Slow Cooker Enchiladas

We make zero claims as to the authenticity of this dish, but we do know that it's extremely tasty! We love how the tortillas get soft and chewy during cooking, absorbing some of the salsa and providing the perfect vehicle for lots of oozy cheese. This is one of our go-to meals when we're out of ideas, and it always hits the spot.

We also like that this is a classic dump-and-cook crock pot recipe. It only requires you to mix the filling and roll the tortillas before plugging in the cooker and walking away. Perfect for when we don't want to dirty a lot of dishes or deal with an extra step of pre-cooking vegetables.

Photo: Emma Christensen / The Kitchn

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced small

• 1/2 bell pepper, diced small (any color)

• 1 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup frozen corn

• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded and divided - we like monterey jack

• 2 16-ounce jars of your favorite salsa

• 12 6"-8" tortillas, flour or corn

• Optional: 1 cup leftover meat - chicken, pork, hamburger, or shredded beef

In a medium bowl, mix together the onion, pepper, black beans, corn, spices, meat (if using), and just 1/2 cup of the cheese. Pour about a cup of salsa (half a jar) into the bottom of the slow cooker and spread it around evenly.

Scoop about 1/3 cup into one of the tortillas, roll it up, and nestle it into the bottom of the crock pot. Repeat with the half of the remaining filling, rolling tortillas until the entire bottom of of the crock pot is filled. Spread another cup of salsa over this layer and sprinkle it with another 1/2 cup of cheese.

Continue with the remaining filling and tortillas to create a second layer. Top with another cup of salsa, but reserve the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese for later. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2-4 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the leftover cheese over the top and let it melt.

Serve the enchiladas with the remaining salsa. Leftovers will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Additional Notes:

• You can cook the enchiladas for longer (6-8 hours on LOW), but we found that the tortillas in the middle start to get mushy while the ones touching the sides of the cooker get crispy. Still tasty, though!

• To cook these enchiladas in the oven, layer the rolled tortillas in a 9x13 baking pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes.

• We haven't tried it, but we see no reason why this recipe couldn't be doubled if your slow cooker is big enough. Just continue creating layers in the slow cooker and bake as usual.