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.
Hi, where does the fat come from aside from olive oil and cheese? Was surprised this has 36 grams of fat per serving, 7 grams saturated. Think I will sub the cheese for Siete Queso (plant based)
These surprised both my husband and me! I chose the recipe based on the rating and I can appreciate why others have scored it high! I wasn’t sure how the broccoli and spinach would affect the flavour but these were delicious! From start to finish it took me 70 min, including making the recommended enchilada sauce from scratch. I believe it might be the secret ingredient
My meat eating hubby and 2 teenagers loved these!! I did too ♥️ Finally a vegetarian dish we all love!
Thank you for sharing, Heather!
These are absolutely delicious! I use the store bought enchilada sauce from Trader Joe’s to save time and often double the beans to stretch the filling even farther. They’re always incredible. 1000% recommend!
I’m glad you loved this recipe, Renee! I appreciate your review.
These enchiladas are by far the best I’ve ever had. Literally my favorite meal ever! If someone finds this recipe and doesn’t make these enchiladas, it should be a crime. I love how it’s practically just vegetables and yet SO delicious! The only changes I make are to sub most of the spinach and all of the broccoli for fresh diced tomatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, and canned corn (because I couldn’t handle the amount of spinach and broccoli was just weird in enchiladas). I also ALWAYS make a double batch because I run out faster than I’d like to admit. The sauce is amazing and super easy to make. Make sure to serve these with avocados and shredded lettuce on top! Thanks for the recipe!
Hooray! I love that these are a favorite of yours, Tris. Thank you for sharing and for your review!
i made these for the first time tonight after trying at a friends house – while a labor of love for a college student, totally worth it. my roommates loved them !! thank you so much for the recipe. they’ll also be great leftovers !
I love this recipe! I always omit the broccoli and instead do two different kinds of bell peppers and its so yummy. The homemade enchilada sauce is excellent but if you want it to be extra zesty, blend up a couple of rehydrated guajillo peppers into it and it takes the sauce to the next level.
BONNIE
November 2, 2021
I never liked enchiladas until I made this recipe. The sauce made all the difference. I used tortillas that combined flour and corn as they were the perfect size. Not a fan of black beans, but Trader Joes Cuban Black beans were delicious in this recipe. My son’s eyes rolled when he bit into this. That was a couple of weeks ago and and am making it again today. Doubling the recipe! Thank you for this recipe.
I loved this recipe! Delicious, easy, and not too heavy. My husband had low expectations because he’s more of a meat enchilada fan, but he said it was much better than he expected. We used canned enchilada sauce because we ran out of time and it was still great.
I’m happy you loved it, Angela!
I loved these! And the enchilada sauce was also delicious. This will be my go to enchilada recipe. I didn’t have fresh broccoli so I used frozen and slightly roasted it in the oven. My husband also loved them.
That’s great, Lois!
I made these tonight. They were hands down the best enchiladas I’ve ever had. I went a little light on the chili powder as I was also cooking for my 5 year old. Everyone loved them, including the little one. We will certainly be making these again, and again, and again. Thanks so much!
Hooray! I’m glad you loved them, Michael.
dish was rather lacking in flavor (used head of cauliflower), added lots more cumin and salt, also added chili, lemon juice. The accompanying enchilada sauce was also rather bland and added cumin and lemon juice to perk it up.
Had used the 2X recipe: this may be the problem as just doubling the ingredients doesn’t always work with spices, salt and pepper.
Hi Pat, I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. It sounds like your spices may have been older. I hope you try it again with some fresh spices!
I cook a lot so all spices are fresh.
Thanks for reply.
Pat
Hey. I just madethis recipe and it is so easy but I looks and taste so delicious. My husband loved it.
That’s great, Silvy! Thank you for your review.
This was delicious!! I have been looking for some more vegetarian meals and this was simple but so flavorful! Thanks so much!!
You’re welcome, Katlin! I appreciate you taking the time to review.
Hi, if I want to make them the day ahead should I just prep the ingredients and bake the day of or should I bake it and then put it in the oven to reheat the day of?
Hi, I haven’t tried making these ahead of time. you could try making the filling and then assembling when ready to bake. Let me know what you try!
I’ve made them twice now but this last time I made them vegan. I used Daiya Monterey Jack cheese and follow your heart sour. Recipe was even better the second time. I also have a side of avocado based on your comment about using the avocado and replacement of cheese. However since I have the vegan cheese I use the avocado is more of a side and it was fabulous.
I’m glad it turned out! Thank you for taking the time to review, Kimberly.
I have made this three times. Awesome with extra cheese.
I’m glad you loved it, Lisa!
