This recipe for Black Bean Enchilada Casserole has eight layers of tortillas, black beans, roasted vegetables, and cheese making it the most delicious ever! Bake in the oven, on a deep casserole dish until the cheese is melted and bubbly. in under 30 minutes! A healthy, plant-based dinner, perfect for Sunday family dinner.
This recipe gets to the heart of everything I love about a casserole.
It’s cheesy (there are three kinds of cheese here). It’s comforting, and best of all, literally packed to the gills with flavor and texture.
Now, this is not traditional Mexican food by any means but this dish does use some of our favorite Mexican flavors including chipotles, black beans, and even chayote!
This is the ideal casserole for anyone who’s not into the whole ground beef, taco seasoning combination, and even if you are, I promise the creamy tang of goat cheese and roasted vegetables with a hint of spicy chipotle enchilada sauce really is a luscious change.
That being said, feel free to add shredded rotisserie chicken in between the layers and make this a chicken enchilada casserole.
Let’s take a look at the details, shall we?
important equipment announcement
I made this recipe in an 8×8-inch Pyrex Deep Dish baking dish which is 50 percent deeper than a traditional casserole dish.
If you have one of those–great! If not you can make it in a regular 9 x 13-inch baking dish. There won’t be as many layers but it will be wider, as in, more spread out, so the amounts will stay the same.
layers upon layers in this vegetarian enchilada casserole
The extra deep dish means I could pack that much more flavor into this black bean enchilada casserole.
Not only do we have the black beans but also a mixture of roasted vegetables including, chayote, red onion, and sweet bell peppers.
There is also a layer of soft goat cheese that makes these enchiladas oh so creamy and corn tortillas of course, which I crisped in a little hot oil before layering—the flavor of uncooked tortillas just won’t do.
I’ve also layered in chopped cilantro and an extra sprinkle of minced garlic (there can never be too much) and of course, a generous layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
super easy enchilada sauce
Sure you can use your favorite store-bought enchilada sauce here (you’ll need about 2 cups enchilada sauce for this recipe).
I almost did, thinking I’d try to make these roasted veggie enchiladas as straight-forward as possible.
I actually reached for the jar at the grocery store, and then put it back because I wanted to make a homemade enchilada sauce recipe that is practically the same amount of effort as popping open that jar.
We all need a back-pocket enchilada sauce recipe, right?!
This sauce is so good, and so simple. It requires a few fresh ingredients, some spices, and chipotle peppers en adobo.
See 17 more recipes you can make with canned chipotle peppers in adobo to finish off that can!
Get the best tomatoes you can find and if your tomatoes are no good right now, use canned. Puree it all together in a blender and you’re done!
I’d make a double batch while you’re at it. Use the extra to make this recipe super saucy or serve extra sauce on the side.
You could also use the sauce in these Picadillo Enchiladas or these Squash and Black Bean Enchiladas.
tips for making it
The first step is to make the sauce, which is little more than blending everything in the blender.
Then heat the oven and prepare the baking dish with cooking spray.
Next, roast the vegetables. Once they come out, lower the heat in the oven to 350.
Many enchilada casserole recipes call for flour tortillas but I prefer the flavor and texture of corn tortillas. To make them extra delicious, fry them in a bit of oil before layering in the casserole.
Now it is time to layer! You’ll start with the enchilada sauce and save the remaining enchilada sauce for the top. Here’s how the layers break down:
- 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce
- 3 corn tortillas. Spread them out so they cover as much surface as possible
- 1/4 of the roasted vegetables
- 1/4 of the black beans
- 1/4 of the goat cheese
- 1/4 of the white cheddar
- 1/4 of the cilantro
- 1/4 of the chopped garlic
- Repeat this order until all the ingredients are used.
Bake the casserole for 30 minutes. Check to make sure nothing is spilling over in your oven. If so, set a baking sheet below the casserole dish. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes.
If you’re feeling extra, serve your amazing casserole with sour cream!
more plant-based mexican recipes to try!
- Vegan Ceviche with Avocado and Lime
- Sofrito Black Beans
- Green Chili Vegan Pozole
- Authentic Mexican Chilaquiles with Scrambled Eggs
- Sweet Potato Nachos with Black Beans and Smoked Cheddar
- Mexican Potato Soup with Melty Cheese
- Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
the perfect tequila to go with it
If you are going to make this for Cinco de Mayo or other celebrations, I highly recommend finding a bottle of Tequila Cristalino to serve with it.
