Meatless stacked enchilada casserole is an easy way to enjoy veggie enchiladas! These vegetarian enchiladas are loaded with vegetables, beans, and cheese, no rolling required.
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Veggie stacked enchiladas are about to make your life 43% easier.
Instead of frying and rolling tortillas to make enchiladas, we're stacking them up faster than you can say "OMG who knew veggies could taste this good?!"
Two types of beans make this main dish high protein. The soft cooked vegetables add a rich heartiness. Good-quality enchilada sauce is the key to bringing it all together.
I'm obsessed with fire roasted diced green chiles. They add just enough flavor to make me happy but aren't painfully spicy, meaning my husband and kids will still eat them.
Let's not forget there's a healthy dose of cheese in this recipe! Cheese brings everything together and is simply the best.
Why stacked enchiladas?
The biggest problem with making enchiladas is rolling the darn things. Corn tortillas always seem to split if you don't handle them properly.
I don't have the patience for that, so I'm stacking my enchiladas with beans, veggies, and cheese, for the best meatless enchilada experience in a fraction of the time.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Green bell pepper
- Diced green chiles
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Cilantro
- Enchilada sauce
- Corn tortillas
- Monterey jack cheese
- Salt
How to make meatless stacked enchilada casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, red pepper, and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7-10 minutes.
- Stir in green chiles, black beans, and pinto beans and cook until heated through.
- Remove from heat and add the cilantro and salt to taste.
- Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Top with 6 of the corn tortillas and half the bean mixture.
- Add half the cheese and pour half the remaining enchilada sauce over the top.
- Top with the remaining tortillas and bean mixture.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top and finish with the remaining cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and just beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve with sour cream, lime juice, and tortilla chips if desired.
Top tips
Serving suggestions
If you're feeling really indulgent, I recommend slathering this casserole in sour cream or Mexican crema and scooping it up with crisp tortilla chips!
Also highly recommended is a squeeze of fresh lime juice, a few slices of avocado, and an extra sprinkling of chopped cilantro. If you're adding green avocado sauce or mango salsa, we might be best friends.
If you're looking for a side dish you may want to try cilantro lime rice or Mexican millet.
How to store
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze this casserole baked or unbaked by wrapping the baking dish in plastic and aluminum foil.
Allow the dish to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking. If cooking after freezing, allow a few extra minutes for cooking in case it is still quite cold in the middle.
Tips for customizing
- Use one can of beans, or double up on the black or pinto if you prefer one over the other
- As mentioned in the recipe you can use red or green enchilada sauce
- Check your enchilada sauce to keep this gluten-free, or leave off the cheese (or use vegan) to make it vegan
- Use flour tortillas for a totally different texture
- Experiment with whatever veggies you have on hand such as zucchini, broccoli, or carrot
More vegetarian Mexican recipes
- Butternut Squash Enchiladas
- Vegetarian Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce
- Easy Cheese Enchiladas
- Fajita Veggies
- Crispy Baked Black Bean Tacos
- Sweet Potato Tacos
- Sheet Pan Veggie Tacos
- Roasted Veggie Tostadas
- Chipotle Enchilada Sauce
- Huevos Rancheros
If you make this recipe be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Stacked Veggie Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 4 ounce can mild diced green chiles
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- Coarse kosher salt
- 2 10 ounce cans red or green enchilada sauce
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
- Sour cream, (optional)
- Lime juice, (optional)
- Tortilla Chips, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, red pepper, and green pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7-10 minutes.
- Stir in green chiles, black beans, and pinto beans and cook until heated through.
- Remove from heat and add the cilantro and salt to taste.
- Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread evenly. Top with 6 of the corn tortillas and half the bean mixture.
- Add half the cheese and pour half the remaining enchilada sauce over the top.
- Top with the remaining tortillas and bean mixture.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top and finish with the remaining cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, until bubbly and just beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve with sour cream, lime juice, and tortilla chips if desired.
Megan says
All these veggies look amazing!
Megan @ Megunprocessed says
This is a genius idea! I love veggie enchiladas so I'm definitely going to try!
Marie-Louise says
This was SO delicious. I was worried as I didn't have a lot of chilli powder or as many green chillies as the recipe called for. No problem.
A perfect blend of flavours and great proportions for those who want to make a freezer meal.
Go and make this a.s.a.p.!
Lindsay Moe says
Thank you for sharing your experience with this recipe, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Shannon says
For this and the baked ziti, if you are going to freeze...do you cook the onions and other ingredients first, or just assemble raw to freeze later bake?
Lindsay Moe says
I would recommend following all recipe instructions up until baking. Assemble the dish, then cover and freeze. When you're ready to eat, thaw and bake as directed or a few minutes more to make sure it is warm throughout.
Pat Sorenson says
This is fantastic! I am newly vegetarian, and long-time gluten free, so I used GF flour for your Chipotle Enchilada Sauce, and corn tortillas for this recipe. I made this recipe as specified but also added a few chopped pickled jalapenos to the bean/green pepper/cilantro mix. Also topped with more pickled jalapenos, sour cream, more fresh cilantro, avocado and salsa when serving. Super satisfying and even my husband who still eats meat was really happy. A true keeper. Thank you!
Lindsay Moe says
Great idea with the pickled jalapenos, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Vicki says
Hi! This looks so tasty! I am very new to vegetarian cooking, so I am wondering: what would happen if one were to just put the veggies in, WITHOUT pre-cooking them in the skillet? Thanks in advance for any advice on this!
Lindsay Moe says
Welcome to the world of vegetarian cooking! If you put the veggies in without pre-cooking they will be crunchy in the finished dish as well as release moisture into it that will make it a bit soggy.
Nina Bucknor says
Easy! Nice
Susan says
Added cumin, chili powder, garlic and kale to the skillet with the bean mixture. I also had a little 1/2 & 1/2 in the refrigerator, so I mixed it in with the enchilada sauce for a creamy texture. Delicious!
Emily says
This is so delicious, and so easy to make! Thanks for the great recipe! I’d love to make this as a freezer meal for a mom about to have a baby. Can I prepare this in one of those to go tin foil pans and have her freeze
It in there for after baby?
Thank you!!
Lindsay Moe says
I'm so glad you enjoy it, and so thoughtful of you to bring it to a new mom. It will work great frozen in a foil pan, just have her thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before baking.