Vegan Enchilada Casserole

This healthy Vegan Enchilada Casserole recipe is a quick and easy weeknight meal, ready in just about 30 minutes. Packed full of flavor, this Mexican meal is a lightened up version of a family favorite, so you can enjoy it guilt free!

My family and I love Mexican food, and whenever we’re at a Mexican restaurant my husband, without fail, will order enchiladas. Sometimes he’ll mix it up with a taco, but there will always, always be enchiladas.

I don’t blame him, I mean, enchiladas are really tasty. The warm, cheesy goodness along with the spicy sauce is almost too hard to resist.

Unfortunately most restaurant enchiladas are full of fat, and there are rarely vegan versions. Even the vegetarian versions are simply filled with cheese. They’re not the most exciting enchiladas, and no veggies for a balanced meal!

I decided to make a vegan enchilada casserole at home that was still as flavorful as the restaurant kind, but much healthier. It was a success: the whole family loved them! It’s become a staple in our house.

This vegan Mexican casserole is an easy dinner recipe that has become one of my family’s favorite things to eat! The best part of this recipe is that it is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike!

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👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Vegan Friendly
• Full of Veggies
• Healthy Comfort Food
• Perfectly Spiced
• Family Friendly
• Easy Recipe
• Great for Busy Weeknights
• Tastes even better the next day!

🥘 Ingredients

Vegetables: Frozen bell peppers and corn are used to create the filling. This makes it super easy to prepare this recipe all year no matter what vegetables are in season.

Refried Beans: Be sure to use a can of vegetarian refried beans, as some versions are not vegan or vegetarian friendly. Check the ingredient label. I like to use refried black beans, but refried pinto beans would also work. The beans add protein and make this recipe super filling, and are a healthy substitution for the ground beef you’d find in most enchilada recipes.

Diced Tomatoes With Green Chiles, Vegetable Broth, and Tomato Sauce: To form the base of the vegan enchilada casserole sauce!

Gluten-Free Tortillas: I like to use corn tortillas because they are gluten-free and also a healthier alternative to white tortillas. You can also use sprouted whole grain tortillas, or whole wheat flour tortillas, or almond flour tortillas if you prefer.

Spices: Taco seasoning is used to season to the filling, while a combination of dried oregano, cumin, and cayenne or chili powder is combined with tomato sauce and diced tomatoes to create a rich homemade enchilada sauce. For more heat, feel free to add some crushed red pepper flakes.

🍽 Equipment

• Chopping Knife
• Cutting Board
• Casserole Dish
• Large Skillet
• Small Pot

📖 Variations

Vegetarian Enchiladas: You can easily make these Vegan Enchiladas vegetarian by adding a regular Mexican cheese blend or shredded monterey jack or pepper jack cheese to top this plant based enchilada casserole.

Add More Veggies: a variety of fresh vegetables – red onion or yellow onion, squash, roasted potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted cauliflower, carrots, diced poblano peppers, and fresh spinach all would taste great in this recipe!

Toppings: I like using fresh cilantro, diced avocado, and sliced jalapeños, but you could also try guacamole, pico de gallo, or any Mexican inspired toppings you like!

Change The Protein: If you don’t like beans, leave them out and use quinoa for added protein. Or, instead of refried beans use black beans or another bean of choice for this meatless enchilada casserole. Crumbled or diced tofu would also work well.

Vegan Cheese Shreds: Enchiladas are known for being cheesy, and an easy way to add that element is to use vegan cheddar cheese shreds. You could also add nutritional yeast to either the beans or veggie mixture for a cheesy flavor, or make a cashew cream “cheese sauce” to top this vegan enchilada casserole!

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine frozen bell peppers and frozen corn in a non-stick skillet and sauté (with no olive oil) on medium heat. Add a healthy serving of taco seasoning to taste. Cook the vegetable mixture for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are heated through.

Step 2: Heat 2 cans of tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, cumin, oregano and garlic powder in a large pot. Add a dash of cayenne if you like things spicy.

Step 3: Once heated through, blend with an immersion blender, and add broth until the sauce is the consistency you like. (For a thinner sauce, add more broth). 

Step 4: Heat up refried black beans over medium heat and add taco seasoning to taste. Warm corn tortillas in the microwave (wrap in a paper towel, heat for 40-60 seconds until warmed through).

Step 5: Now it’s time for assembly! In a large casserole dish, begin creating the enchiladas. First, spray the bottom of the dish with cooking spray. Then, take a corn tortilla, spread refried black beans down the middle (about 3-4 Tbsp), and top with veggie mixture.

Step 6: Roll tortilla, and repeat this process with the rest of the tortillas.

Step 7: Place the enchiladas in a single layer in a baking dish, seam side down.

