dinner plans.
This Instant Pot Chili can be made ahead, made vegetarian, or you can add meat!
4.72 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion - diced
  • 3 plump garlic cloves - minced
  • 1 celery rib - diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced - any color (could also use a poblano pepper)
  • 1 4oz can diced green chilies
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ยฝ teaspoon each: garlic powder & onion powder
  • pinch of ground clove - a little goes a long way!!
  • ยฝ cup dried quinoa
  • 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes - about a ยฝ-1 inch dice
  • 32 oz beef broth
  • 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (DO NOT drain)
  • 15.5 oz can chili beans in sauce
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ยผ cup chopped cilantro - **optional

Instructions
 

  • Turn the Instant Pot on to sautรฉ mode, once it reads HOT, add the oil, onions, garlic, and celery and soften for about 5 minutes.
    1 T olive oil, 1 yellow onion, 3 plump garlic cloves, 1 celery rib
  • Stir in the green chilies and chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion powder, salt, and clove.
    1 4oz can diced green chilies, 1 Tbsp + 1 teaspoon chili powder , 1 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, ยฝ tsp each: garlic powder & onion powder , pinch of ground clove
  • Turn sautรฉ mode off.
  • Stir in the beef broth, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and quinoa. Close the lid and lock the pressure valve to “seal”, set the pot to soup mode or pressure mode, on high, for 5 minutes.
    Do a quick release of pressure.
    ยฝ cup dried quinoa, 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes, 32 oz beef broth, 1 bell pepper, diced
    Sweet Potatoes, Quinoa, and spices in the Instant Pot
  • Stir in the diced tomatoes, chili beans, corn, and honey. Let those added ingredients warm thru for about 5 minutes.
    Serve!
    14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (DO NOT drain), 15.5 oz can chili beans in sauce, 1 cup frozen corn, 1 Tbsp honey, ยผ cup chopped cilantro

Toppings for Quinoa Sweet Potato Chili

  • Cilantro, Fritos, Avocado, Sour Cream, Plain Greek Yogurt, Shredded Cheese, Jalapenos, Tabasco, Red Pepper Flakes, Chopped Bell Peppers, Chopped Green Onions

Recipe Tips and Notes:

To Make Ahead: Prepare completely and store in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to 5 days.ย 
To Reheat: Warm through in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a little broth or water, as it will thicken as it sits in the fridge.
To Make Vegetarian: Simply swap the beef broth for vegetable broth.
To Add Meat: You can add ground turkey (93/7), ground beef (85/15), or ground chicken. After sauteing the onions, garlic, and celery, add your preferred protein and cook for 5 minutes (crumbling while cooking), drain any excess fat/grease, then continue with the recipe as written. Add an additional ยฝ teaspoon of chili powder to flavor the additional ingredient. You may also need to add a ยฝ-1 cup of water or broth at the end, depending how thick/thin you like your chili.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #9

by Leave a Comment

Free Meal plan and grocery list pin image

Planning dinner for your family for an entire week can be hard! What should we eat for dinner? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list (and bonus leftover re-do ideas)!

FAMILY MEAL PLAN

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for the Mom's Dinner Newsletter and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

[Read more…]

Easy Veggie Enchiladas with Chile Lime Crema

by 5 Comments

Vegetarian Enchiladas make such a great veggie filled Mexican dinner. They are stuffed with poblano peppers, bell peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, corn, and refried black beans. Then topped with a verde enchilada sauce and cheese and cooked for a SHORT 12 MINUTES! The chili lime crema drizzle when serving really takes this veggie enchilada recipe over the top!

vegetarian enchiladas topped with cheese, green onions and chili lime crema

We LOVE enchiladas here at Mom’s Dinner and have no shortage of recipes, you can check out the range of enchilada recipe here.

A Great Healthy Weeknight Dinner

If you are trying to inject more vegetables in your diet in a really delicious way, then this vegetarian enchilada recipe is going to be your new go-to.

Pair this enchilada recipe with some Simple Mexican Rice or Cilantro Lime Slaw AND 15 minute Refried Beans or Cilantro Pineapple.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Some simple spices, tortillas, enchilada sauce, cheese and veggies are all you need to make Vegetarian Enchiladas. Here are a few tips on the ingredients:

Veggies: the filling is a combo of poblano pepper, bell pepper (any color), fresh garlic cloves, fresh tomatoes,  green onions, frozen corn and fresh cilantro. Of course if you have some broccoli or cauliflower to use up, go for it!

This is also a great recipe to use up veggies that are going soft in the fridge.

Beans : refried black beans help bulk up the filling in these enchiladas. If you prefer to use refried pinto beans they will work too!

Spices: you definitely want to make sure you are seasoning the veggie filling; garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and kosher salt are all you need.

