Main Course Meals - Taming Twins

Doner Kebab RECIPE {Slow cooker & Air Fryer}

Sarah Rossi — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 09:30:00 +0000

Making a Homemade Doner Kebab is really throwing it back here for those of you who might have LIVED by the king of late-night takeaways. And even if you didn’t, you’re going to love this one for a cheeky weekend fakeaway that manages to be simple, low cost and healthy.

After a lot of testing and tasting, it turns out that yes, a Homemade Doner Kebab can be easy AND healthy, made in a slow cooker!

Whether you’re serving this for a crowd to pile in their own fillings or a family Friday takeaway, I hope you love it as much as we do.

Why you’ll love this Doner Kebab recipe

Feels like a big treat

Low cost and full of flavour

Ideal for serving to guests

Sarah’s notes

The doner kebab originated in Turkey centuries ago, and it’s thought it arrived in London in its current form (meat and veg inside bread) around the 1960s.

I love this Guardian report which talks about the origins of the humble doner, and how it’s so much more than just a post-pub indulgence.

This is my simple, homemade version with inspiration taken from the one we know and hold dear. I’ve kept it as family friendly as possible with budget, nutrition and convenience in mind.

You can also make this in the oven and details are in the FAQs below.

Homemade Doner Kebab Ingredients

Lean mince – You can use beef or lamb here. Whichever is your preference. I find 10% fat works very well, and 5% is also fine but can be quite dry, so be sure to pour over plenty of the cooking liquid if you use this low-fat mince
Onion powder – Or onion granules
Garlic granules – Or garlic powder
Ground cumin
Paprika
Dried oregano
Garlic – We cleverly roast off a whole bulb here to make the classic garlic sauce but even better!

For the sauce: (Or use my Tzatziki recipe here)
Mayo – Use whichever type you prefer
Greek yoghurt – You can use natural yoghurt here but the sauce will be slightly more runny (which is fine)
Mint sauce – The vinegary type, not mint jelly

How to make a Homemade Doner Kebab (SLOW COOKER METHOD)

1. Mix the slow cook ingredients (apart from the garlic bulb) together in a bowl with clean hands. You need to knead it with your hands until everything is fully combined and the meat is smooth.

2. Put the meat mixture onto a sheet of tin foil and shape it with your hands into a brick/log type shape.

3. Roll it up very tightly, twisting the ends of the tin foil like a sweetie wrapper to secure. Prick the foil. Place it in the bottom of the slow cooker.

4. Take the unpeeled garlic bulb (yes a whole bulb!) and wrap up in tin foil. Place alongside the meat parcel in the slow cooker.

5. Cook as per the recipe. When the meat has cooled slightly, unwrap it and use a very sharp knife to slice very thin strips. Drizzle over the meat juices from the bottom of the slow cooker to serve (this is important as it will be quite dry without this).

6. Make the garlic sauce by squeezing the cooked very soft garlic from its skin. Just hold the bulb and squeeze from the bottom and it will squish straight out. Add the other sauce ingredients and mix well.

Substitutions

Mince – I used beef but you could use lamb if you prefer. I find 10% fat works very well, and 5% is also fine but can be quite dry, so be sure to pour over plenty of the cooking liquid if you use this low-fat mince

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in a hot pan with a little oil before serving.

In the freezer This freezes fairly well, Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or on the hob.

The meat slices do tend to break up a little when reheated but if this doesn’t bother you, go for it.

Top Tips

Meat temperature

It’s really hard to tell if the meat is cooked through as you won’t be looking at the inside(!), so for this recipe I would recommend checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer.

I find this one to be a good option. There are cheaper ones out there but this one tends to be really reliable. It should be 70℃ (160F) for 2 minutes.

How to slice the meat

It’s important to allow the block of meat to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing it or it will fall apart when it’s cut (although it doesn’t matter so much if you’re hungry and don’t mind it crumbling!)

