Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Amazing vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with black beans, broccoli, bell pepper and spinach, topped with homemade red sauce. My favorite enchilada recipe!
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
These vegetarian enchiladas are a hearty and satisfying dinner. Make them on a weeknight and you’ll enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day. Or make it on the weekend and invite friends over to make a party out of it! You could make a double batch and freeze the extras—you’ll find freezing instructions below.
You’ll love the fresh filling in these enchiladas, made of sautéed bell pepper, broccoli, onion, spinach, black beans and warming spices. These enchiladas are nicely cheesy, but not overwhelmingly cheesy like many restaurants make them.
This enchilada recipe has become quite popular since I published it nearly eight years ago. I used my spinach artichoke enchiladas as a blueprint and covered them with my go-to homemade enchilada sauce, of course. They’re just fantastic and I hope you’ll give them a try, if you haven’t already.
If you’ve never made enchiladas before, you can do it! You’ll find a detailed recipe, step-by-step photos, and an instructional video below.
How to Make Vegetable Enchiladas
This recipe isn’t the quickest dinner option (enchiladas never are), but it is totally worth the effort. Here’s a basic rundown with some notes and variations.
You’ll start by making my red enchilada sauce, a simple, pantry-friendly recipe using dried spices and vegetable broth. It has an amazing depth of flavor! If you want to change it up, you could use my green enchilada sauce instead, which is made from salsa verde (jarred is fine).
Then, you’ll sauté red onion, bell pepper, broccoli and spinach. Broccoli is an uncommon ingredient in enchiladas, but I love it here. If you’re hesitant and want a more neutral flavor, substitute cauliflower instead. Cumin and a small amount of cinnamon (yes, cinnamon!) ramp up the flavor.
Once the vegetables are done cooking, we’ll transfer them to a bowl and add drained black beans, plus a small amount of cheese and a splash of enchilada sauce for flavoring. Then we’ll assemble the enchiladas, drizzle the remaining sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake until golden. If you want extra cheesy enchiladas, you could double the cheese (use a full 8 ounces).
This recipe calls for flour tortillas. I like to use whole wheat for some extra flavor and fiber. Corn tortillas are more traditional, but my mom always used flour tortillas in her enchiladas when we were growing up, so I used flour. If you’d like to use corn tortillas, you certainly can. You’ll need more than 8 of them, likely 12. Gently warm them in the microwave or one at a time on the stovetop before using (otherwise, they might break when rolling).
Watch How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas
How to Freeze These Enchiladas
You can make these enchiladas as directed and freeze them instead of baking them. I also tried baking and then freezing them, but it was more work with no payoff. To help minimize freezer burn, refrigerate the dish until fully chilled (about four hours), then cover tightly and freeze fully.
Use a freezer-safe dish, like this Pyrex dish. I’ve successfully used Pyrex baking dishes straight from the freezer to the oven. Beware there’s always a slight risk that the dish could break.
Once frozen, they will keep for up to six months in the freezer. Frozen foods technically never go bad when the freezing environment is perfectly consistent, though they generally taste better when consumed sooner.
To bake the frozen enchiladas, first ensure that the exterior of the baking dish is dry by wiping it with a towel—this helps avoid shocking the glass. Bake as directed in the recipe below, then cover the dish snugly with parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake until it is fully cooked through and bubbling, probably about 45 minutes total or longer (covering the dish prevents it from becoming too browned). Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
These enchiladas are a well-rounded main dish offering vegetables, greens, whole grains and protein. If you’re hosting friends, perhaps start with guacamole or salsa with chips. For cocktails, try fresh-squeezed margaritas or ranch waters.
Here are some side dishes that would be lovely with these enchiladas:
- Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
- Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
- Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing (or a simplified version of it)
- Simple Healthy Slaw
More Veggie-Packed Main Dishes
Craving more hearty vegetarian meals with Mexican flavors? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
- Epic Vegetarian Tacos
- Fajita Veggie & Halloumi Bowls
- Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Sweet Potato, Poblano, and Black Bean Enchiladas in my cookbook, Love Real Food
Please let me know how these veggie enchiladas turn out for you in the comments! I’m always so eager to hear from you.
Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Amazing vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with black beans, broccoli, bell pepper and spinach, topped with homemade red sauce. My favorite enchilada recipe! Recipe yields 8 enchiladas, enough for about 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups homemade enchilada sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 small red onion)
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 bunch of broccoli or 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), florets removed and sliced into small, bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 to 6 ounces baby spinach (about 5 cups, packed)
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- ½ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 whole wheat tortillas (about 8 inches in diameter)
- Handful of chopped cilantro, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with one rack in the middle of the oven and one in the upper third. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil until simmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, stir, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until the broccoli is brighter green and just starting to turn golden on the edges.
- Add the cumin and cinnamon to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it has reduced in size. Repeat with the remaining spinach and cook until all of the spinach has wilted.
