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Home » Creative Recipes » Main Dishes » Vegetarian » Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Spatula with a serving of a vegetarian enchilada casserole held over a casserole dish with the remaining casserole.

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

BY: Michele
PUBLISHED: Feb 15, 2021
UPDATED: Oct 12, 2023
30 Reviews / 4.5 Average
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This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole is like a Mexican Lasagna or Tortilla Casserole that is packed with vegetables, Mexican flavors, and melted cheese!

It transforms vegetarian enchiladas into an easy Make-Ahead Mexican casserole dinner that freezes well and your family will love!

Spatula with a serving of a vegetarian enchilada casserole held over a casserole dish with the remaining casserole.

As you know living in South Texas, I love my Mexican Recipes, as well as Mexican Fusion or Mexican-Inspired recipes.  For meatless Monday, I wanted to add to my Vegetarian Recipes with this Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.

Sometimes, it is easier and quicker to make a casserole instead of rolling tortillas into enchiladas. This recipe, like our Taco Lasagna and Zucchini Enchilada Casserole, transforms a family favorite into a delicious enchilada casserole!

Table of Contents
  • What is An Enchilada Casserole?
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • What Makes This Recipe Work?
  • Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Ingredients
  • How To Make This Recipe
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Recipe Tips
  • What To Serve With An Enchilada Casserole
  • More Mexican Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Reviews

What is An Enchilada Casserole?

An enchilada casserole has all the ingredients of enchiladas except that the ingredients are layered in a casserole dish like lasagna instead of being rolled into individual enchiladas.

The casserole method saves time and makes it easy to freeze when you make it ahead of time and then want to just pop it in the oven on a weeknight later in the week.

This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole turned into a Mexican Casserole also known as a Tortilla Casserole

Overhead view of Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There are numerous reasons to love this Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.  

  • Mexican Flavors – This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole has all the Mexican flavors of your favorite vegetarian enchiladas but just in a casserole form. 
  • Variety of Vegetables – This casserole is loaded with vegetables and in a delicious sauce and melted cheese that even your kids will love.
  • Casserole – Everyone loves casseroles. These Hearty and delicious family favorite dishes. In addition, transforming the vegetarian enchiladas into a casserole form saves time from having to roll individual enchiladas.
  • Easy to Make – While at first glance this recipe may look daunting, it is really easy to assemble and bake.
  • Make-Ahead – This recipe is excellent for making the recipe and assembling the casserole ahead of time and then popping it in the oven half an hour before you are ready to serve.
  • Freezes Well – This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole freezes well. So you don’t have to worry about that.
  • Budget-Friendly – Lastly, but often most importantly, it is very budget-friendly. Since it is a meatless vegetarian recipe that reduces costs. In addition, it uses many pantry ingredients that you may already have on hand.

What Makes This Recipe Work?

What makes this recipe unique is that it uses a tried and true homemade chipotle enchilada sauce, based on the recipe from 2 San Antonio restaurant owners with an excellent reputation for Mexican food.

In addition, this enchilada casserole not only has melted cheese on top but it has melted Queso, a Mexican cheese sauce included as one of the layers of the casserole.

View of Enchilada Casserole in pan that has been cut into slices to serve.

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

Vegetables

  • Onion – I used a red onion. However, you could also use white onion, sweet onion, or Vidalia onion.
  • Garlic – A couple of cloves of garlic are needed. They will be minced so you can choose to do that yourself or buy a jar of already minced garlic. That is very convenient.
  • Red bell pepper (capsicum) – The red bell pepper adds great color and texture to this casserole.
  • Green bell pepper – The green bell pepper goes well with the red bell pepper. However, if you prefer more spicy heat, then you could dice some jalapeños instead of the bell pepper.
  • Red beans – I used canned red beans. However, you could also use canned black beans or pinto beans instead.
  • Corn – You can use fresh corn kernels, or canned corn, or frozen corn that has been thawed.
  • Zucchini (Optional) – Sliced fresh zucchini works really well in this recipe.
  • Yellow Squash (Optional) – Sliced yellow squash, combined with the zucchini, adds texture, flavor, and nutrients to the enchilada filling for the casserole.

