A delicious healthy recipe for Enchilada Casserole (aka “Enchilada Pie”) with black beans and corn and our 5-Minute Enchilada Sauce. Easy and delicious and can be made in 45 minutes! Vegetarian, Vegan-adaptable!
It is the soul itself that has brought us to this difficult place in order to enlarge us,
to ask more of us than we planned on giving.~James Hollis~
Here’s a quick and easy dinner recipe, perfect for busy weeknights – Enchilada Casserole with black beans and corn and our quick and our easy homemade, 5-Minute Enchilada Sauce. It can be kept vegetarian as you see it here, or for heartier appetites, add rotisserie chicken, ground turkey or beef. Swap out the cheese for vegan cheese and make it totally plant-based. Your call!
The flavorful enchilada sauce is simple yet delicious and whips up in a blender. No cooking is involved! When pressed for time, this hearty meal can be assembled in 20-25 minutes, with the oven doing the rest of the work. Top it with cilantro, avocado, and sour cream and dinner is ready!
Enchilada Casserole | 45-sec video
What You’ll Love About this Enchilada Casserole Recipe
- It’s Fast and Easy. No rolling up the tortillas- just a quick layering!
- It can be made ahead. Assemble it ahead, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, then bake when ready to serve.
- Highly adaptable! Use any veggies you like. Add chicken or keep it vegetarian. Make it vegan with vegan cheese.
What you’ll need:
- Enchilada Sauce – store-bought or Homemade Enchilada Sacue
- Black beans (or ground meat or leftover chicken)
- Onion and Garlic
- Veggies: corn, sweet potato, bell peppers, zucchini, etc. Pick 2.
- Cheese: Pepper Jack, cheddar, Mozzarella, Queso fresco, or vegan cheese
- Garnishes: Avocado, cilantro, sour cream
How to make Enchilada Casserole
Step one:
Make the 5-Minute Enchilada Sauce– or use store-bought. I like Trader Joe’s brand – but this literally takes 5 minutes, so why not just make it? 😉
Blend up the Enchilada Sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth, and that’s it! No cooking required!
In winter I use canned tomatoes, but in summer, when fresh ripe tomatoes are available, I prefer those. This would also be something really great to can or freeze for winter if you are one of those lucky ones who can grow multitudes of tomatoes.
This recipe makes about 2 cups of enchilada sauce.
Step two
Make the filling. Saute onion, garlic and any veggies you like. Sometimes I’ll add bell pepper and zucchini, sometimes diced sweet potatoes- then add the corn and black beans. Season.
Step Three
Assemble the Enchilada Casserole!
Grease the casserole dish then, layer the ingredients, first with a little sauce to coat the bottom, then add tortillas.
Spoon in half of the filling, cheese, sauce, more tortillas, and repeat, finishing with the remaining enchilada sauce.
Feel free to add cheese to the top layer, or leave it off.
Step four
Bake for 30 minutes!
Step Five
Garnish! Add fresh diced avocado, cilantro and sour cream. 
And there you have it …. fast and easy Enchilada Casserole! This could easily be made ahead, and refrigerated. Or bake it ahead for mid-week meals.
What to serve with Enchilada Casserole
- Mexican Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
- Roasted Enchilada Sauce
- Mexican Pinto Beans
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Pico de Gallo
- Fermented Hot Sauce
More recipes you may like!
On the homefront: I just got back from a dreamy little getaway, a town in Mexico, called Sayulita, just South of Puerto Vallarta. It’s amazing what a little sunshine does for the soul. Not to mention the food. Somehow the warm vibrant flavors revive the palate, and I always come home feeling refreshed and inspired.
I traveled with my friend Mikki who I met 20 years ago in the Counseling Psychology Program at Gonzaga University – and though she lives far, whenever we connect, it’s just like old times.
She gave me a book, which, when I first read the title, made me want to throw across the room, because well, it’s called Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life by James Hollis and it’s hard for me to get my head around the fact, that yes, I’m in the second half of my life, because… when did that happen?! 😂
But title aside, the book is a treasure – and it has been a while since I’ve been this moved. It just reaches right in and speaks the truth, about what we probably already know, but don’t normally have the courage to face.
The writing is incredible, the author so candid and eloquent. If you are over 40 and are seeking depth, meaning … give yourself a gift. You will love it. There is a section on relationships that is particularly poignant.
