Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
This roasted veggie enchilada casserole recipe is a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner loaded with fresh Mexican flavors! It's a great gluten-free main dish.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
It’s about time you met the vegetarian option at my family’s Thanksgiving—enchilada casserole! When I stopped eating meat several years ago, my mom was totally flummoxed on how to feed me. Granted, I was already a full-grown adult at this point, but she’s my mom and she likes to make sure I’m well fed.
Mom has a small repertoire of go-to recipes, and while we were growing up, Mexican “lasagna” was one of them. I always refused to eat it because I didn’t like ground beef (picky little Kate strikes again).
When I came across this recipe for a stacked enchilada casserole full of roasted vegetables and spinach, I sent it her way. It was a hit with the whole family, and so it joined her repertoire of recipes. She makes it (or just the roasted vegetables) for Christmas and birthdays, too.
Of course, I couldn’t help but tinker with the original recipe. I simplified the veggies a bit and divided them across two pans for maximum caramelization. Then I added some black beans for protein, and discovered that Monterey Jack produces an infinitely better end result than cheddar does.
Watch How to Make Enchilada Casserole
I wasn’t really sure what to call this recipe—Mexican casserole? Enchilada casserole? Stacked enchiladas? I’m leaning toward “enchilada casserole recipe,” even though this recipe calls for salsa instead of enchilada sauce. I tried it with both, but it’s easier to make and turns out better with salsa.
I hope this one’s a hit at your house! Please let me know how it turns out in the comments.
Enchilada Casserole Serving Suggestions
Round out your meal with any of the following recipes.
- Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
- Mexican Brown Rice, as shown in these photos
- Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing, or a simple green salad with Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Skinny Margaritas
More Mexican-ish Recipes to Try
If you love this recipe, check out the following recipes with Mexican influences, or browse all of my Mexican recipes here.
- Loaded Veggie Nachos
- Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
This roasted veggie enchilada casserole recipe is a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner loaded with fresh Mexican flavors! It’s a great gluten-free main dish. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
Roasted veggies
- ½ medium head of cauliflower, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about ½-inch wide
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (18 ounces) red salsa, either homemade or jarred*
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
- 9 to 10 corn tortillas**, halved
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 2 big handfuls (about 2 ounces) baby spinach leaves
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- To roast the veggies (this can be done up to 2 days in advance): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
- On one pan, combine the cauliflower and sweet potato. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Same with the cumin.
- Sprinkle both pans lightly with salt and pepper, then toss each one until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and spices, adding another light drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping the pans halfway.
- When you’re ready to assemble, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ square baker. Stir the cilantro into the salsa.
- To assemble, spread ½ cup salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking pan. Add a single layer of halved tortilla pieces, arranging them so they completely cover the salsa.
- Top with ½ of the beans, ⅓ of the vegetables, ½ of the of spinach, and ⅓ of the cheese.
- Make a second layer of tortillas (I pressed down on the mixture a little here to make room for the next layers). Top with ½ of the remaining salsa, all of the remaining beans, ½ of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining spinach, and ½ of the remaining cheese.
- Make a third layer of tortillas (again, I pressed down to make more room). Top with the remaining salsa, vegetables, and cheese.
- Cover the pan with parchment paper (I tent mine in the middle and wrap the edges around the handles) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes, or until heated through.
- Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, to give it time to set and reach a palatable temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with additional chopped cilantro.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Perry’s Plate.
*Salsa suggestions: I recommend a mild to medium salsa here, depending on your heat preferences. I used Trader Joe’s basic “Salsa Authentica” option here, which I don’t love on its own, but it was great mixed with cilantro and the other ingredients. My mom loves Target’s medium roasted tomato and chipotle salsa (Archer Farms brand), which lends a smoky note. Or, make your own salsa—here’s my favorite salsa recipe—and you can really minimize the sodium content by choosing low-sodium tomatoes and keeping the salt low.
Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried (let me know if you do), but I’m confident that you could replace the cheese with cashew sour cream. If the end result is a little dry, just top individual servings with a little more salsa.
