This black bean vegan enchilada casserole is the perfect casual family meal. It's loaded with healthy black beans and corn, and topped with avocado and sliced lime. Pass the guacamole and dig into this classic Mexican meal!
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Is there anything more cozy and comforting than an enchilada casserole? Something about the crunchy vs. gooey combination of textures is like a warm hug.
One of the things that I love about this vegan enchilada casserole is how flexible it is. You can switch the recipe up to suit whatever you have in your fridge.
This recipe calls for black beans and corn (and it's delicious!), but feel free to add in sweet potatoes, spinach, grated carrots, fresh tomatoes, zucchini or bell peppers. You name it, whatever you have in your fridge will only enhance your enchilada casserole. And, the bonus is - recipes like this help prevent food wastage. Win, Win!
Related Post: Vegan Birria Tacos
👨🍳Instructions For Making Vegan Enchilada Casserole
- Step 1 - Saute The Onions: Heat your olive oil in a saucepan and saute the onion until it caramelizes, about 7-8 minutes.
- Step 2 - Add In Garlic & Spices: Now, add in the garlic and spices and saute for another minute.
- Step 3 - Add The Filling Ingredients & Simmer: Add the tomato paste, beans and corn to the pan. Don't drain the beans, use the liquid. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the mixture thickens.
- Step 4 - Preheat Your Oven: Preheat you oven to 200 C (400 F).
- Step 5 - Make The Vegan Enchilada Sauce: While the black beans are cooking, make your vegan enchilada sauce. All you need to do is mix the passata (pureed) tomatoes with the spices in a small bowl. There's no flour in the sauce, so this is a gluten-free enchilada sauce.
- Step 6 - Spread The Enchilada Sauce Over The Bottom Of The Casserole Dish: Assemble the enchiladas by pouring half of the vegan enchilada sauce into the bottom of your baking dish. Spread it around with the back of a spoon until it evenly covers the bottom of the pan.
- Step 7 - Assemble Your Vegan Enchilada Casserole: Spoon two-three tablespoons of the bean mixture into the center of each corn tortilla. Roll the tortilla up and place it seam side down in your dish.
- Step 8 - Bake: Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over your black bean enchiladas, and pop them in the oven to bake for 10 minutes.
- Step 9 - Add The Vegan Cheese: If you want to add the vegan cheese, sprinkle it over the top now and put the enchiladas back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
- Step 10 - Add Any Garnishes: Finally, sprinkle the chopped tomatoes and cilantro over the top. Arrange your sliced lime, chili peppers, and chopped avocado around the pan.
- Dig in and Enjoy!
Top Tip
If you prefer spicier enchiladas, feel free to add some chili pepper flakes to your enchilada sauce.
🍽️What To Serve With Vegan Enchilada Casserole
You can serve vegan enchilada casserole on its own, or as the main course in a Mexican spread. We like to serve them with a big bowl of steaming chimichurri rice and a side of guacamole. Here's a few other ideas for your next fiesta:
- I like to serve this casserole with a side of Pineapple Habanero Salsa and a big bowl of tortilla chips.
- Instead of using vegan cheese, you can drizzle this Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce over the top of your enchiladas.
- This enchilada casserole is wonderful served with a side of cilantro sauce. Simply drizzle over the top for an added kick of Mexican flavor.
- If you want the perfect side for black bean enchiladas, try this Mexican Rice In Your Rice Cooker.
❄️Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Allow the enchiladas to cool to room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
Freezer
If you want to freeze the enchiladas, do so before baking with the vegan cheese. Assemble the enchiladas as instructed but skip the baking step with vegan cheese. Wrap the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Vegan enchilada casserole should stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Mexican Recipes
You might also like these vegan Mexican recipes!
🙋Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can, but be aware that flour tortillas are not gluten-free. Flour tortillas should be pan fried in a bit of oil before being used in any enchilada recipe. Lightly frying them will firm them up and prevent your enchiladas from getting soggy.
You definitely can, but many brands of refried beans are made with pork, so check to make sure they're vegan. You could also use my white refried beans recipe.
To prevent leftover enchiladas from getting soggy, store them in an airtight container to minimize exposure to moisture. Additionally, consider placing a piece of parchment paper or aluminum foil between stacked enchiladas to maintain their individual textures. When reheating, use an oven or toaster oven instead of a microwave to help preserve the crispness of the tortillas.
Craving More Easy Vegan Recipes?
Vegan Birria Tacos With Jackfruit
Ultimate Pineapple Habanero Salsa
Ultimate Vegan Tostadas with Pineapple Salsa
Vegan Taco Bowl with Avocado Crema
Vegan Avocado Crema (Creamy and Healthy)
📖 Recipe
Black Bean Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
For The Black Bean and Corn Filling:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion finely diced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chili pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans
- 1 15 ounce can corn drained
For The Enchiladas:
- 1¾ cups passata/tomato puree
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 8 corn tortillas
Toppings:
- 1 cup vegan cheese *optional
- 1 jalapeno pepper *optional
- 1 lime thinly sliced
- 1 handful cilantro finely chopped
Instructions
To Make The Enchilada Casserole Filling
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sized sauce pan. Saute the onions with the sea salt until they are soft and caramelized, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and spices and saute for an additional minute.
- Add the tomato paste, beans (liquid included), and corn and give everything a good stir. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened.
To Make The Enchiladas:
- Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).
- Combine the passata with the cayenne, sugar and oregano.
- Spread half of the passata and spice mixture over the bottom of a baking dish.
- Assemble the enchiladas by filling each corn tortilla with a few spoonfuls of the bean mixture and rolling into a parcel. Place them seam side down in the dish .
- Pour the remaining passata over the enchiladas and bake for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the (optional) vegan cheese over the top of the enchiladas and return the enchiladas to the oven to bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Top with sliced avocado, jalapenos, chopped tomatoes cilantro and lime slices.
Beth
Looks absolutely wonderful and the perfect comfort food for fall dinners! The family loves how flavorful and very tasty this is, and I can’t wait to make this again for tomorrow night!
veenaazmanov
Perfect weekend cooking. My family to love this crunchy, flavorful and cheesy dish. Looks delicious.
Biana
It doesn't get much better than enchiladas! This looks like a perfect comfort dinner for fall.
Tara
These enchiladas look so good! I love that they are vegan. Beautiful styling with the garnishes on top too.