These Vegetarian Enchiladas are packed with flavor and loaded with brown rice, sweet potatoes, and black beans. This is a healthy dinner your whole family will love!
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m CRAZY about Mexican food! Don’t miss my popular Authentic Mexican Rice, Tres Leches Cake, and my newest Homemade Tostadas! And if you’re looking for more vegetarian meals, I have tons of yummy meatless recipes!
Are you in need of a fun and different dinner idea for the week that wont break your healthy new year’s resolutions? Look no further! These vegetarian enchiladas hit the spot every, single time.
They are so flavorful and filling that you definitely wont miss the meat. I always make them using my favorite homemade red enchilada sauce, but you can buy the large can from the store if you want. Even my little kids love these, so I know your family will too! They’re healthy and delicious!
How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas:
1. Sauté veggies. Sauté sweet potato in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until they begin to get tender. Add 1 tsp minced garlic, bell pepper, onion, and black beans and toss to combine. Cook until sweet potatoes are completely tender.
2. Add rice. Add cooked rice and ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce and toss to combine.
3. Fill tortillas. Add a big spoonful of filling along the edge of a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.
4. Place in pan. Roll the vegetarian enchiladas tightly and place, seam side down, in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
5. Cover with sauce and cheese. You may not need to use all of it, depending on how much sauce you like. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes. Garnish with chopped avocado and cilantro.
MAKE AHEAD AND FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS:
To Make Ahead: Make the enchilada filling and store it separately in the refrigerator up to 2 days ahead of time. Assemble enchiladas when ready to bake. You can also make the enchilada sauce sauce several days in advance. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container
To freeze: Make the enchiladas through step 9 (roll the filling in tortillas but don’t cover them in sauce). Cover the pan with a double layer of tinfoil and freeze for 2-3 months. Allow the enchiladas to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
Other Variations:
Vegan enchiladas: leave out the cheese!
Add more veggies: sautéed broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, corn, butternut squash, chopped zucchini, or mushrooms would all make great additions.
Green sauce: You can also substitute red sauce for green if that’s what you prefer.
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Recipe
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 batch homemade red enchilada sauce*
- 2 small/medium sweet potatoes , peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic , minced
- 1 bell pepper , diced (any color you like)
- 1/4 cup onion , chopped
- 15 ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
- 10-12 large flour tortillas (or whole wheat)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese , divided
- fresh cilantro , Chopped (for topping)
- 1 avocado , peeled, seeded and chopped, for topping
Instructions
- Add the chopped sweet potato to a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until they begin to get tender. Add 1 tsp minced garlic.
- Add chopped bell pepper, onions, and black beans and toss to combine.
- Cook for a few more minutes, until sweet potatoes are completely tender.
- Add cooked rice and ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce and toss to combine.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cover the bottom of a large casserole dish with a thin layer of enchilada sauce.
- Add a big spoonful of filling along the edge of a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.
- Roll tightly and place, seam side down, in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Pour sauce over the enchiladas (you may not need to use all of it, depending on how much sauce you like).
- Sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 20-30 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped avocado and cilantro.
Notes
- Vegan Enchiladas: Leave out the cheese!
- Add More Veggies: Sautéed broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, spinach, corn, butternut squash, chopped zucchini, or mushrooms would all make great additions.
- Green Sauce: You can also substitute the red sauce for green if that's what you prefer.
Nutrition
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Recipe adapted from Chelseas Messy Apron
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe January 2016. Updated January 2020 with process photos and instructions.
Awesome recipe! Whole family loved it (which is quite a feat to find something everybody likes). I had a leftover enchilada that I gave to my neighbor for a late night, coming home from the the hospital dinner and she also loved it. None of us are sweet potato fans but we all liked this.
Thank you! Hope to see more vegan, low cholesterol recipes.
I made these tonight with the homemade enchilada sauce. I love this recipe. I didn’t think I liked sweet potatoes because I don’t like them as fries, but you have changed my mind. These are so hearty, but don’t leave you feeling guilty. I made them just as directed, except I may have added a little extra cheese.
Hi – just to note the sauce above has beef broth, so these are not vegetarian, so it is misleading. But they sound delicious.
Thank you for your comment, Sheila! We appreciate your feedback and want to ensure our recipes are as accurate and helpful as possible. You’re absolutely right that the enchilada sauce in this recipe contains beef broth, which makes it unsuitable for vegetarians. While we do mention in the enchilada sauce post that you can substitute beef broth with vegetable broth, it’s always helpful to have that information reiterated in the comments for others to see. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and we hope you enjoy the recipe! 😊🍴
I made these using your homemade enchilada sauce and served them with your authentic Mexican rice, which is the only Mexican rice recipe I use, and my husband and I thought they were delicious. Thank You for sharing
I made this tonight but I added sautéed mushrooms and used canned enchilada sauce. It was delicious! Everyone loved it! Will be making this often!!
Just made these tonight and oh my goodness they are sooooo delicious!! We are trying to become vegetarians and this recipe made me think it can be done! My 3 daughters loved them also! Definitely adding these to the rotation! 🙂