**Make it gluten free: Be sure to use 100% corn/certified gluten-free tortillas.
Storage suggestions: This casserole keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
Change it up: You can change the vegetables used here as long as you use about the same volume. You could also add another can of beans to increase the protein content.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
So yummy! I haven’t found one dinner recipe that I haven’t liked! I didn’t add the onion, but, instead, added more of the other veggies. I loved it!
I love hearing that, Lea! This is a good one too. Thanks for your review.
This was a great recipe! We made it just as it is in the recipe except we used two pablano peppers instead of red peppers. We served it with sour cream & cilantro and it was wonderful!
Sounds wonderful, Hailey! Thanks for your review.
Do you know if this would freeze well? I’d like to cut it in pieces and freeze individually. Thanks!
I am wondering the same thing. It sounds delicious, and exactly my kind of meal!
I’m prepping freezer meals for after baby, and would love to do this one. So yes, WILL IT FREEZE,
I haven’t frozen this myself, but I believe others have with success.
I have frozen this casserole and it freezes well. This is one of my favorite veg recipes and one that my carnivore family members love too. Thank you!
Kim, did you bake it before freezing?
I baked this, cooled it, and put individually plastic wrapped portions in a large freezer bag. It kept well for over a year! We just finished the last of it and I am making two more today – one for now and one to freeze for after baby arrives. Excellent recipe!
Others have frozen this recipe and it has worked well for them! I haven’t done it personally.
This was soo tastey! I made it vegan by using Daiya brand pepper jack shreds and it worked perfectly!
That sounds great! Thanks for sharing how you made this work for you, Krystina!
I was wondering if anyone has tried to make this with enchilada sauce instead of salsa? I was thi king of trying it that way since I have some left over enchilada sauce. Would it work?
Made this recipe last night for my boyfriend and I and we ate the entire pan within 24hrs. By far, one of my favorite recipes in life and better than restaurant quality. I followed the recipe and the only thing I did differently was season everything (beans, salsa, veggies, cheese, spinach) with garlic powder. I purchased the corn tortilla from Trader Joe’s since they sell them with only 3 ingredients (corn, water and lime) and I bought organic blocked Monterey Jack cheese that I shred myself. I also bought the recommended salsa from TJ’s. Will make it again…soon.
I’m glad you loved it, Jillian. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to review!
Excellent easy recipe. I substituted broccoli for some of the cauliflower, omitted the sweet potato and used one red and one yellow bell pepper to add some color. When roasting veggies, I added minced garlic. For the tortillas, I substituted Fiber One Garden Vegetable wraps cut up, which has less calories and less saturated fat, lower sodium and no cholesterol. Reduced fat cheese is also a consideration. This packs lots of flavor and nutrition in this easy dish.
I appreciate you sharing your variation, Linda!
This recipe is the BEST! I’ve made it at least 5 times now, delish! I throw in whatever veggies we have on hand: sweet potato, zucchini, onion, broccoli, etc. I used Daiya vegan cheese for a DF & GF recipe. Served with DF sour cream and green sriracha.. to die for! Thanks!
Just made this tonight! My son, he’s 22 months, ate two big servings! I added two ears of fresh boiled (grilled would be awesome!) sweet corn.
That’s great, Amanda!
Delicious! I just made this and didn’t change a thing. Served it with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocados. The fam raved!
That’s great, Courtney!
Excellent recipe! Flavorful, bright and healthy. Will be making again,
Thank you for sharing, Sammy!
Made this tonight. Big success!
Hi, Kate;
Saw this recipe on line, and decided to make it for a Mexican festival potluck. It sounds delicious. I have only one comment/question:
I plan on triple sizing the recipe. I don’t believe a 9″ square pan is going to work…too small for triple sizing. I bought a 19.5 x 11.5 foil pan. Is this too large? The event is in two weeks…would love to hear
from you soon. Thanks, Sandra
If you are increasing the recipe, you will want a larger pan or split between pans.
