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Easy vegan enchiladas with plenty of plant based protein, a good dose of veggies, and a creamy sauce. They are so easy, versatile, and are ready in under 45 minutes!
We eat a lot of Mexican inspired fare in our house. Especially things wrapped in tortillas, like enchiladas. Yet, somehow, I don’t already have an enchilada recipe on the blog. For shame!
Thankfully, we are fixing that mistake today friends. Beans, veggies, sauce, and of course those yummy warm tortillas. And as luck would have it, these vegan enchiladas are so super easy! You’re gonna love them!
Classic enchiladas, which originated in Mexico, are corn tortillas wrapped around a filling and topped with a chili pepper sauce. The filling has endless possibilities of meats, cheeses, beans, and vegetables that would still be considered traditional.
Many varieties of enchiladas exist, including those topped with red sauce, green sauce (salsa verde), mole sauce, tomato sauce, and even white sauce like béchamel (suizas).
You know I’m not one to stick to tradition though, so these enchiladas are a bit different, but still totally delicious.
Enfrijoladas are like enchiladas except they are topped with a bean sauce instead of a chili sauce. From what I can tell usually this sauce is made with black beans, onion, peppers, and spices.
I’m kicking up the ease factor with my cheater version of this sauce. I simply blend white beans with a jar of salsa. If your salsa is on the mild side, you can add a bit more cumin and chile powder. This is how I usually do it so it’s not too spicy for the kids. But I also love it with a spicy chipotle salsa.
This easy bean sauce goes on the bottom of the pan, into the black bean and zucchini mixture, and then on top of the enchiladas casserole as well. Triple threat!
I made these enchiladas with flour tortillas because that’s what my family prefers, but you can easily make them gluten free by using corn tortillas.
The filling itself it already gluten free. If you decide to use corn tortillas, it helps to warm them up a bit first to make them more pliable before rolling.
The topping possibilities for this vegan enchiladas recipe are as endless as the filling choices.
We like ours with avocado or guacamole, lots of cilantro, sliced jalapeños, and Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing, which has that tangy flavor reminiscent of sour cream.
Other tasty ideas would be chopped tomatoes, diced red onion, shredded vegan cheese, shredded lettuce, salsa, etc.
More Mexican inspired vegan recipes
- Vegan Mexican Burger
- Mexican Sloppy Joes
- Mexican Bean Dip
- Mexican Spiced Chocolate Covered Cashews
- Crunchy Black Bean Mini Tacos
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.
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For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Black Bean & Zucchini Vegan Enchiladas
Ingredients
- ½ red onion (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced)
- ½ zucchini (diced) (about 1 cup)
- 15 oz canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
- 2 tsp cumin (divided)
- ½ tsp salt (divided) (or to taste)
- 15 oz canned white beans (rinsed and drained)
- 16 oz jarred salsa (your favorite)
- ½ tsp chili powder*
- ½ cup water (or vegetable broth)
- 8 tortillas (corn or flour – your choice) (use corn tortillas for a gluten free option)
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the onion in ¼ cup water until translucent – about 5-6 minutes. Add additional water as needed to prevent sticking.
- Add the garlic, red pepper, zucchini, 1 tsp cumin, and ¼ tsp salt and sauté 2 minutes. Add the black beans and stir to combine. Turn heat to low to keep warm while you make the sauce.
- To make the sauce: combine the salsa, white beans, 1 tsp cumin, chili powder, ½ cup water, and ¼ tsp salt in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.*
- Add 1 cup of the sauce to the black bean zucchini mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour ½ cup of the sauce to the bottom of a 7.5 x 11 baking dish (or similar).
- Place about ⅓ cup filling into one tortilla, roll up, and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Top the filled enchiladas in the baking pan with the remaining sauce and any remaining filling. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Garnish with toppings of choice. We like guacamole, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and Creamy Cumin Ranch Dressing. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
June Judge says
Jenn, I made your Black Bean and Zucchini Enchiladas last week and the BEST Guacamole. I loved the flavors and ate it for 3 days straight. What I noticed with your recipes is how you will suggest what you can replace if you don’t have an ingredient. Very much appreciate! I don’t really like to cook and just eat foods that are simple. This is a big step for me and I thank you.
Theresa says
Is the nutrition information for 1 enchilada?
Jenn Sebestyen says
2 enchiladas per serving. Enjoy!
Amanda Donaldson says
We made these tonight and all I can say is WOW! These turned out fabulous! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Jenn Sebestyen says
Yay! So glad you love them, Amanda! Thank you!
Tracey says
I made this tonight for the Super Bowl! I never made enchiladas so I was a bit nervous. Your recipe was so easy to follow & well written. These turned out fabulous! I tagged you in my Instagram pic 🙂
Jenn Sebestyen says
Thank you so much, Tracey! So glad you love them! Looking forward to seeing your IG pic!
Jack Stalnaker says
are these spicy?
Jenn Sebestyen says
It really depends on the kind of salsa you use. I use medium heat salsa and they aren’t spicy.
Melinda says
Delicious! My meat-loving husband couldn’t eat enough.
Jenn Sebestyen says
Yay! So happy to hear that. Thanks, Melinda!
Sam says
Finally a good vegan enchilada recipe!! I’ve been trying a few the past couple weeks and I haven’t been able to settle on a recipe I liked and wanted to stick with until now! Love the zucchini, never would have thought to include that. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jenn S. says
So glad you loved them, Sam! Thank you!
Nina says
AMAZING! I made this for lunch today and I couldn’t believe how good it was! I added a can of corn to the enchilada filling and thought it was perfect. It’s also very filling and super easy to make. You can’t go wrong with this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
Jenn S. says
Thank you so much, Nina! I’m so happy to hear that. Corn sounds like a great addition. Enjoy!