Vegan Enchiladas

If you’re looking for the Best Vegan Enchiladas, look no further. Warm tortillas filled with vegan ground “beef,” hearty black beans, and vegan cheddar cheese, then smothered with a homemade sauce that will have you coming back for seconds!

Unless you live in a really vegan-friendly city, it’s unlikely you’ll come across vegan enchiladas on the menu at your local Mexican restaurants. Thankfully we’ve figured out how to satisfy the craving in your home kitchen! 

These enchiladas we’re inspired by our very popular Vegan Enchilada Casserole made with our favorite Vegan Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Sauce. 

This version is equally delicious and satisfying, but made even easier with a couple of convenient store-bought swaps. Basically the perfect vegan dinner recipe for busy weeknights! 

Ingredients You’ll Need 

• Red enchilada sauce: We prefer to use our Homemade Vegan Enchilada Sauce, but feel free to use any vegan-friendly store-bought version.
• Onion: We prefer the stronger flavor of white onions here, but feel free to use yellow onion if needed. 
• Vegan ground beef: Any vegan ground beef of choice will work well. We typically buy the Impossible ground beef. We find it to be more neutral in flavor than other brands.
• Garlic: Freshly minced cloves of garlic will add the best flavor, but if needed, substitute with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. 
• Black beans: The combination of vegan beef and black beans makes the best, hearty enchilada filling. We used a can of black beans to make it quick and easy, but feel free to cook your own beans from scratch if you’d like.
• Green chiles: Adds a mild heat and subtle tangy flavor, enhancing the tanginess in the vegan enchilada sauce.
• Cumin: Deepens the flavor in the filling with its warm, earthy undertones. 
• Vegan cheese: Mexican cheese shreds are our personal favorite, but if you prefer to go the homemade route, our Vegan Mozzarella cheese will work well here. Just slice it thinly! 
• Tortillas: We like to make our homemade enchiladas with eight 8″ flour tortillas because they are larger than corn tortillas and fill a 9×13 baking dish nicely. Corn tortillas will work, but you may need more to use all of the filling (10-12). 

Equipment Needed

• Large skillet
• Spatula
• 9×13″ baking dish

How to Make Vegan Enchiladas

Make the Filling

1. Sauté the onions. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and salt, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until the onions soften. 
2. Brown the “beef.” Add the vegan ground beef and garlic, Mix together, breaking up the beef with your spatula. Cook until the beef browns, 5-7 minutes, then lower the heat to low. 
3. Add the remaining filling ingredients. Add the black beans, green chiles, cumin, and 1/2 cup of the vegan enchilada sauce. Mix until well combined, then add the vegan cheese shreds. Stir again to combine. Once the cheese has melted, remove the skillet from the heat. 

Assemble the Enchiladas

1. Prepare the dish. Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish. 
2. Fill the tortillas. Place a flour tortilla on a flat work surface and add about 1/2 cup of the enchilada filling down the middle of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla, leaving the ends open, and place in the baking dish, seam side down. Repeat the process until all tortillas are filling and seam side down in the baking dish. 
3. Top with sauce and cheese. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and spread evenly. Sprinkle with additional shredded vegan cheese on top. 
4. Bake. Transfer the baking dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 30 minutes or until the edges of the enchiladas are crispy. 
5. Serve! Let cool for a few minutes in the baking tray, then serve while warm with your favorite toppings. Enjoy! 

Our Favorite Toppings

We typically serve our enchiladas with a dollop of vegan sour cream and fresh cilantro, but there are several toppings that pair well. 

• Guacamole
• Restaurant-Style Salsa or Pico de Gallo
• Diced onion
• Shredded iceberg lettuce
• Pickled jalapeños
• Vegan nacho cheese sauce

Side Dishes that Pair Well

There’s no shame in enjoying these enchiladas as a standalone main loaded with your favorite toppings, but the right sides can take this meal to the next level. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Vegan Refried Beans
• Homemade Spanish Rice
• Avocado Corn Salad
• Watermelon Mojito Salad
• Simple Roasted Vegetables

It also never hurts to enjoy these enchiladas with a Mexican Horchata or Classic Margarita in hand! 

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to warm the tortillas before rolling?

This really depends on the type of tortillas you’re using. We used really pliable, room-temperature flour tortillas that didn’t rip when rolled straight out of the bag. 

If you’re using corn tortillas or refrigerated tortillas, they’ll likely roll best if they’re slightly warmed beforehand. Give it some trial and error – if they rip when you bend them, Warm Up Your Tortillas before assembling!

Can I make these enchiladas without the “beef”?

If mock meats aren’t your thing, no problem. Replace the 12 ounces of vegan beef with an additional can of drained and rinsed black beans. 

How long will leftovers keep?

Once baked, these enchiladas will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can refrigerate them directly in your baking dish. Just be sure to tightly cover the dish with plastic wrap or tinfoil before refrigerating! 

More Vegan Mexican-Inspired Recipes You May Enjoy:

Gluten Free

Sheet Pan Tofu Taco Meat

Dinner

Vegan Pozole Rojo (Mexican Hominy Stew)

Gluten Free

Vegan Enchilada Casserole with Homemade Sauce (Oil & Gluten-free)

Dinner

The Best Vegan Crunchwrap Supreme (Taco Bell Copycat!)

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos! 

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