It’s about time you met the vegetarian option at my family’s Thanksgiving—enchilada casserole! When I stopped eating meat several years ago, my mom was totally flummoxed on how to feed me. Granted, I was already a full-grown adult at this point, but she’s my mom and she likes to make sure I’m well fed.
Mom has a small repertoire of go-to recipes, and while we were growing up, Mexican “lasagna” was one of them. I always refused to eat it because I didn’t like ground beef (picky little Kate strikes again).
When I came across this recipe for a stacked enchilada casserole full of roasted vegetables and spinach, I sent it her way. It was a hit with the whole family, and so it joined her repertoire of recipes. She makes it (or just the roasted vegetables) for Christmas and birthdays, too.
Of course, I couldn’t help but tinker with the original recipe. I simplified the veggies a bit and divided them across two pans for maximum caramelization. Then I added some black beans for protein, and discovered that Monterey Jack produces an infinitely better end result than cheddar does.
Watch How to Make Enchilada Casserole
I wasn’t really sure what to call this recipe—Mexican casserole? Enchilada casserole? Stacked enchiladas? I’m leaning toward “enchilada casserole recipe,” even though this recipe calls for salsa instead of enchilada sauce. I tried it with both, but it’s easier to make and turns out better with salsa.
I hope this one’s a hit at your house! Please let me know how it turns out in the comments.
Enchilada Casserole Serving Suggestions
- Cilantro Lime Brown Rice
- Fresh Herbed Avocado Salad
- Mexican Brown Rice, as shown in these photos
- Mexican Green Salad with Jalapeño-Cilantro Dressing, or a simplified version
- Skinny Margaritas
More Mexican-ish Recipes to Try
If you love this recipe, check out the following recipes with Mexican influences, or browse all of my Mexican recipes here.
- Loaded Veggie Nachos
- Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
- Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
- Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas
Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- Author:
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
This roasted veggie enchilada casserole recipe is a hearty, vegetable-packed dinner loaded with fresh Mexican flavors! It’s a great gluten-free main dish. Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
Roasted veggies
- ½ medium head of cauliflower, cut into ½-inch chunks
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1” squares
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into wedges about ½” wide
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Remaining ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (18 ounces) red salsa, either homemade or jarred*
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
- 9 to 10 corn tortillas**, halved
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 2 big handfuls (about 2 ounces) baby spinach leaves
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- To roast the veggies (this can be done up to 2 days in advance): Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the middle and upper third of the oven. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent the vegetables from sticking.
- On one pan, combine the cauliflower and sweet potato. On the other pan, combine the bell peppers and onion. Drizzle half of the olive oil over one pan, and the other half over the other pan. Same with the cumin.
- Sprinkle both pans lightly with salt and pepper, then toss each one until the vegetables are lightly coated in oil and spices, adding another light drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Arrange the vegetables in an even layer across each pan. Bake until the vegetables are tender and caramelized on the edges, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing the veggies and swapping the pans halfway.
- When you’re ready to assemble, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ square baker. Stir the cilantro into the salsa.
- To assemble, spread ½ cup salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking pan. Add a single layer of halved tortilla pieces, arranging them so they completely cover the salsa.
- Top with ½ of the beans, ⅓ of the vegetables, ½ of the of spinach, and ⅓ of the cheese.
- Make a second layer of tortillas (I pressed down on the mixture a little here to make room for the next layers). Top with ½ of the remaining salsa, all of the remaining beans, ½ of the remaining vegetables, all of the remaining spinach, and ½ of the remaining cheese.
- Make a third layer of tortillas (again, I pressed down to make more room). Top with the remaining salsa, vegetables, and cheese.
- Cover the pan with parchment paper (I tent mine in the middle and wrap the edges around the handles) or aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper or aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes, or until heated through.
- Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes, to give it time to set and reach a palatable temperature. Before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with additional chopped cilantro.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Perry’s Plate.
*Salsa suggestions: I recommend a mild to medium salsa here, depending on your heat preferences. I used Trader Joe’s basic “Salsa Authentica” option here, which I don’t love on its own, but it was great mixed with cilantro and the other ingredients. My mom loves Target’s medium roasted tomato and chipotle salsa (Archer Farms brand), which lends a smoky note. Or, make your own salsa—here’s my favorite salsa recipe—and you can really minimize the sodium content by choosing low-sodium tomatoes and keeping the salt low.
Make it dairy free/vegan: I haven’t tried (let me know if you do), but I’m confident that you could replace the cheese with cashew sour cream. If the end result is a little dry, just top individual servings with a little more salsa.
**Make it gluten free: Be sure to use 100% corn/certified gluten-free tortillas.
Serving suggestions: This recipe would be awesome with a side of Mexican rice (recipe coming soon) and/or simple seedy slaw.