Tortillas: traditionally enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, however in this recipe we are using flour tortillas for ease. But you can absolutely swap out corn tortillas. Make sure to warm them before using so they don’t crack.

Cheese: you can use any flavor cheese you love or have on hand. We just recommend that you fresh shred the cheese so it melts nice and creamy. Pre-shredded cheese contains anticlumping agents that can prevent it from melting nice and creamy.

Enchilada Sauce: these veggie enchiladas are made with verde enchilada sauce. But if you prefer a red enchilada sauce you can absolutely use that.

Want Even More Enchiladas?

There are no shortage of enchilada recipes here on Mom’s Dinner. If it is one of your favorite dinners, check out some of these recipes:

How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas

If you love a cooking show you can also watch Susie make these Veggie Enchiladas on a 30 minute episode of Pin TV.

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees. You are going to cook these enchiladas hot and fast for just 12 minutes.

Over medium heat on the stove top, warm a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Sautรฉ the poblanos, bell peppers, and garlic for about 5 minutes until they begin to slightly soften.

Add the spices, corn, green onions, cilantro, and tomatoes and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Set that aside to cool a little, while you prep all the other ingredients.

vegetarian filling for enchiladas

Spray a large (9×13) glass baking dish with non-stick spray.

(This recipe will make 8-10 veggie enchiladas. You will want to divide the veggie filling and beans evenly between the tortillas.)

Spread a heaping tablespoon of black beans down the center of the flour tortilla and then top with some of the veggie filling. Now roll the tortilla over the filling and lay it in your prepared baking dish, seam side down.

filling a tortilla with veggies and beans

Once you have all the enchiladas rolled, top them with the entire can of verde enchilada sauce, and then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.

Pop that in the oven, uncovered, for 12 minutes.

While your vegetable enchiladas bake make the AWESOME chili lime crema!

Chili Lime Crema Drizzle

To make the chili lime crema combine the Greek yogurt, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, water, and lime juice. Whisk or stir it together until it is completely combined and smooth.

It should be thin enough to drizzle/pour. If you need to add a little more water, go ahead, but add a teaspoon at a time, you don’t want it too watery!

chili lime crema in a bowl with a whisk

After the Vegetarian Enchiladas come out of the oven, let them cool for about 5 minutes. Then drizzle ยฝ the Chili Lime Crema over the top, and garnish with extra green onions and cilantro. Serve the remaining Crema on the side.

Serving & Side Dishes

Serve 2 enchiladas per adult and 1 enchilada per child.

Since enchiladas are a traditional Mexican dinner entrรฉe you want to have plenty of Mexican style side dishes, appetizers, and drinks! Here are a couple dinner menus you can choose from when you are serving this Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe:

two plates with vegetarian enchiladas

Menu 1

Menu 2

Menu 3

Susie leaning on the kitchen counter

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โญโญโญโญโญ

The new gameshow, 100 Cooks, premieres on Food Network June 7th, 2026 at 9est/8cst. I hope you will tune in!

Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe with a Chili Lime Crema

Vegetarian Enchiladas are a simple dinner recipe that are perfect for a weeknight. They are full of vegetables and topped with verde enchilada sauce and cheese. After they bake (only 12 minutes!) they get drizzled with an AMAZING Chili Lime Crema.ย 
This will be your new go-to healthy weeknight dinner!
Watch Susie make these veggie enchiladas on a 30 minute Pin TV Episode.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 397kcal
Author: Susie Weinrich

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil - olive oil or canola oil
  • 1 poblano pepper - diced
  • 1 medium bell pepper (any color) - diced
  • 2 fresh garlic cloves - chopped
  • ยพ cup fresh tomatoes, - diced (cherry tomatoes or roma tomatoes)
  • 4 green onions - , white & light green parts chopped (use any extra for garnish)
  • ยฝ cup frozen corn
  • โ…“ cup fresh cilantro - chopped (use any extra for garnish)
  • ยผ teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder
  • ยฝ teaspoon each: cumin, chili powder, salt
  • 16 oz can refried black beans - (may not use the ENTIRE can, I usually have a couple tbsps left)
  • 10 flour tortillas, medium, soft taco size - (can use corn tortillas, see notes)
  • 10 oz can verde enchilada sauce
  • ยพ cup shredded cheese - can use cheddar, colby jack, pepper jack, or monterey jack
  • non stick spray

Chili Lime Crema

  • ยฝ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ยผ tsp each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice - 1 lime

Instructions
 

Prep

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prep a 9×13 glass baking dish with non-stick baking spray.
    non stick spray

