Crock Pot Red Veggie Enchiladas

It was another hot day and I wanted something spicy, but didn't want to turn on the oven. I decided to try a favorite recipe of mine to see how well it would turn out using my crock pot. I love Mexican food, and will eat it practically every week. I blame it on my Mexican genes. I decided to make my enchiladas in the crock pot. They really turned out nicely and I didn't have to turn my oven on.

First I sauteed onion and garlic in oil. While that was cooking, I chopped up my vegetables; Italian squash, yellow squash and red bell pepper. I know, I know, I always use those vegetables, but they are so delicious in everything and really inexpensive where I live. You can add whatever vegetables you like, or meats (chicken, turkey, beef).


Then I added them to my onions and garlic.

I love this sauce. I have tried all kinds of sauces, but this one screams "AUTHENTIC ENCHILADA SAUCE". I have yet to try to make my own sauce from scratch, and I don't know if I will because this one is so darn good. This particular sauce is on the spicy side. You can reduce the spice by adding some tomato sauce if you'd like.

I pour about a 1/2 cup of the sauce on the bottom of the crock pot and the rest into a large pan to allow it to warm up slightly. If you warm it too much you'll burn your fingers when it's time to dip the tortillas.

While the sauce is warming up I warm my corn tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This will keep them from cracking and breaking while you're dipping them in sauce and rolling them.

Then I take a tortilla and lightly dip it in the sauce covering both sides.

Next fill it with cheese and vegetables or if you'd like, chicken or beef. I like using a combination of Monterey Jack cheese and Tillamook medium cheddar. I also add a little bit of creamed corn to make it a little creamy.

Once they are rolled, layer them inside the crock pot making one layer, and top with more cheese and black olives. Cook for about 3 hours on low.

When serving, drizzle more sauce and garnish with some cheese and black olives. Or for a delicious crunchy bite, add chopped cabbage. Serving sour cream on the side will help cut down the heat.

LFGF Crock Pot Red Veggie Enchiladas

Serves 4

1/2 medium white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tablespoons canola oil

1 Italian Squash, diced

1 Yellow Squash, diced

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 28 oz. can of El Pato Enchilada Sauce

*optional- to cut down the heat of the sauce, add tomato sauce according to your taste.

1/2 C. creamed corn

8-12 corn tortillas (depends on how large your crock pot is)

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup Tillamook medium cheddar cheese

1 small can of sliced black olives

1. In medium saucepan, heat canola oil. Add onion and garlic until onion is tender. Then add the squash and red bell pepper and cook until tender.

2. In a separate medium saucepan warm up the El Pato Enchilada Sauce. Reserve 1/2 cup and cover the bottom of your crock pot. While sauce is slightly warming, cover your tortillas in a clean dish cloth and put in microwave for about 30 seconds. You want the tortillas to be warm so they can bend easily. If they aren't bending easily and are cracking in half, put back in microwave for about 45 seconds.

3. Once tortillas are warmed, turn off the heat/flame to Enchilada Sauce. Lightly dip each side of tortilla in the sauce.

4. On separate plate, place the tortilla down, and fill with vegetables, or meat, and cheese. Then drizzle some creamed corn over the vegetables.

5. Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in the crock pot. Repeat steps 3-5 until the bottom of your crock pot is covered.

6. Drizzle a little bit more sauce over tops of rolled enchiladas, and sprinkle some cheese.

7. Cook on low heat for about 3 hours. **Each crock pot is different, so time may vary.

8. Serve the enchilada with a spoonful of enchilada sauce drizzled over it, and garnish with cheese, black olives, or chopped cabbage.