- Transfer the contents of the pan to a medium mixing bowl. Add the drained beans, ¼ cup cheese and a drizzle of enchilada sauce (about 2 tablespoons). Season with ½ teaspoon salt and some freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Assemble the enchiladas: Pour ¼ cup enchilada sauce into your prepared pan and tilt it from side to side until the bottom of the pan is evenly coated. To assemble your first enchilada, spread ½ cup filling mixture down the middle of a tortilla, then snugly wrap the left side over and then the right, to make a wrap. Place it seam-side down against the edge of your pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
- Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, leaving the tips of the enchiladas bare. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
- Bake, uncovered, on the middle rack for 20 minutes. If the cheese on top isn’t golden enough for your liking, carefully transfer the enchiladas to the upper rack of the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until sufficiently golden and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let the enchiladas rest for 10 minutes (they’re super hot!). Before serving, sprinkle chopped cilantro down the center of the enchiladas. Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, covered.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my spinach artichoke enchiladas.
Make it vegan: You could just skip the cheese altogether and still end up with awesome enchiladas. For some extra creaminess, you might top them with sliced avocado or a drizzle of vegan sour cream.
Make it gluten free: Substitute certified gluten-free “flour” tortillas, or use corn tortillas (they’re smaller than my 8-inch tortillas, so you might need more than 8 tortillas). If you use corn tortillas, gently warm them together in the microwave or individually on the stove before you try to roll them up, or they might break.
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.
These were amazing! I made them just as the recipe was written with cauliflower (except that I had to use cheddar cheese). Next time I’ll make the enchilada sauce spicier with more chili powder and probably would add a jalapeno to the the sautéed veggies for more heat. Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe is amazing!! I wanted something a little spicer, so I added three jalapeños with the bell pepper and a 1/4 tsp of cayenne with the spices. I also didn’t have time to make the sauce so I bought a can of enchilada sauce. It turned out absolutely perfect
This recipe is good, very flavourful, but not particularly satisfying. I find that when I add a cup of quinoa to the mix everybody leaves the table very happy.
This is a great recipe. Teenager approved as well. I do add some roasted sweet potato or quinoa and some fresh corn cut from the cob. I double the recipe and freeze a pan for a quick dinner later. Thank you!
Made this with some additions to use up CSA veggies – broccoli stems (peeled and diced), broccoli greens, and leeks in the mix, and sliced cherry tomatoes layered on top at the end. (And store bought enchilada sauce, bc, #notime). Delicious!
These are so good! I’ve made them a few times and they have worked out excellent each time. They are a hit with the family also. The only tweak I’ve made was to eliminate the cinnamon. I suppose I just don’t prefer it.
These enchiladas are fantastic! I love your sauce too! I was tired of my plain black bean enchiladas and was looking for a new recipe when I came upon your website. I also made your Black Bean Enchiladas with Spinach and Artichokes, another fantastic recipe! My family loves them too!
Delicious! I used cauliflower and broccoli. I think next time I might add some charred corn. Really like the home made sauce. I think this will become a regular for me.
I love how you are being creative, Danielle! Thank you for your review.
Hi! I made this last night for my household. I did not have a couple of the spices so I had to improvise and I was worried they wouldn’t like it, being that I am the only vegetarian. Hilariously enough, they LOVED it and requested me to make it AGAIN tonight! Thank you so much for making vegetarian dishes I can try on my family.
I can’t believe a dish this delicious, beautiful, and wholesome could be this easy! I have been craving this exact thing for weeks but was convinced only an experienced chef could make a dish like this. I used mostly whole wheat flour tortillas but also corn and a locally-made chickpea flour tortilla that has a great texture and flavor.
I may make the filling to use in hot veggie sandwiches this winter.
Thank you very much for sharing this amazing recipe. Cinnamon and cumin? Yes, please!
Hooray! I’m happy you decided to make it Karoline and loved it. Thank you for your time to review!
DELICIOUS! Honestly, both my husband and I said these were the best enchiladas we have ever had. So scrumptious and the homemade enchilada sauce was absolutely worth making as well. Thank you for another delicious recipe, Kate!
Tasted sooooo good
These enchiladas were fantastic and the sauce was nothing short of perfection. I got RAVE REVIEWS when I served them to family and friends for a fun get together. I will make these again and again and again. Thank you!
Amazing recipe with lots of flavor. It was my first time making enchilada sauce from scratch and it was so yummy. I added the cinnamon too. Thanks so much!
Delicious! I’ll make again but just a couple tweaks.
I made them just as directed, with cauliflower.
I thought there was too much spinach (or it clumped weird, I would get bites of big spinach chunks), so next time I think I’ll go for a little more than half as listed.
The underside of the tortilla was soggy, I think I’ll either do less enchilada sauce…. or maybe add the sauce in after 10 minutes of cooking…. or end in the broiler?
