Vegan Enchilada Casserole

Take your enchiladas to the next level by layering them in a pan for a vegan enchilada casserole to die for. This vegan enchilada casserole recipe is easy, so you will never roll another enchilada again!

Something about a hot vegan enchilada casserole brings comfort on a cold day. So instead of making vegan enchiladas, I made a vegan enchilada casserole recipe by layering the ingredients in a casserole dish for an easy dinner. 

Since the weekdays are hectic, I'm all about easy meals I can make ahead of time and cook when ready. Vegan enchilada casserole layers vegetables, corn tortillas, and vegan nacho cheese sauce for a delicious meal.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Sauce Ingredients
• Sauce Ingredients Substitutions 
• How to Make the Casserole
• Cooking Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Mexican Recipes to Try
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Another bonus to this recipe is that I can make it ahead of time and then bake it whenever I want. Sometimes, I even bake it ahead of time and reheat the enchilada casserole.

Recipe Ingredients

• Corn Tortillas: Corn tortillas are both gluten-free and oil-free. They have a sturdy texture perfect for layering in a casserole.
• White Onion: White onions are commonly used in salsas as well as other Mexican recipes.
• Jalapeno: Jalapenos, although thought to be hot, are actually not very spicy if their seeds and veins are removed.
• Red Bell Pepper: Red bell peppers are sweeter than green peppers and add sweetness to the casserole.
• Corn: Corn adds sweetness and substance to the enchilada casserole recipe.
• Pinto Beans or black beans: I used pinto meats because they are meaty and hold up well when cooked.
• Enchilada sauce: I made my own enchilada sauce which is included in the recipe.
• Vegan Lentil Taco Meat: I make vegan taco meat from lentils. This is an optional ingredient.
• Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce: I make a vegan nacho cheese sauce from carrots and potatoes.
• Cilantro (garnish): I love adding cilantro to any vegan Mexican dish.
• Roma Tomatoes (garnish): I used Roma tomatoes because they have few seeds and they are easy to dice without any mess.
• Green Onions (garnish): green onions add a slight onion taste and a beautiful green garnish.

Sauce Ingredients

• Tomato Sauce: I prefer organic tomato sauce. A tomato naturally has three flavors: sweetness, acidity, and umami. The trick to a flavorful tomato sauce is to balance or accentuate those three flavors.
• Vegetable Broth: Vegetable broth is made of vegetables boiled in water to create a flavorful liquid.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar flavor is tart, tangy, or slightly sweet with an acidic taste.
• Adobo Chili Peppers: Adobo Sauce is made from chili powder, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and herbs
• Chili Powder: Chili powder is usually used as a seasoning spice made with chili pepper base and made-up cumin and garlic powder.
• Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika has a smoky and spicy flavor with hints of sweetness.
• Cumin: Cumin is rich and hearty, earthy and warm, with an edge of citrus.
• Onion Powder: Onion powder provides an additional onion flavor.
• Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is dried ground garlic. It adds another level of savory to this enchilada casserole.
• Salt: Salt enhances the ingredients in the enchilada casserole recipe.

Sauce Ingredients Substitutions 

Another option for a quick and easy enchilada sauce for a vegan enchilada casserole recipe is to combine two simple ingredients:

• Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• Hatch green chili sauce
• Or, buy canned or jarred enchilada sauce already prepared.

How to Make the Casserole

• Begin the enchilada sauce by pouring ⅓ of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 X 8 casserole dish.
• As a result, the casserole won't stick to the bottom of the dish. 
• Next, cut the tortillas in half and arrange them on top of the enchilada sauce crisis, crossing half the tortillas into a sealed layer.
• Then,  add half the sauteed vegetables and beans, half of the vegan nacho cheese sauce, vegan lentil taco meat(optional), and more enchilada sauce.  

• Once the first layers are complete, repeat with more tortillas, beans, vegetable mixture, lentil meat (if using), and vegan nacho cheese sauce.
• Top with the rest of the enchilada sauce, and cover with aluminum foil for baking.

Cooking Instructions

Bake the enchilada casserole immediately, or bake it later. Bake the vegan enchilada casserole recipe ahead of time and reheat the casserole when desired. 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
• Cook the vegan enchilada casserole covered for 40 minutes.
• Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and cover it again with aluminum foil and allow it to set up for about 10 minutes.
• Or, bake the casserole, allow it to cool completely, and refrigerate until you are ready to reheat individual pieces or the entire casserole. 

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• As a shortcut, choose canned or jarred enchilada sauce.
• The enchilada casserole can be made with only vegetables without the lentil taco meat.
• Or choose a different type of taco layer filling such as walnut taco meat, mushroom chorizo taco meat, or jackfruit carnitas.
• Another option is to use prepared brown lentils. I have used Trader Joe's steamed brown lentils.
• Cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of enchilada sauce to prevent the tortillas from sticking to the bottom of the casserole.
• Allow the enchilada casserole to sit, covered for at least 10 minutes before servings. Otherwise, the casserole will not stay together.

Instead of rolling individual enchiladas, make a quick and easy vegan enchilada casserole the whole family will love!

Other Mexican Recipes to Try

If you love this vegan enchilada casserole recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

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