This recipe for vegan enchiladas makes for the perfect plant-based lunch or dinner. It’s also easy to customize, so you can adjust the dish according to your preferences.
Enchiladas are traditionally eaten in Mexican cuisine. They’re nutritious, delicious, and wonderfully versatile, as they can be made with myriad fillings and toppings.
These vegan enchiladas are filled with roasted sweet potato, lentils, spinach, and onion, then topped with enchilada sauce and vegan shredded cheese. Once baked to perfection, the dish is then garnished with fresh cilantro, diced avocado, or your favorite hot sauce.
Make a batch of these enchiladas and enjoy them for the next few days. You can also freeze it for later for a quick weeknight dinner.
Serve this vegan enchilada recipe with Cooked Canned Black Beans or delicious homemade Roasted Tomato Salsa & Guacamole.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Lentils. Lentils act as a meat alternative in this recipe. They offer protein, along with fiber and plenty of vitamins. You’ll need cooked lentils for this recipe.
- Sweet potatoes. These enchiladas also feature roasted sweet potatoes, which pair deliciously with lentils.
- Enchilada sauce. You can use a homemade or store-bought sauce. For this recipe, we used two bags of Frontera’s Red Chile Enchilada Sauce.
- Corn tortillas. White or yellow corn tortillas both work for this recipe. Traditionally, corn tortillas are used in enchiladas, but you can use flour tortillas if you prefer them.
How to Make Vegan Enchiladas
To save time, cook the other filling ingredients while the sweet potatoes roast. Also, don’t hesitate to add more or less spices, depending on preferences. Here’s how to make vegan enchiladas:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Toss the sweet potato cubes with about 2 tablespoons oil or until fully coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet in an even layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until soft.
3. While the sweet potato cubes are roasting, add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet. Cook the onions for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and spinach until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked lentils, water, and spices. Toss and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. If you’d like, mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Grease a baking dish with oil and spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce along the bottom. You might need two baking dishes, depending on the size of each dish.
Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Add about 2 tablespoons of sweet potatoes to the center.
7. On top of the sweet potatoes, add about 2 tablespoons of the lentil-spinach mixture.
8. Roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish, seam side facing down. Fill the remaining tortillas.
9. If you’d like, brush the tortillas with oil. Pour enchilada sauce on top.
10. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the tortillas are slightly crispy. If using cheese, remove the dish after 10 minutes, add the cheese, and cook for another 5 minutes. Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and/or lime juice.
Recipe Tips, Variations, and Substitutions
- Use tofu. Swap the lentils for extra-firm tofu. Add it to the skillet along with the spices, and skip the water or broth. Break up the tofu with a spatula and cook until somewhat crispy.
- Use yellow potatoes. Replace the sweet potato with yellow potato for a delicious riff on this recipe.
- Use plant-based meat. Instead of lentils, use vegan ground “beef” or “chicken.”
- Warm the tortillas. If the tortillas crack or break when you roll them up, warm them briefly in an ungreased pan, over low heat, for about 30 seconds. You can also wrap them in a damp paper towel, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and heat them for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Top with guacamole. Instead of diced avocado, top your enchiladas with dollops of guacamole.
Can I store the leftovers?
You can store these enchiladas in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
Can I freeze Vegan Enchiladas?
Yes, you can freeze Vegan Enchiladas. Prepare the enchiladas as usual and place them in a freezer-safe tray, with a cover, rather than a baking dish. When you’re ready to eat, let thaw in the refrigerator, then cook at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
- Roasted Tomato Salsa & Guacamole — Top your enchiladas with scoops of homemade salsa and guacamole.
- Black Bean and Corn Salad — For a hearty side dish, make this black bean and corn salad.
- Vegan Refried Beans — Make these vegan refried beans with just six ingredients.
- Canned Black Beans — Cook canned black beans for a satisfying side dish.
Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups sweet potato unpeeled and cubed
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- ½ onion yellow or red, diced
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder plus more if needed
- ½ to 1 teaspoon salt depending on your enchilada sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup water or vegetable broth
- 16 corn tortillas
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- Avocado oil
- Avocado for topping
- Fresh cilantro for topping
- Lime juice for topping
- Shredded vegan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Toss the sweet potato cubes with about 2 tablespoons oil or until fully coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the potatoes to the baking sheet in an even layer. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until soft.
- While the sweet potato cubes are roasting, add 1 tablespoon of oil to a skillet. Cook the onions for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and spinach until wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked lentils, water, and spices. Toss and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. If you'd like, mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Grease a baking dish with oil and spoon a thin layer of enchilada sauce along the bottom. You might need two baking dishes, depending on the size of each dish.
- Place a tortilla on a flat surface. Add about 2 tablespoons of sweet potatoes to the center.
- On top of the sweet potatoes, add about 2 tablespoons of the lentil-spinach mixture.
- Roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish, seam side facing down. Fill the remaining tortillas.
- If you'd like, brush the tortillas with oil. Pour enchilada sauce on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the tortillas are slightly crispy. If using cheese, remove the dish after 10 minutes, add the cheese, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Top with diced avocado, chopped cilantro, and/or lime juice.
Notes
- Adjust the salt according to the saltiness of your enchilada sauce.
- You can use yellow potatoes in place of sweet potatoes (or even a mix of both).
- If your tortillas easily break, warm them up in an ungreased pan over low heat for about 30 seconds, one at a time. You can also wrap them in a damp paper towel, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and heat them for 15 to 30 seconds.
- Have fun with the toppings. Try guacamole, hot sauce, or vegan sour cream in addition to the toppings recommended above.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.
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