Storage suggestions: This casserole keeps well, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
Change it up: You could change up the vegetables used here as long as you use about the same volume. You could also add another can of beans to up the protein content.
Medha
This is total comfort food! Enchiladas are my favorite form of Mexican cuisine and I love love love roasted veggies this time of year- pinning!
Kate
Thanks, Medha! I’ve been so happy eating leftovers from this one. Hope you get a chance to try it soon!
Erin
In New Mexico we call these flat enchiladas. Actually, most enchiladas in New Mexico are flat as opposed to rolled now that I think about it…
Kate
Flat enchiladas! Good to know, thank you. It’s been too long since I’ve eaten in New Mexico. :)
annie| kitchen window clovers
This looks fantastic!!!! I love Mexican food, but I’m in the middle of a spell where I haven’t made any south-o-the-border stuff at all. This is JUST the recipe I need to get back into the spicy groove.
Kate
Perfect! I hope you love it!
Debbie Thilsted
Hey Kate! This looks really delicious!! Do you have a homemade red salsa recipe that you use in this? I have a hard time finding a salsa that tastes really good. Thank you and keep on doing what your doing!! We love it!! :-)
Kate
Hi Debbie! I do have a favorite homemade salsa recipe, but I’m saving it for my cookbook! Terrible, right? I have learned during my salsa testing sessions that it’s hard to get consistently perfect results with homemade salsas since the natural ingredients vary so much in flavor from one tomato to the next, etc. I used store-bought salsa for this one, though (the basic red salsa from Trader Joe’s) and it was actually really nice once I stirred in the extra cilantro. My mom’s favorite is Target’s Roasted Tomato & Chipotle Salsa (Archer Farms brand), which lends a smoky note.
Klaudia
when is your cook book coming out????
Dani
As a lover of all things ‘enchilidala-y’, I knew as soon as I read the story and ingredients that this will be a fantastic addition to my recipe repertoire!
I have not made this, as it was just posted, but I couldn’5 help but share my excitement for what I know is going to be a delicious addition to my oven. I’ve already combined your black bean enchilida recipe with the sweet potato enchiladas, and they are a mainstay in my household for me and my husband (who is not a vegetarian but “suffers” (his words) with the lifestyle choice and culinary decisions I made 25 years ago).
So many of your recipe comments (and the ones I see first) are people who are just. plain. intoxicated. by your new recipes, so let me be one of the first!
you can quote me: “ermergerd, my belly cannot wait!!!”
Thanks for all of the inspiration, Kate (and Cookie, you michevious little chocolate grabber, you)!
xoxo-
dani
Kate
Dani, thank you so much for your kind words. They are much appreciated. :) I hope this one’s a big hit at your house! Have a great weekend.
Mo
Any recommendation on heat of salsa?
Kate
Hey Mo, I’d go for mild or medium, depending on your preferences.
Dhyan Atkinson
Wow! Am I every going to try this! Thanks, Kate.
Dhyan in Boulder
Gayatri
I love this so much! It looks so fresh and so beautiful, can’t wait to try it because your enchilada recipe are always awesome, Kate :)
Kate
Thank you, Gayatri! I hope you love this one!
satchi1010
I just attempted this and it tastes great! It’s warm and cheesy with just the right amount of everything to blend together fantastically and is real comforting this time of year.
….Only problem is I couldn’t find any corn tortillas where I live (and didn’t want to go all the way across town to see if the rumors were true of a specific store having them there), so I attempted to make my own using whatever close-ish flours I could find here. Which…made for an interesting experience.
It tastes amazing though (just thicker in texture for those layers). I’m going to order some authentic tortillas online tonight so I can make this again! (Properly ;))
Kate
Thanks for letting me know, Satchi! I’m sorry you can’t find corn tortillas nearby. I’ve tried making whole grain tortillas before, and they didn’t turn out well. I can imagine it would be hard to press the corn dough thin enough! I’m so glad you enjoyed the final result, though.
satchi1010
To be completely honest, I eventually gave up trying to roll/press/smash them and ended up making ‘corn pancakes’. Tastes great though. The texture ended up somewhere between a tortilla and a tamale.
I actually just made this again using whatever vegetables I had in my fridge. :D
Angela @ happy fit mama
I’m not strictly veg anymore but my mom was the same way – What do you eat?!?! So cute! This recipe looks amazing. This could easily be a weekly stand by in my meal planning.
Kate
Thanks, Angela! It was definitely a learning experience for my mom. :) This recipe is a great weeknight option, especially if you roast the veggies in advance.
Tori//Gringalicious.com
What a crazy delish casserole. My family is going to love it!
Kate
Thanks, Tori! I hope it’s a hit!
M
Wow! This looks great :) Must try it with vegan cheeze! Do you think it would freeze well in portions? Thank you so much for sharing :)
Kate
Thanks, M! I think it would freeze well! It’s like lasagna, so it’s pretty dense and will take some time to defrost, that’s all.