Seasoning

  • Ground cumin
  • Chili powder
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Diced Cilantro

More Casserole Ingredients

  • Oil – Use olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or your oil of choice.
  • Tortillas – Either corn or flour tortillas can be used. I used flour tortillas because I had those on hand. However, corn tortillas hold their structure better and are less likely to get soggy during cooking the enchilada casserole.
  • Milk – Using whole milk works best for making the Queso or cheese sauce. 
  • Cheddar Cheese – If you don’t have cheddar cheese, you can use American cheese instead.
  • Diced Tomatoes and Chilies (Optional) – If you would like to add some spice to the cheese sauce, feel free to add a drained can of Diced Tomatoes and Chilies, like Ro*Tel.
  • Corn Starch
  • Enchilada Sauce  – I use my Chipotle Sauce For Enchiladas for this recipe. However, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce.
  • Monterrey Jack Cheese – I used Monterrey Jack Cheese on top of the casserole. However, you could you Cheddar or Mozzarella if you don’t have Monterrey Jack.
Overhead view of ingredients for vegetarian casserole with beans, corn red bell pepper, shredded cheese, onion, cilantro enchilada sauce and more.

Toppings For Enchilada Casserole

Feel free to choose toppings you love, but below are some popular toppings for enchiladas and Enchilada Casseroles.

  • Pico De Gallo Salsa – made with chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro.
  • Guacamole
  • Chopped Avocado
  • Chopped Cilantro
  • Chopped Green Onions
  • Chopped White Onions

How To Make This Recipe

Directions

Make The Filling

  • Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat with olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir and let cook a few minutes until the veggies are fragrant. It will take about 4 minutes.
  • Add red beans and sweet corn. Stir and adjust taste if needed. Remove from heat to cool down.
6-photo photo collage of ingredients and first steps to make Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole

Make The Enchilada Sauce

  • See my recipe for how to make Chipotle Sauce for Enchiladas.

Make The Cheese Sauce

  • In a saucepan, whisk together whole milk and cornstarch.
  • Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar cheese and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in drained diced tomatoes and chilies, if desired.

Make The Casserole

  • Spread half of the enchilada sauce on the bottom.
  • Lay half of the tortilla strips by overlapping.
  • Layer half of the vegetables over the tortillas.
  • Spoon the cheese sauce over the vegetables.
2nd photo collage showing steps for how to make Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
  • Repeat the layers one more time with tortilla strips, vegetable, tomato sauce, and finish 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes until the casserole has cooked through and the cheese melted.
3rd photo collage showing the final steps of how to make Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.
  • Allow the casserole to cool down for about 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve immediately with guacamole and sprinkle with cilantro and green olive. Enjoy.
Overhead view of about 3/4 of a casserole dish with a cheesy Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole.

Serve with Guacamole and chopped cilantro or your choice of toppings. See list of toppings above.

Serving of Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole topped with avocado sauce on a white plate.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Recipe Tips

  • WHAT KIND OF TORTILLA ARE BEST FOR TORTILLA CASSEROLE
    • I am using flour tortilla but you can use corn ones or a mix of both.
  • WHAT OTHER VEGGIES CAN I ADD
    • Mushrooms, carrots, spinach, potatoes.
  • WHAT OTHER BEANS CAN I USE
    • Black beans or chickpea.
  • Can I USE VEGAN CHEESE
    • You can also substitute vegan cheese like Daiya or Violife.
  • CAN I MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE
    • Yes, you can use thin slices of zucchini or baked eggplants to replace tortillas.
  • HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS
    • Allow casserole to cool down completely at room temperature. Place in an airtight container and refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    • Reheat in the microwave by covering so as not to make a mess. Reheat on low-medium heat until hot in the center.
  • HOW TO FREEZE
    • Freeze in individual portions by wrapping in foil. Label with name and date. Freeze up to 1 month.
    • Defrost completely before reheating.