You can reheat the slices of meat afterwards if you want it to be super hot. To do this, put the cooking liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker in a frying pan for 5 minutes or until it’s fully reheated.

More slow cooker beef recipes…

Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket {with Barbecue Sauce}

Beef

Beef Goulash

Slow Cooker Beef

Slow Cooker Beef Stew {with Rich Gravy}

Slow Cooker Beef

Chinese Style Beef and Broccoli {Slow Cooker Fakeaways}

FAQs

What goes into a Doner Kebab?

As well as the meat, we serve it into pittas or flatbread with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber slices, and chilli peppers (if you dare!) with a drizzle of yoghurt-mayo-mint sauce and chilli sauce.

Is this a Healthy doner kebab recipe?

Yes, it’s made with lean mince and everything else is low fat too. Doner kebabs are known for being calorific but this is when we’re talking about deep fried fast food versions.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

Homemade Doner Kebab {Slow Cooker Recipe}

A Homemade Doner Kebab is a great fakeaway treat for the whole family, and this slow cooker recipe is convenient and simple.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Family Food

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 15

Servings

Calories 644kcal

Author Sarah Rossi

Ingredients

750 g Lean mince
3 tsp Onion granules
3 tsp Garlic granules
3 tsp Ground cumin
3 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Dried oregano
1 tsp Sea alt
1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1 Bulb of garlic

For the sauce:

75 g Mayo
100 g Greek yoghurt
2 tsp Mint sauce

Metric – Imperial

Instructions

Mix the slow cook ingredients (apart from the garlic bulb) together in a bowl with clean hands. You need to knead it with your hands until everything is fully combined and the meat is smooth.
Put the meat mixture onto a sheet of tin foil and shape it with your hands into a brick/log type shape. Roll it up very tightly, twisting the ends of the tin foil like a sweetie wrapper to secure.
Take the unpeeled garlic bulb (yes a whole bulb!) and wrap up in tin foil.

To cook in the Slow Cooker:

Put the wrapped meat and wrapped garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Prick the wrapped meat with a sharp knife a few times.
Cook for 3-4 hours on HIGH or 5-6 on LOW or until cooked through when you test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer (see notes).

To cook in the Air Fryer:

Put the wrapped meat and wrapped garlic in the air fryer. Prick the wrapped meat with a sharp knife a few times.
Cook for 30 minutes at 170℃/325F.
Remove the garlic bulb from the air fryer and set aside to cool. Open up the foil top of the kebab meat to allow the top to brown. (Do this carefully so that the cooking juices don't run out of the bottom of the foil.)
Cook the meat for a further 15 minutes at 170℃/325F or until cooked through when you test the internal temperature with a meat thermometer (see notes).

To Serve:

Let the meat sit to cool for 15-30 minutes (save the juices at the bottom of the slow cooker or foil if cooked in the air fryer).
When the meat has cooled slightly, unwrap it and use a very sharp knife to slice very thin strips. Drizzle over the meat juices (this is important as it will be quite dry without this).
Make the garlic sauce by squeeze the cooked, very soft garlic from its skin. Just hold the bulb and squeeze from the bottom and it will squish straight out. Add the mayo, yoghurt and mint sauce, mix well. Add a splash of water if you'd like it to be more runny.
Serve the meat as it is with the usual kebab accompaniments and the garlic sauce, OR reheat the meat, with the cooking liquid in a frying pan for a few minutes until hot through (see notes).

Notes

Meat thermometer: I recommend this one as it’s reliable and accurate. The internal meat temperature should read 70℃ (160F) for 2 minutes

Reheating the meat after it’s cooled and sliced: It’s important to allow the meat loaf to cool for a while before slicing it, or it will all crumble and you won’t get those doner kebab strips. If you like your food hot, you can reheat the meat once it’s in strips. Do this by saving the cooking juice from the slow cooker and heating it up in a frying pan for a few minutes with the meat

Nutrition

The post Doner Kebab RECIPE {Slow cooker & Air Fryer} appeared first on Taming Twins.

Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew {Slow Cooker Recipe}

Sarah Rossi — Tue, 18 Jan 2022 22:30:07 +0000

This Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew is comforting, creamy and totally delicious. Perfect for vegans, vegetarians or if you’re simply trying to reduce your meat intake, it’s a convenient and easy slow cooker recipe and fantastic vegetarian family meal.

This recipe is everything we all want from slow cooker comfort food – easy to make, filling, super tasty, nutritious AND it just happens to be vegan.

When I was brainstorming vegetarian slow cooker recipes, I thought about the ingredients I find indulgent that also happen to be vegan.

For me, peanut butter is right up there as food of the gods. Add some chickpeas for texture, sweet potatoes for bulk and flavour, coconut milk for a silky sauce and here we are… my simple Slow Cooker Vegan Stew. I am OBSESSED.

Hope you love it as much as we do!

Why you’ll love this Vegan Stew recipe

Just throw everything in

Creamy, silky sauce

All the family love the mild, sweet taste

How we came up with this recipe

I have plenty of recipes for slow cooker stews and casseroles that contain meat in my collection, but I wanted to add a vegan addition that was just as good.

Even better, if we could make it filled with ingredients that could be bought from frozen, that were pre-peeled and pre-chopped too, it meant speeding up the process for preparation, and offering the option to make this a true ‘dump’ recipe (apologies for the phrasing).

It can be so satisfying when the results are a dinner filled with nutritious, healthy ingredients, even on those days when we have so little time but can just about stretch to 5 minutes of prep.

I also made this an adaptable dish, so you can eat it on its own or with a side dish, or you can add meat if you like (I like adding chicken thighs before cooking – just be sure to check they are fully cooked through before serving).

Vegan Stew Ingredients

Sweet potatoes – You can chop and peel fresh ones or buy chunks of frozen pre-prepared
Chickpeas
Coconut milk – I use reduced fat but any type is fine
Chopped tomatoes – Tinned
Onion – I use pre-prepared frozen. An onion weighs about 150g/5oz, so replace with that
Garlic – I also use pre-prepared. Garlic is about 5g per clove so I use 15g (3 teaspoons)
Peanut butter – I prefer crunchy for texture but smooth is also fine if you prefer
Ground ginger
Ground cumin
Tomato puree
Ground coriander – Optional
Chilli flakes – Optional

How to make Vegan Stew

Put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir well.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
Stir well and serve.

Substitutions

Coconut milk – This does really make this vegan stew as it adds a silky, creaminess, but if you’d rather substitute it an extra can of tomatoes instead, go for it

Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving.

In the freezer

You can freeze all of the ingredients – uncooked – in a ‘dump’ bag and throw in from the freezer (allow extra cooking time).

You can also freeze the finished stew. Before serving, allow it to defrost and heat through thoroughly.

It will be much thicker as the sweet potatoes absorb the sauce, but you can add some water or stock to thin it out again.

Top tips

Alternative to slow cooking

If you want to make this vegan stew and don’t have a slow cooker, I’d recommend cooking it in a pan on the hob on a low heat. It will take about 30-40 minutes (depending on how soft you want the sweet potato to be).

You will need to add some water or stock to thin the sauce.

HACK: Prepare this the night before

If you’re really pushed for time in the morning, you can prepare this the evening before to save even more time on the day.

Throw everything for the initial cook into the slow cooker, pop the lid on, then store in the fridge overnight. In the morning, put it into the slow cooker (and don’t forget to switch it on!)

More Vegan Recipes…

Vegetarian

Vegan Chilli {Easy Recipe}

Curry

Chickpea Curry

Soup

Carrot and Lentil Soup

One Pot Vegetarian

Tomato Pasta {Easiest Ever ONE Pan Spaghetti}

FAQs

Which slow cooker would you recommend using?

I use the Morphy Richards Sear & Stew Slow Cooker (it’s light and you can use it for browning on the hob too).

I recently wrote a whole slow cooker review post though, so this might shed some light on which type might work best for you.