If you like heat, I’d add some jalapeños or fire roasted green chiles to the the veggie mix.
Thank you for sharing, Em! Sorry these didn’t hit the mark perfectly. Let me know if you try them again and let me know what you think.
Haven’t made this particular recipe yet, but I’ve found that if you roughly chop up the spinach before cooking, it won’t clump as much. Maybe that will help!
I’m also from KC. Honestly, I didn’t know enchiladas could be this good, and we have so many great Mexican restaurants around here, so that’s saying a lot. I subbed mushrooms for the broccoli since I needed to use them and prefer them in something like this. Your vegetarian chili is also the best I’ve ever had, and I make it often. You’re gifted.
This tasted amazing with a cup of sweet corn added to the mix! I was wondering how long do they keep in the fridge? I want to meal prep them since I only have myself to cook for. This time I halved the recipe, and ate it for 2 days. If I make the full recipe, would I keep for 4 days? What about if I prep the mix and sauce for the full recipe, and make half the recipe at a time? Thank you!
Hi Sara, 4 days sounds like a safe bet. Just always use your best judgement and check for spoilage. I’m excited you loved them!
These were amazing!! Didn’t have jack cheese so I went with what was left in the cheese drawer–a little cotija on top & a little cheddar in the filling. *Highly* recommend taking the few extra minutes to make the enchilada sauce linked in the recipe; it’s easy, super-flavorful, and for me, it was the star of the dish.
I’ve made this recipe twice Recently and it’s so good. Really simple and flexible if you want to try extra or different veggies. I love it. Quickly becoming a staple in my dinner rotation.
Hi,
Can the leftovers be frozen? If so would you defrost the day before and reheat in the oven?
Thanks
Hi! Yes, these work frozen. I’m still not exactly sure the perfect defrost/reheat method. But I think what you said may be best. Maybe 24 hours in the refrigerator.
These enchiladas are delish
Yummy recipe! I made the enchilada sauce too. It works so good together with the flour tortillas – usually use corn for enchiladas. My new favorite!
Hi
This recipe is one of your best we make it all the time. Was just wondering if your nutrition facts includes the tortillas. I just noticed the wholegrain tortillas we use are 220 calories each so a portion of 2 is 440 before any of the filling is added.
Hi Andy! All that is listed in the ingredients, so they are included. More on my nutrition facts.
This is my favorite recipe of yours to date. So delicious and the sauce was phenomenal. Already recommended to several friends!
This is a great favorite to have! Thank you for sharing, Jamie.
Yum! These took me some time to put together (~1.5hrs including making the sauce…I really need to get a food processor sigh) but the process was very easy.
Used cauliflower, added minced garlic, one chopped carrot, one cube of frozen spinach & 1/2 cup quinoa. Think next time I’ll make a bigger batch of enchilada sauce and freeze for later like you suggested to save time!
This is a great recipe! I’ve made it twice now and everyone loves it. The homemade sauce makes the dish!
Just made this for supper. It is so delicious, added some grilled corn. Made the sauce which was easy but definitely a great part of the recipe. Will make again. Thank you.
This is definitely a keeper! Thank you!!
You’re welcome, Colleen! Thank you for your review.
Made them tonight with homemade sauce. Excellent. Only change I made was adding crush peppers and 2 can drain black beans.
First time I’ve made enchiladas and this recipe is sooo good!! Really easy to follow and the homemade enchilada sauce stunning, the smell of spices frying when making the roux made my mouth water! I live in France where you can’t get Monterey Jack so crumbled up feta to go inside the tortilla wraps and grated mature cheddar on top. It works!
I’m excited you enjoyed them, Charlotte! I appreciate your review.
Your enchilada sauce has forever changed the way we do enchiladas!!!! Just delicious.
Thank you, Wendy! I appreciate your review.
Fantastic. I resisted tweaking the ingredients, even though the combination of veggies seemed unusual to me. Also the sauce seemed to call for a lot of broth. So glad I followed your recipe to the letter.
I have a black bean enchilada recipe I’ve been making for decades, which my extended family always requests. This new one will be their new fave I bet. My grandson’s fave food is Mexican, so I can’t wait to make this for him and the rest of my family, once they let us travel more easily between the New England states that is.
agreed! when i saw broccoli, spinach and cinnamon, i was skeptical but this is one of the most satisfying dishes i’ve ever made. so happy to just went with it!
Hello!
I absolutely adore these enchiladas and they’re a crowd favorite for my family.
My question is – How long are they good for? I premade the potatoes and peppers last night (Mon) and Im thinking of assembling and baking them Friday.
Best,
Ashley
Hi Ashley! I’m excited you like this one. I’m not sure about premaking it, but you may be able to pre make the filling. I would cook and sever within 3-4 days.
