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Habanero-Lime Blueberry Bacon Cheeseburgers

Habanero-Lime Blueberry Bacon Cheeseburgers

by | May 31, 2019 | Beef & Pork, Burgers & Sandwiches, Food

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Turn up the heat on your next burger night with these juicy bacon cheeseburgers topped with melty gouda cheese and a sweet, yet spicy, habanero-lime blueberry compote. Garnished with fresh jalapeños, diced red onion and baby spinach, these burgers are bursting with color and flavor.

Grilling season is officially here! That means you’ll find me outside more often than inside and cooking on the grill. One of my favorite meals to cook outside all summer long are cheeseburgers. While a classic burger topped with American cheese, pickles and mustard is always a delicious dinner option, I also love dreaming up inventive burger toppings throughout the summer.

Today’s burger is a hot one, so I hope you have a frosty drink beside you. Topped with a habanero-lime blueberry compote, bacon, sliced fresh jalapeños, baby spinach and melty Gouda cheese, these burgers are one of my new favorites.

The best part is that you don’t have to really do anything too special to make these bad boys. Most of the toppings are pretty standard fridge and pantry burger staples and the blueberry compote comes together in less than 15 minutes. It can even be made several days in advance and kept in the fridge too.

Now, you may be thinking, blueberries?! On my burger?! No thanks. Trust me, the sweet blueberries, tart lime and spicy habanero add a wonderful fruity kick to what’s otherwise a fairly standard bacon cheeseburger. I’ve also put this on turkey burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches too. I want to try it on a salmon burger next—yum!

To make the compote, begin by adding a diced habanero pepper to a small saucepan with a little olive oil. Sauce for a minute or two over medium heat and then add the whole blueberries, lime juice, lime zest and sugar. Let everything cook for 5-8 minutes until the blueberries begin to soften and release their juices. Finally, add a pinch of salt and the cornstarch and stir until the compote thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

I really love that this is one of those sauces where the heat hits you later, in the back of the throat, and doesn’t linger on the tongue. It lets you enjoy every bite of these juicy burgers without needing to take a swig of water every two seconds. However, if you’re leery of habaneros and think they may be too hot for you, feel free to swap for jalapeños or serrano peppers. Conversely, if you love heat, feel free to add an extra habanero pepper (or two). The compote can be is easily customized to your heat preferences.

For reference, I used two big habanero peppers in my latest batch and the blueberries and lime juice did a great job balancing the heat. Even my husband, who is pretty timid when it comes to heat, didn’t shed a tear when eating his burger.  With that being said, I think it’s important to note, however, that all peppers are not created equal. On the Scoville scale, a habanero can range from 100,000 – 350,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units) meaning the level of heat from batch to batch could vary significantly. So tread lightly, friends!

If you try out this habanero-lime blueberry compote on your burgers, please give the recipe a rating and let me know what you think below in the comments. Also, don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog (#frydae) absolutely everywhere. I love to see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen with me! As always, thank you so much for stopping by and happy Frydae!

Habanero-lime blueberry compote tops three juicy bacon cheeseburgers
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Habanero-Lime Blueberry Bacon Cheeseburgers

Turn up the heat on your next burger night with these juicy bacon cheeseburgers topped with melty gouda cheese and a sweet, yet spicy, habanero-lime blueberry compote. Garnished with fresh jalapeños, diced red onion and baby spinach, these burgers are bursting with color and flavor.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 habanero peppers (diced finely)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/4 pounds ground beef
  • 4 slices gouda cheese
  • 4 strips thick-cut bacon (fully cooked)
  • 4 brioche buns (toasted)
  • 2 jalapenos (sliced)
  • 1 small red onion (diced)
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach and/or kale

Instructions

  1. To prepare the burgers, form the meat into 4 equal size patties. Season with salt and pepper on both sides and then set aside until ready to cook.

    To make the habanero-lime blueberry compote, place the finely diced habanero pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat with a little olive oil. Saute for 1-2 minutes until the peppers begin to soften.

    Next, add the whole blueberries, lime zest, lime juice and sugar. Let cook for 5-8 minutes until blueberries soften and begin to release their juices. Finally, add a pinch of salt and the cornstarch. Stir to combine and let cook until compote begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool completely before serving.

    Meanwhile, get your grill going outside or a place a grill pan over medium-high heat. When the grill is ready, cook the burgers for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare or longer if you prefer more doneness. Add the Gouda cheese during the last minute of cooking.