Hi Sandra. I checked on my smart phone. Volume measurement for the original recipe times 3 is 243″. Volume measurement for your pan is 224.25″. I’d certainly call that close enough.
Just made this without the cheese and it’s delicious! Can’t wait to have the leftovers!
Wonderful, Carissa!
Used lots of red and yellow peppers and a butternut squash. Served the vegetables and beans on the bed of Mexican rice , topped with cheese, chips , salsa and lime
I was a little skeptical (no clue why), but this turned out so so good! I ended up using tortillas made with chickpea flour, and Frontera tomatillo salsa which added a really yummy kick. Since becoming a vegetarian, I have struggled with meal planning and this is one that will definitely go into the regular rotation – I feel like this can be easily modified for veggies you have on hand too. So glad I tried it! ;)
Oh my goodnes….I absolutely love this recipe! Even the leftovers are amazing. Roasting the veggies with cumin really makes a huge difference. I thought to freeze it as I was making it but it didnt last that long at all!
I really love all of your recipes! You’re awesome!
Thank you!
ALL MY THUMBS UP! Made this twice in the last week, it such a hit at my house. I’m in love with the rich flavor mix, and since I discovered silicon mats for my veggie-roasting sheet pans, which make cleanup a breeze, I’m even more enthusiastic about roasting than ever. Just FYI I find I can make do with less EVO if I put the veggies in a bowl and toss them, rather than drizzling in the pan. But I can see the advantage of one less bowl to clean.
Didn’t have spinach the first time, and it was actually different but just as good as when I added it. My family loves green salso, so we used that and loved it. Otherwise followed your recipe.
Thanks for this great recipe. Can imagine this being our winter favorite this year!
Hooray! That’s great to hear. Thank you for sharing, Thea.
I made this for the second time tonight and it was even better than the first time around. Absolutely love your recipes…….I haven’t had anything so far that has been anything less than amazing!
Wonderful to hear, Jill!
I never comment on recipes, but this was so good I just had to. This dish is amazing, packed with flavor and so hearty you don’t even miss the meat. Thank you for sharing :)
Wow. This is my favorite new recipe, and everyone I’ve served it to LOVES it! In fact, I’m a little sheepish about how many times I’ve made it in the past few weeks – it’s that good.
It’s also pretty flexible, and I love that in a recipe. Have made it with and without the spinach, with different types of cheese, and it’s all been good. And definitely yes to a bit of sour cream on top…
Also, I have to do a shout out for silicone baking mats on cookie sheets, which I just discovered for roasting vegetables? Cleanup is a breeze. In fact, I think I’ll go make this again. THANKS so much!
Hooray! I’m glad you love this one, Thea.
This recipe sounds delicious but I cannot abide cilantro. Do you think it will be fine just to leave it out?
Sure, if you need to. Let me know what you think!
Have not mad it yet, need to know if I can freeze it. Thanks.
Hi! I know some readers have froze this one in the past and it has worked fine. I don’t freeze all my recipes so can’t speak directly to it, sorry!
Have not made it yet, need to know if I can freeze it. Thanks.
I haven’t froze this one, as I don’t freeze all of my recipes. However, I believe this one has worked well for readers in the past.
It is snowing here in CT, so I made this for dinner. It was beyond delicious. I have made the enchiladas from the cookbook a couple times and will definitely add this recipe into the rotation on a regular basis! Since it was snowy and I was feeling ambitious, I made your lentil soup for tomorrow. Thanks for another great recipe!!
This is so delicious! Very tasty & hearty. I only had a 8”square pan, so it was packed! & took a bit longer to heat thru. Also, I cooked the casserole pan on a cookie sheet lined with parchment appear & glad I did as some of the filling boiled over. Absolutely loved this meal!
I’m glad you loved it, Eileen!
I made this last night. I was absolutely delicious and very filling, can’t wait to eat leftovers for lunch!
This makes great leftovers!
Can I suggest that instead of saying “9in. square baker” you put in a quart value? I thought I had the right pan but it was WAY too full and made things really difficult.