Ok.. I hope you enjoy this recipe! let me know what you think and how you adapt it in the comments below. 🙂
xoxo
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Enchilada Casserole
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A fast and easy recipe for Enchilada Casserole, with black beans, corn, sweet potatoes and a quick 5 Minute Enchilada Sauce. Comforting and healthy! Keep it vegetarian or add cooked chicken or ground turkey!
Ingredients
- 12-ounce bottle of enchilada sauce (or make my 5-minute enchilada sauce)
- 12 x 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
- 2–3 cups grated Mexican style cheese (or try a vegan cheese)
- 4 ounce can green chilies, (optional)
Garnish: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, hot sauce
5 minute Enchilada Sauce:
- 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes (or tomato puree or tomato sauce)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4–1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder – optional (plus more to taste, or add a canned chipotle pepper, or smoked paprika and cayenne for heat)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves (or 2 teaspoons granulated garlic)
- 1 teaspoon oregano– optional (dry or fresh)
Casserole Filling:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 an onion, diced ( see notes)
- 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped (see notes)
- 1 large yam or sweet potato, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (optional, or sub 1 large bell pepper, or zucchini)
- 12– 16 ounce bag frozen corn (regular or fire-roasted ) – or sub fresh corn.
- 15-ounce can black beans, drained( like Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Black Beans) Or substitute with 2 cups cooked chicken, browned seasoned ground turkey, or beef.
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F
- Make the Quick Enchilada Sauce: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, set aside.
- Make the filling: Saute onion, garlic and sweet potatoes in the olive oil over medium heat, until tender, about 10-12 minutes, covering ½ way through, allowing potatoes to steam and get tender. Add corn and black beans, cumin, chili powder and salt and saute until warmed through.
- Assemble: In a greased 9 x13 inch baking dish, spread out ½ cup of enchilada sauce, to lightly coat the bottom. Spread out 4 tortillas on top of the sauce. Spread out ½ of the filling over the tortillas. Scatter half of the canned green chilies (if using), and 1 cup of the grated cheese. Drizzle with a ½ cup enchilada sauce. Top with 4 more tortillas, add the remaining filling, green chilies, 1 cup cheese and top with 4 more tortillas. Lather the top with the remaining enchilada sauce and any additional cheese if you like a cheesy top.
- BAKE Cover tightly with foil(use parchment to prevent foil from touching the casserole) and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and bake 10 more minutes.
- Garnish with diced avocado, cilantro and sour cream. The sour cream really adds a nice creaminess.
Notes
If really short on time, you can sub granulated onion and/or garlic powder for the fresh onion and garlic. Add about a teaspoon each to the veggie filling.
In winter, I love adding the diced sweet potato for extra richness, but in the warmer months I’ll opt for zucchini and/or bell pepper. Feel free to load the filling up with seasonal veggies- tasting and adjusting salt and seasoning accordingly. Or add a protein like cooked ground meat or chicken.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8
- Calories: 436
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 1396.4 mg
- Fat: 20.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 51.1 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 16.2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
This was really good. I followed the recipe for the enchilada sauce and it is a winner…better than what you buy in the store. I did take some liberties with the filling as I had on hand chayote squash, yellow squash and mexican zucchini. Will definitely make again!
Love it Peg! Sounds delicious!
Another winner! Don’t pass this one up. My house smells wonderful, everyone in my family agrees.
Yay Betty! Glad you gave this a go!
The casserole is delicious. But it makes a lot! Do you think the left overs will freeze well?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze it!
I’ve made this several times when we’ve had people over for dinner (using chicken from a rotisserie chicken for meat eaters). It’s simple to make, and always a crowd pleaser. Thanks so much for all your great recipes!
Thanks Leslie- glad you enjoy this one!
I made this added dollop of sour cream my daughter and myself enjoyed. Will make again very flavorful home made enchilada sauce
Is so much better than can.
Thanks Rose!
This is a staple for us. Rich in flavour and statisfys the meat eater in our family.
Thanks Christine!
I’m so excited to make this. If I wanted to make a pan for my husband and I and pan for my daughter and son-in-law what size pan would I use and, I presume I would do 4 small tortillas per pan? Thank you!!!
Yes, you can overlap them if they don’t fit. Maybe use 2 8×8 pans or if you have something slightly smaller?
The Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole was delicious. I used zucchini and red bell pepper, with the corn and beans., etc. I did use a packaged enchilada sauce to save time. I’ll definitely make this casserole again
Great to hear Marylin!
My boys are home from college. I am making the enchilada casserole tonight because they absolutely love it! Hearty, filling and oh so tasty. Thank you, Sylvia.
Thanks Sarah!
This is SO delicious. I can’t believe this is the first comment I have ever left on your blog. This is simple to make, with easy ingredients and the flavor has so much depth. I enjoy this with my kids often. I have loved every recipe I have tried from your blog! Thank you!
Thanks Lilly- glad you enjoyed this and are finding the blog useful. And your comment is VERY appreciated! ❤️
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, my whole family loved it! Your recipes are a constant hit and I appreciate the detail you provide. One small request to improve is that it would be great if you could also provide metric weights (in brackets?) next to ingredients, so that I don’t have to keep converting! Only minor though! Thank you 😊 🇦🇺
Hi Sarah- thanks so much! Do you see the metric conversion tab at the top of the recipe card?
I was looking for something hearty and fall like, this definitely fit the bill! Had to use vegan Parmesan, (that is all I had) husband loved it!
You are my go-to now for new recipes and ideas. I appreciate all your detail, you make cooking a breeze, thank you so much!
Thanks Stacy- glad are enjoying the blog and happy you gave this a go!
Sylvia, I was looking for something hearty and fall-like and this fit the bill. I used vegan Parmesan, (that was all I had.) Filling, healthy and delicious!
Also, I want to thank you for sending your new recipes via email on Saturdays, that way I always have time to see and read it!
Your recipes are so thorough, covering every type of diet and possible rstrict
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed this one.
I wanted to make this tomorrow – can you plesae clarify if you drain the black bean can or use the juices?!
Yes Rachel, drain the beans!
That sounds very authentic! My friend taught me her authentic enchilada sauce that browns flour first, then makes a roux and adds chili powder (which would be your peppers). Chicken broth brings it into a smooth delicious, no-tomato, sauce for anything wrapped up in tortillas.
Janet – I have a similar recipe and was blown away that it is soooo good without tomato sauce!
That is a great idea!
I’m wondering how well this would freeze. Also a great recipe with bringing someone food.
Thanks Danielle,I agree, and yes I think it would freeze well!
I love this recipe and have made it exactly as written many times and have also tried with whatever veggies are in my kitchen! It’s always a hit. I’m wondering if I could make a batch and freeze the pan — has anyone tried that and has it turned out okay? Thanks!
Thanks Lauren, glad you are enjoying this one. I think it would freeze great!
This freezes very well!! I make it in large batches and freeze in individual bags. Pull out the night before or in a pinch can microwave.
This was honestly the best vegetarian Mexican meal I’ve EVER had – one of my fave meals!! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Great to hear Lauryn!
This enchilada casserole was delicious! Just enough spice and sweetness with the sweet potatoes!
Awesome Bea!
outstanding, delicious
Thanks Joy!
So good! this has become a stable dinner at our house now.
Awesome and great to hear Priscilla!
Thanks for yet another scrumptious and simple recipe! It was so fun to make the sauce – and it really does take only a few minutes. I missed the “or” in the instructions for zukes OR sweet potatoes, so used two of the former and one of the latter. I also used fewer corn tortillas than called for, added a poblano pepper, and equal amounts of black beans and chorizo-spiced soy crumbles and it was a huge hit in my household!
THANKS again!
Glad this worked for you Ingrid! Appreciate the rating!
Delicious, loved the sweet potatoes! It was easy to make and who wouldn’t like this !!
Thanks so much and glad this worked for you!
Stupid me. I used 8 tortillas per the recipe. However, the How To Assemble portion calls for 12 tortillas…!
Hi Jim- you are not stupid- it was totally my fault. It should have said 12. I apologize and updated the recipe. 🙂
This recipe is AMAZING but I have to tell everyone I send it to that the ingredients list is wrong. Could you update it to call for “12 x 6 inch corn or flour tortillas” please? Your instructions (#4) are really calling for 12 even though the ingredients list says 8. I’ve made it both ways and it is definitely better with all 12. Anyway, absolutely spectacular (and I’m a picky picky girl)!
Got it Liza and updated! Thanks for letting me know!