Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe

Vegetarian enchiladas recipe in a baking dish topped with avocado, sour cream, and cilantro.

Vegetable enchiladas with tomatillo green sauce and a creamy filling make a great weeknight dinner.

Please note: this recipe is inspired by enchiladas but is not a traditional version.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings enchiladas

Calories 436kcal

Author Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN

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

US Customary - Metric

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 9x13 (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.
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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!

Nutrition