Also! Top tip, buy a WiFi plug for it so you can switch it on or off from your phone when you’re out? What a time to be alive. I have this: Tp Link Tapo Smart Plug (Also you can set up with your Google or Alexa to say “switch on slow cooker” WHATTT

Is this recipe spicy?

It has warmth from the cumin and ginger but it’s not spicy. Suitable for children, I’d say. I like to add some chopped chillies to the top of the adult portions.

What can I serve with this vegan stew?

This dish is absolutely fine on its own, but if you want it to stretch further or have a bit more variety, you could try these on the side:

Rice
Wraps or soft tortillas
Cous cous
With crispy tortilla chips
A dollop of yoghurt (or vegan alternative)
Chillis on top
In hard shell tacos
Peanuts and fresh herbs on top
Bread to dunk

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew {Slow Cooker Recipe}

This Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew is comforting, creamy and totally delicious. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans or if you just want to reduce your meat intake.

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 4

Total Time 4 10

Servings

Calories 349kcal

Author Sarah Rossi

Ingredients

1 kg Sweet potatoes Peeled and chopped into chunks
400 g Chickpeas Drained and rinsed
400 g Coconut milk I used reduced fat, either type is fine
400 g Tinned chopped tomatoes
1 Onion Peeled and chopped
150 g Crunchy peanut butter
3 Cloves of garlic Peeled and chopped
3 tsp Ground ginger
3 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Ground coriander Optional
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes Optional
3 tbsp Tomato puree

Metric – Imperial

Instructions

Put all of the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir well.
Cook on HIGH for 4 HOURS or LOW for 6 HOURS.
Stir well and serve.

Notes

Onions and garlic: I use pre prepared frozen, chopped here. An onion weighs about 150g/5oz, so replace with that pre chopped weight. Garlic is about 5g per clove so I use 15g (3 teaspoons)

Peanut butter: I prefer crunchy for texture but smooth is also fine if you prefer

To add meat: Try adding some chicken thighs before cooking. Be sure to check they are fully cooked before serving

Sweet potatoes: You can chop and peel fresh ones or buy chunks of frozen pre-prepared

Alternative to slow cooking: Cook it in a pan on the hob on a low heat. It will take about 30-40 minutes (depending on how soft you want the sweet potato to be). Add water or stock to thin the sauce

Nutrition

The post Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Vegan Stew {Slow Cooker Recipe} appeared first on Taming Twins.

Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake {SO EASY!}

Sarah Rossi — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 09:30:36 +0000

This easy Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake is an absolute midweek winner that the whole family will love. Packed with veggies with a delicious creamy sauce, it’s topped with cheese for extra crunch and flavour.

As well as a family favourite nailed-on hit, it’s also ultra convenient for days when you want to prep dinner earlier in the day to save time later.

Fill your boots with the cheesy, carby goodness that is SO satisfying in any season.

This Bacon and Chicken Pasta Bake recipe is comfort food, pure and simple. It’s a totally winning combination of flavours that even the fussiest of diners is going to approve of.

A creamy chicken pasta bake has always been one of my go-to dishes, and there’s so many ways you can mix it up.

It’s a fantastic way of stretching a pack of chicken breasts, and the bacon and cheese obviously just take everything up a notch.

Every home cook needs an affordable and easy chicken pasta bake in their repertoire, right?

Here is my offering. I hope it’ll be one to add to your go-to midweek meal plans too.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Easy and adaptable (mix it up each week)

So comforting and delicious

Great for prepping ahead and leftovers

How we came up with this recipe

A version of this recipe has been on the site here for a long time, but I wanted to give it a little refresh as the last version used three pans to cook with. Who needs that washing up in their lives?!

I’ve reduced it to two pans (hurrah!) and simplified things a little, without reducing the taste.

You could serve this as a regular chicken and bacon pasta dish, without adding the cheese on top and grilling if you prefer.

One of the things I love about this Chicken Pasta Bake is that I can make it ahead of time.

