The Best Vegan Enchiladas! (Easy Recipe) (2024)

These incredibly delicious, protein-packed Vegan Enchiladas are a plant-based take on a traditional comfort food that your family will love!

I have friends from Texas who swear by the fact that Tex-Mex food is a gift given to us directly by God. At first, the idea of making a vegan version of their favorite Tex-Mex dishes was simply unthinkable, but I think I'm slowly wearing them down.

I started to win them over with my vegan nacho cheese sauce that we poured over a sheet pan loaded with my homemade oil-free baked tortilla chips, taco tofu crumbles and creamy guacamole. That was a huge success. Now I've convinced them to try my version of a staple Tex-Mex dish: vegan enchiladas.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

• If you're new to a plant-based diet and miss enjoying all of your favorite, meat-filled Mexican dishes, then these vegan enchiladas will hit the spot! The filling is hearty, smoky and meaty and the classic enchiladas sauce poured over the top will give you that nostalgic flavor you're looking for.
• Whenever I'm short on time, store-bought tortillas, vegan cheese and enchiladas sauce makes this recipe come together so quickly. However, if I have a little extra time, I love to make my own whole wheat tortillas and this amazing vegan enchiladas sauce.
• Easy to freeze and even better as leftovers, you'll want to make a double batch every time!
• These vegan enchiladas are super adaptable. Switch up the beans in the filling, use tofu instead of tempeh, and use whichever vegan cheese is your favorite.

Ingredients

• Tempeh - tempeh gives these enchiladas a hearty, meaty flavor and will keep you nice and full!
• Liquid smoke - this is a staple in my pantry as plant-based eater. It's basically smoke turned into a concentrated liquid and it gives beans, tofu and tempeh a meaty flavor.
• Soy sauce - I personally like to use less-sodium soy sauce. You can always add more salt if needed, but you can't take it away!
• Shredded vegan cheese - Vegan cheddar cheese will give you that classic enchilada flavor, but really, any vegan cheese will give these enchiladas the rich, cheesiness you're expecting. Violife is my favorite!
• Enchiladas Sauce - I love to make my own enchiladas sauce, but feel free to save some time and buy store-bought sauce.
• Tortillas - If using store-bought, you'll want 10-inch tortillas.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

• Liquid Smoke - If you can't find liquid smoke (an amazing ingredient that adds a meaty flavor) then you can try finding smoked paprika and using that instead of plain paprika. The smoked paprika will add the smoky flavor you want!
• Cheese - If you want to use less processed ingredients in this recipe, you could always try making a thicker version of my nacho cheese sauce to drizzle inside of these enchiladas.
• Black beans - I love black beans in my enchiladas, but use whatever beans you have on hand. Kidney would work well!
• Tortillas - I'm always trying to use whole grains in my meals, but any tortilla that bends well and holds its shape will work great in this recipe.

How to Make Vegan Enchiladas

Step 1: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add in theminced garlicand tempeh and cook until the tempeh starts to brown. Add in the beans and spices and stir to combine. Lastly pour over thesoy sauceandliquid smoke.

Step 2: Preheat your oven and assemble the enchiladas. Spread about ½-1 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of a9x13 inch baking dish. Spread a spoonful of the tempeh/bean mixture across the center of a tortilla. Next sprinkle over someshredded vegan cheese. Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down into your prepared baking dish. Continue this process until all 8 tortillas have been filled and placed in the dish.

Step 3: Pour over the remaining enchilada sauce and spread it evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle the top of the enchiladas with the remaining ½ cup of shredded vegan cheese.

Step 4: Bake the enchiladas uncovered for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Top Tips

• You'll want to use moldable tortillas that hold their shape so that the enchiladas hold their shape and retain the filling when you go to serve them.
• Add toppings! Toppings are what take these vegan enchiladas to the next level. In addition to freshly chopped lettuce and salsa, I love to top mine with guacamole, cashew sour cream, and more homemade vegan cheese sauce. Yum!

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