Veggie Filling

  • On the stove top, in a skillet over medium heat, sautรฉ the poblano peppers, bell peppers, and garlic in the oil for 5 minutes.
    1 tbsp oil, 1 poblano pepper, 1 medium bell pepper (any color), 2 fresh garlic cloves
  • Then add all the seasonings & spices, green onions, tomatoes, corn, and cilantro and sautรฉ for another 5 minutes.ย 
    ยพ cup fresh tomatoes,, 4 green onions, ยฝ cup frozen corn, โ…“ cup fresh cilantro, ยผ tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder , ยฝ tsp each: cumin, chili powder, salt

Assemble the Vegetarian Enchiladas

  • Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of refried black beans down the center of a tortilla. Top with some of the sauteed veggie mix (dividing the veggie mix evenly between all the tortillas), roll the tortilla over the filling.ย 
    Lay each tortilla, seam side down, in your prepared baking dish.
    16 oz can refried black beans , 10 flour tortillas, medium, soft taco size
  • Pour the verde enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas, then sprinkle all the cheese evenly over the top.
    10 oz can verde enchilada sauce, ยพ cup shredded cheese

Bake the Vegetarian Enchiladas

  • Bake, uncovered, for 12 minutes. 
    Set aside and let cool for 5 minutes.

Chili Lime Crema

  • Combine all the crema ingredients in a dish and whisk or stir until it is completely combined and smooth.
    It should be a consistency that you can drizzle or pour. If you need to add more water, do so, a teaspoon at a time. You do not want it to be too watery!
    ยฝ cup plain Greek yogurt, ยผ tsp each: cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, 3 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Serving the Veggie Enchiladas

  • Drizzle or pour half of the Chili Lime Crema over the enchiladas and garnish with extra chopped green onions and cilantro.ย 
    Serve the other half of the chili lime crema on the side.
    Enjoy!

Storing

  • Keep any leftover veggie enchiladas in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days

Recipe Tips and Notes:

Corn Tortillas: you can absolutely use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Just make sure you heat them in a pan or on a Comal before rolling so they are pliable and don’t crack.
ย 
Veggies: add any veggies you like or have on hand to the filling. This is a great recipe to use up veggies that are going soft in the fridge.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 2enchiladas | Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 1576mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1770IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 246mg | Iron: 4mg

Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #8

by Leave a Comment

Planning dinner for your family can be hard! What should we eat this week? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list (and bonus leftover re-do ideas)!

Free Meal plan and printable grocery list pin image

FAMILY MEAL PLAN

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for theย Mom's Dinner Newsletterย and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

WEEKLY MEAL PLAN #8

I provide 4 delicious and easy dinners, with recipes, that you can make for your family this week. You simply add three more meals and your 7 day family meal plan is done. Here are three dinner categories I recommend adding to your plan :

  • One night out.
  • A leftover night (leftover re-do ideas provided below)
  • Kids Choice night (think pizza, chicken fingers, tacos, spaghetti, or mac n' cheese)

I have other meal plans too, if this one isn't your jam!

Chicken Pot Roast

Doesn’t the sound of Pot Roast remind you of big family dinners when you were little? It does for me!
This week change up the pot roast game and make this Chicken Pot Roast for dinner on Sunday. Chicken thighs are slowly braised with plenty of veggies in a chicken gravy. Then the best part is, it all gets topped with crispy french fried onions.
Serve this with warm ciabatta bread and a green salad.

Chicken pot roast in a white bowl with spoons to the side

One Skillet Dirty Rice & Beans

It’s FAT TUESDAY this week! The perfect day to infuse a little cajun into your dinner plans.
Even though it is a fun holiday- it is still a Tuesday, so I want to be realistic about the time you will spend in the kitchen. Keep it simple with this recipe for One Skillet Dirty Beans and Rice. You could even throw a little shrimp in the pot for the last 6-8 minutes, if that’s your thang.

Skillet Dirty Rice and Beans in a bowl

30 Minute Baked Coconut Shrimp

So since Tuesday is “Fat Tuesday” that means Lent starts on Wednesday. Which means Easter and Spring are just around the corner, Thank God!!!!
We do not follow fish fridays at our house, but if you do, or if you just love shrimp, this 30 Minute Baked Coconut Shrimp from Talking Meals is perfect for dinner on Friday!
Pair this dinner entree with store bought rice pilaf and oven roasted asparagus(if asparagus is too expensive, sub broccoli and cook the same way, roasted in the oven).

Coconut Shrimp being dipped into sriracha mayo

Easy Breakfast for Dinner

Isn’t breakfast for dinner the best. It can easily be pulled together and you usually have enough ingredients to make it happen, even if you haven’t been to the store. All you really need are some eggs, maybe some fruit, and bread!
Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Waffles (the frozen kind!), and Canadian Bacon (or real bacon) will be on the menu for this night. Nothing fancy- just real, and easy.