    To assemble the burgers, spread a little mayo over the bottom of each toasted bun. Then place a cooked burger patty on each and top with a generous amount of the blueberry compote. Layer with bacon, jalapeno sliced, diced red onion, and baby spinach and then add the top bun on each burger. Serve warm with a side of fries and enjoy.

Notes

To toast buns, spread a little butter over the cut sides of the buns. Then, lay facedown on a skillet over medium heat. Toast for 1-2 minutes or until golden. 

Spring Vegetable Nicoise Potato Salad

Spring Vegetable Nicoise Potato Salad

by | May 22, 2019 | Food, Salads, Sides & Spuds

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With crisp green beans, kalamata olives, heirloom cherry tomatoes and jammy soft-boiled eggs, this isn’t your average picnic potato salad. Inspired by the flavors of a classic French Nicoise Salad, this potato salad is made without mayonnaise and instead is topped with a tangy lemon herb vinaigrette.

It feels wrong to say that spring has sprung in Wisconsin when we’re less than a month away from the first day of summer. Oh well, that’s Wisconsin for you. Am I right?! Anyhow, now that the weather is (finally) warmer, I’m craving recipes that feature lots of bright flavors and crisp veggies. That means this week I’m sharing an amazing spring vegetable Nicoise potato salad. Loaded with lots of fresh veggies and dressed in a wonderful lemon-herb vinaigrette, it’s perfect for your Memorial Day weekend picnic.

You may be wondering why I’m calling this a Nicoise potato salad and not just a regular Nicoise salad. Well, too bad it’s a secret. Just kidding. Truth be told, Nicoise salad purists will tell you that potatoes don’t belong anywhere near a true Nicoise salad. Traditionally, the salad is comprised of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, Niçoise olives, anchovies, and other raw seasonal veggies. So you see, I’m not wrong to call this a Nicoise-inspired potato salad even though most recipes will typically include boiled potatoes in their version of this salad.

To really make this a true potato salad, I also went heavier on the ratio of potatoes to other veggies to give the recipe a little extra substance. Additionally, I opted to roast the potatoes rather than boiling them (which is more traditional of untraditional Nicoise salads). To me, roasting the potatoes was a natural choice for this recipe because it gives the spuds a lovely subtle charred flavor that pairs perfectly with grilled meat or fish.

While we’re on the topic of fish, you’ll notice this recipe does not include tuna either—another common ingredient in many Nicoise salads. Since I was going for a potato salad, I opted to omit tuna from this recipe. However, I’m planning on serving this salad with grilled salmon or tuna for Memorial Day. It’s going to be so delicious! Grilled Chicken would also be great to serve with this.

What really makes this potato salad, is the dressing. Rather than going with a heavier mayonnaise-based dressing, I opted for a bright lemon-herb vinaigrette. Made with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, dijon mustard and a blend of dill, parsley and chives, this dressing is loaded with lots of springtime flavor. For a little extra tang, I also included capers, anchovy paste and lots of garlic too. If you’re afraid of anchovies or simply want to make this salad completely vegetarian, you can omit the anchovy paste and just increase the capers.

Once the dressing is made, this salad is super easy to put together. Most of the work comes from chopping all the veggies. While my oven is preheating, I wash and chop my potatoes. Once they’re seasoned and in the oven, I finish chopping and blanching the rest of the vegetables. Then all that’s left to do, once the potatoes are done roasting, is to boil the eggs while the potatoes cool. Finally, to assemble, toss all the veggies and potatoes together in a large serving bowl with the dressing and then garnish with sliced soft-boiled eggs and additional fresh herbs. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

I think one of my favorite things about this potato salad is all the vibrant colors. The bright green asparagus and beans, the purple onions and kalamata olives, the juicy red tomatoes and the luscious, jammy egg yolks make this potato salad one giant rainbow in a bowl. It’s a far cry from a traditional gloopy potatoes salad.

With potluck season in the near future, this is a great option to take with you to your next gathering. You can even make this a day ahead. I can’t decide if I prefer to add the dressing the night before though or wait and add it just before serving. Because the potatoes are roasted they tend to absorb a lot of the dressing overnight. While this gives them lots of great flavor, it tends to leave the rest of the vegetables a little too dry. So the best option may be to add half of the dressing the night before and then add the reserved dressing just before serving. Best of both worlds!

