Enfrijoladas de Camarón (Prawn Enfrijoladas)
Soft corn tortillas dunked in a silky, smoky bean sauce, rolled around juicy garlic prawns and topped with queso fresco.
Made with Corn tortillas from masa harina and Refried beans (frijoles refritos). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time30 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.68 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put your ready made refried beans (see the base recipe), the water, chipotle, 1 garlic clove, the chopped onion and the salt in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. It should pour like single cream, so add a little more water if needed.
- 2
Heat half the oil in a wide frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in the blended beans and simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Keep it warm over a very low heat.
5 min - 3
Chop the second garlic clove and fry it with the prawns in the rest of the oil in another pan over a high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until pink and opaque all the way through. Season with a pinch of salt.
3 min - 4
Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or microwave so they are soft. Dip one at a time into the bean sauce for a few seconds, fill with a few prawns, fold into quarters or roll up, and lay on a plate.
3 min - 5
Pour the remaining bean sauce over the top. Scatter with the onion rings, queso fresco and coriander, and drizzle with the soured cream.
- 6
Serve immediately, while the sauce is hot.
Tips
- Blend the beans until completely smooth. Enfrijoladas should be silky, not chunky, and a sieve gives an even finer sauce.
- The sauce thickens quickly as it sits, so keep a small jug of hot water nearby and thin it as you go.
- Use one chipotle for a gentle smoky warmth, two for real heat. Scrape off the seeds for milder.
- Dip tortillas only briefly. Leaving them in turns them to mush.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten straight away. Leftover bean sauce keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for 3 months. Prawns should be eaten within 1 day of cooking. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
What is the difference between enfrijoladas and enchiladas?
Enchiladas are dipped in a chilli sauce, while enfrijoladas are dipped in a sauce made from blended beans. The bean sauce is milder, creamier and earthier.
Can I make it vegan?
Yes. Replace the prawns with fried sliced mushrooms or fried tofu, drop the queso fresco and soured cream, and use sliced avocado on top. The bean sauce itself is vegan.
Can I use black beans?
Yes. Black bean enfrijoladas are the classic version in Oaxaca and Veracruz. Your refried pinto beans give a lighter colour and slightly milder taste but work equally well.
More made with corn tortillas from masa harina
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.