Angela - Patisserie Makes Perfect
Kate this looks really good! I would definitely eat this, do the wraps in the layers go soggy or do they hold their texture well? It’s such a colourful dish.
Kate
Thanks, Angela! The corn tortillas remain their own distinct layer, but they’re soft to begin with.
Meredith | Earth & Oven
I love that you bring the mexi- flava to your Thanksgiving! Always down for bringing new and exciting dishes to the table :)
Kate
Thanks, Meredith! I’d have an entirely Mexican-themed Thanksgiving if my mom would let me. :)
Sara @ Last Night's Feast
Yummm! Kate, this is gorgeous!
Kate
Thank you, Sara!
John
How about a print version of your recipes without all thepictures?
Kate
Hi John, good question! If you scroll to the recipe itself, you’ll see a “print” icon next to the recipe title. If you click that, you’ll get a nice print-friendly version.
John
Thanks Kate I’ll go have a look.
Nancy
OK it’s like you have ESP, know what I’m craving, and what’s in my fridge! I was reviewing email after putting my cornbread for stuffing in the oven feeling sorry for myself that I didn’t do this make ahead stuff last week and about to order a mediocre veggie pizza when WOW read this post and tahdah re-energized! The only thing I changed was to roast the vegetables longer maybe an extra 20 minutes I like them a bit shriveled. It came out just as beautiful as your picture and was so delicious. Your recipes are so well balanced and tasty I never need to increase the spices. This was nice and filling in a light way my husband was literally moaning while we ate it. Can’t wait for leftovers tonight. THANK YOU KATE
Kate
Thank you, Nancy! Your comment totally brightened my day. So glad you both loved this one!
Rachael
Aaah yum! This sounds delicious!
Erin
This little looks great! Going to try tonight. Will this recipient be available on Real Plans soon?
Kate
Thank you, Erin! I need to arrange for new recipes to be added to Real Plans, so thank you for the reminder to do so. Are you enjoying the service?
Courtney
Hi Kate – Is there a post or section of your blog where you talk about your decision to stop eating meat? Just curious since I’ve stopped this year and still have a bit of trouble explaining it to people. I know we all have different reasons, but I’d love to hear yours. Thanks!
Kate
Hey Courtney! I know I talked about my reasons in this interview (there are a lot of reasons). I don’t have an easy way to explain it, either. Nor do I have an easy way of explaining what I do for a living. I should work on those. :)
Courtney
Thanks for the link! Great interview :)
Jessica
I was the same way as a kid, I wouldn’t eat anything with beef in it…actually I was pretty picky about all meat to be honest lol.
This would be really good with some Daiya cheese to make it vegan…I know that’s not a whole food but sometimes you gotta splurge a little lol :)
Kate
Yeah, same here! I hope you love this one.
Sue
That Enchilada Casserole sounds WONDERFUL! All it needs is a dollop of sour cream on top at serving.
Kate
Thank you, Sue! I’ve added a little dollop of sour cream to leftovers, and you’re definitely onto something there. :)
Rose
Hi Kate, I just made this and after one bite, I was doing the Mexican hat dance on the kitchen table and shouting, “Bien! Muy bien!”. I used flour tortillas vs corn (it’s a textural thing for me when they’re used this way…I just prefer flour when baked with a sauce) and used half salsa, half your enchilada sauce, that I had in the freezer. Wow!! We’re getting wet snow today here, in Ontario Canada and it’s simply the perfect meal for such a day. Muchas gracias, Kate!!!
Kate
Hooray!!! Your response totally made me smile. Thank you, Rose!
Karen Stogbuchner
Oh my goodness…this is fabulous! I substituted the sweet potato with a Korean yam and used broccoli instead of cauliflower. Instead of roasting the veggies with the cumin I made some salt-free taco seasoning and sprinkled that in with the layers. Put a little plain Greek yogurt on the side. Very excited to make this dish again….Perfect comfort dish for a cold day! Love, love, love your recipes! Thanks!
Kate
Thank you, Karen! Delighted to hear that you enjoyed this one so much!
Nicole
This looks so good!
sparrowgirl
I am so happy my coworker told me about this blog when I mentioned I was swimming in butternut squash. This recipe turned out delicious. That said I did make a few adjustments. The first was subbing butternut squash for the sweet potato. I also had a few mushrooms that needed to be used, so I threw those in with the roasted veggies. Finally, as someone who likes things spicy, I used hot salsa. Next time, I might even add a little cayenne pepper for extra kick.
The balance between veggies, cheese, and tortilla was perfect. This recipe is going into my “tried and true” folder.
Thanks again!
Kate
Thank you! I’m so glad this recipe turned out well for you. Your version sounds delicious. Hope you find some other recipes to enjoy here!
Anne Ingefær
My boyfriend and I made it yesterday.