“Both worlds”…it’s a phrase that I think is highly relevant to not only this potato salad but Memorial Day too. I’d like to take a moment to thank all of our veterans, active members of the armed forces and their families for their service. While humanity shares one Earth, looking globally, it’s undeniable that some people are living in what may as well be a different world. While the U.S. isn’t perfect and often divided (especially as of late), I’m incredibly thankful for the freedoms and opportunities we have in this country. I know these privileges did not come without sacrifice and there are many places in the world still fighting for what we, in the U.S., consider to be basic human rights. 

My brother-in-law is currently serving overseas in the Middle East so I’d like to dedicate this week’s post to him. Although he’s more a steak guy…so perhaps I didn’t quite think this post through. 

What are your Memorial Day Weekend plans? Are you heading out of town someplace warm or staying home for a backyard barbecue? It’s been raining like crazy here the past few days so I’m hoping the sun shines long enough to do some serious grilling. Keep your fingers crossed for me! 

If you try out this Spring Vegetable Nicoise Potato Salad, please give it a rating and don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog and #frydae absolutely everywhere. As always, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Spring Vegetable Nicoise Potato Salad with Chives and Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
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Spring Vegetable Nicoise Potato Salad

With crisp green beans, kalamata olives, heirloom cherry tomatoes and jammy soft-boiled eggs, this isn’t your average picnic potato salad. Inspired by the flavors of a classic French Nicoise Salad, this potato salad is made without mayonnaise and instead is topped with a tangy lemon herb vinaigrette.

Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine French
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 5 cups Yukon gold potatoes (1-inch cubes)
  • 3/4 cup red onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup pitted kalamata olives (whole)
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
  • 1 cup fresh green beans (2-inch pieces)
  • 1 cup asparagus (2-inch pieces)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 6 soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs (cut in half)

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon red onion (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste (optional)
  • salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 475°F.

    Meanwhile, wash and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper and then spread into a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Place into the preheated oven and roast for 10-12 minutes. Gently turn the potatoes and then return to the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

    Next, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside. Then fill a medium saucepan with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and then add the cut green beans and asparagus. Blanch for 2-3 minutes and then drain. Immediately place the beans and asparagus into the ice bath and let sit until completely cooled.

    Next prepare the dressing. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, dijon mustard and lemon juice. Whisk until combined and then add lemon zest, garlic, red onion, herbs, capers and anchovy paste. Whisk until well incorporated and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

    To assemble the potato salad, drain and remove the green beans and asparagus from the ice bath into a large salad bowl. Add cooled roasted potatoes, thinly sliced red onion, halved cherry tomatoes, and whole kalamata olives. 

    Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat. Arrange halved hard- or soft-boiled eggs on top of the potato salad and then garnish with additional fresh chopped dill, parsley and/or chives. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes

To soft-boil eggs, bring a saucepan with 3 cups of water to a boil. Then, gently lower eggs into the water and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Let eggs cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove and place immediately into an ice bath. Cool completely then peel and slice in half. 

Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake

Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake

by | May 10, 2019 | Food, Sweets & Treats

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This light and fruity cake is perfect for spring and summer. A moist citrus cake made with Chardonnay wine is layered with fluffy whipped honey mascarpone cream infused with lemon and orange zest. Amongst the layers of cake and cream is a sweet sangria fruit filling made from ripe berries, peaches, mango and juicy navel oranges.

Has spring finally sprung where you live? Here in Wisconsin, Mother Nature seems to be cruelly playing with our emotions. One day it’s 70 degrees and sunny and then BAM it’s snowing. Today, I’m sharing a recipe that will hopefully force spring into existence. This fruity, moist Sangria Cake is something I’ve been dreaming up for quite some time. With warmer weather on the way (hopefully), and Mother’s Day around the corner, it seemed like the perfect recipe to share today. It’s a boozy glass of sangria on a plate! What more could you ask for?

The cake begins with layers of super flavorful and moist citrus Chardonnay cake. This cake is made with buttermilk, lemon and orange zest, lemon and orange extract and a healthy pour of chardonnay wine. Yes, you heard me right, this cake is made with wine. While the wine flavor is super subtle after baking, I feel like the buttery notes of the Chardonnay still come through. I selected Cupcake Vineyard’s Chardonnay because it has hints of apple, lemon, vanilla and toasted almond which blend beautifully with the flavors of the cake. If you can’t find this particular wine, look for a Chardonnay that has a similar fruity, citrus profile.

