The Best Vegan Enchiladas
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Seriously the BEST Vegan Enchiladas! Made with all whole food ingredients, including easy plant “meat”, black beans, and vegan cheese sauce.
Enchiladas are the perfect food if you ask me. I know tacos are all the rage these days (for good reason), but don’t forget about enchiladas! Corn tortillas are stuffed, rolled and drenched in red sauce and cheese. Total yum.
These really are the best vegan enchiladas, ever. They will remind you of beef enchiladas, except they are meat free, dairy free and even good for you! There are 3 important parts to making these delicious whole food plant based enchiladas: easy enchilada sauce, taco “meat”, and vegan cheese sauce.
There is no oil involved here, or store bought vegan meat or cheese. I’ve also kept the recipe as simple as possible so you can have dinner on the table ASAP!
It’s easy to make vegan enchiladas gluten free, or nut free if you need to. I’ll show you how, so read on!
This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.
Can I buy pre-made enchilada sauce?
You can, but the flavor is much better if you can take 5 minutes and make your own! If you buy enchilada sauce at the store, make sure to check the ingredient list, as there is often milk added. Here is one brand that is definitely vegan: Simply Organic Enchilada Sauce.
How do you make vegan enchilada sauce?
Making enchilada sauce is really fast and easy. Gather all the ingredients, because it will go quickly. Measure all the dry ingredients (flour + spices) and place them in a small bowl. Heat a few tablespoons of water in a medium pot, then pour the flour/spices mixture on top and whisk constantly for a minute. Now whisk in the tomato paste, then slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking frequently to remove any lumps. Remove from heat, stir in the apple cider vinegar and add salt to taste.
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL AMOUNTS AND INSTRUCTIONS.
How to make the filling for vegan enchiladas:
Using a food processor, pulse your cauliflower to make cauliflower rice. Then pulse the mushrooms and walnuts a few times until they are a similar consistency as the cauliflower. You could chop them all very small with a knife if you don’t have a food processor.
Add the vegetables and walnuts to a large pan, heat to medium-high heat. Pour in the vegetable broth, spices and soy sauce. Stir well to combine everything. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt to taste, then stir in the black beans.
Choices for vegan cheese:
I went with my Easy Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce, which is made super creamy from raw cashews, and is so easy to make. You only need 1/2 of a recipe, so just cut everything in half. I highly recommend it, BUT you could also use my Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce.
The other option is to use dairy free vegan cheese shreds, such as Daiya or another brand. You would probably need 2 bags for this recipe, and I would only recommend this if you already know of a brand you like, as some people really dislike the vegan cheeses you can buy at the store. If you can, use one of my homemade cheese sauces, they are easy to make and so much better tasting!
Can I use flour tortillas for vegan enchiladas?
Yes, you can, though traditional enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. Sometimes I like to switch things up and use flour though. You will probably need 6-8 large flour tortillas if you want to try this.
How to make gluten free:
Easy! For the enchilada sauce, use brown rice flour or a gluten free mix in place of the all purpose flour. Then, make sure to use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce. And of course, use corn tortillas, not a corn/wheat mixture or flour tortillas.
Or nut free:
Omit the walnuts from the “meat”, and use more mushrooms or cauliflower. Use my Nut Free Vegan Cheese Sauce.
Want more vegan mexican recipes?
- Oven Baked Taquitos
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Queso
- Cashew Sour Cream
- Vegan Burritos
- Cauliflower Tacos
- Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
The Best Vegan Enchiladas
Ingredients
Enchilada sauce:
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour, | gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Taco "meat":
- 2 cups riced cauliflower , | 1/2 medium head cauliflower
- 4 ounces mushrooms , | 1/2 package, or 4-5 mushrooms
- 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth, more if needed
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, | tamari for gluten free
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
The rest:
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 Recipe Vegan Nacho Cheese Sauce
- 12-15 corn tortillas
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Make a 1/2 recipe of Nacho Cheese Sauce. Set aside.