Step 8: Once all the enchiladas are rolled up in the dish, top with the enchilada sauce. If using, add the vegan cheese on top of the tortillas.

Step 9: Bake, covered with aluminum foil at 350 degrees for 10-12 min. Remove foil, heat for another 7-9 min. Top with chopped tomatoes, diced red bell pepper, parsley, cilantro or scallions.

❓Recipe FAQs

👪 How To Serve

These enchiladas are a complete meal in one casserole dish. However this would taste great with the following additions…

• Sliced avocado or guacamole and tortilla chips
• A fresh green salad
• Side of black beans or refried beans
• Spanish Rice 
• Top with green onion and vegan sour cream

🧊 How To Store

These enchiladas taste great reheated and will last up to 4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze this dish but be sure to transfer it to an air tight freezer friendly container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to serve remove from the freezer and transfer to the refrigerator to thaw. Then reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes.

💭 Expert Tips

• Roll the tortillas tightly so the filling doesn’t fall out and make sure to place them seam side down in the baking dish.
• Warm the tortillas before filling, so that they don’t break when you roll them.
• Make your own enchilada sauce. It’s easy and so much better than store bought!
• Customize these enchiladas to fit your taste, or use up the veggies and beans you have on hand.
• If enchilada sauce seems too thin, you can thicken it with a tablespoon of tomato paste. 

🍲 More Healthy Mexican Recipes!

• Healthy Black Bean Chilaquiles
• Vegan Black Bean Tacos
• Keto Enchiladas
• Mexican Rice Casserole
• Vegan Taquitos
• Vegan Chorizo
• Healthy Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Healthy Guacamole Recipe
• Loaded Veggie Nachos
• Vegetarian Mexican Recipes

📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/9dkxtpkwSSE

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Print Recipe

4.86 from 14 votes

Vegan Enchilada Casserole

This healthy Vegan Enchilada Casserole is a quick and easy weeknight meal. Packed full of flavor, this Mexican meal is a lightened up version of a family favorite, so you can enjoy it guilt free!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Vegan

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 300kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

• ▢ 10 small corn tortillas 70 calories each
• ▢ 30 oz canned tomato sauce
• ▢ 15 oz canned fire roasted diced tomatoes with chiles
• ▢ 1 tsp dried oregano
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable broth
• ▢ 10 oz package Frozen bell pepper mix
• ▢ 10 oz package Frozen yellow corn mix
• ▢ 15 oz can refried black beans
• ▢ 2-3 tsp Taco seasoning more to taste
• ▢ 1 dash cayenne pepper optional
• ▢ ½ tsp salt more to taste
• ▢ 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds optional

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Instructions

• ▢
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine frozen bell peppers and frozen corn in a non-stick skillet and saute (with no oil) on medium heat. Add a healthy serving of taco seasoning and salt to taste. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the peppers are heated through.
• ▢
  Heat the 2 cans tomato sauce, diced tomatoes with chiles, cumin, oregano and garlic powder in a large pot. Add a dash of cayenne if you like things spicy. Once heated through, blend with an immersion blender, and add broth until the sauce is the consistency you like. (For a thinner sauce, add more broth).
• ▢
  Heat up refried black beans over medium heat and add taco seasoning to taste. Warm corn tortillas in the microwave (wrap in a paper towel, heat for 40-60 seconds until warmed through).
• ▢
  Now it's time for assembly! In a large casserole dish, begin creating the enchiladas: Take a corn tortilla, spread refried black beans down the middle (about 3-4 Tbsp), top with veggie mixture, top with 1-2 Tbsp vegan cheese (if using), roll.
• ▢
  Once all the enchiladas are rolled up in the dish, top with the enchilada sauce and the remaining vegan cheese (if using).
• ▢
  Bake, covered with foil at 350 degrees for 10-12 min. Remove foil, heat for another 7-9 min (if using vegan cheese, bake until vegan cheese is melted and bubbly).

Notes

• Roll the tortillas tightly so the filling doesn’t fall out.
• Warm the tortillas before filling, so that they don’t break when you roll them.
• Make your own enchilada sauce. It’s easy and so much better than store bought!
• Customize these enchiladas to fit your taste, or use up the veggies and beans you have on hand.  
• Sub Corn Tortillas for Sprouted Wheat Tortillas
• Try a variety of veggies – onions, squash, carrots, baby spinach all would taste great in this recipe!
• Instead of refried beans use black beans or another bean of choice
• Don’t like beans? Leave them out and use quinoa for added protein

Note: Nutritional information does not include vegan cheese.

Nutrition

Serving: 2enchiladas | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 13.2g | Fat: 7.9g | Sodium: 378mg | Fiber: 7.8g | Sugar: 2.8g