What To Serve With An Enchilada Casserole

  • Mexican Cabbage Slaw
  • Mexican Rice
  • Mexican Cauliflower Rice
  • Mexican Cucumber Tomato Salad
  • Chicken Pozole Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • Southern Squash Casserole

More Mexican Recipes

  • Enchiladas Rojas De Queso
  • Vegetarian Mexican Stuffed Peppers
  • Fresh Peach Salsa

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Recipe

Spatula with a serving of a vegetarian enchilada casserole held over a casserole dish with the remaining casserole.
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4.54 from 30 votes

Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Recipe

This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole is like a Mexican Tortilla Casserole that is packed with vegetables and melted cheese! It is an easy Make-Ahead Mexican dinner that freezes well and your family will love!
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Enchilada Casserole, Mexican Casserole, Tortilla Casserole, vegetarian casserole, Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes minutes
Cool 5 minutes minutes
Total Time 40 minutes minutes
Servings 6
Calories 486kcal
Author Michele

Ingredients

Enchilada Casserole

  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 14 ounces red beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
  • 1 cup sweet corn (drained)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 corn or flour tortillas (cut into strips)
  • 12 ounces Chipotle Enchilada Sauce Recipe (or use 10-ounce can enchilada sauce)
  • Queso or Cheese Sauce (See Recipe Below)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Simple Queso or Cheese Sauce

  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
  • 10 ounces Diced Tomatoes and Chilies (like Ro*Tel), drained (optional)
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Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F | 200 C. Grease a baking dish 8×8 inch or 11×7 inch.

Make The Filling

  • Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat with olive oil. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir and let cook a few minutes until the veggies are fragrant. It will take about 4 minutes.
  • Add red beans and sweet corn. Stir and adjust taste if needed. Remove from heat to cool down.

Make The Enchilada Sauce

  • See my recipe for how to make Chipotle Sauce for Enchiladas.

Make The Cheese Sauce

  • In a saucepan, whisk together whole milk and cornstarch.
  • Place the saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring the milk to a boil, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheddar cheese and continue stirring until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in drained diced tomatoes and chilies, if desired.

Make The Casserole

  • Spread half of the enchilada sauce on the bottom.
  • Lay half of the tortilla strips by overlapping.
  • Layer half of the vegetables over the tortillas.
  • Spoon the cheese sauce over the vegetables.
  • Repeat one more time with tortilla strips, vegetable, tomato sauce, and finish 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese.
  • Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes until the casserole has cooked through and the cheese melted.
  • Allow the casserole to cool down for about 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve immediately with guacamole and sprinkle with cilantro and green olive. Enjoy.

Video

Notes

  • The photo of the cheese sauce does not include the diced tomatoes and chilies.

Nutrition

Calories: 486kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1067mg | Potassium: 693mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2225IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 519mg | Iron: 4mg

Filed Under: Bake, Budget-friendly, Casserole Recipes, Cinco De Mayo, Comfort Food, Dinner Recipes, Enchiladas Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Skillet, Tex-Mex Recipes, Vegetarian

DISCLOSURE: Flavor Mosaic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. Please note: This blog may contain affiliate links to products I use and love. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, to help with blog expenses when you make a purchase through an affiliate link. Thank you for your support!

Reader Interactions

Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic
Michele

Hi, I’m Michele Feuerborn, wife, and dog Mom, with 20+ years experience as a home cook. I’m the Founder of Flavor Mosaic, as well as the author and content creator. I share fast, easy, flavorful recipes with bold flavors, featuring Instant Pot and Air Fryer recipes and Italian, Southern and Mexican cuisines.  Contact: [email protected].

Comments

  1. Christina says

    April 20, 2021 at 9:12 am

    Looks so colorful and tasty. I am pinning this to make asap.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      April 21, 2021 at 7:37 am

      Hi Christina,

      Thanks so much. You’ll love it!

      Michele

      Reply
  2. Natalie says

    April 21, 2021 at 6:57 am

    Oh wow, this looks delicious. I’m making this tonight! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michele says

      April 21, 2021 at 7:37 am

      Thanks Natalie, I’d so happy to hear that. You’ll love it!

      Reply
  3. Terri says

    March 20, 2022 at 7:25 pm

    This was delicious but more on soupy side then casserole. Not sure if that’s how it is or i did something wrong .

    Reply
    • Michele says

      March 20, 2022 at 7:45 pm

      Hi Terri,

      I’m glad you liked the taste of it. I’m sorry it was soupy. It was not soupy for me. The only thing I can think of that might cause that would be if the red beans, corn, or diced tomatoes and chilies were not drained before being added to the casserole. In that case, there would be more liquid in the casserole and that might cause it to be soupy.

      Michele

      Reply
      • Yvie says

        August 21, 2024 at 12:36 pm

        Nope. Mine was very soupy also. I drained the veggies so that was not the problem. There was about an inch of liquid at the bottom of the casserole dish. The flavor was great but I won’t make it again because it was too liquidy.