Leftover Re-Do Ideas

  • Add leftover shrimp to pasta with pesto sauce or you could use the same lemon butter garlic sauce that is on myย lemon penne pasta.
  • Leftover Chicken Pot Roast is amazing as is… or you could add a little more chicken broth and pour it over garlic mashed potatoes.
  • If you have waffles leftover from breakfast-for-dinner, add some baked chicken tenders for a chicken & waffles dinner.
  • Dirty Rice and Beans would be amazing wrapped in a warm tortilla with cheese melted over top. You could even make thisย Smoked Paprika Vinaigretteย for an extra drizzle of flavor!

Free Printable Grocery List

Head to the store with confidence that you will end up with groceries to actually make dinner for your family!

Simply cross of the items that you already have in your kitchen, and then add the items you need for the rest of the week (lunches, breakfasts, pantry staples, etcโ€ฆ).

Click on the image below to print the grocery list

grocery list for a weekly meal plan

Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #7

by Leave a Comment

Planning dinner for your family can be hard! What should we eat this week? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list (and bonus leftover re-do ideas)!

Free meal plan pin image

FAMILY MEAL PLAN

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for theย Mom's Dinner Newsletterย and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

[Read more…]

Enchirito

by 23 Comments

This recipe for Enchiritos was born straight out of the Mom's Dinner kitchen and my very real craving for Mexican foodโ€ฆ often. Have you ever made enchiladas the traditional way, it's time consuming! That's why I created this Enchirito: a simplified version of a burrito, enchilada mash-up. It's not fancy, but it's completely crave-worthy. You won't need homemade enchilada sauce or special ingredients-just a few smart shortcuts and a solid recipe that works every time. I've tested it, eaten it, and loved it-and I think you will too.

1 Enchirito on a white plate smothered in red sauce and cheese, garnished with green onions and cilantro

What's an Enchirito, you ask? It's the perfect combo of a burrito and an enchilada-basically, all the cheesy, saucy goodness you crave, without the mess or time commitment of traditional enchiladas. Think of it as a Taco Bell-inspired, smothered burrito-style dinner you can make at home, fast and easy.

Enchirito Ingredients

  • Ground Beef – As with most recipe on Mom's Dinner I recommend using an 85/15 ground beef. It has enough fat to be flavorful, but not so much that you recipe will turn out greasy.
  • Onion – A white onion will give you the most authentic Mexican food flavor.
  • Flour Tortillas – Grab burrito sized flour tortillas for this recipe.
  • Refried Beans – 1 can of refried beans is all you need. I recommend using traditional refried beans as they will be creamier and more flavorful, not vegetarian ones.
  • Enchilada Sauce – Use your favorite store bought enchilada sauce (make sure you grab the larger 20 oz can). Or you can make your own, it is so easy to do. We have a great recipe for Homemade Enchilada Sauce on Mom's Dinner.
  • Shredded Cheese – Any of these cheese will work with the Enchiritos; cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, or colby jack. As always shred your own cheese from a block instead of buying it pre-shredded. It will melt creamier and more flavorful.
  • Green Onions – Adds an extra onion flavor and texture to the burritos, and is a nice garnish for the top.
  • Cilantro – This is totally optional, we just LOVE cilantro. But if it isn't your jam, skip it!
The filling of an Enchirito on a flour tortilla, a pan of rolled Enchiritos in the background

How to Make an Enchirito Ahead

  1. This is an easy dish to make ahead and store in the fridge for a busy night. Prepare the beef and bean filling. Fill and roll the burritos.
  2. Place 5 oz of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Put the Enchiritos in the pan and cover with foil.
  3. Do not top with the sauce and cheese until right before they are ready to go in the oven. You can save these in the fridge like this for a day or two.
burrito cut open with ground beef inside

Variations on my Enchirito Recipe

The Enchirito is a super versatile recipe. Change it up to suit your family’s taste buds.

  • You could trade the beef for shredded chicken or, my favorite, rotisserie chicken, or shredded pork.
  • To make it vegetarian you could just roll the burrito with Mexican rice and refried beans .
  • Black beans or refried black beans could be a great trade out too.
  • The addition of black olives, avocado, sour cream, or guacamole would only make it better, in my opinion!

What to Serve with Enchiritos

Most of the time this is an easy dinner on a busy night at my house. We will eat it with chips and my restaurant style salsa.

However, if we are having this on the weekend I will add a side of Mexican rice and maybe a fresh Mexican Slaw like this one from Foodie Crush.

Don’t forget the cocktails! This pairs perfectly with Grapefruit Margaritas, Cranberry Ginger Margaritas, or Rosemary Palomas.

Enchirito Recipe FAQs

What is an enchirito?