So when I know it’s going to be a busy midweek evening, I do my initial cook in the morning and cover it in the fridge once it’s cooled, ready to then simply pop in the oven later.

Other make-ahead pasta bake recipes

Chicken and Bacon Pasta Ingredients

Olive oil
Pasta – Your choice
Bacon – Chopped into small pieces
Large chicken breasts
Onion – Use fresh or pre-prepared frozen
Garlic – Feel free to use jar/cheat garlic or fresh
Broccoli – You’ll need a whole head
Milk
Plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cheese – Your preference. I use half mozzarella and half cheddar
Wholegrain mustard – This is optional

How to make Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake

1. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, fry the bacon, then the chicken, onions and garlic. Add broccoli into your pasta cooking water at the same time.

2. Add flour and stir for 2-3 minutes until coated well.

3. Pour in the milk.

4. Add half of the cheese, season and stir.

5. Add the drained pasta and broccoli.

6. Sprinkle cheese and grill for 10 minutes.

TIP: Be sure to drain pasta very well so the sauce isn’t watery.

Substitutions

Meat – If you want to mix this up, try using meatballs, sausage, ham or chorizo instead of the chicken and bacon. Alternatively, if you ‘d like to make this a vegetarian dish, just omit the meat completely and add extra vegetables.
Veggies – You can swap out the broccoli for another vegetable if you prefer. Something like peas would work really well.

Leftovers

In the fridge Pasta Bake is a brilliant dish to eat as leftovers or for a packed lunch or picnic.

Just store it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat it (for no more than 3 days) and enjoy.

If you want to reheat it, make sure it’s piping hot before serving again, and never reheat more than once.

In the freezer You can freeze pasta but it won’t be at its best and I wouldn’t recommend it. It goes a bit mushy after being defrosted.

My advice is to be as economical as you can with leftovers in the days after the initial cook (no-one will need any convincing to get rid of it for you!)

Top tips

Use up cooked chicken

If you have some leftover chicken (from a roast chicken, for example), this recipe is a fantastic way of using it up to make it stretch to another meal. Just add it to the pasta and sauce with the pan-fried bacon and vegetables. There’s no need to fry it again. Other chicken pasta recipes you could try this with too include:

Cook the pasta before baking

I tend to do this with most of my pasta bake recipes because it just works better. I’ve tried it both ways and cooking the pasta first always has the best results, and as it takes such little time to cook, this step is always worth it for me.

Just cook the pasta in fresh boiling water and drain off before adding to the sauce and ingredients to then bake together.

Make in advance

Prepare up to the end of step 10 in the recipe and then when cold pop into the fridge (covered). When you are ready to eat, preheat the oven to 180C and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and everything is hot throughout.

FAQs

Can I use the oven for this dish instead of the grill?

Yes sure, it’s your choice. And you may want to oven bake it if it’s totally cold beforehand.

Just preheat your oven to 180C/350F and cook for about 20-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

What should I serve with a chicken pasta bake?

Really this is a one-stop-shop easy recipe that’s a full meal on its own, so requires no further effort.

However, if you want to add a few extras to make it go further or because you’re entertaining, you could serve this with a side salad or garlic bread.

Is this a healthy Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake?

This pasta recipe is relatively low in fat compared to some as we don’t use butter in the sauce.

If you want to reduce the fat further you could use low fat bacon and omit the cheese.

Can this be made into a gluten free recipe?

