These tasty vegan enchiladas have a delicious and healthy stuffing of smoky lentils and veggies. I douse them in a flavorful, easy, 10-minute enchilada sauce, smother them with vegan cheese, and then bake them until the edges are fabulously crispy.
Crowd-pleasing vegan enchiladas
These vegan enchiladas are the perfect food for large gatherings of family and friends. They taste festive and oh so yummy, but they are also secretly healthy, with a smoky stuffing of lentils, carrots, leeks and celery. Serve with toppings like salsa and guacamole and you will have everyone begging for more.
I took inspiration for my vegan lentil stuffing from these creamy vegan lentils with ancho. I tweaked it to make it simpler for a weeknight. Instead of the ancho paste, I used chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce to add smokiness and heat.
There's more smokiness in the enchilada sauce with smoked paprika and oregano (you can also try this green tomatillo salsa verde instead for a different flavor!). I smothered it all in vegan cheese shreds because I cook in the real world for a real preteen and sometimes I need to give a little to get him to eat and lick his plate clean.
Try and use corn tortillas for this recipe - they are traditional for enchilada casseroles and they are gluten-free. Wheat tortillas will do at a pinch.
This easy vegan enchiladas recipe is on my regular rotation because it's always such a hit. I hope you will try it too!
Recipe card
Vegan Enchiladas
Ingredients
For the lentil stuffing
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 leek (green and white parts finely chopped. Can sub with an onion)
- 1 large carrot (finely chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
- 4 cloves garlic (crushed into a paste or finely minced)
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup brown lentils (dry, rinsed in running water)
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce (with 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce. Use more or less based on your heat preference)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste.
For the enchilada sauce
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour (or gf all purpose flour or rice flour if gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (or flakes)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Additional ingredients
- 16 6-inch corn tortillas
- 8 oz vegan mozzarella shreds (If soy-free or nut-free make sure you buy a vegan cheese labeled as such. Daiya makes nut-free and soy-free mozzarella shreds)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (for garnish)
For serving
- Guacamole
- Tomato salsa
Instructions
Make the lentil stuffing
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the leeks, carrots, celery, oregano and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the onions are transclucent and just beginning to brown, about five minutes.
- Add the cumin and oregano and stir it in.
- Add lentils to the pot and stir in 3 cups water or vegetable stock. Let the lentils come to a boil. Cover and let them cook at a simmer for 15 minutes or until tender (they don't need to be mushy).
- Stir in the ancho chili and paprika. Leave the lid off this time and continue to cook the lentils until all of the visible moisture has evaporated. Set aside to cool.
Make the enchilada sauce
- Whisk tomato paste, 2 cups water, smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin and salt and ground black pepper in a bowl
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the flour. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until grainy and light brown.
- Lower the heat further. Add the tomato-spice sauce in the bowl to the roux, whisking at the same time to break up any lumps. You can stop whisking once the sauce looks smooth.
- Once the sauce comes to a boil whisk once more and let it cook a couple of minutes before turning off. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the enchiladas
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.
- Divide half the lentil filling between the two baking dishes and spread it in an even layer in each dish. Make an assembly line with the tortillas, enchilada sauce and remaining half of the lentil stuffing.
- Dip each tortilla into the enchilada sauce so it has a light coating of the sauce on both sides (if you prefer you can just use a spoon to smear sauce on both sides of the tortilla). Place the tortilla on a plate, spoon in two tablespoons of the lentil stuffing, and roll it up into a tight cylinder. Place it in the baking dish and repeat with the remaining tortillas. I could accommodate eight tortillas in each pf the two baking dishes I used, for a total of 16.
- Sprinkle eight ounces of vegan mozzarella shreds on top of the enchiladas.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes turn on the broiler and let the enchiladas continue to cook until the cheese starts to brown and edges of the enchiladas look crispy, no more than three to five minutes. Keep a close eye on them as things can burn easily under the broiler.
- Garnish the enchiladas with cilantro. Serve hot with guacamole and salsa.
Notes
- You can add more veggies to the lentil filling. Bell peppers of any color would be wonderful, as would zucchini, cabbage, kale, spinach or most quick-cooking veggies.
- Make a quick guacamole to serve with the enchiladas by smushing two ripe, peeled and pitted avocadoes with a tablespoon of lemon juice or lime juice, half a teaspoon of cumin and salt to taste.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- For longer storage assemble the enchilada casserole, cover the baking dish tightly with cling wrap, and freeze. Thaw and bake before serving.
- Store the baked casserole or leftovers in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost and reheat.
Nutrition Information
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Mia says
These enchiladas are so amazing! My 10-year-old, who is quite picky, polished his dinner plate and took seconds. We all enjoyed them, even my omni husband.
Vaishali says
Yay!! So happy to hear, Mia.
Debra Kuptz says
Is there a typo in Assembling step #2? Why divide and spread the lentil filling in 2 baking dishes? Did you mean 1/2 the sauce. Can’t wait to try this tomorrow!
Vaishali says
Hi Debra, I recommended using two baking dishes as the ones I have at least are not large enough to hold all 16 tortillas, so best to divide and cook in two baking dishes. So you will spread a quarter of the sauce in each dish, at the bottom, for a total of half for the two, and then stuff the tortillas with the rest.
If you have a very large baking dish that would accommodate all 16 tortillas you can just use one.
Does that help?