Vegan Black Bean Enchilada (Printer-Friendly)

A plant-based casserole with black beans, vegetables, corn tortillas, and smooth avocado crema.

# What You Need:

→ Casserole Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
13 - 2 cups vegan enchilada sauce
14 - 12 small corn tortillas

→ Avocado Crema

15 - 2 ripe avocados
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
18 - 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy yogurt
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed

→ Optional Toppings

21 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Sliced jalapeños
23 - Diced tomatoes
24 - Lime wedges

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
02 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini; cook 5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
03 - Add corn kernels, drained black beans, ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir thoroughly and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 corn tortillas over the sauce, overlapping edges as needed to cover the surface.
05 - Spread half of the black bean mixture evenly over the tortilla layer. Drizzle with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
06 - Add another layer of 4 tortillas over the sauce. Distribute the remaining black bean mixture over the tortillas and drizzle with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
07 - Top with the remaining 4 tortillas. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly across the entire surface.
08 - Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10 minutes until the casserole is heated through and bubbling at the edges.
09 - While the casserole bakes, combine avocados, cilantro leaves, lime juice, non-dairy yogurt, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time to achieve desired consistency.
10 - Remove casserole from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into portions and serve topped with avocado crema, fresh cilantro, jalapeños, tomatoes, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It feeds a crowd without requiring you to cook multiple components separately, and the whole thing comes together in under an hour.
  • The layers mean every bite tastes different, and people always ask for the recipe thinking it's more complicated than it actually is.
  • You can prep everything the night before and just bake it when you're ready, making it perfect for when life gets chaotic.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the black beans, because that starchy liquid is what makes casseroles turn watery and mushy instead of staying layered and intact.
  • The avocado crema needs to be made close to serving time, as it browns pretty quickly once blended, though a squeeze of extra lime juice slows that down considerably.
  • This casserole is actually better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld, so don't hesitate to make it ahead and reheat it gently in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes.
03 -
  • Make sure your enchilada sauce is completely vegan if that matters to you, since some store-bought versions sneak in chicken broth or lard—read those labels carefully.
  • If you can't find non-dairy yogurt or don't want to use it, blend the avocado with just a splash more water and a pinch more salt, and you'll still get beautiful creaminess.
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