I was so delicious and straightforward to make.
We both loved it!
Thanks for sharing:-)
Kate
Thank you, Annie! Delighted to hear it.
Kelsey
Perfection! I have some corn tortillas in my freezer I thought would go into chilaquiles, but now I have another option. Thank you for this and happy Thanksgiving!
Kate
Now I’m craving chilaquiles! Hope you love it. :)
Anna
Just made it tonight! It tastes nicely comfortable. Will definitely make it again. I got to know your blog about one month ago. Now I realize it is changing my cooking style, making veggies even more lovely! Thank you Kate :)
Kate
Thank you so much, Anna! I’m so glad you’re enjoying more veggies now. Have a great day!
hilaryvm
This looks good (I love Mexican and cauliflower!)! but I’m not a sweet potato fan. Do you have any suggestions for a good substitute for the sweet potatoes?
Kate
Hey Hilary! You could do butternut, or just replace the sweet potatoes with more cauliflower or another veggie that you like.
Kathryn
Made this tonight and it was a big hit with the whole family (even the non-vegetarians). For anyone who is interested in a bell pepper substitute that turned out well (I asked your advice once for what you might recommend for someone allergic to bell peppers, given that so many veg recipes use bell pepper — you recommended leaving them out for a lot of your recipes, but I thought this one might need something as a replacement) — I tried two medium-small zucchini and a generous handful of small, meaty tomatoes (cut in half). This combo seemed to compliment the other favors and have a sort-of similar texture to what you’d get with bell peppers (as long as you cut the zucchini into large enough chunks to not get slimy when roasting). Hope this helps someone else who might have the same allergy! And thank you again for a delicious (and flexible) recipe — this is going in the “favorites” folder! So, so good!
Kate
Thank you, Kathryn! Those sound like great substitutions for me.
Klaudia
Made this tonight and it’s great! I only had a long Pyrex pan so doubled the ingredients. I will do broccoli and more peppers and sweet potatoes next time. Do you have any suggestions on how to freeze? Also I wish you had a recipe for homemade salsa to make this healthier
Kate
Hi Klaudia, I would freeze it like lasagna. Wish I could offer more details, but I haven’t tried freezing it yet. It will take a while to defrost, since it’s so dense. I have a homemade salsa recipe in my cookbook, which is coming in May! Most store-bought salsas are free of preservatives, so I’d say they’re actually pretty healthy (organic is best, if you can find it).
Laura
Wow that looks super good! I will have to make it right away! Do you have a recipe for the rice on the side? I looked all over for a link, but the Thanksgiving madness has made me tired. It looks great too! Can’t wait to try this, thank you for the recipe!
Kate
Thanks, Laura! I meant to share the rice recipe today, but everything’s a little crazy since I just moved. I’m aiming to share it tomorrow now!
Mary
Must be so delicious !! As a vegan I will try it without cheese but I’m sure it mus be great too :)
Kate
Thanks, Mary! I think it would be great with cashew sour cream instead of cheese (see recipe notes if you’re interested).
Brooke
Hi Kate! I’ve made LOTS of your recipes…they’re some of my favorites! This one is no exception. I used a mix of jack and cheddar cheeses and cooked the veggies in the skillet to save on time…it was a huge hit all around! I will definitely be making this again soon.
Looking forward to your cookbook!
Kate
Thank you, Brooke! I’m so glad you loved this one, too. The cookbook is coming along so well and I can’t wait for you to see it!!
Jessica
I made this tonight. It was delicious. My husband said “wow”. We have been enjoying so many of your recipes. In followed the recipe exactly. I used whole foods chunky salsa. It took me more than 45 minutes to prepare, but otherwise everything was great. I will definitely be making it again.
Kate
Thank you, Jessica! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Lisa
I made this casserole today and it was delicious! I made a few changes based on my personal preferences and the ingredients I had on hand. I had been craving corn tortillas and enchilada sauce, but loved the idea of a casserole, so I used your recipe for homemade enchilada sauce instead of salsa. For my roasted vegetable mixture I used onions, red peppers, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. Instead of using cheese, I followed your link to a recipe for cashew sour cream and then followed that link to a recipe for cilantro-lime-garlic cashew cream. I didn’t think the cashew sour cream had much flavor, so I added more lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. I made the cilantro-lime-garlic cashew cream per the recipe. I only had an 11 x 7 pan, so I layered enchilada sauce, then corn tortillas, then the vegetable/bean mixture, then spinach, then the two cashew creams, then more tortillas, more enchilada sauce, and the rest of the vegetable bean mixture. I topped it all off with strips of tortillas, the remainder of the enchilada sauce, and the remainder of both cashew creams. Once it was done baking, I topped it with sliced black olives, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro. Awesome! Thanks so much for this recipe and for the enchilada sauce recipe and for the links to the cashew creams. I will definitely make this feast again!
