Vegan Enchilada Casserole
This slow cooker vegan enchilada casserole takes only 15 minutes of prep, then add it all into the crockpot. It’s filling, flavourful, and the easiest way to make vegan enchiladas!
When I first stopped eating meat, I went through a slow cooker phase. I quickly learned that pretty much everything tastes better once it’s been cooking away for hours, and this vegan enchilada casserole is no exception.
The blend of Tex-Mex flavours really creates the perfect meal and it will make your whole house smell amazing too. My favourite ingredient in this vegan enchilada casserole is definitely the quinoa, which makes the dish hearty and satisfying.
Get ready for your family to finish their dinner and ask for seconds!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Enchilada Casserole.
- So filling. With protein-packed quinoa and black beans, along with lots of veggies, this is a dinner that will keep you full and satisfied.
- Easy to make. We don’t always have time to roll vegan enchiladas (or even make a quinoa enchilada skillet), in which case this slow cooker enchilada casserole is a game-changer.
- Comfort food heaven. Just the word “casserole” makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! While I love traditional cozy casseroles like vegan chicken pot pie casserole, this vegan enchilada casserole serves up comfort food goodness with Tex-Mex flair.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Vegetable broth – Here’s how to make vegetable broth from kitchen scraps.
- Uncooked quinoa – If yours doesn’t say it’s been rinsed on the package, give it a good rinse to make sure there’s no bitter coating.
- Black beans – Pinto beans would also work in this recipe!
- Corn kernels – Sweet corn is a tasty addition to this vegan enchilada casserole.
- Diced tomatoes – Use fire-roasted tomatoes for extra flavour.
- Enchilada sauce – Any variety you like.
- Vegetables – Green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and onion.
- Seasonings – Garlic, chili powder or chipotle powder, sea salt, ground black pepper, and cumin add Tex-Mex flavour in spades.
- Lime – To brighten everything up.
- Vegan mozzarella cheese shreds – Or another type of vegan cheese you like.
- Garnish – Chopped parsley, tomatoes, vegan sour cream.
How to Make Vegan Enchilada Casserole
- Combine. Stir together the veggie broth with all the other ingredients except the cheese and lime in the slow cooker.
- Cook. Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Finish. When there are about 10 minutes left, open the slow cooker and stir in the lime juice and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Serve. Divide the vegan enchilada casserole into bowls and serve with your favourite toppings.
Tips for Success
- Stir well. To make sure there aren’t any clumps of spices, make sure to give the vegan enchilada casserole a good stir before closing the lid.
- Don’t overcook. Keep an eye on the slow cooker towards the end of cooking time, as every crockpot cooks differently and you don’t want the quinoa and veggies to become mushy.
- Make ahead. This vegan enchilada casserole is perfect for meal prep, as it keeps in the refrigerator for a week. You can also get a head start by cutting the vegetables up to 2 days in advance.
Variations
- Make it spicy. For those who love a bit more heat, consider adding cayenne pepper, canned green chilis, or a diced jalapeno to the mix before cooking.
- Add faux meat. Stir cubes or torn pieces of vegan chicken into the casserole during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
- Switch up the veggies. Zucchini, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms—there are so many options!
Serving Suggestions
Serve your vegan enchilada casserole alongside cauliflower rice, with vegan cornbread, or topped with restaurant-style blender salsa or guacamole.
How to Store Leftovers
Transfer leftover vegan enchilada casserole to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet set over low heat on the stovetop.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
This casserole also freezes well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Vegan Slow Cooker Favourites
- Vegan Chili (Slow Cooker)
- Slow Cooker Mushroom Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Tofu Butter Chicken (Vegan)
- White Bean and Kale Soup (Vegan, Slow Cooker)
- Vegan Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quinoa Chili (Slow Cooker)
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan enchilada casserole, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth, (540ml)
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa, (270g)
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed, (425g)
- 15 oz can corn kernels, drained and rinsed, (418g)
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, about 2 cups (do not drain), (411g)
- 1 cup enchilada sauce, (240ml)
- ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper, (roughly 100g)
- ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper, (roughly 100g)
- 1 medium onion, chopped OR ½ large red onion (100g)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder or chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
- juice of 1 large lime, about 1 ½ tablespoons
- 1 ¼ cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds, or a mix if you like
- TO GARNISH: chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, vegan sour cream
Instructions
- Add the veggie broth, and then all the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese and the lime into the slow cooker. Stir a few times to completely combine.
- Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 2 to 2 ½ hours. I’ve made it both ways, and it just depends on your individual slow cooker.