Made this tonight for my family. My youngest had a hard time with the spinach and picked it out (always has) but the rest of us absolutely loved it! My husband cannot have bell peppers so I substituted sweet potatoes for half of the enchiladas and it was amazing. We are looking for more vegetarian meals and this one a real winner! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you for sharing, Jessica.
This recipe is fantastic. I can’t stop making it despite being a meat lover. So healthy, light and flavorful.
This recipe is fantastic. I can’t stop making it despite being a meat lover. So healthy, light and flavorful. I do usually add extra cheese though which makes it less healthy
Thanks for a delicious recipe, even my 4 year old ate it! I substituted the broccoli for kale and added mushrooms and some roasted sweet potato! Yum
Kate
I have never tasted enchiladas before [yes, it’s sad, I agree(!)], so I can’t really compare the output of my attempt at the above yesterday. However, I CAN, hand on heart, say, it was simply delish!
I didn’t have tomato paste so I used passatta. I replaced a bit of thr chilli powder with smoked paprika and I didn’t have monterey cheese so used cheddar. STILL it was divine.
I don’t usually leave feedback or reviews, but this time, I had to.
Much appreciated!
We’ve been making these enchiladas with the enchilada sauce for a while now and really like it! The last time I chopped the vegetables in the food processor because before I found the vegetables to big when chopping by hand.We made these enchiladas vegan. Really tasty enchiladas and easy to follow recipe!
I’m glad you enjoy this recipe, Carlijn!
These are delicious! Even if you’re not vegetarian, you won’t miss the meat — it’s a very satisfying meal. You are right about the cinnamon — best not to omit this, it gives the dish a real authentic flavor. The only thing I added a bit more of was cheese, because… well, because cheese. I will definitely be making this again!
I am so excited to try this recipe! Do you think I could add a roasted sweet potato to make it go a little farther? Having a dinner party for 10 and thought it might be a tasty way to stretch out the dish?
Hi Marcy, sure that could be a side or my Mexican Brown Rice
These are delicious. I made a couple changes because of what I had on hand. I used a regular onion, subbed chopped kale for spinach and added fresh minced garlic to the vegis. Also my time was short so I used a good quality canned enchilada sauce. Thanks for the recipe definitely a keeper.
These are AMAZING! I substituted the broccoli for grated zucchini and added corn and vegan cheddar cheese. This will definitely be a recipe I’ll make again and again.
Wonderful to hear, Amy! Thank you for your review.
Made this recipe Friday night for a small dinner party. The enchiladas were a HUGE hit! Delicious! And we had some leftovers to have for lunch the next day! I did add a diced roasted sweet potato because I love them. This recipe inspired me to buy your cookbook and then I bought 2 more for my sons. They LOVE it … one already made the southwestern salad!
That’s great, Marcy! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad it was a hit. I’m glad you love my cookbook!
Super successful. I’m in. These were satisfying. I am doubling the broccoli next time as we are crazy about broccoli and the crunch. Thank you so much for helping us transition.
This is such a favourite at our place! I make two 8 by 8 pans and freeze one ( I know I should cook it first, but I don’t, and it thaws/bakes perfectly). I add frozen corn to the filling, and finely chopped zucchini, instead of cauliflower/broccoli. The sauce is delicious. I do go heavier on the cheese, and serve with sour cream and guac. MMMMMM.
A great favorite to have! Thank you for sharing, Nancy.
Have made this am super recipe 3 meatless Mondays in a row. What a hit with all my family. I doubled the recipe. Thank-you so much from Dublin, Ireland x
You’re welcome, Olivia! I appreciate your review.
Made this! Cut this back to 1/4cnof black beans … It’s so good!
Tip! Make the enchilada sauce from scratch!! I’d never buy it.
Thank you for sharing, Lindsay!
LOVE this recipe! I’m actually eating it now as I type. My husband loves it too. Will definitely be making this again and doubling the recipe!
I was a bit skeptical about putting broccoli in enchiladas but these were sooooo good! I will definitely make them again.
Wonderful, Alana!
This has become a favorite meal of mine! I add whatever veggies I have on hand. The homemade sauce is amazing. Making again for friends tonight.
You’re welcome, Kayla!
Absolutely delicious! I made the recommended slaw as well and loved it!! Keep these delicious veggie recipes coming ❤️
Thank you, Tina!
These were delicious! I used black beans, yellow and orange peppers and red onion. I found making the homemade enchilada sauce the day ahead was a good idea to save on prep time. Thanks for a great recipe.
Had been wanting to try this recipe for a long time and finally got around to it tonight. It was definitely more time consuming than the cheese enchiladas I usually make but very delicious.
