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
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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″ 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.
Kate,
I first stumbled upon this recipe around four or so years ago. I made them when my then 17 y/o was in the infancy of her vegetarian journey (I am not vegetarian, though I do enjoy vegetarian food). Well, my daughter has just turned 21 and guess what she requested dear old Dad make for her 21st?!? And I know it’s this recipe she’s requesting because it’s the only version I’ve ever made for her. And I’ve been hooked on this amazing enchilada sauce every since as well. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s dinner! Thanks for the amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, Brian! Happy birthday to your daughter!
Great recipe! Highly recommend making the enchilada sauce – it’s not hard at all, and I appreciate that Kate makes it so approachable! My meat-eating husband enjoyed these and while they are hearty, they aren’t heavy.
We didn’t make any sides, so if that is the case, I say this is safe to make for two hungry adults (we only had 1 enchilada left over). It is possibly okay for three people (2-3 enchiladas per person), but if you are serving four adults, it would definitely need sides or you would need to make more enchiladas.
Also, I had some extra filling, so I reserved some enchilada sauce and then turned it all into a frittata the next morning for breakfast. It was great!
These are delicious! Everyone I’ve made them for loves them and the recipe is easy enough for someone like me who isn’t the most confident cook. The homemade sauce is so good and worth it rather than using store bought. The first time I made these I used cauliflower. The next time I used broccoli . Both versions were a hit!
That’s great to hear, Lucy! Thank you for your review.
Has anyone tried adding corn to this recipe? I would like to know if it tastes good with corn. Please advic.
You coudld try to add it when you add the spinach. Or substitute the corn for something else in the recipe.
I made these for the first time this week and swapped out broccoli for frozen corn kernels, added with the spinach. Used my own slow-cooked black beans, and didn’t have time to make the sauce, so I blended a couple of canned sauces with chipotle in adobo, fresh garlic, fresh jalapeno and black pepper. Will definitely make again – with the homemade sauce recipe and the sweet potato recipe. Thanks Cookie and Kate!!
You’re welcome, Cristina! I appreciate your review.
I added about 1/2 cup of frozen kernels of corn along with the beans. I didn’t have any spinach so I used diced zucchini and one carrot, cooked with the onion. I also used a Serrano pepper instead of bell pepper and had green enchilada sauce on hand. I added oregano and nutritional yeast. So delicious!! Now that I think of it, it was quite altered from this recipe but it was the inspiration. I used this recipe’s method.
I also added 1/2C corn and I prob won’t use as much cinnamon next time! Very good!
This recipe is superb—infinitely adaptable, fool-proof, and excellent as leftovers. I’ve followed the recipe to a T and it is excellent; I’ve also subbed with what we have on hand, also excellent. But I think I finally have it dialed in for our house’s particular preferences: I made this last night with chickpeas and mushrooms in place of the black beans and broccoli, left out the spinach, and doubled the cheese. Delicious and not heavy at all. Thank you for another winning recipe!
Oops this time with the five-star rating :)
This is the best veggie enchilada recipe I’ve ever made. Infinitely adaptable, fool-proof, and delicious as leftovers too. We’ve decided that our preference is to swap chickpeas for black beans, mushrooms for broccoli, and omit the spinach and double the cheese. Still healthy and light even with these modifications, and also delicious when followed to a T. Thank you for another excellent recipe!
Another banger from this site. Seriously, do you ever miss?? So good. I made the sauce and it was incredible, and I will be using that again for sure. I also wouldn’t have thought to do broccoli, but it really worked.
I don’t know how to cook at all but was able to follow the directions and make some absolutely delicious. Family loved it!
That’s great to hear, Jenn! Thank you for your review.
where is the actual nutrition informantion? how many calories per serving?
The nutritional information is below the notes section of the recipe. You will need to click to expand.
I love it!
Just added hot peppers, amazing.
Thanks
Great to hear! Thank you for your review.
Do these freeze well? I cook for myself and love them.
I know others have frozen this recipe and didn’t mind the results.
Never commented on a recipe before, but this one is so worthy. My husband and I have been pescatarian for the last couple months. This is far and above our favorite recipe. Thank you!
Loved the recipe – I also used your homemade enchilada sauce and will save that recipe for future use.
The cinnamon adds richness and warmth- thank you for sharing-
You’re welcome, Marg! Thank you for your review.
Made this for 6 ppl at a beach house on vacation. Was a big hit! doubled the recipe and added two ears worth of fresh corn to the filling. Otherwise exactly as deliveries. Really good. The enchilada sauce was perfect and means a lot less filling prep. Definitely one to save and make again.
Great to hear, Louise!