This is my second time making these this month. I love the homemade enchilada sauce and the enchilada leftovers taste even better the next day! I split this recipe between two batches (vegetarian for me and vegan for my boyfriend). I left the spinach out this time (so I didn’t have to go to the store) and they were still just as good! I also like to add a healthy dose of sriracha to the filling to spice it up. So delicious! I am sure I will be making these regularly.
Thrilled to hear it, Heather! Thank you very much.
Love this recipe. I substitute with store bought enchilada sauce when I don’t have enough time. I’ve made it many times for dinner parties and always a hit.
AMAZING! I made these tonight and they exceeded all expectations! I think the broccoli made them super satisfying (or meaty/filling?). I doubled the recipe and will likely quadruple it next time. I made the enchilada sauce which was crazy easy and I now believe is critical! An absolute keeper! BTW love your site/blog and I adore Cookie!
I think that’s a great description, Catherine! Thank you for taking the time to review. I’m excited you will make it again.
Super easy and pretty flavorful! I dropped a dried carolina reaper in while it simmered to make it spicy and fished it out when done. Still would be good without the reaper though!
My carnivore husband said this was the best vegetarian meal I have made. He devoured it. I’ll try the artichoke version next!
Made this last night – absolutely fantastic! Even my 22 month old gobbled it right up. Made with cauliflower and followed the recipe exactly. We are trying to move to a more vegetarian diet and are looking forward to trying more of your recipes. :)
I love it! Thank you for your review, Rachel.
Thank you for the recipe! This is my go to enchilada recipe for a couple of years now. They are perfect for freezing and make weekday dinners a breeze.
Thank you, Lynn! I’m glad you loved it.
This recipe was amazing!!!! I did change some ingredients. I used coconut oil, red onion, broccoli, egg plant, zucchini, red bell pepper, spinach, and black beans. I seasoned with cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. I did not use cinnamon. I rolled in flour tortillas and continued recipe as it was called. I put avocado on the side and my whole family loved it. I asked them if they even missed not having meat and they did not! I will definitely be using this recipe often.
BEYOND AMAZING! oh my! I personally am not a vegetarian…however, I made this for a friend who is…and she loved it…I loved it. I will make it again. The recipe for the homemade enchilada sauce was simple to make and over the top delicious.
Needless to say, I will be taking a look at your website and checking out some more of your recipes!
Thanks so much.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them.
Delicious and so easy! I was looking for a recipe to use up the last of a batch of homemade black beans (your recipe, also, yum!) and some fridge produce on its last leg. This recipe was the perfect solution. Even my sometimes-picky 14-year-old went back for seconds. The only change I made to the recipe was that I did not have spinach on hand so I used the greens from my head of broccoli. I can’t wait to have the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
I love that, Elizabeth! Thank you for sharing.
These are delicious! Thank you for the fantastic recipe.
I have never made red sauce enchiladas before but have eaten all sorts of meat and cheese filled ones :-) with much delight. After way too many Christmas cookies the past few days, I was craving beans and veggies!!! Beans and rice didn’t sound right, but somehow enchiladas did, so I found your recipe. WOW!! Homemade sauce this easy?! Vegetarian this filling and delicious?! AND without the sick, overfull feeling I often have from restaurant enchiladas! Both my husband and I are hooked! I was able to follow the recipe almost exactly with what I had on hand. My red beans did great as stand-ins. The only other change was a bit scarier: in place of spinach some arugula that had been a bit on the bitter side and we kept avoiding it. This turned out to be the perfect way to enjoy it’s benefits and hide its imperfections. I had no idea I would go from uninspired to finding a new favorite recipe today! Thank you!!!
Hooray! You’re welcome, Beth. I’m happy you loved them.
Kate – you are truly amazing.
As a home chef, I usually look for ideas for dinner and doctor recipes to my liking… NOT WITH YOU!
I have made multiple Cookie+Kate recipes verbatim and they always turn out fabulous. That is unprecedented and speaks to your effort in making these recipes perfect before posting.
Appreciate you!
Side note: I made these enchiladas with collard greens (because I had them) and collards work just as well as spinach if you need a substitute.
You’re kind, Kira! I’m happy you love my recipes. Thanks for taking the time to review.
I added a sweet potato to the filling and some lime zest. Otherwise perfection!
Hey I just made this amazing recipe today for my Veggie friends, I’m not veggie yet but verging on it! I had to substitute the black beans for red kidney beans and used Gouda cheese and it was amazing, with your enchilada sauce which was so delicious, my friends scored this 10/10… definitely going to be a favourite, thank you.
Made enchiladas for the first time and they were so delicious!!! Also tried your homemade enchilada sauce. Super easy to make and just perfect taste. Thank you so much!!!
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
This is one of my favourite recipes ever! Also, my boyfriend usually hates black beans and broc but he loves this too