- When there are about 10 minutes left, open the slow cooker and add the lime juice and ½ the cheese. Stir it in as best as you can, then smooth the mix back flat again. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place the lid back on and let it cook for the last 10 minutes.
- When the casserole is ready, serve with your favourite toppings (avocado, chopped green onions, parsley, tomato and sour cream). Enjoy!!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Hi Jessica
Just want you to know that I LOVE this recipe! As a meat eater for more than 50 years, and now a ‘2 yr old “ pescatarian, but mostly vegetarian, I am still discovering new recipes and ways to cook without meat. This is one of the BEST vegan dishes I have made and, it is so good, even my meat eating family loves it! I could see myself using this casserole in the morning with an egg dish or in the afternoon over a salad- hmm, now if I can just figure out how to add it to a dessert dish ;o)
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes as well! Keep up the great work!
Bev
Hi Bev I’m so happy that I was able to help you along your journey! Thank you so much for reading and I’m here for any questions that you might have!
I made this last night and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers! It was super easy to make and so delicious. It’s very filling and packed with veggies. This will definitely go into our meal rotation.
Awesome we’re so happy you enjoyed it Wendy!
This recipe is awesome! I didn’t even follow the recipe exactly – I don’t really care for peppers so I used a can of chick peas in their place, I hadn’t realized my garlic had gone bad so I used 2 tsp garlic powder instead of cloves of garlic, and my lime barely had any juice in it, and this still turned out great! I am enjoying it for my lunches this week, and I will definitely make it again. Healthy, tasty, versatile, super easy – you really can’t lose!!
Wow Emma thank you so much! We really appreciate your breakdown! Thank you for reading and thank you for trying our recipe!
Loved this !! And so easy !!
Thank you so much Michelle!!
Made this exactly as written for myself and hubs, and we liked it so much, I made it for a big group function I was providing supper for, using 3 different crock pots! Because of the variance in crock pots I just needed an extra half hour of cooking time, but otherwise it all went perfectly. The group loved it! I had salsa, hot sauce, plain Greek yogurt and regular cheese as optional toppings on the side since no one was strict vegan. Definitely will keep for future use! Bonus: cooking vegetarian for a big group is way less expensive than cooking meat! 💰
Hi Cherisa,
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much and that so that everyone else!! Thanks so much for leaving your tips since I know it’ll help someone in the future, and you’re so right re that bonus!
This was a big hit with my husband (omnivore) and son (vegetarian). I used real mozzarella cheese and sour cream since no one is vegan. I don’t like green peppers so I substituted yellow. Other than all the chopping it was pretty easy!
Hi Elizabeth,
Yay! So happy to hear that everyone enjoyed! Thanks so much for sharing your substitutes!!
Jessica, this was one of the first recipes of yours that I made. This is a staple in our household. I’m making another batch tonight, especially for my cousin in law who is 39 weeks pregnant. I made this for them after their first baby was born a year and a half ago and it’s been requested for this post birth meal plan!!
I’m a big fan, as you know, and I will continue to keep this recipe going in our family. Thank you Jessica!
Wow Ana, we are so happy that this recipe is loved by so much of your family! Jessica and I really smiled when we read this message. This was so touching thank you so much for this sweet comment! I hope you and your family have an incredible day.
Honestly one of my new favorite vegan go-tos. The recipe is so easy and yet has so much depth in flavor! I added fresh spinach, tomatoes and avocado after I took it out of the slower cooker and viola! Perfect. Highly recommend!
My slow cooker does not have a setting for high 2-2.5 hrs… should I just set it on high for 4 hrs and turn it off after 2-2.5hrs?
Hi Melissa thank you so much for reading. Yes, you can definitely do that.
I havent tried it yet. Can you recommend cooking time for instant pot? Also, what if I use dry, uncooked black beans in instant pot? Thanks!
Hi Red thanks so much for reading. We haven’t actually tried this recipe in the instapot yet or tried using dried black beans. So I wouldn’t be able to give you a recommendation as of yet for these variations.
Red – im going to try this tonight in the instant pot, going based off the recommended time for uncooked beans. I’ll try to post my results!
I used the same recipe with dried beans and brown rice and 4 cups of broth in the instant pot and it worked out perfectly! Like a chili consistency
We’re so happy that you enjoyed it Stepanie. That’s great that the substitutions worked out well.
Any advice to make this suitable for an instapot? P.S. your positive vibe exudes through the screen from your social media. So lovely! 😘
Hi Brittany, thanks so much for reading! We haven’t been able to test this in the instapot so I’m not able to direct you.