These enchiladas are so tasty that you’ll start craving Vegetarian Enchiladas all the time.
These vegetarian enchiladas get a rich umami flavor from black beans sautéed with mushrooms. Bella mushrooms are like lentils—when you cook them, their flavors release, kind of like a mushroom stock. The black beans break open their tender shells and release their umami-rich, earthy flavors.
These two ingredients fill these enchiladas with a deep, evocative, earthy vegetarian feast of flavor that is perfectly complemented by the sweet potato. Meanwhile, the cauliflower and zucchini hold everything together, and the enchilada sauce makes everything so delicious—not to mention the cheesy topping.
The Secret to Perfect Roasted Vegetables
I love roasting things. Roasting things makes my job like 98% easier. I just arrange, drizzle, and roast. I love the “convection roast” setting on my oven. I’m still getting to know my “convection bake”—it’s not as hot as I thought it would be. But the “convection roast” setting helps caramelize the sugars on the surface of your vegetables and meats (if you eat meat).
Either way, sometimes roasting for me is less clean up than the Instant Pot because I can line my sheet with foil and then just drain that greasy mess into the trash after I pour my veggies onto a plate.
Or you can take white wine and deglaze (I love that word) the roasting tray. You should see all kinds of delicious brown bits on your tray—those are caramelized bits. As my beloved chefs taught me at cooking school, “Never throw away flavor.” If you pour those back into your meat and drizzle it over, it will have three times as much flavor!
Then I fill, roll and top the enchiladas, and pop them back into the oven with that same foil kind of propped on them—done in no time and really, really delicious. I love it when a vegetarian dish is as good as a meat dish. It helps kids get to know and love beans and legumes, which grow on you, I think, the more you acquire a taste for them and eat them. They’re so cost-effective it’s smart to get everyone loving BEANS!
FAQs & Tips
How to Make Ahead and Store
With that cheese and sauce cloaking them, you can refrigerate leftovers for 2 to 3 days. You can also freeze already-baked enchiladas for 3 months and heat them up like TV dinners!
I’m Not Vegetarian, What Else Can I Add?
If you are not worried about keeping this recipe vegetarian, then a chicken base adds a heap of flavor to these while roasting. I combine butter, oil, and chicken base—which is so full of salt that I don’t need salt. But it also imparts a rich flavor. Or imitation chicken base. I brush this all over my veggies for ultimate flavor.
What If I Don’t Have Any Black Beans?
Chili beans, pinto beans, or even a 15-bean or Hambeens bean mixture will work here.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these flavorful vegetarian enchiladas with this Cheesy Mexican Rice and Loaded Tater Tots for a fun night of eating! For dessert, try this Tres Leches Cake.
For more enchilada variations, you might want to take a look at Chicken Enchiladas, Sour Cream Enchiladas or Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas.
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 small zucchini or yellow squash cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small red onion roughly chopped
- 1 small sweet potato cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small head cauliflower cut into small florets
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms quartered
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Fine sea salt to taste
- Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce homemade or store-bought
- 8 whole wheat tortillas
- 1 15-ounces can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
- Avocado sliced, for garnish
- Mexican crema or crumbled cotija cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to a toasty 400°F, setting the stage for roasting your veggies to perfection.
- Combine the zucchini, bell pepper, red onion, sweet potato, cauliflower, and mushrooms on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and give them a good toss to coat. Arrange them in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until they’re tender and have a nice, roasted look. Once done, let them cool a bit on a wire rack and turn the oven down to 350°F.
- Coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Keep 1 cup of cheese aside for the grand finale.
- Take a tortilla and lay it flat like a canvas. Spread 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce on it, then pile on your roasted veggies, black beans, and a sprinkle of cheese down the middle. Roll it up snugly and place it seam-side-down in the sauced baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, making sure they’re all covered. Sprinkle the reserved cheese on top like a cheesy blanket. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and has a golden touch.
- Serve your enchiladas hot and fresh from the oven, garnished with cilantro, avocado slices, and a dollop of Mexican crema or a sprinkle of cotija cheese. Enjoy the melty, veggie-packed goodness!
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