Make the Enchilada Sauce:
- Measure and add all the dry ingredients to a small bowl (flour, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt). Have the tomato paste and vegetable broth ready and nearby.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, warm the water. Once warm, pour in the flour/spice mixture and whisk constantly for about a minute. Whisk in the tomato paste, then slowly pour in the broth, whisking constantly.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, whisking often to remove lumps. It should thicken a bit. Remove from heat, and whisk in the vinegar. Taste and add more salt as needed. Set aside.
Make the Taco "Meat":
- If using whole cauliflower, wash, chop off the florets and place them in a food processor. Pulse, creating rice. Add 2 cups of cauliflower rice to a large pan on the stove.
- Add the mushrooms and walnuts to the food processor, and pulse until they are a similar consistency as the cauliflower. Don't over process. Add to the pan with the cauliflower.
- Turn the heat to medium-high, and pour in the vegetable broth (2 tablespoons), spices and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt to taste, and remove from heat. Stir in the black beans.
Assemble the Enchiladas:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
- Wrap 5 tortillas at a time in a damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute to soften. This will make them much easier to roll.
- Fill each tortilla with a scoop of "meat" and a spoonful of cheese sauce. Roll and place into the prepared pan. Repeat until all the tortillas are used. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top, then pour the rest of the cheese on top of the red sauce.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly. Top with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- For gluten free, use gluten free flour in the enchilada sauce, tamari instead of soy sauce and 100% corn tortillas.
- To make this recipe easier, you could buy pre-made vegan enchilada sauce. Check ingredient list as some brands have milk in them. You could also use vegan ground "beef" instead of the plant meat, or top the enchiladas with shredded vegan cheddar in place of the nacho cheese sauce. But they taste the best as written.
- Try subbing flour tortillas for the corn if desired.
- To make nut-free, omit the walnuts from the "meat" and use my Nut Free Cheese Sauce instead of the cashew based sauce.
- Calorie calculation does not include Nacho Cheese Sauce.
Nutrition
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133 Comments on “The Best Vegan Enchiladas”
These are legit! I highly recommend not cutting corners and making this exactly as written. The “meat” is soooo good, it has this specific flavor and texture that is exactly like the filling in regular non vegan enchiladas that you would get from a restaurant. I was blown away! Nora has the best recipes, seriously.
Hi McKenna. I’m so glad my enchiladas turned out for you! Thank you for using my recipes, and for sharing your wonderful comments!
I have made these several times! They are always a big hit, even with my daughter and grand daughter being picky eaters. I have only found the small corn tortillas, so instead of filling and rolling these , I layer them in a 9X13 pan with the rest of the ingredients and bake like I would a lasagna or casserole. SO much easier and faster and the taste is still awesome!! Thank you!
Hi Julie. Layering is great and easy! I’m glad you are enjoying the enchiladas recipe! Thank you!
These were not only easy to make but my whole family who aren’t vegan loved this thank you so much
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Enchiladas were one of my favorite foods before going vegan, so I was excited to try this recipe. Nora, this has become my “showstopper” vegan meal. I’ve made it so many times for vegan and non vegan friends alike, and it is popular every time.
Two notes:
1. I’ve only ever made it with Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce because I’m a busy vegan girl. Delicious!
2. I added tofu to the “meat” to give it some extra protein, and it turned out great. I have a friend who dislikes black beans, so they can be omitted successfully as well.
Thank you for posting amazing recipes like this!
You’re so welcome!
I didn’t get to make the enchiladas but I made the filling. My husband came home an hour early and everyone was starving. I had the filling ready to go for enchiladas but ended up putting them in tortillas and making enchilada style burritos. They loved it! The filling is amazing! I will use the left over filling for a small batch of enchiladas today. Soooooooooo damn delicious and nutritious!
Thank you!
You’re welcome! Sounds like a great idea!
Nora,
I made this recipe yesterday. Instead of nuts I added lentils. The taste was amazing! My biggest skeptic, our 24 year old Autistic son tried one bite and gobbled them down. Thank you! will definitley make these again
That is so wonderful to hear, thank you! Glad you ALL enjoyed the enchiladas.