Kate
Thanks, Lisa! I’m glad to know for sure that cashew cream works well in this one! I used something similar for the vegan option in my cookbook enchiladas recipe. Thanks for sharing your notes!
Karen Freeman
We made this last night, absolutely delicious! Great blend of flavors, especially with the roasted vegetables.
Kate
Thank you, Karen! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Sarah
Just made this and it turned out delicious. I used flour tortillas instead of corn. One note: I don’t know what kind of pan you used, but I used a typical square foil pan and it was overflowing after just one layer! I had to add makeshift foil walls to salvage it, which was wierd but did work. Also, you don’t specify the tortilla size… I ended up using much fewer tortillas, so I’m guessing you used mini ones?
Kate
Hey Sarah, I’m glad you made it work! I used a regular-sized pan but had to press down on the layers as I built them to make them fit. I totally meant to include that detail in the recipe but just realized it was missing, thanks to your note! I used corn tortillas, which I believe only come in 6″ size. Did you find larger corn tortillas or use flour ones instead?
Akhil
First of all, I want to say that I took 5 minutes just taking in the pictures you posted for this recipe. Especially the one with the tortilla halves, black beans, and casserole mix. I LOVE your photography, it honestly makes me tempted to try out your recipes!
This recipe looks super simple, and I am excited. I think making the roasted veggies 2 days in advance is definitely something I would benefit from, but how would it affect the taste & texture if its not made same day? Just curious because I usually like making everything as fresh as possible…
Kate
Thank you, Akhil! I really appreciate your kind words. I know what you mean about leftovers, but I don’t think you’ll be missing out on any flavors by roasting the veggies in advance. I actually roasted these vegetables a day before assembling and the end result was totally awesome.
Ruth
I love this a lot! It looks so fresh and so attractive, can not wait to try it since your enchilada dish are always amazing, Kate
Alison Schooley
I made the roasted veggie enchilada and it was amazing. My family likes a lot of heat so next time I will roast a poblano pepper and add that in.
Kate
Thank you, Alison! Really glad to hear it.
David
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Kate! This is the third recipe of yours I have tried and each one has been a delicious success. I’ve always felt like I ‘couldn’t’ cook, and I am so thankful to you for helping me change that. This enchilada casserole recipe was absolutely delicous. If a local restaurant were offering this, I would be there every night of the week. How thrilling to be able to make it in my own kitchen. Once again, thank you taking the time to create and post these fantastic recipes. I’m very grateful to have found your site; it is the best Christmas gift I could have asked for.
Kate
David, your note just made my week, and it’s been a tough one. Thank you so much. I’m happy to hear that my recipes have been turning out well for you. You can cook!!!
RF
Made this tonight and it was delicious! Definitely putting it into my meal planning rotation.
Kate
Thank you, RF! Happy to hear it!
Erin
The Roasted vegetAble enchiladas were delicious! Even family members who claim to not be fans of veggies ate this and had seconds. Score one for plant based goodness!!
Kate
High five! That’s great to hear. Thank you, Erin!
Janette
Made it tonight and really like it!
Kate
I’m so glad! Thanks, Janette.
Shannon Nelson
I love all of you recipes but this one was a real winner. I am diary and gluten free so I made half of it with cheese, for my hubby, and the other half, with a non-diary avocado sauce ( blended an avocado with whipped coconut milk). Used GF corn tortillas and I also cut the salsa with some chopped tomatoes which added more moisture as well. It was absolutely delicious.
Connie
I’m new to your site (via your Oh She Glows instagram takeover) and this was the first recipe of yours I tried. It was a big hit at Thanksgiving! Excited to try more! Our family has not given up dairy or cheese as of yet, so I do appreciate that you have vegetarian (vs. vegan only) recipes.
Melanie
Really delicious! Made as directed, with a medium salsa – even the kids loved it!
Dan
Made this on Thanksgiving but substituted butternut squash cubes for the sweet potatoes as we were already having those with the meal–loved it–great easy recipe. Thanks.
Tom
Made this last night and it was fabulini (my twist on fabulous).
Thanks Cookie and Kate!
Michael Bether
Hello Kate – my wife made these enchiladas last night and they are amazing We are not strict vegetarians (yet), but I never want to eat regular enchiladas again!
Thank you for all of the great recipes and beautiful website.
Sincerely,
– Mike
Megan
I made this using two jars of Trader Joe’s Harissa Salsa, which totally amped up the heat! This fed me for lunch all week…and I looked forward to it every day :)
Tara
I made this vegan by subbing daiya cheese, and it turned out wonderfully! I can’t wait to eat the leftovers!
Cecilia
Absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe as it is and it was excellent. Between the green beans casserole, the broccoli gratin, the enchiladas and the apple tart, it was a whole cookie and kate week end at my house:) love all your recipes!!