These have been a HUGE staple in our home for many years now. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve made them. And your enchilada sauce is absolutely devine! It is SO GOOD! I’m a huge fan of your cooking and have made dozens of your recipes and can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
These sound yummy, and I’m going to make them. However as a New Mexican , I have to point out that they are not actually enchiladas, regardless of what sauce is poured over them. Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. Because these are made with flour tortillas, they are burritos. Burritos can be handheld (dry) or wet (“smothered” as we sat in NM) like these.
Thank you for sharing your feedback, Cynthia.
Hi Kate. What about tempeh to ramp up the protein a bit? I’d think its nutty flavor would pair well with veggies. I might give it a try. Looks like a great recipe! Thanks. Geoff
You could try it, or add more beans. I hope you enjoy it, Geoffrey!
My wife and I made the Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas last night. My wife said they were the best enchiladas she ever tasted. I agree. Will definitely make them again. We also made your red enchilada sauce, which was very good also.
Great to hear, Don!
did you use the cauliflower, or broccoli?
Broccoli. It was fine.
I’m still getting used to cooking fresh for myself and fiancé, so the prep time generally takes longer than what is suggested, but it’s getting a bit faster. So, with that said, although it took a bit longer for me to prep this recipe, it was so worth it! My fiancé doesn’t eat ANYTHING vegetarian and he really enjoyed these.
Great to hear he enjoyed these, Melissa!
A bit time consuming but really, really delicious. Next time when I make the sauce I will make a double batch and freeze it. Corn tortillas, pepper jack and pinto beans worked really well.
This is so delicious and very easy to make. I also made the enchilada sauce and it was filled with so much flavor. Will definitely be making this again.
Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! That’s great to hear, Jill.
My husband gave this dish an A+! It did take me two hours to get through the sauce and enchilada recipe… probably faster a second time through. I’m glad to know, now, what an enchilada is! I served it with sour cream because that’s what I like with Mexican food. We’re looking forward to lunch tomorrow and even have more ingredients left over! Thanks for the inspiration for tonight’s dinner.
Hooray! That’s great to hear, Amy.
My homemade enchiladas are always slimy, no matter the recipe. Unfortunately, this recipe that I made last night was the same. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but I can’t eat slimy :( Grrrrr.
I’m sorry to hear that. Do you mean the tortillas are soggy?
Yes, I guess soggy would be a more appropriate word…lol. BTW, I bought your book; use it at least weekly. Thanks for all you do to keep my picky husband happy.
I generally do not like flour tortillas but filling in this recipe and the enchilada sauce (your recipe) was so good that I didn’t notice the taste of the tortillas. There was enough filling left over so I warmed it up and ate it with eggs for breakfast.
Thank you for sharing, Janet! I appreciate your review.
I made these for the first time today with sprouted grain tortillas, onion, jalapeño, garlic, peppers, half a can of leftover black beans, and some deteriorating salad greens and cherry tomatoes. The homemade sauce is delicious and I love how versatile you can be with the veggies. I also made a pot of brown jasmine rice with the other half of the veg stock carton. Thanks for another well-written, well-tested recipe, Kate!
You’re welcome, Tara! I appreciate your review.
Does anyone have a favorite brand of whole wheat tortilla? I’m always on the hunt, but just haven’t found it yet. Thanks!
Maria and Ricardo’s!
If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, you could try our favorite, the homestyle whole wheat. The homestyle white is my daughter’s favorite.
Wow. These were great! We made them without any cheese on half and the other half with a dairy-free cheese on the top and our family of 5 loved them!
I’m happy you loved them, SBS!
Hello I just made this last night . I didn’t have spinach so I just used a little bit more pepper and broccoli. I also didn’t have cumin so I used gram masala . The directions were awesome and flowed so well. It was a hit and my family was so happy and so was I :) thank you soo much
You’re welcome, Nanci!
Kate, these are so delicious! I definitely will be making these again. Thanks for creating these.
Great to hear, Jean! Thank you for sharing.
These were SO GOOD and SO EASY. I love that they have a similar “eating experience” I get from a Mexican restaurant, but without all the “yuck” that ends up in restaurant food. All the veggies were amazing, and my stomach felt really good after dinner. (Not always the case after eating heavier, satisfying food). I already can’t wait to make it again. I think it would be a really great dish for a meal train/care package situation as well. (looks great, and easy to reheat).
Great to hear, Heather!
I’ve made this recipe many times and each time, my meat eating family raves about it! I make a double batch of the enchilada sauce and freeze half for another meal at a later date.
This was one of those times I forgot to get some ingredients at the store and had to go back, then spilled half the enchilada sauce all over the floor as I was making it, and everything kept going wrong. I tasted your enchilada sauce right after cooking it and wasn’t sold on it and thought OK, this is just one of those times the food isn’t going to come out great. BUT THEN I assembled the enchiladas and poured the sauce on top and baked it and omgggg IT’S SO GOOD!!!! Your recipes always are!! I will definitely be making these again :) Thanks!
I’m happy you end result was good! Thank you for sharing, Dani.