One thing I can’t explain, is the texture of this cake batter. Once everything is blended, it has this unbelievably soft, mousse-like consistency. I feel like this is what helps give this cake its light, airy texture after baking. It’s seriously amazing—plus the zests and extracts from the citrus fruits make this cake super…refreshing? Can a cake be refreshing? Because this one is!

The sangria fruit filling comes next. You can really use any mix of fruits you like, but I selected those that are commonly found in white sangria—fresh berries, peaches, navel orange and mango. I think the key to getting this filling just right, is a good balance between berries, citrus and stone fruits. Texture is also key. I like to dice everything finely except the blueberries, which I leave whole. Not too chunky like a pie filling, but not as smooth as a jam. It’s really something in between. Ultimately, I want to still be able to identify the different fruits in the filling—just like in a glass of sangria—but not have to chew through them too much.

To make the filling, add the fruit to a saucepan with sugar and lemon juice and cook down until their juices begin to release. Once simmering, add a slurry of cornstarch and chardonnay (yep, more wine) to thicken the filling. Then turn off the heat and let it cool completely. Spoiler alert: this filling as also amazing served warm over vanilla ice cream.

Last, is the honey citrus mascarpone cream. Rather than choosing a heavy buttercream, this cake is layered with a light and fluffy mascarpone cream. As I was concepting this cake, keeping all of the flavors and layers as light and refreshing as possible was my goal. It seemed wrong to weigh it down with something super dense or sweet. 

The mascarpone cream comes together super easily. Begin by whipping a little heavy cream in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Then, remove and set aside. Next, combine the mascarpone, honey, citrus zest, vanilla and powdered sugar and blend until smooth. The first time I was testing out this cream, it got a little thicker than I wanted it to be. Rather than thinning it with a little milk or cream, I went straight to my bottle of Chardonnay and added a few teaspoons to the mascarpone. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to let the flavor of the wine come through undisturbed from the heat of cooking. Finally, once smooth, gently fold in the reserved whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture. 

This cream is definitely lighter than your typical buttercream but a little denser than straight-up whipped cream. Before decorating, I recommend chilling the cream for at least an hour in a pastry bag or a covered container. It will make the cream easier to work with while decorating. 

To decorate, I opted to leave mine “naked” on the sides. I simply spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cream over each layer of cake and added a generous ring of cream along the edge to hold in the sangria filling. I’m planning to serve this cake for Mother’s Day this Sunday so fresh flowers also seemed essential to the decoration. When decorating with fresh flowers, make sure you select those that you’re certain were not treated with pesticides or other chemicals. Better yet, try to find edible flowers. They would also pair wonderfully with this cake.

Do you have any special plans for Mother’s Day this weekend? I’m looking forward to a quiet weekend home with my husband and daughter and brunch on Sunday with my mom and mother-in-law. The funny thing is, everyone keeps offering to cook for me and I won’t let them. The kitchen is my happy place. Don’t take it away from me! 

If you try out this Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake, please give it a rating and don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog and #frydae absolutely everywhere. As always, thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Citrus Chardonnay sangria cake with mascarpone cream and sangria fruit filling
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Citrus Chardonnay Sangria Cake

This light and fruity cake is perfect for spring and summer. A moist citrus cake made with Chardonnay wine is layered with fluffy whipped honey mascarpone cream infused with lemon and orange zest. Amongst the layers of cake and cream is a sweet sangria fruit filling made from ripe berries, peaches, mango and juicy navel oranges.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (softened to room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup chardonnay wine (room temperature)

Whipped Honey Citrus Mascarpone Cream

  • 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups mascarpone cheese (softened)
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons chardonnay wine (optional)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Sangria Fruit Filling

  • 1/2 cup strawberries (fresh, diced)
  • 1/2 cup blackberries (fresh, diced)
  • 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh, whole)
  • 1/2 cup peaches (fresh or frozen, diced)
  • 1/2 cup mango (fresh or frozen, diced)
  • 1/2 cup navel oranges (diced)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons chardonnay wine

Instructions

  1. Sangria Fruit Filling

    First, wash and finely dice the fruit, leaving the blueberries whole to add some additional texture to the filling. 

    Then, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the cut fruit, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and bring to simmer. Let cook for 5-6 minutes until the fruit softens and begins to release its juices. 

    In a measuring cup, make a slurry by mixing together the cornstarch and chardonnay. Stir into a thin, wet paste and then pour into the fruit mixture. Stir to combine and then cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.

