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.
I have loved all the Cookie and Kate recipes I’ve made so far, but this was my favorite to date! I was so pleased with how it turned out and it was the perfect comfort food for a cold night. And healthy too! Thank You!
Hot damn. Easy and delicious.
This recipe is going into our family’s regular rotation – soooo good. I made it vegan by replacing the cheese with a garlic cashew cheese dip because that was all the local grocery store had but it still turned out really tasty!
Really loved this recipe! I doubled it and we had dinner for the night and hubby had lunches for the week. Only thing I did differently was used a lot more cumin because I love it!
Can I bake this dish a day before my party.
Even my husband the carnivore loved it. Didn’t have cauliflower on hand but subbed extra sweet potato and it was still perfect! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Angela!
This is a 5-star recipe for sure! I took your advice about using any veg desired and chose: broccoli, asparagus, red pepper, onion and sweet potato. I also used the black beans and spinach suggested in the recipe. In lieu of shredded cheese I made your vegan sour cream so it was 100% plant-based. YUM!!
So, so good. I didn’t have corn tortilla shells and used hard shells instead and added a bit extra salsa to soften them and it worked great! Also added some corn. Delicious!
Way to be creative! I’m happy it worked for you, Sarah. I appreciate your comment and review.
Made this.
Loved this.
Will definitely make it again soon but will plan ahead, time wise, a little better next time.
Be sure to let me know what you think, Kerrie!
We’ve started 4 weeks of self-isolation. This was our first meal to kick it off. It’s great comfort food!!
Amazing!!!! I absolutely fell in love with this dish, easy to make and tastes great! I added in layers of plant based protein “crumbles” for an additional tasty taco effect. Came out great. Can’t wait to reheat this tomorrow! Thank you!!!
It reheats well! I hope you love the leftovers too, Emily. Thanks for your comment!
Would whole wheat tortillas
Work? I ask only because that’s what I have on hand
Sure!
Hi, I just made this today it looks really good and I took a bite it Tastes good. I used signature brand fire roasted medium salsa from Safeway it added great Smokey flavor I would definately make it again
So good! I’ve made this twice now and it is one of the only meals that my family of five will all eat – and all leave clean plates!
So good! Followed the recipe pretty closely but substituted sharp cheddar since that’s what I had. Medium salsa had just the right amount of spice.
Yum! Thanks for the recipe. It was great to premake the roasted veggies to have a quick, delicious meal for Monday night.
This was delicious! I used homemade green chile enchilada sauce instead of salsa, but otherwise followed the recipe. The whole family, including my 2 year old, loved it!
This was a hit with everyone. I used a salsa that was a little too spicy (if you’re making for kids, I’d recommend mild), but even so they scarfed it down! Thank you so much for a great recipe.
I doubled the recipe and it BARELY fit into a 9X13 baking dish, but it worked OK!
Is there a substitute for the tortillas? I don’t care for the texture or the taste.
Thanks
Hi Brenda! I’m sorry, I can’t really think of another layering ingredient that would be a natural fit with Mexican flavors. If you really want to go rogue, perhaps no-bake lasagna noodles would work, or maybe you could omit the tortillas altogether for a very veggie-forward casserole.
I plan to omit the tortillas all together and use corn, layering the dish in that way so it’s more of a veggie casserole. Stay tuned!
This is a new favorite! My partner actually called it “the best thing you’ve ever made,” so needless to say we both loved it. :) Thank you so much, too, for giving suggestions for how to make your recipes vegan. Lactose intolerance means cheese is out, but the cashew sour cream was great (and the dish didn’t turn out dry at all, it was perfect). I’ll definitely be making this one again!
Do you think roasted beets could be used in place of the cauliflower? That’s what’s in my fridge today :)
Sure! It may be interesting in this, but it could work. Let me know what you think!
After reading comments about pan overflowing, I am once again thinking it would sure be nice if people would put measures for the ingredients. For example; 1 sliced onion = aprox 1/2c., or use weight measurements. The difference in the size of any two onions, peppers, cauliflower or sweet potatoes can be considerable. I’ve learned to do my own calculation based on percentage of a given ingredient and the overall flavor I want for the whole dish, and with the 2 c indicator for sweet potato I could do that here. But better/more consistent measurements would be nice.
I have never commented on a recipe before but this one is great! I substituted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes because that’s what I had, and it was so yummy!
Absolutely delicious and so easy to customize!
I saved some time by kick-starting the chopped sweet potatoes and cauliflower by microwaving for 3 minutes, covered, then tossing in oil and spices, and roasting on foil in the toaster. This shortened the roast to about 15 minutes.
We also prepared the onion and pepper, then after tossing in oil and spice, we sauteed on the stove in a skillet, medium low heat, with minimal stirring. When these were done with some nice light brown marks, the potatoes and cauliflower were done too!
We removed the skillet from heat and mixed all the veggies in it, waiting for the assembly next.
I roasted the tortillas just slightly until little black marks appeared… using the stove before assembling, since they were refrigerated. I also roasted a jalapeno while I was at it and added to the side of our plates.
I also made it in a slightly smaller glass dish (6×8) so it would fit in the toaster oven and that made it nice and tall.
It is a keeper recipe! Thanks so much!
This was SO delicious! The roasted veg makes such a big difference to the flavour. This will be in regular rotation in my house and I’ve shared it with my best friends! Thanks! ❤️
I rarely comment on recipes I source online but after several makings of this recipe, I feel like I MUST share that this recipe is amazing. I follow the recipe exactly and it is perfection…all the separate ingredients blend together to make a dish my husband and I get excited to make and eat. We’re typically meat-eaters although we’re trying to eat vegetarian at lunch these days and we don’t miss anything with this casserole. Fantastic!!
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Carie. I appreciate you sharing how excited you are about this recipe.
