Vegetarian Enchiladas

By Brita Britnell // July 25, 2024 (updated September 4, 2024)

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These Vegetarian Enchiladas are packed with plant based protein and surprisingly simple to make! They’re easily versatile based on your protein and veggie preferences so use what you like!

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Vegetarian Enchiladas filled with veggies, beans, delicious seasonings and cheese make the perfect meatless meal. These are so satisfying and flavorful that you’ll never miss the meat!

With bright colors, bold flavors and an amazing homemade enchilada sauce, these will win over any meat lover! The sautéed veggies, creamy refried beans and melted cheese is a perfect combination to the bold Mexican spices. All of this deliciousness is coated in a rich sauce that will make you wonder why you ever needed meat in the first place. Your family will be absolutely obsessed with these!

Looking for other vegetarian enchilada recipes? Try our jackfruit enchiladas, vegan enchiladas and loaded veggie enchilada casserole next!

Ingredients you’ll need

This easy vegetarian enchiladas recipe is made with easy-to-find ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Olive oil: Just a bit for cooking down the veggies.
Veggies: The veggie mix for this recipe includes corn, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño and garlic. It’s a tasty combo!
Spices: We’re seasoning the veggies with chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt & pepper for amazing flavor.
Beans: I love to use refried beans in my enchilada recipes because of the added fiber and protein. It also makes the enchiladas melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
Corn tortillas: I like to use corn tortillas when I make enchiladas (which also keeps this recipe gluten free), but feel free to use flour tortillas, if you’d like.
Cheese: I used cheddar cheese, but any favorite variety works. There’s no need to use a ton of cheese in this recipe; thanks to the creamy beans and tasty enchilada sauce.
Enchilada sauce: I highly recommend my homemade enchilada sauce for this enchilada recipe. Making homemade enchilada sauce is really very easy. It’s made mostly with just tomato sauce, broth and spices. You’ll never want store-bought again!

Substitutions and variations

These enchiladas are incredibly tasty as-is, but feel free to get creative with your ingredients! Here are some options:

Add rice: Try adding in about a tablespoon of cooked rice to each tortilla.
Cheese: Try using different flavors of cheese like a Mexican cheese blend or Monterey Jack cheese.
Beans: You can replace the refried beans with black beans, pinto beans or even kidney beans.
Fillings: Other veggies would work great in these enchiladas. Use any favorites or anything you have available, such as green chiles, diced tomatoes, cubed sweet potato or butternut squash.

How to make this recipe

Prep: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a casserole dish and spread 1/2 cup of your enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish.
Sauté vegetables: In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add in the bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Sauté for 10 minutes.
Add corn and seasonings: Mix in the corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and pepper and cook for an additional minute. Take off of the heat.
Assemble: Add to the center of each tortilla: 2 tablespoons of beans, 2 heaping tablespoons of the veggie mixture, and a small handful of the cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place it, seam side down, neatly into the casserole dish. Repeat this until all of the ingredients have been used.
Top enchiladas: Spread the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas and spread the remaining cheese over top of the enchiladas.
Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly and top with avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream and any other toppings you’d like, and serve!

Helpful tips

Make these spicy: You can add extra heat by choosing a ‘hot’ enchilada sauce. You can also add spicy green chiles, more jalapeño (with seeds) and a dash or two of cayenne pepper for a kick!
Microwave tortillas: To make corn tortillas pliable and easy to roll, warm them by wrapping 4 to 5 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel and heat for about 30 seconds in the microwave.
Don’t overfill: Fill tortillas with just 2 tablespoons of beans, 2 heaping tablespoons of the veggie mixture, and a small handful of the cheese, so that they stay together and don’t burst at the seams.
Place seam side down: Place filled, rolled tortillas seam-side down, so the filling stays inside, and arrange them tightly next to each other in your pan to help them stay together.
Cover with sauce: Try to completely cover the rolled tortillas with sauce. Exposed areas can get hard and crunchy from the heat in the oven.

Frequently asked questions

What tortillas are best for enchiladas?

Corn tortillas are the most authentic choice for making enchiladas. However, you can use flour tortillas or even those that are a blend of corn and wheat. Low-carb wraps work too. Just be sure to use the 8 to 10-inch size tortillas, so that they hold plenty of filling, but they also fit into the baking dish.

What to serve with vegetarian enchiladas?

Sometimes, we enjoy these easy enchiladas on their own – they’re satisfying enough to be a complete meal without a bunch of sides! But if I’m serving guests, I’ll pair them with baked tortilla chips and vegan salsa con queso. Another side that’s really tasty with enchiladas is my Mexican street corn salad.

Can you make enchiladas ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the enchilada filling as directed and place it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When ready to assemble, warm tortillas and continue as directed. You can also assemble the enchiladas, complete with the sauce and refrigerate for up to a day. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Storage recommendations

Storing leftovers: Any leftover enchiladas can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To freeze: Make the vegetarian enchiladas complete with the sauce and place in 9×13-inch disposable aluminum tin or other freezer-safe pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then again with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

As usual, PLEASE let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it! You can come back here and leave a comment and/or tag me on instagram (@foodwithfeeling).

More vegetarian dinner recipes you’ll love: