Easy Vegan Chickpea and Spinach Enchiladas
These vegan chickpea spinach enchiladas are packed with hearty chickpeas, tender spinach, and roasted salsa for a satisfying plant-based dinner that everyone loves. Best of all, it takes me just 45 minutes to make! It is simple enough for a weeknight meal but still full of bold flavor.
Servings: 8
Calories: 138kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas , drained and rinsed (about one 15 ounce can)
- 5 ounces spinach or green blend of choice , I use Earthbound Farm Organic
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 cups roasted salsa , your favorite brand or if you have my cookbook I use the one in there
- ½ cup Spicy Cilantro Cream Sauce , optional to use more for filling and drizzling
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/175 C
- Saute the onion with salt and garlic powder until it begins to soften, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the spinach/greens and saute about 5 more minutes until they wilt. Allow to cool.
- Pulse the greens mix and chickpeas in a food processor until chopped and crumbly.
- Put ½ cup salsa in the bottom of a square baking dish (I used 8x8).
- Fill tortillas with a few scoops of mixture, then roll and place seem side down into the baking dish. You can also drizzle in some spicy cilantro cream inside with the mixture if you want it extra creamy.
- Once all the tortillas are done, pour the rest of the salsa over the top, spreading it around to make sure it covers everything well.
- Drizzle the spicy cilantro cream sauce over the top. And top with the cilantro.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until nice and bubbly. Allow to cool a bit and devour! You can also drizzle extra sauce over the top.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this easy vegan chickpea and spinach enchilada recipe is to pulse the chickpea filling just until it is crumbly. Overprocessing creates a paste-like texture that makes the enchiladas dense instead of giving them a hearty, satisfying bite.
- Cool the filling: I always allow the spinach mixture to cool for a few minutes. This prevents the tortillas from becoming soft or tearing while you roll them.
- Warm tortillas: I heat each tortilla for about 15-20 seconds in a dry skillet or wrap a stack in a damp paper towel and microwave them briefly. Warm tortillas are much less likely to crack.
- Cover well: Any exposed tortilla edges can become dry while baking, so I make sure to spread the salsa evenly over the top before placing the dish in the oven.
- Drain chickpeas: Excess moisture can make the filling too wet, causing the enchiladas to become soggy. If using canned chickpeas, I rinse, drain, and dry them well before pulsing.
- Rest: I rest the enchiladas for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to set slightly, making them much easier to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 777mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2005IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1.5mg