Made these for the family and they had rave reviews! The only thing I changed was I roasted corn and used that in place of the mushrooms as my son doesn’t like mushrooms. I used your nacho cheese sauce and made your enchilada sauce- incredible!! Will definitely add this to our rotation!! Thank you!
Awesome, thank you!
Seriously amazing. Thank you!
Thanks!
Made this recipe exactly as is and I’m soooo glad I did. You could certainly swap out the homemade sauce, cheese and meat for store bought but it’s just not going to be as tasty. This recipe seriously wowed me and my husband and we’re making it to bring to a family event tonight. Can’t wait to see all the stunned faces! Thanks for another great recipe Nora. ♥️
I’m really glad you loved it and are going to share it! Thanks so much!
Can these be made one day and cooked the next. I made your chocolate cake twice in the last four days one with icing one a a bunt cake. Both delicious. I have only been vegan the last couple of months
Wow, thank you! Glad you are enjoying the recipes. Yes, you could prepare them one day and then cook them the next day. I don’t think that would be a problem.
Best way to freeze them….cook then freeze? Or freeze them before cooking?
You could really do either. I have frozen them after cooking and it worked quite well.
Mate, I looove these enchiladas!! I just today subbed cauli for firm tofu that’s been drained and it also worked! They’re such a great freezer item too for work lunches as and don’t leave you feeling gross, AND omni work colleagues always comment how good they smell/look and they’re just SO delicious!! Thanks for this recipe legend! Xo
You’re so welcome! Thanks for the comment!
Just made these…they were so good! One alteration, I used 10” flour tortillas because that is what I had. Six of them made a 9 x 13 pan full of deliciousness! Great enchilada sauce recipe too! So glad I tried this recipe.
These really are incredible! Thank you for recipe!
You’re welcome!
Great vegan cheese sauce! It’s our new favorite! Enchiladas get better reheated for leftovers.
I’ve made these a lot and they are always a crowd pleaser. I went back to work and now I’m making meals ahead of time. I was wondering how well these would freeze? Has anyone tried it? Thank you so much!
I think they freeze quite well actually. I does taste better when the cheese sauce on top is fresher, but it will work to freeze it as well. or you could just do enchilada sauce on top, and perhaps a bag of dairy free cheese, which would freeze better. Thanks!
These are amazing! The cheese sauce would fool any non-vegan and the ‘meat’ is the perfect texture (I subbed rolled oats for the mushrooms, though). Great recipe!
Thanks!
I normally don’t leave comments on anything, but I’ve got a leave a comment on here. Nora, you absolutely rock for this recipe. I have made this for everyone! It has been a hit for date night and friend dinner nights alike. Thank you thank you!
You’re so welcome!
Made these last night for the first time and we enjoyed! Even the carnivores liked it. My 6 year old daughter said that the cheese sauce was “the best thing she ever ate”. I can see using the “enchilada meat” base for tacos and other things as well. Thanks so much for sharing!
You’re welcome!
This is delicious! I made the cheese sauce included in the recipe which happens to be the best cheese sauce I’ve encountered to date. I used what I already had on hand: canned mushrooms & green canned enchilada sauce. The tortillas I had were too fragile to wrap so I layered them in the pan, piled the meat mix on top, followed by cheese sauce, and another layer of tortillas. Poured enchilada and cheese sauces on top and baked. I’ll definitely make this again. Was very good!
This recipe is amazing! It tastes better than a restaurant! I did cheat and used beyond beef for the “meat” because I am unable to have cauliflower but it still came out amazing! Do you have any substation recommendations for the cauliflower? Thanks so much for an amazing vegan meal recipe! My daughter loved it and asked for more!
Yay, I have done that before and loved it! So glad you enjoyed them. You could use more mushrooms instead of cauliflower probably, or just adding in some sort of vegan beef crumbles works.
This was amazing!!!
Couldn’t find black beans in shops but had some cooked black lentils in fridge so added them in instead.
Will definitely be saving the recipe to make again!