Vegan Enchilada Pasta

Enchilada pasta is made in one pan in under 20 minutes. Not only is this enchilada pasta recipe easy to make, but each bite will bring you back for more.

Whenever I'm in a hurry, I love making one-pot pasta recipes with minimal mess in under 20 minutes. So today, I made a one-pot vegan enchilada pasta recipe that turned out exactly as planned. Even though I love vegan enchiladas, vegan enchilada pasta is quick, easy, and a family favorite. 

Jump to:

• Vegan Protein
• Enchilada Pasta Ingredients
• Enchilada Pasta Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make Enchilada Pasta
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Great Vegan Mexican Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

So, on those busy nights, make one pan enchilada pasta in under 20 minutes instead of grabbing an unhealthy quick fix. 

Vegan Protein

One of my favorite questions people ask is where vegans get their protein.

Healthline says black beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and folate, like many other beans. As a result, they are a staple food in Central and South America.

One cup (172 grams) of cooked black beans contains roughly (31):

• Calories: 227
• Protein: 15.2 grams
• Fiber: 15 grams
• Folate (vitamin B9): 64% of the RDI
• Manganese: 38% of the RDI
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDI
• Thiamine (vitamin B1): 28% of the RDI
• Iron: 20% of the RDI

Furthermore, black beans may also help reduce the spike in blood sugar after eating a meal, which may help reduce the risk of diabetes and weight gain.

On the other hand, Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be great additions to soups and stews. They may also have several health benefits .

One cup (198 grams) of cooked lentils contains roughly:

• Calories: 230
• Protein: 17.9 grams
• Fiber: 15.6 grams
• Folate (vitamin B9): 90% of the RDI
• Manganese: 49% of the RDI
• Copper: 29% of the RDI
• Thiamine (vitamin B1): 22% of the RDI

Like chickpeas, lentils can help reduce blood sugar compared to other foods.

Enchilada Pasta Ingredients

Of course, let's keep it simple with regular pantry ingredients and vegetables. 

• Rigatoni Pasta: I like rigatoni pasta because the tubes of pasta hold the ingredients inside and outside of the pasta tubes.
• White Onion: Although strong in flavor, white onion sweetens when cooked.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell peppers are naturally sweet, and their vibrant red color enhances the taste and appearance of this pasta dish.
• Jalapeño Pepper: When cooking with jalapenos, where gloves and remove the seeds and vein, before chopping.
• Black Beans: Black beans are firm, hearty, and often used in Mexican cuisine.
• Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves when cooking.
• Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are canned tomatoes that are fire-roasted over an open flame to accentuate their flavor. They taste sweet and subtly smoky right out of the can instead of bitter and acidic like most standard canned tomatoes.
• Prepared Lentils: I used half of a package of Trader Joe's steamed prepared lentils as a shortcut.
• Taco Seasoning: I buy organic vegan taco seasoning packets at Whole Foods or Sprouts.
• Vegetable Broth: The vegetable broth is the base of this enchilada pasta recipe.

Enchilada Pasta Ingredient Substitutions

• Choose any pasta type and shape. If using gluten-free pasta, cook the pasta separately and reduce the vegetable broth by 3 cups.
• Yellow onion is often substituted for white onion in recipes.
• Try green bell peppers for baby bell peppers.
• Skip the jalapeno if sensitive to spice.
• One clove of fresh garlic equals ¼ teaspoon of granulated garlic powder. The same conversion applies to dehydrated or freeze-dried garlic or even minced refrigerated garlic.
• If you don't have fire-roasted tomatoes on hand, definitely don't attempt to char your own. The truth is, regular canned tomatoes will work fine as a substitute. You can even add a pinch of smoked paprika to make up for it.
• Cook the lentils or use drained canned lentils or pre-packaged steamed lentils.
• Pinto beans are used to substitute black beans in recipes.
• Make your own taco seasoning blend. Most taco seasoning mixes contain salt, warming spices (such as paprika, oregano, and chili), onion powder, and garlic powder. The measurements I use are 1 Tablespoon of chili powder, 1 Tablespoon of cumin,1 Tablespoon of Paprika, 1 Tablespoon of garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon of oregano, 2 Tablespoons of onion powder, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

How to Make Enchilada Pasta

Instead of cooking the pasta in a separate pan, everything goes in one pot together. And one pot means minimal mess. 

• In a large pot, saute garlic and onions until translucent.
• Add red bell peppers and jalapenos and saute for a few minutes.

• Then, add black beans, lentils, and fire-roasted tomatoes.
• Now, add the dry pasta.
• Top with 6 cups of vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 package of taco seasoning.
• Stir everything together.

• Cover the pot and reduce to simmer
• Simmer for 15 minutes
• Remove the cover and stir again; replace the lid.

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• Leave for 5-10 minutes; sauce thickens upon standing

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• Choose any type and shape pasta.
• If using gluten-free pasta, cook the pasta separately and reduce the vegetable broth to half (3 cups).
• Add other vegetables like corn, zucchini, or any preferred vegetables.
• If sensitive to spice, skip the jalapenos.
• When cooking with jalapenos, always wear gloves to avoid burning your fingers, eyes, or hands.
• Serve enchilada pasta with vegan sour cream, chips and guacamole, and hot sauce for guests to add additonal spice.
• I suggest serving the pasta with vegan cornbread or a Mexican Quinoa Salad.

For a quick and delicious meal in under 20 minutes, try enchilada pasta!

Other Great Vegan Mexican Recipes

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