Spicy Vegan Enchilada Recipe

This fiery vegan enchilada recipe is filled with Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles and smothered in a spicy Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa. This authentic Mexican enchilada method omits the baking, meaning you can be sitting down to a delicious plate of enchiladas in under an hour! Vegan and gluten-free!

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Thank you to my partner Hodo for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. 

With the holiday season basically here (has anyone left the house lately?) I feel like this is a great time to share an easy dinner idea that will leave you feeling good too.

This time of year there is no lack of shredded cheese laden side dish suggestions and pumpkin pie recipes but what we all really need is a healthy dinner idea that we can turn to during the busy weeks ahead—am I right?!

I’m excited to be sharing an easy enchilada recipe made with a new plant-based meat alternative that is hitting store shelves this month from Hodo.

Hodo’s Adobo Mexican Crumbles are made from whole soy, chipotle, oregano, and lime and are every bit as satisfying as ground meat. They are minimally processed, certified organic, and are available NOW at Whole Foods!

What is Plant-Based Meat?

Plant-based meat alternatives, like Hodo’s Mexican Crumbles, are created to have the texture and taste of ground meat by using plants instead!

In this case, Hodo uses whole organic soybeans from North American farms to mimic those meaty qualities we crave along with other natural ingredients like herbs and chili powder.

The benefit is an excellent protein source that is super delicious and easier on our bodies and the environment.

They are incredibly versatile and easy to prepare. All you need to do is brown the Crumbles in a little oil (like you would with ground beef) and then turn them into tacos, pile on a grain bowl, or fold them into this most delicious enchilada recipe. Let’s check it out!

enchilada recipe ingredients

• 1 recipe Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa. This will be our homemade enchilada sauce. To make it even easier you can substitute your favorite green or red enchilada sauce.
• Avocado oil
• Corn tortillas. Don’t use flour tortillas here, they will fall apart.
• 2 packages Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles
• Ripe avocado, thinly sliced white onion, and fresh cilantro for garnish.

How to make them

This method is a bit different from the Tex-Mex enchiladas you might be familiar with. This is how I learned to make enchiladas from my friend Tomasa when I was a pastry chef at Firefly Restaurant in San Francisco.

These enchiladas don’t get baked at all (although I do recommend keeping the finished ones warm in the oven while you make the rest). Instead the tortillas are lightly fried, dipped in the sauce, filled, rolled and eaten right away.

Make the sauce

The first step is going to be making the Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa. If you are using store-bought you can obviously skip this step. Keep the salsa warm.

This would also be a good time to preheat the oven to 200°F. This is just to keep the enchiladas warm as you are making them.

Prep the garnishes

Thinly slice the onion, prepare the avocado, and pick the cilantro leaves. Season avocado with a little salt and pepper.

Brown the crumbles

Heat a couple tablespoons of the avocado oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the Adobo Crumbles and cook, stirring occasionally until brown. Keep warm.

Assemble the enchiladas

Have your salsa and crumbles within reach and a large baking dish or sheet pan nearby for holding the finished enchiladas. You will also need a large plate for assembling each enchilada.

Heat 1/4 cup of avocado oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 1 corn tortilla at a time and lightly fry until just crisp around the edges but still soft and pliable, about 30 seconds per side.

Remove the tortilla from the oil with kitchen tongs, letting any excess oil drip back into the pan. Transfer the fried tortilla to the sauce and coat on both sides.

Place sauce-covered tortilla on the plate and fill with 1/4 cup of cooked Adobo Mexican Crumbles. Roll tortilla up and place in the baking pan. Place baking pan in the oven to keep enchilada warm while you make the remaining enchiladas.

Save any extra salsa you have leftover.

Garnish and dig in!

Once all the enchiladas have been made, divide them into 4 or 6 servings and top each serving a spoonful or so of the leftover salsa and plenty of ripe avocado, thinly slice onion, and cilantro. Then eat immediately while still hot.

The Tomatillo Red Chili Salsa Seals the Deal

I want to encourage you to take the time to make the homemade salsa. It goes so beautifully with the Adobo Crumbles and is the perfect amount of pleasant spiciness.

Are you worried about the spice level? It is not aggressive, promise. But if you are sensitive you can either a) remove the seeds from the arbol chiles or b) lower the amount of them in the salsa.

If you do decide to substitute another salsa recipe, you will need about 3 cups, give or take 1/2 cup. I like to have extra for spooning over the enchiladas before serving.

Make Ahead Tips

You can make these enchiladas ahead if you’d like. Here’s what to do:

1. Make the enchiladas as instructed all the way through—although there is no need to keep them warm as you go along. Save any extra salsa you have leftover.
2. Wrap the baking dish you are holding the enchiladas in in foil. Place in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
3. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove foil and bake enchiladas in the oven until hot. This should take anywhere from 20 minutes to 35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, warm leftover salsa and prep the garnishes.
5. Spoon warmed salsa over enchiladas and top with garnishes. Enjoy!

What to serve with these vegan enchiladas

I have so many recipes that pair wonderfully with these enchiladas but I’d first like to throw out there that they would make a wonderful vegan main course option at Thanksgiving if you are searching for one of those. For all the other nights of the year how about try:

• Vegan Refried Beans. My vegan refried beans recipe is so crazy easy. Serve them with these enchiladas for a protein-packed meal.
• Calabacitas. This cheesy Mexican squash dish is a family favorite. If you are vegan, substitute your favorite vegan cheese.
• The BEST ever canned black beans. Short on time? You won’t believe how amazing a few spices will make a can of black beans taste.
• Pickled Red Onions. Skip the thinly sliced white onion and garnish the enchiladas with these sweet and sour pickled red onions instead.

More enchilada recipes you’ll love!

• Creamy Chicken Enchilada Recipe with Jamaica Mole
• Deep Dish Enchilada Casserole with Black Beans
• Stacked Enchiladas Suizas with Shredded Chicken
• Freezer-Friendly Beef Enchiladas
• Cheese Enchiladas with Spiced Raisins
• Mushroom and Cheese Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Easy Chicken Enchiladas Skillet

No excuses for ordering take out this holiday season

With an enchilada recipe this utterly comforting and hardly difficult you won’t even want to slack with that tired take out. Let me know when you do 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, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month, such as this one here which is sponsored by Hodo. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!