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.
I didn’t think anything could top the black bean sweet potato enchiladas but these just might! Made them last night and they are sensational. We especially loved that hint of cinnamon. They took a hot minute to prep but it was absolutely worth it! Followed the recipe to the letter (and made your enchilada sauce too, YUM), ate way too much, and are looking forward to devouring the leftovers soon. Thank you for all that you do to keep us nourished and satisfied!
Love to hear that, Hayley! Thank you for your comment and review.
Everyone loved these! I left out the broccoli, however and added mushroom. The enchilada sauce was absolutely amazing! Adding this recipe to my collection!
Thank you soooo much for this recipe! This is the first time I was making enchiladas, and your recipe really helped me nail it. I somehow can never follow a recipe to the tee – so I did replace the broccoli with sweet corn (not a broccoli fan), and added a bit of coriander powder and tomato paste to the veggie mix, but your recipe really helped me make a great lunch for a friend! I can’t wait to try out your sweet potato enchiladas now :)
You’re welcome!
Love the basic recipe but the enchilada sauce is not balanced. I’m trying to tweak and hopefully will come up with something that suits my palate.
I’m sorry you don’t love the sauce. I appreciate your feedback! What seems to be missing for you?
Wow! Made these tonight and even my picky eaters asked for seconds. The sauce was soooooo good! I did have to substitute kale for the spinach, and corn tortillas for the wheat (I’ve reduced my shopping to twice a month, so I’m making lots of substitutions!). We were also short on cheese, so I mixed in about 1/3 cup of plain Greek yogurt, and it worked surprisingly well! The yogurt gave it a nice creaminess and a slight tang similar to sour cream. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hooray! Thank you so much for letting me know, Barbara.
the sauce IS balanced to everybody else’s taste. What a pointless and unhelpful comment to make if you’re not going to elaborate any further.
Absolutely. I LOVE this sauce. Just amazing!
Healthy, filling, well-balanced. Whole wheat flour tortillas worked surprisingly well. (We used the low-carb, WW tortillas.) We will make again and again!
I love to hear that, Andrea!
This comment is actually for the recipe in the cookbook, which I *love*. I got your cookbook on a recommendation from a college friend named Bill Harper who I hear you know :). Your story sounded so beautiful, and I was looking for cookbooks that focus on easy(ish) recipes with whole food ingredients, so I ordered a copy when it first came out. The pages are now happily splattered with olive oil and your life-saving enchilada sauce after years of love and use.
I live in Sweden now and it would be nearly impossible for me to procure all the ingredients I would need to make a traditional enchilada sauce from scratch, so your recipe has become my secret weapon. I love the flavor, I love your time-saving recommendations (pre-mix the spices!), and I love how flexible the filling is. Lately I’ve been making the enchiladas with carrots, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and zucchini, but you really could put anything in there and they’d be delicious. They also make wonderful and filling leftovers, perfect for workday lunches.
Thanks so much for sharing your kitchen with the world!
Thank you for your detailed comment, Ashley! I’m happy you love it.
How could i freeze these?
Hi Alina! You could freeze this once it has completely cooled in a freezer safe container. Either all together or pre-portioned out if you like.
how long would you bake it for once frozen? and at what temp?
Hi Shannon, it’s best to let the frozen enchiladas defrost in the fridge, then bake at the temp specified in the recipe until warmed through.
Love this recipe, but I can’t seem to make them without them sticking to the pan! Any tips?
Hi Maggie! You can grease the pan prior to cooking, if you want. Or possibly try lining the pan with parchment paper.
This was fantastic! My husband asked me to make it again which is a huge compliment on a non-meat dish.
I am a bit baffled on the nutritional information. What is making the sodium # so high?
Hi! I’m happy you enjoyed them. You can see more on my nutritional information here: https://capital-fly.pro/nutrition-disclaimer/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Absolutely amazing! I am so happy I discovered your website and especially this recipe!
These were absolutely delicious! I made them dairy free and topped with sliced avocado and it was perfection. They do have a touch of heat to them but not to much! Only downfall of this recipe is it doesn’t keep well the tortillas tend to get soggy.
As an experienced vegetarian cook and a texmex transplant, I rate this recipe highly. Nice work! I had to add a little more spices for my taste but otherwise fabulous, even without the cheese.
Amazing as every recipe I’ve tried of yours! Big hit with the entire family including our 11 year old – yay! Going to make a double batch of the enchilada sauce next time so I have leftovers. Thanks!
I’ve always loved enchiladas but felt too intimidated to attempt making them on my own. I made these guys (veganized) and was soooo impressed and have never had a more delicious one! I got vegan mozzarella to put on top and made a DIY tofu ricotta and put them in the enchiladas as well. Will definitely be making again! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
what makes this recipe so high in saturated fat???