An enchirito is basically a mix between a burrito and an enchilada. It's the best of both worlds. You get to use a flour tortilla (which is easier to work with than a corn tortilla), fill it with your favorite burrito fillers, then top with enchilada sauce and cheese!

What is enchirito sauce?

There isn't really a special Enchirito sauce, it is simply red enchilada sauce. It is the "enchi" part of an Enchirito.

What’s the difference between an enchirito vs smothered burrito?

At Mom's Dinner an Enchirito and a Smothered Burrito are very similar. However an Enchirito is filled with beef and beans, while a Smothered Burrito has beef and rice. Both are topped with enchilada sauce and cheese!

I hope you try my Enchirito recipe in your kitchen!

Enchilada Lovers, Take Note

sauce covered burrito cut open with a fork

Enchirito

Enchirito is a little enchilada and a little burrito, just like the Taco Bell Smothered Burrito. 
It is the perfect mix of all my favorite Mexican foods. It is a super easy dinner and can be MADE AHEAD if you have a busy week.
4.70 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 people
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef - 85/15
  • 1 small onion - chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ยฝ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves - minced
  • 6-8 burrito sized flour tortillas
  • 15 oz. can refried beans
  • 20 oz can red enchilada sauce - or make your own enchilada sauce
  • 4 green onions - sliced (about ยพ cup)
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese - divided
  • ยผ cup optional – cilantro - chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350โ„‰
  • Sautรฉ the onion in the oil over medium heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and salt and cook another minute.
    1 small onion, 1 Tbsp oil, 2 garlic cloves, ยฝ tsp kosher salt
  • Add the ground beef, cook through and crumble while cooking
    1 lb ground beef
  • Drain the fat from the beef and onion mixture.
  • Off the heat add 5 oz of enchilada sauce and 3 tablespoons of cilantro to the beef. Stir to combine. Set aside
  • Warm the refried beans in the microwave for 1 minute to loosen them up.
    15 oz. can refried beans
  • Place about 5 oz of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
  • Assemble the burritos, dividing the following fillings between 6-8 flour tortillas: all the refried beans, all the beef mixture, 1 cup cheese, all the green onions
  • Fold the left and right ends of the burrito in, then take the side of the burrito closest to you and fold it over the filling. Continue rolling the tortilla until it completely encloses the filling. Place it seam side down in the 9×13 pan.
    Repeat with all the tortillas.
  • Top the Enchiritos with the remaining enchilada sauce and the remaining cup of cheese.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes before serving, they will be HOT.
    Garnish with extra green onions and cilantro.

Make Ahead Option

  • Fill and roll the tortillas, pour 5 oz of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the 9×13 pan.
    Place the Enchiritos in the pan. Do not top with additional sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and refrigerate for a day or two.
    Before cooking top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese. You may need to add 5 minutes to the baking time to warm thru.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #5

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Weekly Meal Planning can be hard. What should we eat this week? What do I need to buy at the store? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!

Free Meal Plan with grocery list pin image

FAMILY MEAL PLAN

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for theย Mom's Dinner Newsletterย and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

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Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

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Pizza Roll Ups are like a piece of pizza all rolled up in a delicious little bundle. They are full of tomato sauce, ooey-gooey cheese, and, in my recipe, turkey pepperoni. My kids were the testing demographic for this recipe, so believe me when I say they are kid approved! They are make an easy weeknight dinner, kids school lunch, or after school snack.

pizza roll ups in a white bowl with marinara on the side

Aren’t we all in search of dinner ideas and sack lunch ideas that our kids won’t cry or complain about? This recipe for Pizza Roll Ups is going to be your new go-to kid friendly dinner (that you will want to eat too!). They taste like take-out pizza, but made at home. Pair these with a salad and you have a dinner that is done from start to finish in less than 30 minutes!

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What You Will Love About these School Lunch Pizza Roll Ups

Are you sick of making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches yet!? Need a new sack lunch idea that your kids will actually eat, and LOVE!?

These Pizza Pinwheels make the perfect sack lunch for kids. Make them over the weekend, store them in the fridge, and then on Monday pop one or two in your kids sack lunch, add a drink, some fruit and veggies and lunch is packed!

Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheel Ingredients

Store bought pizza dough – this will be near the refrigerated biscuit dough and crescent roll dough.

Your favorite marinara sauce or pizza sauce – We love Rao’s but sometimes I find it to be a little thin for pizza roll ups. Pizza sauce is a little thicker and will stick to the bread better.

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – As always shredding your own cheese is the best, but since the cheese is rolled up in the dough a pre-shredded cheese is ok here.

Turkey Pepperoni – Use any pepperoni your family likes; turkey, pork, spicy, mini. Or you can opt for a crumbled and cooked sausage.

