Canned pumpkin isn’t just for muffins and lattes. Stirred into a sauce with black beans and warm spices, it turns into something rich and a little sweet that works perfectly against melty cheese and soft tortillas.
This is the kind of dinner that makes a small kitchen feel like it’s doing something impressive, even though the whole thing comes together with one pan and a baking dish. It’s also forgiving. If you’re missing an ingredient or two, the recipe still holds up, which is exactly what you want on a Tuesday when the fridge is looking thin before the next shop.
One tin of pumpkin puree gets you a long way here, and the rest of the ingredients are pantry regulars, so this is a good one to make when money’s tight at the end of the month.
Ingredients
- 8 small soft tortillas (corn or wheat, whatever you have)
- 1 tin (400g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 tin (400g) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 150ml vegetable stock
- 150g grated cheese (cheddar or a mild melting cheese)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh coriander, lime wedges, a spoonful of yoghurt or sour cream to serve
Method
- Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat and cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft.
- Add the garlic, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir for a minute until it smells fragrant.
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in half the pumpkin puree. Season with salt and pepper. This is your sauce.
- In a separate bowl, mix the remaining pumpkin puree with the black beans and a good pinch of salt. This is your filling.
- Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Spoon some of the pumpkin and black bean filling down the centre of each tortilla, roll it up, and place seam-side down in the dish. Repeat with all the tortillas.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas, making sure they’re well covered. Scatter the grated cheese on top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden in spots and the sauce is bubbling at the edges.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Top with coriander, a squeeze of lime, or a spoonful of yoghurt if you like.
Swaps and tips
To make this fully vegan, skip the cheese or use a plant-based alternative, and swap the yoghurt topping for a dairy-free version or leave it off entirely. The filling itself is already vegan, so you’re not losing much.
No black beans in the cupboard? Kidney beans or chickpeas work just as well. If you want a bit more texture, stir in some sweetcorn with the filling.
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to three days in a sealed container. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes so the tortillas stay a bit crisp, or microwave if you’re short on time. This also freezes well before baking, so you can make a double batch and freeze half for a night when cooking feels like too much.
Allergen note: contains dairy (cheese, optional yoghurt) and gluten (if using wheat tortillas). Use a dairy-free cheese and corn tortillas to make it gluten-free and dairy-free.