Wow, this was delicious. I used a combo of red, green and chipotle salsa because that’s what I had. Substituted zucchini (lightly pre-roasted) and kale for the baby spinach. Didn’t have cilantro. Used cheddar instead of Monterrey Jack. Turned out amazing. Your recipes have been consistently excellent. Thank you so much!
Sounds like quite the combination! I’m happy you loved it, Natalie.
So delicious!! What a creative dish too. I made this in a 9” cake pan since I didn’t have a casserole dish this size and it worked perfectly! Looking forward to trying variations when I make it again!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was so tasty! I followed the recipe exactly, and I wouldn’t change a thing. I also made your mexcian rice to accompany it – so delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe
Delicious! I didn’t have spinach on hand so I replaced it with broccoli! I also topped it with Truff Hot Sauce & a homemade Avocado Crema
*AVOCADO CREMA
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (60 g) raw cashews, soaked in very hot water for 1 hour then drained
1 small ripe avocado (~3/4 cup or 113 g)
1/2 cup (8 g) chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
water to thin (~1/2 cup or 120 ml)
Directions: Blend until creamy and smooth.
This was absolutely delicious! I just started cooking more vegetarian dishes and would recommend this for sure! I ended up using flour tortillas and a white cheddar cheese instead :)
Made this last night. I used courgettes instead of cauli and red onion instead of white. We don’t have Monterey Jack cheese so we used a Mexican blend shredded cheese and a combo of hot taco sauce and salsa. Served with a simple slaw as it is quite a heavy dish. Really enjoyed it, nice dish on a cold night. Will make again, and serve with jalapeños next time. Thank you for sharing! :)
Thank you for sharing, Belinda! I appreciate your review.
Great recipe. My family loved it and wants me to make it again. The only problem with this is that it definitely does not yield 6-8 servings as stated My family of three really only got one good sized portion (well two portions to my 20 something grandson). So next time I make it, and I will, I will double the ingredients for a 9×11 casserole dish.
I made this last night – was fantastic, even my 12 year picky eater enjoyed it (with some guac and sour cream). A bit of prep for a non-cook like me but well worth it. Next time I’ll probably add some black olives and maybe sliced mushrooms, but its pretty perfect as is.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Scott! I appreciate it. Olives and mushrooms sound interesting additions for sure.
This was so easy to make and super delicious! Even the non vegetarians loved it!
Very good recipe, I understand why you suggest prepping the vegetables in advance now! Took me, with my sad chopping skills a lot longer to make but worth the time and effort. The only thing I might do differently next time is more cumin and add some garlic.
Delicious!!
what’s your go-to corn tortilla choice Kate, any recommendations?
Hi Caroline! I like the Mi-Rancho tortillas or Trader Joe’s has some great ones too.
Absolutely delicious. Each time I have made this it takes up an entire 13×9 dish and I still wish I made double! I make your homemade enchilada sauce recipe and then make the casserole with that. I use Daiya cheese to keep it vegan and top it off with vegan sour cream. The entire family including two kids and a carnivore husband eat this up.
I was wondering if this meal can be made in advanced and cooked when ready to eat?
Hi Elaine! This may get soggy as it sits without baking in the fridge for too long. But, it does make great leftovers!
Recipe so yummy and filling! My family likes spicy stuff so with peppers and onions roasted a couple of serranos and jalapenos. SPICY GOOD!!! Will definitely make again, again, again, and again, so yummy!
Made this last night and it came out delicious! I use a 9×12 pan (which made it a thinner casserole with 2 layers). I used organic enchilada sauce instead of the jarred salsa, and substituted spinach for chard. Very delicious and even more wonderful the next day!
Thank you for sharing!
Delicious! Was looking for something new to cook and I’ve never made a casserole before, was afraid the tortilla’s would turn soggy and bleh, but it was delicious!
It’s a miracle: My 3 kids all liked it! That is a big win for me, especially on the first try! I omitted the peppers and substituted with more cauliflower. It was a lovely combination of flavors, and the cheese certainly didn’t hurt. I’ll definitely make it again!
This was SO delicious. My meat-eating husband loved it and went back for seconds. Bonus points bc you can roast the vegetables and assemble it ahead of time. I’m so glad I made this…will be going into the weekly menu rotation!
Please add what sizes to cut veggies into, trying recipe out today.
Made this for my husband’s dinner tonight. He LOVED it. I just wanted to thank you for such good recipes. We are getting to try a bunch of new things and also spending more time together in the kitchen :)
this was/is delicious! eating it now with a little avocado, tomatillo sauce and yogurt. I switched frozen broccoli with cauliflower. so good!
Wondering if using a square Pyrex dish would work as my 9″ baking pan is a bit shallow i think for this. Thanks Kate.
Hi! As long as it has the depth, it should be ok. How big is the dish you want to use?
Hi there! Big veggie lovers here and it was delicious the first time–so I made a double batch this time!! I’m going to freeze one of them for my parents. The thing is– I cooked them both ( which I prob shouldn’t have)
I’m wondering what’s the best way to reheat it? Cook it from frozen again or thaw it out and then warm it up?? Thoughts??
Hi Carrie! I would let it thaw for 24 hrs in the refrigerator and then cook it at the same temperature following the covered instructions and since already baked maybe covered the whole time so the top doesn’t burn. It will take longer so you will need to check on it.
Thank you!! :):)
And P.S. I tried this recipe this time with half red salsa and half green enchilada sauce! It was really tasty! There are so many ways to tweak this recipe– which I love!
I was looking for a make ahead meal that was gluten free and vegetarian and am SO happy I found this. It’s so delicious! I made zero modifications and already know I will make it again. I initially thought the combination of vegetables might be weird with the cumin, tortillas, and salsa, but it’s perfect. Thank you!