Butter and Garlic Powder – A little salted butter mixed with garlic powder is the perfect flavor boost for these little pizza pinwheels.

How to Make Pizza Roll Ups

Unroll the pizza dough and use a rolling pin to make the dough about 14×12, that way you will be able to cut 8 even strips from the dough.

Pizza Roll Ups on a sheet pan topped with sauce, pepperoni, and cheese

Now cut each pepperoni into 4 pieces. It’s easiest if you make one big stack and slice them all at once.

Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half, then each piece in half again, and all of those in half again- voila- you have 8 strips!

Spread 1 tablespoon of marinara over each pizza dough strip, top that with the quartered pepperoni, and then finish with a sprinkle of cheese.

pizza roll ups on a baking sheet topped with marinara, pepperoni, and cheese, rolled up

Roll each dough strip up, like a cinnamon roll, and place it in a greased cupcake pan.

Now melt the butter and mix in the garlic powder. Brush that mixture onto the tops of each pizza roll up.

Pizza Roll Ups in a cupcake pan, topped with garlic butter

Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. You will want to let them cool for about 5 minutes before digging in!

Make Ahead and Storage

To make these pizza roll ups ahead, prepare them and pop them in the greased muffin tin. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. When it’s time to bake you can brush with the garlic butter and bake as directed, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.

Freezing baked roll ups: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. When you are ready to make them, reheat them in a 350ยฐF oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re baked all the way through. Brush on extra garlic butter in the last 10 minutes for the best flavor and texture.

Freezing unbaked roll ups: You can also freeze them unbaked for up to 3 months. No need to thaw, just bake straight from frozen for about 20 minutes. Brush the garlic butter on for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Pizza Roll Up being dipped in marinara sauce

What Do You Dip Pizza Roll Ups in?

Really, you don’t HAVE to dip these pizza bites in anything. But, it sure takes them over the top! Here are some different dipping sauce ideas for your Pizza Roll Ups:

  • Garlic Butter (2-4 tablespoons of salted butter melted with a minced fresh garlic clove or ยผ teaspoon garlic powder, stirred in)
  • Marinara or Pizza Sauce
  • Ranch
  • Alfredo Sauce
  • Pesto (I would mix the pesto with a little water or marinara to thin it out)

Pepperoni Pizza Rolls Variations

My kids like these with either cheese only or pepperoni (I like to use turkey pepperoni because it is A LOT less greasy). You can really add anything that your kids like. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • bell peppers
  • black olives
  • hamburger or Italian sausage
  • pineapple & Canadian bacon
  • mushrooms
  • bacon

Classic cheese: Skip the pepperoni and keep it simple with just sauce and mozzarella. A guaranteed win for the pickiest eaters.

Supreme style: Load them up like a supreme pizza with bell peppers, black olives, mushrooms, and Italian sausage.

Meat lovers: Pile on pepperoni, cooked crumbled sausage, and bacon for the meat-loving crowd.

Hawaiian: Fill with diced Canadian bacon and a little pineapple for that sweet-and-savory combo.

BBQ chicken: Swap the marinara for BBQ sauce and fill with cooked chicken, red onions, and provolone. Sprinkle with cilantro after baking.

Buffalo chicken: Toss shredded chicken in buffalo sauce and add a little mozzarella. Serve with ranch or blue cheese for dipping.

Veggie: Go meat-free with spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, and olives.

Breakfast roll ups: Fill with scrambled egg, cooked sausage, and cheese for a fun morning twist.

Pizza Appetizer Idea

This recipe for Pizza Roll Ups would also make a great appetizer for a cocktail party, Italian dinner, or kids party. I would just make them a little smaller by slicing the pizza dough into 10-12 strips. That will make perfectly bite sized pizza appetizers.

pizza roll ups in a white bowl, one roll up on a plate with marinara dipping sauce

Serving

If you are serving these roll ups for dinner, here are some side dishes to pair:

pepperoni pizza pinwheels on a plate

Pepperoni Pinwheels

Pizza Roll Ups are an easy to make, kid friendly dinner or school lunch. They only take a few ingredients and are ready in under 30 minutes. They also make a great pizza appetizer! 
4.34 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 Roll Ups
Author: Susie Weinrich