Hi Anna, I’m sorry you had difficulty! Unfortunately, is the most specific direction I can give and it worked well for me and several other readers. I wonder if you had too much in your dish? Did you follow the quantities?
I followed all the quantities as best I could, sometimes one person’s Medium is another person’s Large, but everything truly measurable I measured. All my baking dishes give a dimension measurement as well as a volume measurement. For anyone who wants extra info for their own reference: I used a 2.2quart Pyrex baking dish that was 7.5″x11.5″ and it was mounded way up in the middle and was very precarious, I thought it would even out to a 9″ square one, but the sides must have been too low. I wish I had used my 3quart 9″x13″ Pyrex baking dish since it would have fit easily (and covering it without sticking to the melty cheese on top would have been much easier), granted it would have needed a few extra tortillas to make the layer go all the way across. Sorry for the extremely long comment!
Thanks for this Anna. I agree that volume is worth including; not all baking dishes are created equal. I checked the comments after looking at my 2 quart 9″ square dish thinking it did not look big enough. I’ll use my rectangular 3 quart instead. Cheers!
I had the same issue of over flowing my square baker so much so that I had to leave off a later. However, it was still wonderful. I def plan to use a longer or deeper dish next time. This is one of my favorite things to make.
Another amazing dish :)
I doubled the recipe in a large casserole dish and sprinkled a tiny bit of mild chili powder with the cumin on the veggies – yum! Took a bit longer to cook with the larger volume but well worth the time.
My fiancé and I took portions to work all week, and he didn’t have the ability to reheat it and still raved about how delicious it was!
I’m glad you loved this one too, Emily! Thanks for sharing your adjustments.
Oh my SWEET BABY JESUS! I needed to find a vegetarian dish for my brothers Holiday party and THISSSSS did not disappoint. Wow! I love. Will definitely be making again. Thank you!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Megan! Thanks for sharing.
I just saw this recipe and would love to try it! Wondering, do you think I could put together the night before and refrigerate? Just add cashew sour cream at last minute?
Not sure if you can respond in time, but I’d like to try this for family get together on Monday 12/23. But make tomorrow night.
I haven’t tired it, sorry! How did it work for you? I apologize for my delayed response!
My husband, nine-year old son, and I recently transitioned to a mainly vegetarian diet and I’m always looking for flavorful and substantial vegetarian recipes. I stumbled across this recipe while I was looking for something special to make for our Christmas dinner. The meal was a huge hit! Even the meat lovers in my family thought it was awesome. The roasted veggies seasoned with cumin really bring out great flavor. I substituted flour tortillas and a Mexican cheese blend because that is what I had on hand. We will definitely be making this on a regular basis.
I love this one for Christmas! Thank you for sharing, Kristie. I appreciate your review.
I made this for my family this evening — however, non-veg. Added 1/2 the beans, ground beef, and just the peppers and spinach for the veggies. I also used Mexican Cheese mix instead of the Monterey Jack. It was delicious, flavorful, and such a nice change! Kids even gave it a thumbs up! I usually make C&K’s baked goods and always wanted to try the savory items. I’m so glad i did. Thank you!!
Yum! Made this for NewYearsDay.
Hubby and I both loved it.
Served it with your roasted tomatillo salsa and chips.
Have you tried this with store-bought fresh salsa vs. jarred?
I prefer jared for this, but you can try fresh. Let me know what you think!
This was amazing. We had to substitute some ingredients due to availability where we live – like red onions and kidney beans – but the result was amazing. We used homemade salsa and homemade tortillas too, and I really recommend anyone else do the same if they have the time. An excellent recipe, ripe for personal adaptation.
This was so delicious. We added zucchini slices, which we also roasted with the other veggies. We diced red, yellow, orange and green peppers for extra colors. We also substituted canned enchilada sauce for the salsa, choosing instead to serve the finished casserole with salsa as a topping. To save time, we mixed the enchilada sauce, the black means and cheese in a pitcher and poured it for each layer. We did tent it with foil, but then did 30 minutes covered, added more cheese, did 10 more minutes uncovered and then 10 minutes on the counter. This additional time might be due to us doubling the recipe into an 9X11casserole dish. I really don’t think you could go wrong here, I’m so happy we stumbled upon your website!! Thank you ◡̈
Thanks for sharing, Lori!