Yes – just use gluten free pasta and check all other ingredients to be sure they are gluten free.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake {SO EASY!}

This easy Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake recipe is a delicious and healthy dinner for all the family. The simple creamy sauce is packed with vegetables and bacon and topped with cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Family Food

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings People

Calories 683kcal

Author Sarah Rossi

Ingredients

300 g Pasta
1 tsp Olive oil
200 g Bacon Chopped into small pieces
300 g Chicken breast chunks About x2 large chicken breasts
3 Cloves garlic Peeled and crushed
1 Large onion Peeled and chopped into chunks
300 g Broccoli (Whole head) Chopped into small chunks
500 ml Milk
2 tbsp Plain flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150 g Cheese See notes
1 tsp Wholegrain mustard Optional

Metric – Imperial

Instructions

Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water, set a timer for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes until starting to brown.
When the timer goes off for the pasta add the broccoli and cook for a further 6 minutes until both the pasta and broccoli are cooked. Drain and set aside.
Add the chicken to the bacon and fry for a further 5 minutes until coloured all over.
Add the onions, garlic and cook until just softened and the chicken is cooked through. About 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring so everything is well coated.
Pour in the milk.
Add half of the cheese to the meat and sauce, plus salt and pepper and mustard if using, and stir well.
Preheat the grill.
Add the drained, cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top.
Put under the grill for about 10 minutes until crispy and bubbling.

Notes

Cheese: You can use whichever cheese you like to top your chicken pasta bake. I like to use half mozzarella, for streeeeeeetchy-ness (is that a word?) and half cheddar, for flavour.

How to prepare in advance: ‌Prepare up to the end of step 10 in the recipe and then when cold pop into the fridge (covered). When you are ready to eat, preheat the oven to 180C/350F and cook for about 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and everything is hot throughout.

Draining: Be sure to drain pasta and broccoli very well so the sauce isn’t watery.

Substitutions: You can omit the bacon for a vegetarian dish, or try using meatballs, sausage, ham or chorizo instead of the chicken and bacon. You can also swap out the broccoli for another vegetable if you prefer (peas would work really well).

Nutrition

The post Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake {SO EASY!} appeared first on Taming Twins.

Veggie Enchiladas {Slow Cooker Fakeaways}

Sarah Rossi — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 09:30:00 +0000

The next instalment of my Slow Cooker Fakeaways is the simple but flavour-packed Veggie Enchiladas. This is a hearty and filling dish that you really don’t need meat for. So easy and great value, throw it all in and let it work its magic.

If you’re vegetarian or looking to eat less meat, here’s a fakeaway just for you.

Filling and satisfying thanks to the beans and butternut squash, with plenty of spices for an aromatic, rich flavour that means you really don’t miss the meat.

I thought I would give this vegetarian family meal recipe a go as a fakeaway after the success of my Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas and Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas… if they worked so well I wondered if a veggie version would too.

Turns out, the answer is yes!

Why you’ll love this Veggie Enchiladas recipe

Super simple zero fuss recipe

Low-cost and healthy store cupboard ingredients

Ideal as a vegetarian buffet dish

How we came up with this recipe

The origins of enchiladas date back centuries, where corn tortillas became a staple cuisine in Mexico, evolving from much loved street food to a customisable favourite dish served up with a variety of fillings, toppings and sauces.

These days, the dish has travelled far and wide, and now us Brits regularly dish this up at our tables.

This is my family-friendly version that is healthy, low cost and super convenient to throw together.

While I do love beef enchiladas and chicken enchiladas too, this recipe is great for vegetarians or if you’d rather omit meat from this dish.

Veggie Enchiladas Ingredients Notes

Butternut squash – You can make this even easier for yourself by frozen chunks!
Onion – You can use one whole fresh onion chopped up, or you can also use about 200g/7oz of frozen
Passata – I use the small cartons here which are the right size
Garlic powder – Not garlic salt! Garlic granules are fine too
Mild chilli powder – Use hotter if you dare!
Wraps – Wholemeal or regular is fine
Sweetcorn – Canned and drained, or use frozen but just allow it a little longer to heat up
Cheese – Use whatever you have in or your preference for this dish, I like a mozzarella and cheddar mix for flavour and cheese pull!

How to make Veggie Enchiladas

Put all of the slow cooker ingredients in the slow cooker, mix well and cook as per recipe at the bottom of the post.