Ingredients

  • 13.8 oz tube, refrigerated pizza dough
  • 20 pieces turkey pepperoni, quartered
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 8 tablespoon marinara or pizza sauce - (1 tablespoon per roll up)
  • 2 tablespoon salted butter - melted
  • ยผ teaspoon garlic powder
  • nonstick spray or olive oil
  • flour (for dusting the pizza dough)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep a muffin tin with non stick spray or olive oil.
    On a lightly floured surface roll out the pizza crust rectangle to about 14″x12″.
    13.8 oz tube, refrigerated pizza dough, nonstick spray or olive oil, flour (for dusting the pizza dough)
  • With a pizza cutter, cut 8 even strips (easiest way is to cut the rectangle in half, then cut each half in half, then cut each of those pieces in half)
  • Spread 1 tablespoon of marinara or pizza sauce on each strip, divide the pepperoni evenly on all 8 strips of dough, top with the mozzarella cheese.
    Roll the pizza dough strips up, so they look like cinnamon rolls, keeping the filling inside of the roll. Place them in the prepped muffin tin. 
    20 pieces turkey pepperoni, quartered, 8 tbsp marinara or pizza sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    pizza roll ups on a baking sheet topped with marinara, pepperoni, and cheese, rolled up
  • Mix together the melted butter and garlic powder. Brush the tops of all the pizza roll ups with the garlic/butter mixture.
    ยผ tsp garlic powder , 2 tbsp salted butter
  • Bake for 15 minutes, until the tops of the pinwheels are golden.ย 
    Let cool for 5 minutes before eating.ย 
  • Store in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.ย 
    These make excellent lunches for the kids to take to school!

Make Ahead and Freezing

  • Make Ahead: prepare them through step 3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. When it's time to bake you can brush with the garlic butter and bake as directed, adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time.
  • Freezing baked roll ups: These freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. When you are ready to make them, reheat them in a 350ยฐF oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, until they're baked all the way through. Brush on extra garlic butter in the last 10 minutes for the best flavor and texture.
  • Freezing unbaked roll ups: You can also freeze them unbaked for up to 3 months. Prepare through step 3, then cover completely with plastic wrap and foil.
    No need to thaw, just bake straight from frozen for about 20 minutes. Brush the garlic butter on for the last 10 minutes of baking.
Did you make this recipe?Connect with me and let me know by commenting below!
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Serving: 2roll ups

Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #4

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What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!

meal plan with grocery list pin image

FAMILY MEAL PLAN

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for theย Mom's Dinner Newsletterย and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

WEEKLY MEAL PLAN #4

I provide 4 delicious and easy dinners, with recipes, that you can make for your family this week. You simply add three more meals and your 7 day family meal plan is done. Here are three dinner categories I recommend adding to your plan :

  • One night out.
  • A leftover night (leftover re-do ideas provided below)
  • Kids Choice night (think pizza, chicken fingers, tacos, spaghetti, or mac n' cheese)

I have other meal plans too, if this one isn't your jam!

Sloppy Joes

I love Sloppy Joes! If you are from the Midwest then you might know them as a Maid-Rite. It is basically a ground beef sandwich, seasoned with onions and a sweet/savory sauce. You can buy sloppy joe sauce in a can, but I think it is super gross! So give this one a try… and try it with pickles, my favorite!
Serve this with some sweet potato chips or fries, and oven roasted or sauteed green beans.

Homemade Sloppy Joe Sandwich

Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli

Celebrate “Meatless Monday” this week with my awesome recipe for Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli. This is a great dinner that you can cutomize for the picky eaters in your house. My daughter likes the pasta plain, no broccoli. My son likes the pasta plain, with broccoli on the side. And of course the adults eat it as is.
I wouldn’t plan a side dish for this one. It’s plenty filling as is.

penne in a bowl with broccoli and pine nuts, lemons in the background

Cauliflower & Potato Chowder

This has been a crazy cold winter! Has it been cold where you are? Thankfully this weekend I’ll be in Florida soaking up some sunshine. But if you are still in the Northern states, keep warm with a delicious bowl of Cauliflower & Potato Chowder.
I would keep this simple and serve it with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread.

Cauliflower and Potato Chowder momsdinner.net

Slow Cooker Italian Meatloaf

I cannot wait to try this recipe for Slow Cooker Italian Meatloaf from MamaGourmand . I have been meaning to try my Instant Pot as a slow cooker… did you know you could do that!? This will be the perfect recipe to try! Serve this delicious meatloaf just like you would a meatball, over a pile of spaghetti.
I would serve this with a Caesar Salad and garlic bread…. on a Sunday night!

Italian Meatloaf over spaghettti on a white plate

Leftover Re-Do Ideas

  • Use any leftoverย Italian Meatloafย for “Meatball Sub” Sandwiches.Slice the meatloaf and put it into a hoagie bun, cover with marinara and provolone cheese, melt in a 400 degree oven for a few minutes.
  • If you have a lot ofย soupย leftover you can melt some velveeta cheese into the soup for a cheesy cauliflower & potato chowder.
  • If you haveย lemon penneย left, saute some shrimp in butter and garlic, squeeze a little lemon in at the end for a shrimp pasta re-do!
  • You can re-make theย Sloppy Joeย meat mixture into taco meat by adding a little cilantro, chili powder and cumin. Add that to taco shells, flour tortillas or on top of nachos!

