Vegan Black Bean Enchilada (Printable Version)

A plant-based entree with black beans, vegetables, tortillas, and a smooth avocado crema topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Casserole Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
07 - 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
13 - 2 cups vegan enchilada sauce
14 - 12 small corn tortillas

→ Avocado Crema

15 - 2 ripe avocados
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
18 - 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water

→ Optional Toppings

21 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Sliced jalapeños
23 - Diced tomatoes
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and diced zucchini. Cook 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
03 - Add corn kernels, black beans, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well and cook 2 to 3 minutes until fully combined. Remove from heat.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 corn tortillas over the sauce, overlapping as needed to cover the surface.
05 - Spread half of the black bean mixture evenly over the tortillas. Drizzle with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
06 - Place 4 more tortillas over the sauce layer. Distribute remaining black bean mixture on top. Drizzle with another 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
07 - Arrange final 4 tortillas on top. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas.
08 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes until heated through.
09 - Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 additional minutes until bubbling at edges and heated throughout.
10 - While casserole bakes, combine avocados, fresh cilantro leaves, lime juice, non-dairy yogurt, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add water gradually until desired consistency is reached.
11 - Remove casserole from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before slicing. Serve each portion topped with avocado crema and desired garnishes.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in just an hour and still feels like you spent all day cooking.
  • The avocado crema is so silky and bright that nobody misses dairy for a second.
  • You can prep everything the night before and bake it fresh when hunger strikes.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining and rinsing your canned beans or the casserole becomes watery and the spice flavor gets diluted.
  • If your avocados aren't ripe when you buy them, leave them on the counter for a day or two, otherwise your crema will taste grassy and bitter.
  • The casserole actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle, so this is one of those dishes where leftovers are a gift.
03 -
  • If you make this ahead, assemble everything and refrigerate it overnight, then bake it the next day, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time since it starts cold.
  • Leftover avocado crema keeps in an airtight container for two days if you press plastic wrap directly onto the surface so it doesn't brown.
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