Try this easy vegetarian enchilada recipe when you want a meal the whole family will love! These Mexican-inspired enchiladas are packed with zucchini, spinach, corn, and pinto beans and coated in tomatillo salsa verde. The veggie-loaded filling, featuring more vegetables than usual, makes this version unique, nutritious, and downright delicious. For an added bonus, you can assemble the dish ahead of time and pop it in the oven when you’re ready to eat.
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Dietitian Lizzie’s Notes
If you’re a fellow home cook with a tight schedule who still wants a homemade dinner on the table for your family, this vegetarian enchilada recipe was made for you! I intentionally created it with a make-ahead option in mind. If you’re really short on time after work or school, you can assemble the whole thing the night before or in the morning. When you’re digging into a warm, cheesy dinner after a busy day, you’ll be so grateful for the meal prepping you did!
Not only is this meal a make-ahead wonder, it’s very flavorful and nutritious. The inspiration came from a recipe for chicken and black bean enchiladas that my mother-in-law gave me. She uses a little bit of cream cheese in the filling, and you’ll see that I do the same for this recipe. It’s an amazing secret for making enchiladas creamy and delicious! And the creaminess pairs so well with the tangy, slightly spicy green salsa. (Please note: this is a recipe inspired by enchiladas, not a traditional version.)
From a nutrition standpoint, these zucchini enchiladas are fiber-rich, with each one providing 8 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein. One to two of them can serve as a complete meal on their own, depending on your needs. What a win!
5-Star Review
I made this tonight, and let me tell ya, this is probably my most favorite thing I have ever made. So delish 10/10”
– Lee
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salsa verde: Use my green salsa if you want to make homemade enchilada sauce from scratch. For a quicker alternative, use a store-bought option. I love the Trader Joe’s and Late July varieties! Choose a mild salsa if you don’t want it that spicy.
- Red onion: Sub white or yellow onion if that’s what you have.
- Garlic cloves: I like to use fresh, but you can substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Ground cumin: Omit if you don’t have it.
- Frozen corn: Use fresh or drained and rinsed canned corn if needed.
- Zucchini: Sub yellow squash.
- Canned mild green chile peppers: Use a seeded and diced fresh jalapeño or poblano pepper if that’s what you have. The jalapeño will be spicier than the mild canned peppers, FYI.
- Pinto beans: Sub black beans, white beans, or kidney beans.
- Baby spinach: Swap in kale if you don’t have spinach.
- Cream cheese: This is a key ingredient for making a creamy sauce for this vegetarian enchilada recipe. Use regular or light. Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese would probably work as substitutes.
- Shredded Colby Jack cheese: I personally like to buy a block of cheese and shred it myself for this dish, because it melts more smoothly than bagged cheese. However, you can totally use bagged shredded cheese (Colby/Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese blend) with no issues. Cheddar cheese would also work since it melts well.
- Flour tortillas: Use 8-inch flour tortillas for best results. If you want a little extra fiber, use whole wheat tortillas instead of white ones. Corn tortillas do not roll well. However, they are used in traditional enchilada recipes, and they maintain their structure better when coated with a sauce. My rendition is inspired by enchiladas but is not a traditional version, and I like the ease of rolling flour tortillas even though they get softer under the sauce than corn would. So, that’s my preference. If you prefer corn tortillas, then of course feel free to use them. If you need the enchiladas to be gluten-free, Siete foods cassava flour tortillas also work well for rolling up the filling.
How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas
The full recipe card with ingredient amounts is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you in the kitchen.
Spread salsa verde on the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish/casserole dish.
Sweat the onion in a large skillet with olive oil and cumin over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.
When the onion has softened, add the corn.
Add the zucchini. Cook for a few minutes until slightly softened.
Add the green chiles, pinto beans, and chopped baby spinach.
Cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until the spinach is wilted.
Add cream cheese and shredded cheese to the skillet.
Stir until the cheeses have melted into the filling and are evenly distributed. Remove from heat.
Spoon roughly ½ cup of the filling towards one side of a tortilla.
Roll the tortilla up, starting on the side with the filling. It should be full but not overflowing/losing filling.
Place the rolled enchiladas seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
Spread the rest of the salsa verde over the enchiladas, leaving a little bit of the tops and bottoms of them dry.
Sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining cheese.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the edges of the tortillas are lightly browned.
Expert Tips
- Do not overfill. Add only ½ cup to each tortilla. I use a measuring cup to make sure I portion it out correctly. Using more than this will make it difficult to roll them up.
- Put the filling towards one side of the tortilla. This makes it easier to roll up. Start rolling on the side with the filling.
- Warm the tortillas to make them more pliable if necessary. If your tortillas are a little stiff, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 30 seconds. Do this with only 4 tortillas at time for best results.