    Remove from heat and let cool completely before decorating the cake. Note: the mixture will thicken as it cools.

  1. Honey Citrus Mascarpone Cream

    In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Remove from mixer and set aside.

    Then, in the mixer, combine mascarpone cheese, honey, lemon zest and oranges zest. Blend until combined and then add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix on low until smooth and then add a few tablespoons of chardonnay, if desired.

    Finally, using a wooden spoon, gently fold in the reserved whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture. Continue to mix until everything is evenly blended and the cream has a soft, spreadable consistency. Transfer to a pastry bag or covered container and chill for at least 1 hour before decorating the cake.

    The mascarpone cream will be lighter than your typical buttercream, but still dense enough to hold its shape when piped.

  1. Citrus Chardonnay Cake

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

    In a bowl, blend flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

    Next, in a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy—about 3 minutes. Then, add eggs, buttermilk, zest, vanilla and citrus extracts. Mix on low until combined.

    Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until all the dry ingredients are wet—about 1 minute.

    Finally, slowly add in the wine. Blend on your mixer's lowest speed until smooth and no lumps remain. The batter should have a fluffy mousse-like consistency.

    Pour the batter evenly into three 8-inch greased cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks.

    To decorate, spread a thin crumb coat of chilled mascarpone cream on the bottom layer of cake. This thin layer will help prevent the fruit filling from soaking into the cake and make it soggy.

    Next, pipe a thick rim of mascarpone cream around the edge of the cake and then fill the center of the cake with a generous amount of sangria fruit filling. Top with a second layer of cake and then repeat. For the final layer, spread a thicker layer of mascarpone cream across the top. 

    Then, finish decorating the cake with fresh fruit, flowers or other garnish as desired. I left my cake "naked" on the sides, but you could coat the sides with more mascarpone cream for a more polished look too.

Notes

For cupcakes: In a standard muffin pan lined with cupcake liners, fill each well about 50-65 percent. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15-18 minutes until golden. Remove and let cool completely. To decorate, hollow out the center of each cupcake using the end of a wooden spoon and fill with a few teaspoons of sangria fruit filling. Then, pipe each with a generous amount of honey citrus mascarpone cream.

Breakfast Enchiladas

Breakfast Enchiladas

by | May 3, 2019 | Breakfast, Food

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Filled with spicy chorizo sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, poblano peppers and black beans, these breakfast enchiladas are topped with an ancho chile verde sauce and lots of melted cheese. After eating this spicy south-of-the-border breakfast, you’ll never want to go back to frozen breakfast burritos again.

If I haven’t said so before, I’ll say it now—brunch is my favorite meal of the day. It’s the one meal of the day where anything goes and you can truly eat (and drink) whatever your heart desires. I love how somehow, we as a society, have decided that eating chocolate cake for breakfast is a big no-no. Yet, somehow Cheesecake-stuffed chocolate chip french toast topped with whipped cream and caramel is part of a balanced breakfast. The world is a very confusing albeit delicious place.

While I love a good sweet plate of french toast once in a while, I typically lean savory at brunch. Eggs Benedict, avocado toast, biscuits an gravy or lox and bagels are some of my go-to’s when I’m out at brunch. I also love a good breakfast burrito filled with lots of spicy peppers, potatoes and meat, like chicken or chorizo. Basically, any opportunity to add spice to a meal I’ll take.

Which leads me to these breakfast enchiladas. With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, I wanted to share something that would allow all celebrating to break out the Margaritas early. I love these breakfast enchiladas because they’re easy to make and can be prepped the night before. This recipe also makes a lot, so they’re a great option if you’re serving a large group for brunch.

In my recipe, I include spicy chorizo, potatoes, scrambled eggs, black beans, corn, poblano peppers and onions, but feel free to change up the filling to suit your tastes. Shredded chicken would also be delicious or sliced portobello peppers if you want to make these vegetarian. 

My favorite part about these enchiladas is the sauce. It’s technically a tomatillo-based verde sauce, but the addition of dried ancho chiles gives it a lovely roasted flavor. I use to be really intimidated by dried chiles at the grocery store but after using them in a number of recipes, I’ve realized they’re nothing to be afraid of. I love adding them to recipes I’m working on where I want to add some depth and smokiness.