Sadye
Made this last night but with enchilada sauce instead of salsa (it was what we had on hand, and it’s fridge-clearing time), and it was GREAT! Boyfriend and I had to negotiate over the leftovers. I can’t wait to make it again!
Bri
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I loved it so much that I am inviting my family over to enjoy it as well :) I see you mention the vegetables can be roasted 2 days in advance. After roasting, how should they be stored? And should they be reheated before baking the casserole?
Looking forward to making more of your recipes!!!
Carolyn Moore
I’m making this tomorrow- it seems like a lot for a 9″ sq pan. Does it really make just one?? Thanks
Kate
Hi Carolyn, yes, it just makes one. I had to press down the ingredients along the way to make them fit (you’ll see those details in the instructions).
Bree
I’m from Texas and this dish hits the spot! Absolutely loved your recipe! I am planning to make it for my family at an upcoming lunch and would love to prepare the veggies in advance. I see in your recipe the veggies can be roasted up to 2 days in advance. Where would they be stored after? And do they need to be reheated before heating in the casserole? Thanks in advance! Cannot wait to share this tasty recipe with my family.
Kathrin
I started to make this and then realized that I only had 1 wrap left. So I just made one layer of everything and put the torn up wrap on top, right under the cheese. I also had a random hard taco shell flying around, so I threw that on top as well. It was delicious and I bet it’ll be even better next time when I actually have everything I need :-).
Thanks for this great recipe and all your hard work :-)
Moira
Oh my Kate, SOOOO good!
So here is what I did: doubled the recipe (owner of 2 teenaged boys), used your enchilada sauce instead of salsa (cause YUM!), used carrots instead of sweet potato, kale instead of spinach and kidney beans instead of black beans (it’s what I had) and shredded vegan cheddar (I veganise all your recipes).
Boys got home from school, I announced enchilada-lasagna for supper and they loved me for ever after!
This one is not of the ball park!!
Lisa
Another yummy hit at my house, dog included. My standard poodle Roman LOVED it! :0) I accidentally cooked it a bit too long, so not as pretty as yours, but still just as delish! Omni Hubby raved about this one. Thanks Kate. Happy Holidays to you and that sweet Cookie!!
Tina D
I made this without the cauliflower and without spinach because I forgot to buy those two ingredients and it was still delicious. I just used medium hot Store brand red salsa and it was great. I ate it with some plain yogurt because even the medium was pretty spicy. I also added some cumin to the black beans. It looked like it may be time-consuming, but it came together more quickly than I thought. This is going on the “A” list. I would proudly serve it to company. Thanks for the excellent recipe.
Christine Waggoner
Made this last night that and it’s fantastic! We topped ours with a little sour cream and a little extra salsa! It’s delish!
Andrea
These recipes are really yummy and delicious. I love the idea of these easy and efficient enchiladas! I’m definitely going to have to make them…
Mark
What a fun recipe. I enjoyed all aspects, from shopping-prep-serving-eating. It was a celebration. I had to add artichokes after being spoiled by your Spinach Artichoke Enchilada recipe. The only other alteration was the sweet potato, we had purple yams on hand and worked out fine. Thank you sooo much for this wonderful surprise!
Kate
Your variation sounds great, Mark – and colorful :)
Catherine
So yummy! Another winner from this blog. I am never disappointed!
Kate
Yes! Glad this one continued the streak :)
Elizabeth
Made this tonight for a friend who actually turned me onto your blog. No surprise- she loved it and so did I! I love that I was able to roast the veggies a day ahead so after work tonight it only took 10 min to assemble and 30 min to bake! Would give it 5 stars :)
Kate
YES so glad the both of you enjoyed! Thanks, Elizabeth!
Marvelle Karahadian
I made the Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole and it’s fabulous! I will definitely be making it again. I might use a slightly bigger baking dish next time. It was pretty jam packed in the 9″ square. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Marvelle!
Caroline
Hey! Just popped this in the oven. It looks so good! I’m wondering if it’s freezable in single servings. What do you think? Thanks!
Kate
Probably so! Love that idea. It will just take a while to cook through once frozen, but I think it’ll work.
Beth
Just made this recipe tonight and it was amazing!! I decided my husband and I are going to cut back on meat, even more then we already have, but I needed more vegetarian meals. I made some minor changes to the recipe, I had an acorn squash so I substituted that for the cauliflower. Used a little less beans and cheese because again that’s what I had. We loved it! So filling and flavorful! This will definitely be one I make many more times. Thank you!
Kate
Awesome! I’m happy it worked with what you had on-hand. I hope the blog helps you with your transition to a more veg-friendly diet :)
Barbara
Great sauce.
Kate
Thanks!
Jennifer Cass
We love this recipe! We just made it again and ate every bit. To cut down on oil & fat we roast the veggies on a non-stick silicone baking mat with no oil and almond shredded cheddar.
