Name: Vegan Enchiladas
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 14 ounce can jackfruit in water or brine; 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 jalapeno, diced (deveined, seeds removed); 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped; 1 Tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional); 1/2 cup nacho cheese sauce, or vegan cheese of choice; 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed; 3 cups chopped fresh spinach; 1 15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes; 1/2 cup hatch green chili sauce

When I first became plant-based, I struggled with cooking and eating jackfruit. Similar to tofu, I had an issue with the soggy texture. Then, I discovered jackfruit is magical if cooked correctly.

Actually, jackfruit has the texture of chicken! I didn’t say it tastes like chicken, because obviously I don’t like chicken. But, I love the texture, especially for vegan enchiladas!

So, let’s talk about making a vegan enchilada that will bring your family to the vegan dinner table.

TRANSFORMING JACKFRUIT INTO ENCHILADA MEAT

Jackfruit, when drained and removed from a can, looks like triangles of chicken. If you taste it, as it comes from the can, it is tasteless. In fact, jackfruit’s bland flavor makes it the perfect sponge for absorbing flavors.

The fun, for me, is transforming a can of jackfruit into incredible vegan enchilada meat that would fool any meat-eater. First, it is important to buy the jackfruit in water or brine.

One of the biggest mistakes people make, however, is buying jackfruit in syrup. Unfortunately, I have made this mistake, and I ended up throwing my whole meal away. And I hate wasting food. So, avoid that pitfall and buy jackfruit in water or brine.

Then, you simply rinse the jackfruit, put it in your food processor, and pulse until shredded.

Although many recipes suggest using the jackfruit as is, I disagree. Instead, I like to cook it first. Similar to my Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip, cooking the jackfruit first, give it a different texture and flavor.

In order for the jackfruit to get the right flavor and texture, my goal is for the jackfruit to absorb the flavors of the onions, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, and spices before it goes inside the vegan enchiladas.

Sauteeing the onions, garlic, and jalapeno together, first, brings the flavors together before adding the cilantro. The magic, however, is sauteeing the cilantro with the initial vegetables with lime and then adding the jackfruit.

Once the jackfruit is added to the pan, the goal is to add spices, brown it and dry it out.

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN ENCHILADAS

At this point, I added Skinny Nacho Cheese Sauce, as well as raw spinach and black beans. Even though I used Skinny Nacho Cheese Sauce, any vegan cheese can be substituted for the jackfruit mixture to make vegan enchiladas.

MEAL PREP TIPS FOR VEGAN ENCHILADA RECIPE

As you all know, I am all about cooking ahead of time to make daily meals easier. For this reason, I doubled the jackfruit sauteed recipe to make my vegan tortilla soup recipe. As a result, the jackfruit mixture can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you are ready to make the enchiladas.

Then, all you have to do is throw is together to save time when it’s time to make dinner. In the same way, if you double the recipe for the jackfruit meat, you prep once for two separate meals.

Also, the Skinny Nacho Cheese Sauce made ahead of time, can be used for a variety of recipes such as:

QUICK AND EASY VEGAN ENCHILADA SAUCE

Recently, I made a Mexican Lasagna, using a combination of fire-roasted tomatoes and hatch chili sauce. This two-ingredient enchilada sauce, for example, is simple and can also be prepared beforehand if food prepping.

To avoid using any oil, simply add half of the enchilada sauce n the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch pan, and then roll the enchiladas together.

ROLLING THE TORTILLAS FOR VEGAN ENCHILADAS

As soon as the bottom of the pan is covered in half the enchilada sauce, it is time to roll the tortillas.

First, lay each tortilla on a flat surface. Next, using the combined jackfruit mixture, place a generous amount in the middle of the tortilla lengthwise.

Then, fold both ends, tuck and roll the tortilla tightly, keeping the jackfruit filling inside. The trick, then, is to lay each tortilla in the base of the pan, on top of half the enchilada sauce, seam down. As a result, the filling will stay inside the tortillas.

Now, pour the remaining enchilada sauce equally over the top of the stuffed tortillas. For an added bonus, using a squirt bottle, I drizzled additional Skinny NachoCheese Sauce on top.

GARNISH OPTIONS FOR VEGAN ENCHILADAS

Even though these enchiladas are fabulous alone, I love to add extras to make it pretty and a bit more yummy.

Lime
Cilantro
Jalapenos
Avocado
Skinny Nacho Cheese Sauce

Because I love Mexican food, I often find myself thinking about the possibilities of different recipes to make. Without a doubt, vegan enchiladas are a game-changer. My family, for instance, is my test kitchen. And, by no means are they easily swayed.

Even though I love my Green Plant-Based Potato and Kale Enchiladas, my family is now fans of my new vegan enchilada recipe.

DO YOU LOVE MEXICAN FOOD? TRY THESE RECIPES:

8 servings