These Vegan Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Enchiladas are sure to impress the whole family! Roasted sweet potato, red bell peppers, and onion are seasoned to perfection and tossed with black beans to create a filling but healthy and flavorful dinner.
The corn tortillas are dipped in homemade vegan enchilada sauce and then filled and rolled and placed in a baking dish. Top with more enchilada sauce and vegan cheese then bake for 20 minutes and top with whatever toppings you enjoy most. I chose pickled jalapeños, cilantro, guacamole, and lime wedges.
I hope you enjoy these vegan enchiladas as much as I do!
Where do enchiladas come from?
The word enchilada means "dipped in chili" and that's exactly what an enchilada is. It's a corn tortilla filled with whatever you desire and then covered in a chili powder-based sauce. Enchiladas were originally created in Mexico. The version I've created today is in no way traditional but is a spin on vegan enchiladas I've had in Mexican restaurants in America.
Kitchen Essentials
Enchiladas come together pretty simple so you don't need any special equipment to make these. You will need a baking dish that can fit 12 enchiladas.
Main Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes
- Bell Peppers
- Red Onion
- Enchilada Sauce
- Black Beans
- Corn Tortillas
Substitutions
- Corn Tortillas: I've seen some enchiladas made with flour tortillas and have even made them with flour in the past but corn is traditional and tastes better in my opinion but flour is a good substitute.
- Bell Peppers: You can use any mix of bell peppers you enjoy. I used red and green but orange or yellow will also work.
- Red Onion: I like the flavor of red onion in this recipe but you can replace this with yellow onion.
- Black Beans: Pinto or Kidney will also work. You could use a mix if preferred as well.
- Sweet Potato: If you don't like sweet potato you can substitute this with Yukon gold potato or butternut squash.
Tips & Tricks
My corn tortillas keep breaking! What can I do?
To prepare your corn tortillas for making enchiladas you'll want to make sure the tortillas are fresh and soft.
I recommend buying the corn tortillas fresh the day you plan to make this recipe. Old corn tortillas while perfect for tacos will become a bit stiff and crack when rolled for recipes like this one.
Make sure you’re buying a quality brand of corn tortillas that are soft and flexible. Don’t buy stiff corn tortillas. Even if the tortillas are fresh, microwave them for a few seconds before dipping them in enchilada sauce and rolling them. Basically, you want them to be as soft as possible but not soggy or stiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find the enchilada sauce recipe on this blog post. I prefer a super saucy enchilada so I recommend increasing the written recipe by ½. Written recipe + ½. Instructions for enchilada sauce are written on step 3.
Corn tortillas are more traditional and in my opinion, taste better but flour will work if preferred.
Enchiladas are coated in a chili-based sauce and then baked.
I used Violife Cheddar Cheese. Follow your Heart, Daiya, or any vegan-friendly cheddar cheese will work for this recipe. I find that some don't melt very well so I like to add it to a pan on medium heat and add a splash of plant milk and create a cheese sauce before adding it on top.
Anything you'd like!! You could do vegan beef crumbles, crumbled tofu, a mix of beans, more vegetables, jackfruit, etc. I could go on and on! Add anything you have on hand. The true necessities for this recipe are the corn tortillas and the enchilada sauce.
I went with guacamole, pickled jalapeños, cilantro and lime wedges but the options are endless. Sour cream, diced tomatoes and pickled red onion would also be delicious.
More Recipes You Might Like:
Recipe
Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Enchiladas
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables:
- 2 cups Diced Sweet Potatoes
- 1 cup Diced Mixed Bell Peppers
- 1 cup Diced Red Onion
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Coriander
- Pinch of Cayenne
- Pinch of Black Pepper
Black Bean Enchiladas:
- Vegan Enchilada Sauce Written recipe + ½.
- 1 cup Canned Black Beans
- 12 Corn Tortillas
- 1 cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Toppings:
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Lime Wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Dice the sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and red onion. Toss the vegetables in vegetable oil and all the spices and seasonings.
- Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked through and starting to brown.
- Make the enchilada sauce and set aside. I recommend adjusting the recipe and making 1 + ½ batch for these to make them saucy and more delicious. See above for more information.
- Mix the black beans with the roasted sweet potato and vegetables.
- Microwave the corn tortillas for a few seconds to soften. This helps them from cracking.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375F and add enchilada sauce to the bottom of a deep baking dish.
- Coat both sides of the tortilla in enchilada sauce and add a little bit of the filling and roll. Place in a baking dish seam side down. Continue until you have used up all the filling. Should make around 12.
- Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and shredded vegan cheddar cheese or alternatively you can melt the cheese on the stove top with 3-4 tablespoons of plant milk and then drizzle over the top. I recommend this if you want the cheese to appear completely melted. See above for more information.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Top with guacamole, cilantro, lime wedges and anything else you want. Enjoy!
Rachael M. says
These enchiladas rival any restaurant.... I dare to say even better than my favorite Tex-Mex spot. I had never made my own enchilada sauce before and loved how simple and delicious this one is! This is a go-to during the weeknights. My 5 year old asks for seconds every time!
Liv says
Awww!! That's amazing. I'm so glad you both love this recipe!! 🙂