This newest, super smooth tequila is the perfect match for this rich, hearty dish. Find out more about it here:
make a delicious, healthy dinner with minimum fuss!
Here’s the recipe you need when you want to impress (even if that’s just yourself) but with something healthy and comforting at the same time! This enchilada casserole really does it all. Let me know when you make by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Deep Dish Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
This Black Bean Enchilada Casserole has eight layers of tortillas, black beans, roasted vegetables, and cheese making it the deepest, most delicious ever!
Ingredients
Baking Pan:
For the Sauce:
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or Mediterranean oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
For the Enchiladas:
- 2 chayote squash, peeled and chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped
- 1 red onion, half chopped, half thinly sliced
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 11 ounces soft chèvre goat cheese
- 10 ounces aged white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
For Serving:
- Crumbled Queso Enchilado or Cotija cheese, for garnish (optional)
- chopped cilantro, for garnish
- thinly sliced red onions, for garnish
- sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- To Make The Sauce:
- Blend all the ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth. Taste and add another chipotle if you'd like it spicier. Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance, covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
- To Make the Enchiladas:
- Heat oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
- Roast vegetables. Toss chayote, bell peppers, and chopped red onion with 2 tablespoons of the oil on a baking sheet. Spread into a single layer, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and brown, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 350°F.
- Fry the tortillas. Heat remaining vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Lightly fry each tortilla one at a time, about 30 seconds per side. Place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
- Layer the sauce and tortillas. In a Pyrex 8" x 8" x 2.7" Deep Baking Dish, cover bottom with 1/2 cup sauce, then place 3 tortillas, spacing them so they cover as much of the dish as possible.
- Continue layering remaining ingredients. Top with a quarter of the roasted vegetables, a quarter of the black beans, a quarter of the cheese, a quarter of the cilantro, a quarter of the goat cheese, and a quarter of the chopped garlic. Sprinkle with salt. When you are layering, spread the ingredients so they cover as much of the dish as possible.
- Press down the layers as you go. Keep layering until all the ingredients are used, press down on the layers as you build so they will fit in the dish.
- Place casserole dish on a baking sheet. Place baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips and transfer to the oven.
- Bake. Bake, uncovered, until browned and bubbly, about 50-60 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes, cut into 9 pieces, and serve topped with crumbled Queso Enchilado, cilantro, and red onion slices. Pass sour cream at the table if you'd like.
Notes
Make Ahead:
- Make sauce up to 3 days in advance.
- Roast vegetables and shred cheddar cheese up to 1 day in advance.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 212Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 302mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 18g
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This sounds delicious! I love that they have beans and chatted.
Yes, it’s so good! You’ll never miss the meat, there’s so much going on here.
This looks so super yummy! I love the fact Pyrex is finally going deeper! Justo y necesario!
Thank you Enri!! I love these new baking dishes so much!
Esa receta me parece deliciosa y súper completa.
¡Gracias! Espero que tengas la oportunidad de probarlo!
¡Las enchiladas es uno de mis platillos favoritos! Definitivamente voy a probar esta receta.
¡Espero que los ames tanto como nosotros!
OMG! Esto se ve del más allá!!! Genial el deep dish para este tipo de platillos.
Muchas gracias! Tienes que conseguir estos platos para hornear, son increíbles para tantas cosas.
Is there something I can use instead of the squash? I can’t find those here in Idaho!
Yes!! Use zucchini or yellow summer squash instead. 🙂
Oops, thought that was avocado in the photo, but I’m guessing chayote? I don’t think I’ve ever had it or even seen it at the store. Maybe the Mexican market (I’m in Iowa).
Hi Anna,
Yes, it is a chayote. You can find them at any Latin market, and at some larger grocery stores too. If you can’t find it, substitute any summer squash like zucchini or yellow squash. Let me know how it goes!
Ooops, your recipe only shows using 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom of the casserole. No more is added based on that. The video appears to show sauce going on each layer. If so, how much? Also, after what ingredient is it added? I’d love to make this, but I don’t want to ruin it after going to the trouble of making this. Thanks for clarifying!
Hi Karen! Sorry if the instructions were unclear. You will continue with the layers in the same order as listed the first time. So after you sprinkle with the garlic and salt you will start over again with another 1/2 cup sauce, tortillas, black beans, cheese, and so on. Keep going in this order until all the ingredients are used up. If you don’t have a deep dish Pyrex pan use a standard 9×13 inch pan so everything will fit. Let me know how it goes!