I’ve made this recipe multiple times now, it’s delicious! I even brought it to a friend who recently had a baby and she said her two year old son loved it! 10/10 recipe, thanks for sharing!!
Fantastic recipe! I made it using the Roasted Summertime Salsa from the Love Real Food cookbook. (For the salsa, I used a box of grape tomatoes to save time and it was perfect.) . This recipe is delicious!
I varied on the veggie amounts – using 1 head cauliflower, 3 onions, 2 red peppers and 3 sweet potatoes. Used Ortega Chipotle taco sauce 16 oz plus 1/2 cup salsa. Used the salsa just beneath the first layer of tortillas. Used 9 x 13 pan. Used more cheese due to larger surface area. Also another can of black beans could easily been added for more fiber. Absolutely delicious!!!
I am making this tonight. i love how this dish looks so vibrant in your white baker. Would you share where it was purchased from ? I like the handles on it and am slowly replacing my old dishes. By the way I only follow your method for making quinoa, its perfect everytime :))
Hi! This is from Crate & Barrel.
I made it in a lasagna pan so used extra amounts of ingredients. Two cans of beans, whole cauliflower, more salsa… Turned out great! Very easy recipe to follow, too!
This looks really good. However, the sodium content is way over the top for us. Tell me what you recommend to lower the sodium? Thanks.
Hi Ronda, Please see more on my nutritional information here: https://capital-fly.pro/nutrition-disclaimer/%3C/a%3E. You can always reduce or omit the salt as needed and watch the sodium levels in your salsa, etc.
I just made this…followed the recipe exactly and it is absolutely delicious! I love the veggie combination, it’s just loaded with amazing flavor. Crazy good! I can’t stop eating it, will definitely be making it again soon!
Wonderful to hear, Kelly!
We’ve made this recipe a few times now and it has always turned out great. After this last round I’m taking advice from the comments and freezing half of the dish since our version does make a lot for just the two of us. The only changes I make: double the beans and bake in a 13×9 inch casserole dish with only 2 layers of tortillas.
Yes I made this recipe and it turned out great. My wife loved it and I shared some with my daughter and her family. She loved it also. I changed it up a bit by adding mushrooms which added a meaty texture, substituted red beans for black beans and used Mexican cheese. Otherwise all else were per recipe. This was very satisfying and filling. Will make this again. Loved it.
This was sooooo good! I made according to recipe and would not change a thing. We are excoted for the leftovers tonight. =)
delicious!!!! I used broccoli instead of cauliflower and crushed tomatoes instead of salsa. I served it with sour cream, salsa and avocado. Yummy the next day as well!
Cooked this as one of the buffet dishes served at my grandad’s 80th birthday party and it was delicious! Very popular across a range of ages and I have passed the recipe along to several family members because they liked it so much.
This was another great recipe! We subbed broccoli instead of cauliflower and pepper jack instead of Monterey jack as that’s what we had on hand. We also used the corn with flour tortillas from TJ’s and the recommended TJ’s salsa.
Would the enchilada sauce in your chilaquiles recipe be OK to be used in lieu of salsa? Just curious….
I believe so, yes! You might need to double the recipe to have enough. I haven’t cross-checked the quantities.
I’m skeptical about the salsa in this recipe. Would your enchilada sauce work in its place?
I believe so, yes! You might need to double the recipe to have enough. I haven’t cross-checked the quantities. That said, if you’re using a good salsa (like my homemade option), I can vouch that it turns out really well as written.
This was a great, versatile recipe. Substituted diced zucchini and frozen corn for the sweet potato, otherwise followed the recipe. Realized during assembly that I don’t own a 9×9” baking dish, so used 9 x 13 with no issue. A great topping for this casserole is ancho chili relish. Will definitely make this again!