Hey Shelly! The saturated fat is pretty low. The rest comes from the olive oil used to cook the veggies and used in the sauce.
SO delicious without any modifications. My whole family loved them. I’m making a double batch tonight for a big group. Hoping to spread the love of this amazing recipe. : )
I absolutely loved this and so do my family… I added fresh garlic blended in hot water as well as some fresh chilli, paprika and powdered coriander seeds. I doubled the recipe to make it a dinner for 4 grown-ups. Simply fantastic thank you!
Love, love this yummy Enchilada. I made it several times and get compliments. I’ve passed this recipe to a number of folks.
Thank you!
Love, love this yummy Enchilada. I made it several times and have always gotten compliments. I’ve passed this recipe to a number of folks who’ve asked.
My sister gifted me your cookbook “Love Real Food” – truly a gift.
Thank you!
I love love love these enchiladas. The sauce is perfect, and the filling is just delicious (I usually add a little bit more black beans to the filling and a lot of chili powder to the sauce because my husband loves spicy food). I just can’t get enough of these every time I make them. Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Love your recipes. Thanks for keeping us cooking and enjoying the kitchen. Appreciate it.
Made these for dinner last night with a small derivative. I . subbed in some kale for about half of the spinach. it added a nice texture and flavor. I also made it gluten-free with Brown Rice Wrappers I found in the4 GF section of my grocery store. Great recipe! Thanks for being here!
I tried this recipe tonight. They were pretty good but broccoli seemed weird in an enchilada. The texture was a little off for me. Next time I make them I will sub mushrooms for broccoli.
Made this tonight and it was amazing! The homemade enchilada sauce was the star for sure. This was easily adaptable for our family which includes both meat-eaters and non meat-eaters. I cooked up some beef for my son and some tofu for me and added that in the enchiladas. (Weird thought while cooking… why don’t they make 2 T size tomato paste? Most recipes call for less than what’s in the can… I’m going to start freezing smaller portions ;-)
I hate wasting tomato paste, too. And I hate paying the price for the tube. When I use a part of the can of paste, I spoon out the rest in 1-tablespoon blobs onto parchment paper, then put the paper and paste in the freezer. When it’s frozen I put the blobs (usually just leave them on the paper) and then put them back in the freezer in a freezer bag. Works great and I always have the tablespoon or two that I might need.
Our family really enjoyed this recipe. I am however disappointed that you’re still using dairy in your recipes, after all these years. There is now a confirmed link between dairy and breast cancer, not to mention the enormous environmental impact animal agriculture has on our planet. (It is the second leading contributor to climate change – google “dairy is scary”.)
Probably the worst part about dairy is the immense cruelty in the dairy industry. Dairy literally comes from grieving mothers that get separated from their babies immediately after birth -so humans can consume dairy products. Females are repeatedly impregnated and all male babies are sent to slaughter as they are a waste product of the industry. It is beyond heartbreaking. Please consider a kinder diet and transitioning towards a plant based blog. Thank you
So leave out the dairy……
Obviously, this recipe is not for you. Do not add the cheese, if you prefer. Instead of criticizing Kate for her food choices, just move on to a recipe that aligns with yours. .
There are many people, like myself, who do eat dairy and who wouldn’t read the blog if it were entirely vegan. Maybe you can just be happy that meat eaters like myself are choosing to eat less meat–its good to celebrate progress, even it’s not perfection.
Edina, I totally get your thoughts about dairy! As I learn more about food, its sourcing and its impact, I’ve been trying to make changes in my diet. And although noone in my family has confirmed allergies to dairy, I’ve experimented with going dairy free and my skin and body are so much happier.
I’m grateful for non-dairy substitutes like “Follow Your Heart” Cheddar shreds which give the texture and some flavor like cheese in these yummy enchiladas.
We love this!! It’s been a favorite in house for years, the sauce in incredible. Than you do much
You’re welcome, Christina! I appreciate your review.
Superb!
I make this recipe a lot, a number of times, brought it for potluck. I’ve been asked for the recipe and just forwarded them this online recipe.
My sister gave me your recipe book and love it!
Thanks
Good yummy tummy food
Have you ever tried jackfruit in your enchiladas..thinking about adding some but curious to know your results, first. Thanks!
This has been my go to recipe for black bean enchiladas for a few years now. Everyone that eats them lives them. Even my picky kids. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Sounds like a winner! Thank you for your review, Jessica!
This was a hit! It was easier than I thought too! Instead of bell pepper I substituted carrot and it turned out well.