Made this yesterday and they were phenomenal! I wanted to mention that I added 1 rounded tsp of unsweetened cocoa to the sauce and it created a subtle depth of flavour I loved. Thank you for providing such crearive and healthy dishes!
These were absolutely delicious! The flavors and seasoning meld together so well. Highly recommend!
Great to hear, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
Made these last week and they tasted AMAZING!!
I doubled the recipe and used corn tortillas. They’re a little smaller so 1/3c of filling was the right amount. I filled the 13×9 pan and one 8×8 pan and we’ll definitely have some leftovers for tomorrow. Loved it with Kate’s enchilada sauce. I was a little unsure of the broccoli but it gave it more of a satisfying feeling for you to bite into.
Thank you for sharing, Rita!
These enchiladas are yummy, but I have been trying to find a Cookie and Kate Sweet Potato Poblano and Black Bean enchilada recipe. I had them at a dinner party. They were amazing, but I can’t find the recipe anywhere.
Hi! That is a recipe in My Cookbook. I’m excited you enjoyed this recipe, too!
Hello,
Love your web site and cook book! I’m trying to watch the how to videos and I can’t locate the links. For this recipe and the Enchilada Sauce. Let me know how I can find them.
Hi Andi! Most of the videos are in the blog post. Or, you can search for the video in the search bar. Enchilada Sauce
Kate, we had never eaten enchiladas for some unknown reason, but after reading your intro to these, I decided to try them. Wow! We sure have been missing a wonderful treat. Your combo of spices in the sauce is incredible.
Whenever I am looking for a recipe online, I always add your name to what I am looking for or use your book..Hope one of these days, we’ll hear a new book is coming from you. In the meantime, I have started a recipe file in Google drive and add recipes that aren’t in your book to that directory.
Keep up the great work!
Thank you, Nancy! I delighted you enjoyed it.
I made the enchilada variation in Love Real Food – delicious! Brilliant recipe and I’m eager to experiment with other veggie combos like this one. My partner asked if I could add some heat. I put Frank’s in the sour cream on the side. I was too late to add anything to the mix. Any suggestions? Would Sriracha or Tobasco be a better fit next time? Thank you!
Thank you, Josie! You can always top the enchiladas with cholula hot sauce when you serve it.
I made these tonight using cauliflower in place of broccoli and they were absolutely delicious! Your enchilada sauce recipe is also a keeper. I’ll certainly be making these again.
I love to hear that, Jessica!
I have made this recipe so many times over the last 5 years. It is a crowd pleaser, as I often host groups of friends at our beach house and make it for them. It’s also great because I do most of the prep early in the day, then we can go out for a sunset cocktail and all I have do is pop it in the oven and make some rice when we get home. I also like that I can be flexible with what veggies I put inside.
I’ve also made this vegan a number of times for vegan friends by replacing the cheese on top with chopped avocado
Hi Kate,
Tried this Enchilada recipe for dinner tonight and it turned out awesome!! The Sauce and the vegetables everything was perfect. Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
You’re welcome, Ash!
Great recipe! I’m not a confident cook so I watched your video and studiously followed each step of the recipe. I surprised myself on how well they turned out. They were delicious. The next time I make them will be for my dinner guests. Thank you Kate for your wonderful recipes.
Can you assemble and refrigerate these b/4 baking?
Holy moly, this was DEFREAKIN’LICIOUS. My husband made this for us tonight. He spent a long time in the kitchen but it was a new recipe, that’s hope it goes the first time through.
I knew it was going to be heaven when I smelled him cooking the enchilada sauce in the very beginning. Our boys loved this as well, eight and twelve. Neither one raised a complaint about the spinach nor the black beans.
Thanks for a new recipe in our rotation.
Really good and easy. I used cauliflower rather than broccoli because that is what I had on hand. Substitutions are easy using your recipe as a guideline. I did not have Monterey Jack cheese so I used sharp cheddar and sprinkled some feta on the top along with the cheddar. If I had queso fresco I probably would have used that but I rarely buy it anymore because it spoils so quickly once opened.
Thank you for your review, Ken!
I absolutely love your recipes! I am not a vegan, just trying to get more veggies and less meat. Your recipes make me not even miss the meat at all!! i just made the veggie and blackbean enchilada’s and they are outstanding. I agree the broccoli was a strange addition but it totally works in it! thanks again
Sharon
I made these enchiladas (and their sauce) using half of the recipe, cauliflower instead of broccoli, and small corn tortillas. Reduced the ground chili pepper by about 25% since my husband is not a big fan of hot/spicy. So yummy and delicious! I am not vegetarian but my husband is, so it’s great to have something meatless that tastes great to both of us! The homemade sauce seems so much better than buying a bottled sauce. Thank you for a winner on both the sauce and the enchiladas!
You’re welcome, Anne! Thank you for your review.