Your enchilada sauce is amazing and I add a few teaspoons of canned poblano peppers for more kick.
Can’t wait to try your other recipes
I’m glad you made it and enjoyed it! I appreciate your review, Mary.
I am not a vegetarian, but my granddaughter is, so last weekend when I made chicken enchiladas for the family I searched and searched for a vegetarian recipe and found this gem. I couldn’t believe how good this tasted. Like every cook, I tasted it before I folded it into enchiladas (just in case :-D). It was delicious ! This is going to be my go-to recipe for other family and friends who have sworn off meat.
YES!!! I added an ear of corn & a can of green chilies. I think I might have added too much broccoli & spinach because I had leftover filling, which I am not complaining about! I used store bought sauce because I was being lazy, but wow these enchiladas are amazing! EXACTLY what I want in a veggie enchilada! Looking forward to trying your other enchilada recipes!
That’s a great way to make it your own, Alex! Thank you for sharing.
I adore these little enchiladas. I have made this recipe about 6 or 7 times now. I have made just a few tweaks to adjust it to my liking. First, I prefer these heavy on the Broccoli and Onions. Second, I don’t use the entire can of beans but only because my little ones complain. Lastly, I double the chili powder and tomato paste in the sauce for more flavor. The recipe is great as is we only personalized it for our family. We will definitely be making these for years to come.
This recipe is so good! I plan to even use the filling over rice as a burrito bowl. Kate’s recipes are my go to that will always taste good.
I also love your cookbook Will there be another cookbook in the future?
Thank you, Patricia! I don’t have one in the works, but I’m glad you are loving my current one.
I made the exactly as written and it was the BOMB DOT COM!! I wish I’d doubled it so there were more leftovers.
Loved these!! They are definitely on my go- to list. I wish, though, that all ingredients were listed like the onion: one cup of chopped onion, about one small onion. The red bell peppers and the broccolis can vary in size dramatically and it would be very helpful to know how much from a cup perspective we should include. Otherwise, this was a fabulous recipe and everyone loved it!
Thank you for your feedback, Laureen! I do try to provide that when I can, especially with newer recipes.
Used cauliflower and my kids loved these. I’ll usually tweak recipes to my kids liking so I added about 1/2 tsp of ancho chili powder to the sauce and a bit more to the veggies. Also sub’ed in cheddar as we’re Vermonters and use cabot on just about everything. Was thinking about adding some corn, but forgot and had too much filling anyway.
Will definitely be doing this again…my two kids and I ate the whole batch along with the extra filling in a sitting. Think I’ll be buying your cookbook as a Father’s Day gift to myself. Have a date tonight and looking at your French 75 recipe to try and impress her.
Thank you for sharing, Dave! I’m glad it was a hit with everyone.
I made these tonight using a combo of flour tortillas & smaller corn tortillas. They were AMAZING! I used mostly vegan “cheddar” shreds but even so, they were super yummy.
That’s great to hear, Lee!
Delicious!!!! So happy to have discovered this total winner of a recipe. A new family favorite and easy to adapt – no cheese, vegan cheese or dairy cheese. Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Lisa! I appreciate your review.
I’ve made a lot of enchiladas over the years, but this is now my go-to recipe. Yummy!
I’m happy to hear that, Cathleen! I appreciate your review.
I added a can of fire roasted petite tomatoes to the enchilada sauce, and kicked up the sauce with eyeballing more garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I always reduce chili powder in recipes. I used 1 teaspoon in the sauce, waited until the sauce mixture was complete, then added in more chili powder to suit my taste. I get the right mix of spice, pepper, and salt. Love the recipe!
I’m glad you loved it, Tammy! I appreciate your review.
This recipe is incredible! So simple and tasty!! I’ve made for family and friends and everyone raves about them, they’re my hubby’s fave… I even made your homemade sauce which is very authentic tasting, made double the amount and froze some for later.
The only change I made was in using 3 bell peppers instead of broccoli just for time and ease. Will save and make again and again, thank you.
Wonderful to hear, Sadhana!
SO yummy!; even my husband and daughter, who said, “What?; there’s no meat?”…I said, “Let’s just give it a try!”…Well, EVERY ONE LOVED IT! AND, went back for seconds (and for leftovers today!) : )
Hooray! That’s great to hear.
An update…We chose to go with one of the sides that you recommended with the Enchiladas, “Healthy Slaw”; it too was great! Well, we had leftovers – which I didn’t want to go to waste, and it was so good – so…Two days after the Enchiladas, I made your “Favorite Veggie Burgers” and used the leftover slaw to top them – Oh my goodness, SO DELISH! Another hit with my husband and daughter – and, I squeezed in another vegetarian dinner-YAY!