Kate
Ooh, great tip. So glad you could adjust to your preferences, Jennifer.
Jade
Made this last time and it was delicious! I added some fake vegan “ground beef” to make it more appealing to the boyfriend. I’ll def be making this again for our meatless mondays
Kate
Sometimes they need a little coaxing… but I’m glad it worked!
Anna
This has quickly become a staple in my family of 5. It’s great with Daiya instead of cheese if you have dairy restrictions, and it’s also great with different cheeses. I tried substituting zucchini for the red pepper and that was also great. It’s a very versatile and kid friendly dish. Thanks!
Kate
You’re welcome, Anna! Happy to hear this is a crowd-pleaser.
Dawn H
Hubby and I loved this, my vegetarian11 year old said without the beans ruined it would be her new favourite Still trying to convince her of their protein power. Living in rural Ireland means black beans, corn tortilla’s and Monteray Jack had to be substituted for alternative & likely more boring alternatives. But as a carnivore who has disliked sweet potato & cauliflower to date your amazing pictures & enthusiasm convinced me to give it a go…..and it did not disappoint. Thank you for helping out this Mum of a vegetarian to bring interesting veggie meals to the dinner table.
Kate
I *never* used to like beans as a kid, but my palate evolved over time-so there’s hope for her! I’m glad your version worked out with what you had on hand. And so happy to have you here from Ireland!
Rachel
This recipe looks delicious! I can’t have beans. Do you have any idea of a substitution? I want Mexican food!! :)
Kate
Hi Rachel! You could just omit the beans, if that works!
Anna Stowell
We LOVE this recipe! The one vegetarian (husband) and two carnivores (me and my son). It’s great!
I’d like to take it to a retreat, but want to know if I can make it ahead and freeze it. Have you tried that?
Thanks!
Kate
Hi Anna, so glad you’re all enjoying this one. I haven’t tried freezing it. It would take a long time to defrost since it’s so dense, but it might be worth a shot. Please let me know if you try!
Petra
Another hit in our family! Thanks Kate :)
Kate
You’re welcome, Petra :)
Jessie Jones
Hi Kate, Thank you for your great recipes with easy-to-follow instructions and lovely photos. Last week my newly-thirteen-year-old daughter – who attends a farm-based Montessori school where they are raising meat animals this year – suggested she would like to become vegetarian. We are a skinny family who eats very carefully but omnivorously. Several years ago we switched to a vegan diet for five months and all lost so much weight we started to feel bad – I had no idea how to balance nutrition without the animal products we’d always relied on. I figured we could try vegetarian for a while, since I the arguments are certainly persuasive. My younger daughter went to my laptop immediately to find recipes and the first site she brought up was yours. So last week we tried Simple Seedy Slaw, Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole and Spicy Black Bean Soup. My family was thrilled. These are the best new recipes I’ve tried in years. I can’t wait to buy your cookbook! We are gluten-free and I have to be careful with nightshades – particularly no potatoes – and ZoĂ« can’t have dairy, but your recipes are so easily adapted. I was truly excited to try these, and even my hungry husband relished the vegetarian dishes. He even suggested we just repeat this week’s menu next week! This week I’m going to try some of your pizzas on a cauliflower crust recipe I found last week. I think it will be a great base for the kale pesto and the brussels sprouts and balsamic onions. And I’m thrilled to discover your crispy tofu recipe. I made one up years ago that’s a family favorite but much more labor intensive for similar results. Thank you!
Kate
So nice to hear from you, Jessie! Finding the right balance can be a difficult journey, for sure. Your struggles are definitely shared by many members of this community. But, I’m so glad it seems that you’ve found equilibrium, finally! Happy to have you here.
Swankster
I made this recipe yesterday without the cheese, and I added some cooked rice. It was delicious. My friends liked it also.
Kristen
Made these over Christmas Holiday when we needed a break from all the meat! So good, and even my carnivorous Brother In Law ate it up!
Kate
Perfect! Thanks, Kristen.
Ann High
I just made The Veggie Enchilada Casserole tonight. The minute my husband and I took our first taste we both agreed it was the best thing we had tasted in a very long time. I can’t say enought great things and comments about it. I alreday know I will be making it for us many times in the future. Ann High
Kate
Hey, Ann! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it so much! Thanks for the comment.
Barbara Barnard
I made your Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole for dinner this evening! Spectacular! It tasted so fresh and the veggies retain their bright color. Yummy!
Kate
Wonderful! So happy to hear this, Barbara.
Sara
I made this the day before yesterday and the recipe is perfect and so scrumptious! Absolutely no tweaking necessary (well, except for omitting the bloody cilantro, as always, urgh) :-) Love your blog and look very much forward to your book. Greetings from rainy Switzerland.
