The Best Vegan Enchiladas
Vegan Enchiladas are a delicious and easy weeknight recipe. Made with black beans and sweet potatoes, these meatless enchiladas are hearty, and they’ll fill you right up! They are guaranteed to become a family favorite!
What Makes These Vegan Enchiladas So Good?
The cheese! That’s it. The yummy, gooey, vegan mozzarella cheese.
Okay, so maybe it’s a little more than that. In fact, there are a ton of reasons to treat yourself to these vegan enchiladas! Here’s why I love these enchiladas, and think that you will too:
- So Hearty: Since this is a veggie-forward blog, we sub the meat out for black beans, which are high in protein, and add hearty sweet potatoes. You definitely will not hear any complaints of an empty stomach after serving up a plate of these veggie enchiladas!
- Crowd-Pleaser: I don’t know about you, but I don’t know many people (any at all?) who will turn down a cheesy, sauce-smothered plate of enchiladas. This recipe looks really elegant, but it only takes 45 minutes to make. You can impress your guest with these enchiladas, while still being able to spend time with them, instead of being in the kitchen!
- Totally Customizable: It’s no secret that decorating is one of the best parts of cooking – it’s so fun! As you can see, I had a blast organizing these pictures. Decorate your enchiladas with avocado slices, tomato, corn kernels, or whatever else your heart desires!
Notes on Ingredients
- Coconut Oil: For cooking the sweet potatoes and onion in. In case you’ve never used it before, note that you will not taste any coconut flavour in the enchiladas. You can use any oil here.
- Sweet Potato: One medium-sized potato should be enough. You can also use any kind here.
- Onion: I like to use a purple onion, sliced, but any kind works here.
- Seasoning: Combine ground black pepper, sea salt, cumin, and chili powder.
- Water: Added moisture to ensure that the potatoes don’t dry out while cooking.
- Garlic: Minced.
- Black Beans: You’ll need cooked black beans, drained (I usually used canned).
- Cheese: Vegan mozzarella shreds or cheddar shreds
- Tortillas: Use 6-8 large tortillas (see tips below for more info).
- Enchilada Sauce: I generally use store-bought because it’s quick, but if you have a homemade recipe feel free to use that. If using store-bought, make sure to read the ingredient list on the jar, because not all enchilada sauces are vegan – some contain milk.
- Garnish: Chop up some avocado, Roma tomato, and cilantro for garnish! Also consider adding vegan sour cream as a topping.
What Kinds of Tortillas to Use
My tortilla of choice is usually corn tortillas – they are what is traditionally used to make enchiladas. That said, there’s no reason that you can’t use flour tortillas, so sometimes I use those instead when I run out of corn tortillas.
Whichever of the two you have on hand will work beautifully!
How to Make Vegan Enchiladas (Step by Step)
Please scroll below for the recipe card! This is just step by step photos for illustration purposes. Preheat Oven and prepare a 13″ x 9″ casserole dish by greasing and set aside.
Sauté the Onion & Sweet Potato: In a skillet over medium heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and sweet potatoes in the oil and coat. Sprinkle the ground black pepper and sea salt over the mixture to combine.
Add the Water: Then cover the pot and cook until potatoes are crispy on the outside but cooked through on the inside, about 8 minutes, stirring often so that the onions don’t burn.
Stir in Seasoning: Add the garlic, cumin and chili powder and stir to combine with the sweet potato and onions.
Add the Black Beans: Lower heat to medium and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Stir once more.
Construct the Enchiladas: To assemble the enchiladas, scoop the sweet potato and black bean mixture evenly amongst the tortillas. To prevent soggy enchiladas, you can optionally fry the tortillas in a bit of hot oil (about ¼ cup oil) for a few seconds on each side, then dip them in sauce and set them aside. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and enchilada sauce each and roll together tightly.
Add Sauce: Pour ¾ cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the rolled tortillas side by side to pack the casserole dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top and the rest of the cheese.
Bake and Serve: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven. Remove and allow to cool slightly for about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped tomatoes, avocados, enchilada sauce, and green onions, and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
Before you get started, I have a couple of tips and tricks on enchilada-making that will make your life in the kitchen so much easier:
- Don’t Buy Small Tortillas: Don’t try to use the 6″ ones and pretend that they could really be for enchiladas. You’ll end up overstuffing them, sighing, running to buy larger actual tortillas and wasting a lot of time. (Personal experience speaking, as I’m sure you guessed.)
- How to Make It Gluten Free: Simply use gluten free tortillas and buy or make an enchilada sauce that uses gluten free flour. Or, omit the enchilada sauce and use salsa in its place.
- Place the Tortillas Seam-Down in the Baking Dish: This way they will be a lot less likely to unroll on you while you’re situating and baking them.
- If You Don’t Have Vegan Cheese: Use creamy avocado or guacamole instead! It’s a great substitution, and you won’t even miss the cheese.
- Embrace the Mess! Enchiladas will almost always be messy. Embrace it and sit back in satisfaction when your masterpiece is done. 🙂
- Prevent Soggy Enchiladas: To prevent soggy enchiladas, you can optionally fry the tortillas in a bit of hot oil (about ¼ cup oil) for a few seconds on each side, then dip them in sauce and set them aside. Then continue with the rest of the recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Vegan enchiladas are so filling that we don’t generally need any sides to supplement them! That said, there is a seemingly endless amount of toppings that can be added to the dish itself. Some of our favorite things to include are: extra cheese, slices of avocado, diced or sliced tomato, and vegan sour cream.
If you feel that you need a little something extra on the side, a simple pot of rice (or cauliflower rice) or a small green salad could be a good idea. I would steer clear of beans, though, since you’ve already got them in your enchiladas!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
I use a casserole dish with a fitted top that turns it into an easy-to-store fridge container. Alternatively, you can transfer the tortillas to an airtight tupperware container once they are completely cooled. Be sure to transfer all the sauce too.
You can reheat these vegan enchiladas by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and cooking until warmed through, or you can use the microwave.
Can I Freeze These?
Unfortunately, I don’t recommend freezing these. They’re best when fresh, or within a couple days of when you made them. Freezing can make the vegetables and tortillas soggy upon reheating.
Enjoy friends! If you make these Vegan Enchiladas, 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!
Easy Vegan Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- ½ large purple onion, sliced or diced
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ to 1 cup cooked black beans, drained (I
- 1 ¾ cups vegan mozzarella shreds
- 6 to 8 to tortillas
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- ¼ avocado, chopped for garnish
- 1 small roma tomato chopped for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
- vegan sour cream for garnish
Instructions
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Prepare a 13" x 9" casserole dish by greasing and set aside.
- In a skillet over medium heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the onion and sweet potatoes in the oil and coat. Sprinkle the ground black pepper and sea salt over the mixture to combine.
- Add the water. Cover the pot and cook until potatoes are crispy on the outside but cooked through on the inside, about 8 minutes, stirring often so that the onions don’t burn.
- Add the garlic, cumin and chili powder and stir to combine with the sweet potato and onions.
- Add the black beans. Lower heat to medium and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Stir once more.
- To prevent soggy enchiladas, you can optionally fry the tortillas in a bit of hot oil (about ¼ cup oil) for a few seconds on each side, then dip them in sauce and set them aside. Then continue with the rest of the recipe. To assemble enchiladas, scoop the sweet potato black bean mixture evenly amongst the tortillas. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and enchilada sauce each and roll together tightly.
- Pour ¾ cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the rolled tortillas side by side to pack the casserole dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top and the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven. Remove and allow to cool slightly for about 2 minutes.
- Garnish chopped tomatoes, avocados, enchiladas sauce, green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Don’t Buy Small Tortillas: Don’t try to use the 6″ ones and pretend that they could really be for enchiladas. You’ll end up overstuffing them, sighing, running to buy larger actual tortillas and wasting a lot of time. (Personal experience speaking, as I’m sure you guessed.)
- How to Make It Gluten Free: Simply use gluten free tortillas and buy or make an enchilada sauce that uses gluten free flour. Or, omit the enchilada sauce and use salsa in its place.
- Place the Tortillas Seam-Down in the Baking Dish: This way they will be a lot less likely to unroll on you while you’re situating and baking them.
- If You Don’t Have Vegan Cheese: Use creamy avocado or guacamole instead! It’s a great substitution, and you won’t even miss the cheese.
- Embrace the Mess! Enchiladas will almost always be messy. Embrace it and sit back in satisfaction when your masterpiece is done. 🙂
- Prevent Soggy Enchiladas: To prevent soggy enchiladas, you can optionally fry the tortillas in a bit of hot oil (about ¼ cup oil) for a few seconds on each side, then dip them in sauce and set them aside. Then continue with the rest of the recipe.
- HOW TO STORE: I use a casserole dish with a fitted top that turns it into an easy to store fridge container. Alternatively, you can transfer the tortillas to an airtight tupperware container once they are completely cooled. Ensure you transfer all the sauce too. I don’t recommend freezing these. You can reheat them by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and reheating slightly, or in the microwave.
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.
More Vegan Dinner Ideas
Ready to try out some more simple yet divine vegan dinner recipes? If so, I’ve got a few suggestions:
This recipe is so good! I made it tonight for the first time & we couldn’t believe how delicious & easy it was. The sweet potatoes work perfectly in this dish. I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for the recipe! We’ll definitely make this again.
Thank you so much Heather. We’re so happy that you like it!
These enchiladas were amazingly good! I’ve lived in South Texas all my life so I’ve eaten my fair share of enchiladas but have never attempted making them myself. I was a bit intimidated going in but your instructions were so easy to follow and made everything a breeze. They turned out beautifully, the flavor was perfect, and I ate way too many!
Wow thank you so much Nielle! We’re so happy that you like it!
Great recipe thank you for sharing. I have always been a fan of regular enchiladas, but was recommended to try this. Overall it was very good and easy to make. 5 stars!
Thanks so much King P. We’re so happy that you like this.