- Keep a little bit of edges of the tortillas dry when spreading salsa on top. This prevents sogginess and helps the enchiladas maintain their structure. Plus, the edges get a little crispy in the oven, which provides a great textural contrast to the creamy, soft filling and centers.
Easy Ways to Customize
- Make this vegetarian enchilada recipe without cheese. Omit the cheese from the filling and use a vegan cream cheese to provide the creaminess instead. Add extra salsa on top to make up for the lack of cheese. Or, sub a vegan cheese.
- Switch up the veggies. Use bell pepper in place of corn or chopped mushrooms in place of zucchini. If using mushrooms, make sure to cook them until all of the water has evaporated so that they don’t make the filling soggy.
- Add some heat. Use jalapeño or serrano in place of or in addition to the canned chiles. You can also use a salsa labeled as spicy instead of mild.
Serving Ideas
These enchiladas are a great option for a family dinner or when you’re hosting friends. Topping ideas include sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, guacamole, shredded lettuce, and pickled red onions. Serve on their own or alongside a mixed greens salad, Apple Jicama Slaw, or Cabbage Carrot Salad.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
- To make vegetarian enchiladas verdes ahead of time, assemble the enchiladas but do not bake them, wrap tightly with foil, and place in the refrigerator for up to four days. Remove the foil before baking. Let the enchiladas sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven.
- To make this a freezer meal, assemble the enchiladas but do not bake them, wrap tightly with foil and then again with plastic wrap, and store in the freezer for up to three months. Let the enchiladas defrost in the fridge overnight before removing the foil and plastic wrap and baking. If they are still a little frozen when you go to bake them, add up to 10 minutes to the cooking time.
- To bake enchiladas from frozen, you will need to add 20 to 30 minutes to the cooking time. Remember to remove the foil and plastic wrap before baking. If you plan to freeze and bake them, prep the recipe in a foil lasagna pan or a glass baking dish that can be transferred from the freezer to the oven without breaking or shattering. I recommend this Oxo Good Grips 3 Quart Baking Dish for that purpose.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They will keep for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals on high until warmed through.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups salsa verde - divided; use the linked recipe or sub a store-bought salsa
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion - diced, about 1.5 cups
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 zucchini - cubed, about 1 to 1.5 cups
- Salt - to taste
- Black pepper - to taste
- 4 ounces canned mild green chile peppers
- 6 ounces baby spinach - roughly chopped
- 15 ounces pinto beans - drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese - divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 8 8-inch flour tortillas
- Toppings of choice - such as avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or lime wedges
Instructions
- If you are using homemade salsa verde, prep the recipe. This will add about 20 extra minutes to your prep time.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/204 degrees C. Grease a 9×13 (3 quart) baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
- Spread 1 cup of the salsa verde on the bottom of the dish. Set the dish aside while you prep the filling.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cumin and cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft.
- Stir in the garlic, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the corn and zucchini. Cook until the zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the canned green chile peppers, chopped spinach, and beans to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the cream cheese. Stir for about a minute until they melt and are well-incorporated into the filling. Remove the filling from heat. Season with additional salt and pepper. (I probably add about ½ teaspoon of salt total throughout the process).
- Prepare the enchiladas. Place approximately ½-cup of the filling into a tortilla, towards one side. Roll the tortilla up. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas until you have 8 enchiladas side-by-side in the dish.
- Spread the remaining cup of salsa verde on top of the assembled enchiladas, leaving the edges dry (a little bit of the top and bottom of each tortilla). Sprinkle the salsa-coated part of the tortillas with the remaining cup of shredded cheese.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the tortillas are slightly browned.
- Remove from the oven. Serve warm with toppings of your choice.
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- The linked salsa verde recipe is mild. If using a store-bought salsa, choose one with the spice level you want.
- To make ahead of time, assemble the enchiladas, cover tightly with foil, and keep in the fridge for up to four days before baking. Remove foil and let the enchiladas sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
- You can also freeze the assembled enchiladas for up to three months, covered in foil then plastic wrap. Let them thaw in the fridge before baking or bake straight from frozen (be sure to use a dish that can go directly from the freezer to the oven, and remember to remove the wrappings). Add up to 20-30 minutes to the cooking time if baking from frozen.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
- Note on tortillas: I like the ease of rolling flour tortillas, which is why I recommend them over corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are used in traditional recipes and can be substituted if that’s what you prefer! They maintain their structure a little better when coated with the salsa but are hard to roll, whereas flour tortillas are at risk of getting a little gummy. The choice is yours!
Lee
I made this tonight with, and let me tell ya, this is probably my most favorite thing I have ever made. So delish 10/10
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Lee, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe so much! Thanks a lot for your 5-star review.