Kate
Hi, from (oddly warm) Kansas City! So happy you loved it. And yes, the cilantro is going to be a lifelong struggle for some :)
Aramis
Where have you been all my life Kate! The struggle is real for variety in the veggie world. I am so stoked to try this recipe! I will see how the Dairy free goes, wish me luck!
Kate
Good luck, Aramis! I’m with you in that struggle, but I hope this recipe helps you change things up.
Kaitlyn
This was so satisfying! I made it with Trader Joe’s new harissa salsa, and I loved the little kick that gave the recipe. I topped it with some of your cashew sour cream, which I’d had leftover from a different recipe. Thanks, Kate!
Kate
So happy you enjoyed it, Kaitlyn!
Lisa Brennan
Do you have the nutritional information? I’d like to know the calorie count as well as the protein count. Thanks!
Beatrice
Tonight’s dinner – it seemed a good Friday evening choice. The house smells great. While compiling the ingredients we snacked on the roasted veggies and that served as our aperitivo, with a nice hoppy IPA. I followed the recipe to a T and it was quite delicious. As empty nesters we have a nice amount of leftovers for the weekend.
Kate
Yum! Sounds like a great meal, Beatrice.
Sabrina Burrell
This recipe is too good! I ate it too fast and was really really sad when it was all gone!
Kate
Dang! Double batch next time, then, right? :)
Siobhan
This is a great base recipe! My Whole Foods was out of cauliflower and spinach so I used broccoli and baby kale instead, and I also used one large whole wheat tortilla for each of the layers (my store carries some by Engine No. 2 that I like), and that worked really well. For the salsa, I used a medium ‘cantina style’ (which I chose randomly, to be honest) with some fire-roasted diced tomatoes mixed in — I thought it was very good. I served it with sliced avocado and a side of brown rice. Yum!
Kate
Your version sounds delicious, Siobhan!
Kate
This was a hit with our toddler and guests. Easy enough to put together and was delicious. We served it with sour cream. Thanks for the veggie loaded recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Kate!
Manon
Made this recipe on the week-end, with few changes: I used organic tortilla chips, black olives instead of black beans, and mixed all the veggies in a plastic bag with avocado oil and cumin seeds, and cooked all together on one cookie sheet. It was EXCELLENT! Thank you.
Kate
Your version sounds great, Manon.
Molly
So, I don’t eat dairy but the rest of my family does. I made this recipe in two separate dishes – one with cheese and one without. I did not use cashew cream (it’s not my favorite thing) but took your suggestion of adding more salsa. I thought it was fantastic! And my kids raved about the original version. Thank you!
Kate
Great! Thanks for commenting, Molly. So glad everyone enjoyed it!
BRENDA
Thank you, Kate!! This was such a great tasting dish!! I have been planning on trying it out for more than a month and I kept using the ingredients in other dishes. It was certainly worth the wait!
Kate
Thanks, Brenda! I’m glad you were finally able to try it.
Sana
I tried this recipe today it came out awesome. My kids loved it. Thank you. Sure i will try your other recipes too.
Kate
Great! So happy everyone enjoyed it.
Patti
I’ve loved all the recipes I’ve ever tried of yours but this is my fav. I added a fried egg on top for something different – so good!!
Kate
Ooh, a runny egg on top would be amazing with this. Stealing that idea for next time!
Kelsey
Love this recipie, lots of color and flavor. Fairly easy and tasty… Yum!
Kate
Perfect!
Sara
Made this tonight without onions and it was SO GOOD!! New favourite recipe from this site!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Sara!
S
Thank you for posting this recipe – my wife and I made it this evening. It was a lot of fun to prepare and was light while filling and thoroughly delicious. We decided immediately after eating a slice each to add it to our elite ‘go to’ rotation of recipes that includes recipes from Gordon Ramsay and Emeril Lagasse–that’s how much we loved it. Easy to make, healthy (from the salsa to the cilantro to the cauliflower, red peppers, onions and sweet potatoes, it had lots of brightly colored veggies–a telltale sign of high antioxidant content) and downright tasty. We used whole wheat tortillas for some extra fiber and it turned out perfectly, so not sure why others seem to have had issues. Would probably add 50% more salsa than the recipe calls for as well, as we were a bit short at the end (plus I’m naturally a salsa guy). I typically like really spicy food and was debating hot salsa and at the last minute decided on medium–it was still enough of a kick, but next time I may play it risky and go with hot. Lastly, we used a standard 9×13 pan as we didn’t have a square pan, and the ingredient amounts were still perfect. I suppose that made our dish a bit less deep than using a 9×9 pan, but the depth and texture of our casserole seemed perfect. At any rate, all in all an excellent and serendipitous result of my original Google search on ‘vegetarian casserole’. I will visit your site more often. Thank you so much!
Kate
I’m so glad this worked out so well, S! I’m proud that my recipe made it on a regular rotation with your family. I love hearing that!