Last is the cheese. I used a blend of Chihuahua and Monterey Jack cheese but any blend of Mexican cheeses will work. I also tend to like my enchiladas to be dryer on the inside rather than super “goopy” so I only put cheese on top of the enchiladas while they bake rather than mixed into the filling. If you like more moisture inside your enchiladas, feel free to add a little cheese to the filling or even a few tablespoons of refried beans. Just like brunch, these enchiladas really don’t have any rules.

Garnish these with fresh tomato, salsa, homemade queso, diced onion or chopped lettuce or spinach. Basically, whatever you would enjoy on a taco, you could serve with these. I like to garnish mine breakfast enchiladas with sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh slices of jalapeños and lots of cilantro. The only thing I love more than brunch is cilantro which I know is a controversial ingredient. I personally cannot get enough of it but I know some people think it tastes like soap. What about you? Are you a cilantro lover or hater?

However you choose to enjoy these breakfast enchiladas, I hope you find them delicious! They’ve become one of my favorite brunch recipes to make when I’m entertaining because they’re always a crowd-pleaser. Although, maybe their popularity is only due to the fact that they’re usually served alongside a pitcher of Margaritas? Oh well, as I said, brunch is the meal with no rules, right?!

If you try out this recipe, please give it a rating and don’t forget to tag me on social media. It’s @frydaeblog and #frydae absolutely everywhere. As always, thank you so much for stopping by and have a wonderful Cinco de Mayo weekend!

Breakfast enchiladas filled with chorizo and garnished with sour cream, avocado and cilantro
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Breakfast Enchiladas

Filled with spicy chorizo sausage, scrambled eggs, potatoes, poblano peppers and black beans, these enchiladas are topped with an ancho chile verde sauce and lots of melted cheese. After eating this spicy south-of-the-border breakfast, you'll never want to go back to frozen breakfast burritos again.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Southwest
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chorizo sausage (or removed from casings)
  • 1 cup canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1.5 cups russet potatoes (diced)
  • 1 small white onion (sliced)
  • 1 large poblano pepper (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 jalapeno (diced)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 large eggs
  • 8-10 large flour tortillas
  • 1.5 cups Chihuahua cheese (or Monterey Jack)

Ancho Chile Verde Sauce

  • 1 small onion (diced)
  • 1 dried ancho chile (stem and seeds removed)
  • 1/4 cup green chiles (about 1/2 can)
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 jalapeno (diced)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 4 tomatillos (husked and rinsed)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Ancho Chile Verde Sauce

    In a saucepan over medium heat, add diced onion, minced garlic and olive oil. Saute until fragrant and onions are translucent. Next, add the green chiles, dried ancho chile, jalapeno and tomatillos. Stir to combine and then add 1 cup of chicken stock.

    Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Season with salt and pepper and then let the sauce simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat to cool slightly and then pour into a blender or food processor. Add cilantro and lime juice and puree until smooth. 

    Set sauce aside until ready to assemble the enchiladas. 

  1. Enchiladas

    Preheat oven to 350°F.

    In a large skillet over medium heat, add chorizo and brown until fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.

    Return the skillet to your cooktop, over medium-high heat, and add diced potatoes and saute until they begin to brown. Add sliced onion and poblano pepper and saute until softened and they begin to char. 

    Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and then pour into a clean preheated skillet over medium heat. 

    As the eggs begin to set, begin to stir and fold the eggs occasionally forming large curds of egg. Continue to cook until eggs have fully set and no liquid egg remains. 

    Once eggs are cooked, add them to the potato, peppers and onion mixture. Stir to combine and then add black beans, corn kernels, diced jalapeno, and the cooked chorizo to the skillet. Fold all the filling ingredients together and then remove from heat.

    To assemble the enchiladas, pour a few tablespoons of the prepared enchilada sauce into the bottom of a greased 9x13 baking dish. Spread out into an even layer.

    Next, take a single tortilla and add two generous scoops of filling to the center in a neat row. Gently, yet tightly, roll the tortilla up and then place seam side down in prepared baking dish. Repeat with each tortilla until no filling remains. You should be able to fill about 10, 8-inch tortillas.

    Once enchiladas are filled, pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Spread evenly with a spatula and then sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of Chihuahua (or Monterey Jack) cheese.

    Cover baking dish with foil and place into a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove foil and let cook for an additional 10 minutes—or until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

    To serve, garnish enchiladas with sour cream, avocado, jalapenos and other favorite taco toppings. Serve warm and enjoy.

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