Fantastic recipe!! Thank you so much, Kate!
Hi Kate – not taking a pic because I missed the note about warming the corn tortillas and…well, every single one of them broke. Even though not so pretty, sooooo delicious (made your enchilada sauce too!). This is a winner and putting in my permanent file. Thank you!
Oh No! Sorry to hear that. But, I’m glad it still tasted great!
My first time making this recipe, I enjoyed it but felt something was missing. The second time I made it, I halved the amount of cauliflower in favor of corn, and I also added some paprika. It fit perfectly with my tastes!
My husband and I are working on reducing meat in our diet, but he typically won’t eat anything green. This is one of the first vegetarian dishes I’ve made for him, and he got seconds! I’m also a very mediocre cook, so I appreciate the detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. :)
Planning to make a batch of the pineapple fried rice next.
This is one of my favorite recipes, and I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve made it! I love that there are so many veggies in it, and they’re easily swapped out for what you have on hand. Last night I threw in some leftover zucchini to make up for my spinach shortage, and it was delicious.
That’s great, Stephanie! Thanks for your review.
This recipe is a dream! I used canned enchilada sauce and frozen spinach because that’s what I had on hand. I also subbed cheddar cheese for vegan Daiya cheddar. Other than that my only modification to take it up a notch was to use Tajín instead of regular salt. Can’t wait to have my leftovers for lunch! :)
I’ve made this a dozen times. Prior to this I’ve never had enchiladas before so can’t compare but these are super yummy, my family loves them even my toddler. In the filling, I add a box of mushrooms and a bit more enchilada sauce than the recipe calls for. I like the taste of the organic Sonoma wraps esp for this recipe. I make half with dairy for my family and half non dairy cheddar mix for me. Serve with salsa and avocado. Yummmm, enjoy!
I stumbled across this recipe about 6 months ago. Now I make this recipe all the time, at least a couple times a month. My husband and I love this!
Yum! We made these last night and ate up every bit. My girlfriend loves cheese so we shredded 2 cups and put 1/2 cup inside the enchilada mixture. We also added 1/2 tsp chili powder and a dash of garlic powder which was quite nice. I would 100% make again, maybe just with no cinnamon next time, but that’s just our preference! Thanks for this recipe.
These were amazing. I also made the enchilada sauce this recipe links to. Quite possibly the best sauce I’ve ever had.
You need to make these. You will never miss the meat.
Very tasty. Will make it again. I did double the cheese and topped with sour cream. Easy and quick. Your enchilada sauce was awesome. Thank you.
My family loves this recipe. We make it every other week it seems.
They always ask where the cookies are though, i guess i should use the lid to my skillet instead of a cookie sheet?
Fantastic recipe! I roasted cauliflower with garlic & olive oil in the oven and roasted red peppers with olive oil in the air fryer and this made it very yum! I also added a can of green chilies and I highly recommend this. I made just enough enchiladas for dinner and saved the left over veggie mix to wrap in tortillas for another night. So good!
Love these! But for two people it is too much for one dinner so I can make two meals out of one recipe amount. I found using the whole wheat flour tortillas makes for a soggy second serving. I switched to corn tortillas and that works much better for a second serving. Otherwise would not change a thing!
These were fabulous! And your homemade enchilada sauce was SO easy, and way better than canned.
Thanks so much!
My family LOVED this recipe ! These enchiladas were restaurant quality and I will be making these again.
Just made these, and wow! Absolutely delicious. I have to say the homemade enchilada sauce was the star. The combo of cumin and cinnamon was just perfect, and I love how I can feel good about what’s inside, unlike store-bought versions. Plus, the ingredients were all things I already had in my kitchen – always nice.
Only substitution – corn tortillas, which were great.
Definitely saving both the enchilada and the sauce recipe to make again and again! Thanks for the amazing eats.
Fantastic! One of your best, and that says a lot. I don’t know the secret to this recipe, because I swear I’ve combined these same ingredients together before, but this result was extra special.
This sounds delicious and I am going to try it today. I’ll have to modify slightly for the sake of using what I have on hand. Would this work, in terms of flavor, with a green enchilada sauce?
Hey Matt! Yes, I think green enchilada sauce would be great here. Hope you love it.
This recipe was a favorite for our large group of 7 people. We had so much fun preparing it together and we were able to suit it to various dietary needs. It is very rare that we can ALL eat the same meal so this was key for us! We did a few tortillas with vegan filling (no cheese inside or on top), a few vegetarian, and the rest with both cheese and roasted chicken. Everybody LOVED it, carnivores and vegans alike! We will definitely be making this dish again, it was a lifesaver for our big family.
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Lucy.