        Reply
        • Michele says

          August 23, 2024 at 3:41 pm

          Hi Yvie,

          I’m sorry to hear that. Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be making this again and will see if I can replicate the issue.

          Thanks,

          Michele

          Reply
  4. Maria says

    May 1, 2022 at 1:05 pm

    Sodium of over 1000 mg is a lot. Looking at the list of ingredients I can’t figure out where all the sodium comes from. Is it possible the sodium of 1067 in the nutritional content is a mistake?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      May 1, 2022 at 2:41 pm

      Hi Maria,

      While that does seem a little high, please remember this is only an estimate. It most likely assumes that there is salt in a lot of the ingredients, such as the red beans, corn, and probably in the enchilada sauce. There is also salt in cheese as well. However, you can do things to reduce the salt. For example, you can rinse the beans and corn before adding them to the recipe. For some ingredients you may be able to find low sodium versions. Those would help reduce the amount of salt in the recipe. I hope that helps.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  5. Kathy says

    July 24, 2022 at 8:15 am

    Can I freeze this as a whole casserole instead of in individual servings ? If so, is it better to freeze before or after baking? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michele says

      July 24, 2022 at 11:16 am

      Hi Kathy,

      Thanks for the question. That is a good one. You can freeze either before or after. However, if you are planning ahead for meal planning then I would freeze the casserole (yes, you can freeze the whole thing if you have room.) before cooking.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  6. Debbie says

    October 25, 2022 at 7:08 am

    What is the amount of Queso/cheese sauce needed if I used store bought? Your sauce recipe has about 3 cups worth of ingredients but that seems like a lot?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      October 25, 2022 at 8:32 am

      Hi Debbie,

      I don’t buy store-bought cheese sauce, so that is hard for me to say. However, 3 cups I think is an over-estimation of the amount that the sauce recipe makes. If you drain the diced tomatoes and chilies, you are not using a full 10-ounces, because of draining the liquid. However, if you are concerned about the amount, leave out the tomatoes & chilies. When you add the cheese to the milk and cornstarch mixture, it is going to thicken the sauce.

      Thanks,
      Michele

      Reply
  7. Nina says

    November 28, 2022 at 8:43 am

    The article indicates the ingredients include zucchini and yellow squash, but I don’t see them listed on the ingredients card. How many squash and zucchini should you use?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      December 2, 2022 at 9:10 am

      Hi Nina,

      Thank you for your question. I had listed them as optional vegetables that you could add. It would be a small amount of each due to all the other ingredients. Maybe use 1/2 of 1 squash and 1/2 of 1 zucchini. You could add more, but would need to reduce the beans by half.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  8. Elsie Lucas says

    June 20, 2023 at 9:54 pm

    Delicious, we’re the only words I hear all night! The whole family enjoyed it. I am putting it on my quick fix dinner list. Also very filling.
    Thank you for sharing’

    Reply
  9. Joanne Abbey says

    July 7, 2023 at 4:52 pm

    Thank you for your recipe! I made the enchilada sauce will make casserole tomorrow. I wish I could make it tonight then cook it tomorrow evening but I’m afraid the flour tortilla strips will get soggy???any advice?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      July 7, 2023 at 8:32 pm

      Hi Joanne,

      I’m happy to hear that you are making the recipe. I have made it in advance and it turned out fine. However, it is possible that the tortillas might get soggy. If you don’t feel comfortable making it the night before, just make it the day of and it should be fine.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
  10. Andrea says

    January 7, 2024 at 5:18 pm

    We loved this dish!

    Reply
  11. Mary P. says

    January 17, 2024 at 5:07 pm

    Could you use marinara sauce in place of enchilada sauce? And black beans instead of red?

    Reply
    • Michele says

      January 17, 2024 at 9:59 pm

      Hi Mary,

      Yes, you could use marinara sauce instead of enchilada sauce and black beans instead of red beans. The sauce will have more of an Italian taste vs a Mexican taste, but that’s all.

      Thanks,

      Michele

      Reply
4.54 from 30 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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Michele F - Owner / Founder / Creator / Blogger at Flavor Mosaic

Hi, I’m Michele, a home cook with 20+ years experience. I created Flavor Mosaic as a place to share our favorite fast, easy, and flavorful creative recipes with bold flavors, including Southern, Mexican, Tex-Mex, and Instant Pot recipes.
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