Free Printable Grocery List

Head to the store with confidence that you will end up with groceries to actually make dinner for your family!

Simply cross of the items that you already have in your kitchen, and then add the items you need for the rest of the week (lunches, breakfasts, pantry staples, etcโ€ฆ).

Click on the image below to print the grocery list

Feb 4th free printable grocery list

I hope this meal plan helps to make your week a little easier!

Love- Susie

Weekly Meal Plan & Printable Grocery List #3

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Free Meal plan with grocery list pin image

What should we eat this week? How do I make a family meal plan? Let me answer both of those questions with my free weekly meal plan including a printable grocery list!

Family Meal Plan

Your family needs to eat, and the job of feeding them lands squarely on your shoulders.

The key to making this job easy is MEAL PLANNING!

Plan all your meals for the week, write out your grocery list, and then head to the store to buy the groceries. Sounds easy enough, but I think a lot of us just end up at the grocery store buying the same things week after week, and then we get home and say "I have nothing to cook for dinner!"

Prevent this from happening now! Sign up for theย Mom's Dinner Newsletterย and have my Weekly Menu Plan and Printable Grocery List delivered to your email every Friday morning. Cross off the groceries you already have in your kitchen and head to the store completely prepared!

Weekly Meal Plan #3

I provide 4 delicious and easy dinners, with recipes, that you can make for your family this week. You simply add three more meals and your 7 day family meal plan is done. Here are three dinner categories I recommend adding to your plan :

  • One night out.
  • A leftover night (leftover re-do ideas provided below)
  • Kids Choice night (think pizza, chicken fingers, tacos, spaghetti, or mac n' cheese)

I have other meal plans too, if this one isn’t your jam!

Classic Chili

So, this is menu plan runs right into Super Bowl Sunday. If you are planning a party (or even if you aren’t), this Classic Chili recipe is pretty hard to beat.
Russell up some cheese, sour cream, jalapenos, green onions, and fritos, and you have yourself a killer chili bar!
Don’t forget the cornbread muffins too. My recipe is super simple and uses a yellow cake mix for a little sweetness and moisture, mixed with a jiffy corn muffin mix.

Two bowls of Classic Chili with crackers and spoons

Creamy Chicken Tacos

Taco Tuesday, ya’ll! I love this recipe for Creamy Chicken Tacos. It is basically a “dump and bake” recipe. Use rotisserie chicken for even easier dinner prep. All the ingredients get mixed together and popped in the oven. Then stuff these tacos with all your favorite toppings and serve them with some chips, salsa, and guacamole.

a tray of chicken tacos

BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

I am always a sucker for a sheet pan dinner. It is just so easy, and LOOK at all those veggies! Healthy and delicious. This BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner is topped with an awesome BBQ vinaigrette for another layer of flavor!
Serve this with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread and a little butter or extra virgin olive oil for dipping.

veggies and chicken on a sheet pan with bbq vinaigrette in a mason jar and on a spoon

Sun-Dried Tomato & Goat Cheese Pizza

I am always a sucker for a sheet pan dinner. It is just so easy, and LOOK at all those veggies! Healthy and delicious. This BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner is topped with an awesome BBQ vinaigrette for another layer of flavor!
Serve this with a warm baguette or ciabatta bread and a little butter or extra virgin olive oil for dipping.

Goat Cheese Pizza with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts momsdinner.net

Leftover Re-Do Ideas

  • Make awesome chili dogs with any leftover chili!! Might even be worth making extra chili.
  • Extra chicken taco filling can be put on top of some tortilla chips, layered with extra toppings like black beans, cheese, pickled jalapenos, for knock-out chicken nachos!
  • The BBQ Chicken Sheet Pan dinner leftovers would be amazing made into a BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad. Simply put the leftover veggies and chicken over spinach or romaine, top with cilantro, tomatoes, and fritos or tortilla strips. Toss with a little ranch dressing and drizzle with additional BBQ sauce. YUM!
  • TIP for reheating Pizza so it isn’t soggy & disgusting. Warm a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the cold pizza slices and warm for about 1 minute, cover the pan for about another minute. The crust will be crispy again, and the cheese will be melty and delish!

Free Printable Grocery List

Head to the store with confidence that you will end up with groceries to actually make dinner for your family!

Simply cross of the items that you already have in your kitchen, and then add the items you need for the rest of the week (lunches, breakfasts, pantry staples, etcโ€ฆ).

Click on the image below to print the grocery list

printable grocery list from mom's dinner

I hope this makes your dinner’s go a little easier this week.

Love, Susie