2. Mix in the wraps.

3. Add the sweetcorn and stir.

4. Sprinkle on the cheese and finish cooking as per the recipe.

Substitutions

Sweet potato – You could swap the butternut squash for this. I prefer the texture of butternut squash but either is fine.
Beans – I have used mixed beans here but you can use whichever tinned (pre-cooked) beans you prefer or have in your cupboard. For example, only using kidney beans is OK. Don’t use dried beans here unless you’ve pre-boiled them and followed the cooking instructions on the pack.
Peppers – These go really well in this kind of dish, so throw some in if you have some.

Leftovers

You can use the sauce (minus the wraps) as another dish if you have leftovers. It makes a fantastic lunch over a jacket potato or rice for another easy dinner.

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or oven before serving. The wraps to tend to go a little soggy when reheated, but honestly? I’d still eat them happily. Up to you.

In the freezer If you freeze leftovers, be prepared for the tortillas to be a bit soggy and not at their best. If you want to freeze leftovers, try and pre-empt this and take some of the sauce out to freeze before you add the tortillas if possible.

Top tips for making Veggie Enchiladas

Side dishes: I love it when a fakeaway recipe works as a feast-style meal for those weekends when you have guests or just want to enjoy some extra-special family time around the table.

What I LOVE about Mexican-style dishes is just how many sides you can easily serve that make up a banquet while the main dish merrily bubbles away. You can try some or all of these:
Tortilla chips
Dips including guacamole, salsa and sour cream/yoghurt
Mexican Chicken & Rice
Mexican-Style Salad
Veggie Loads Nachos (to start?)

Chilli: If you like a little more heat, add extra chilli flakes, fresh chillis or get your beans in a chilli sauce. If you’re serving this to children and they don’t like spicy, omit or reduce the chilli powder.

Prepare it the night before: This is one of those slow cooker favourites that allows you to throw all the ingredients in the night before if time is going to be tight in the morning.

Simply add the slow cook ingredients to the slow cooker pan and keep in the fridge overnight. All you have to do is pop it into the cooker in the morning (and don’t forget to actually switch it on!)

Then add the sweetcorn, wraps and cheese at the end of the cooking time as per the usual instructions.

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

Veggie Enchiladas {Slow Cooker Recipe}

This is an easy fakeaway meal for the whole family. Slow Cooker Veggie Enchiladas are full of depth and spice that make this a hearty, delicious meal.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Servings

Calories 872kcal

Author Sarah Rossi

Ingredients

For the Slow Cook:

500 g Butternut squash I use frozen, chopped
800 g Mixed beans Tinned, drained and rinsed
1 Onion Peeled and chopped
500 g Passata
400 g Tinned tomatoes
2 tsp Garlic granules
2 tsp Smoked paprika
3 tsp Dried oregano
4 tsp Ground cumin
2 tsp Mild chilli powder
1/2 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Tomato puree
1 tsp Soft dark brown sugar

To Finish:

240 g Tortilla wraps
340 g Sweetcorn Tinned, drained
150g Cheese Grated

Metric – Imperial

Instructions

Put all of the slow cook ingredients in the slow cooker, mix well and cook for 6 hours on HIGH or on LOW for 8-9 hours.
Cut the wraps into wide strips. Add these and the sweetcorn to the slow cooker. Mix in with the enchilada 'filling'.
Sprinkle over the cheese.
OPTION 1: Either pop the lid back on and slow cooker for another 30 minutes on HIGH until the cheese has melted (see notes).
OPTION 2: Or put the slow cooker pan under a hot grill or in the oven at 200C/400F for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Notes

To finish the dish Putting the tortillas back into the slow cooker for half and hour will make them a little soggier than if you put them under the grill. I much prefer the end result when I’ve just popped everything under the grill.

Obviously your slow cooker pan needs to be grill safe to do this!

Onions Use 200 g/7 oz if you’re using frozen onions instead of fresh.

Butternut squash Fresh or frozen butternut squash is fine. It is 500g/1.1lb of peeled and cut up butternut squash, so if using fresh weigh it after peeling.

Nutrition

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