Vegetarian Enchiladas with Sweet Potato and Black Beans
A simple recipe for vegetarian enchiladas made with sweet potato and black beans. These vegetarian Mexican enchiladas are our favorite healthy enchilada recipe!
This vegetarian enchilada recipe is the enchilada recipe that you never knew you needed. Chicken enchiladas or beef enchiladas may be the more popular choices, but once you try these sweet potato and black bean enchiladas you’ll wonder what you ever did without them!
These veggie enchiladas take about 30 minutes to prep. We’re taking a few shortcuts by using store-bought enchilada sauce and canned black beans. If you have extra time and prefer to make your enchiladas completely from scratch, you can use my homemade enchilada sauce and Instant Pot black beans in this enchilada recipe.
You’ll make the sweet potato and black bean filling for these vegetarian enchiladas in a skillet on the stove. After you roll the filling in tortillas, bake the enchiladas in the oven until they are hot and bubbly. Then enjoy the best vegetable enchiladas with your favorite toppings.
How to Make Vegetarian Enchiladas with Sweet Potato and Black Beans
You’ll start by chopping your vegetables: red onion and sweet potato. Peel the sweet potato and cut it into small 1/2-inch cubes. You need the sweet potato pieces to be small so that they won’t take too long to cook and soften.
Next, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet on the stove. Add the onion and sweet potatoes and sauté, stirring them often, until they begin to brown.
At this point you will add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and cover it. The water will create steam which will continue to cook the sweet potatoes while keeping them from browning too much. You want the sweet potatoes to be soft but not mushy. After 5-10 minutes, taste a sweet potato to see if it is done.
Now it’s time to add more flavor. Stir in fresh minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the black beans, either one 15 ounce can or 2 cups of homemade black beans.
Before filling the enchiladas, spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a rectangular baking dish. My favorite store-bought enchilada sauce is the 365 Organic brand red enchilada sauce from Whole Foods (not sponsored, I just like that kind best). My homemade enchilada sauce is also perfect in this recipe.
To make the enchiladas, you’ll spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling along the center of each tortilla and add a little bit of shredded cheese. Cheddar, Monterey jack or colby jack all work well in this recipe. Roll up the enchiladas tightly and place them seam-side down in the baking dish.
Drizzle more enchilada sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with a little more cheese before baking.
Can I use other vegetables in this vegetarian enchilada recipe?
You can use your favorite vegetables in this recipe. Try butternut squash, zucchini, bell peppers, spinach or even broccoli. Sauté the vegetables until they are softened but not mushy.
How do I make vegan enchiladas?
To make this vegetarian enchilada recipe vegan, omit the cheese.
Can I make these vegetarian enchiladas ahead?
Enchiladas are one of the best make ahead meals. They freeze well or can be made ahead and refrigerated until serving:
- Unbaked enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to one day or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed in the recipe.
- Baked enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave or oven (covered so they don’t over-brown).
- If you are baking enchiladas from cold, you may need to add 10-15 minutes to the bake time.
Cooking Tips for this Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe
- Cut the sweet potatoes into small pieces (1/2-inch cubes) so that they won’t take too long to cook through in the skillet.
- Cover the enchiladas with foil during the first 15 minutes of the bake time to prevent the top of the casserole from over-browning as the enchiladas heat through.
- To make vegan enchiladas, leave out the cheese.
- To make gluten-free enchiladas, use gluten-free corn tortillas. You may need a few more tortillas since corn tortillas are usually smaller. Warm the tortillas before filling and rolling them to prevent them from tearing.
- Serve with a side of my Instant Pot Mexican Rice.
More Enchilada Recipes:
Vegetarian Enchiladas with Sweet Potato and Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3 cups peeled sweet potato, ½-inch cubed (about 2 medium)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili power
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ cups red enchilada sauce, about 10 ounces
- 2 cups shredded cheese, (8 ounces) cheddar, Monterey jack, Colby jack or Mexican cheese blend cheese, divided
- 10 8-inch flour tortillas, whole wheat or white
- plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, avocado, chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sweet potato and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sweet potato begins to lightly brown. Add ½ cup water to the pan, cover, and continue cooking until sweet potatoes are tender, about 5-10 more minutes. Taste a sweet potato to check that it is done. They should be soft but not mushy.
- Uncover the pan and stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds and then remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the black beans.
- Place ½ cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Assemble the enchiladas: Working with one tortilla at a time, place ½ cup of the sweet potato black bean filling down the middle of the tortilla, slightly to the side of the center. Add about 2 tablespoons of cheese, roll the tortilla up tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for about 10 more minutes, until the enchiladas are hot and bubbly. Serve with toppings as desired.
Notes
- Unbaked enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen (wrapped airtight) for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed in the recipe. When baking enchiladas from cold, they may take 10-15 additional minutes to heat through.
- Baked enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, reheat and serve.
- To make vegan enchiladas, omit the cheese.
- To make gluten-free enchiladas, use gluten-free corn tortillas. You may need a few extra tortillas since corn tortillas are usually smaller. Warm the tortillas before filling to prevent them from tearing as you roll them.
I don’t know if it is my need for cooler weather and a change of season or what, but I have been craving sweet potatoes really bad! This looks like just the ticket! Beautiful photos!
Thanks, Annie! I totally relate! I made soup for dinner tonight, served room temperature of course! I think we are all starting to miss our fall/winter favorite foods!
I love sweet potatoes so much, and this looks like a great dish for autumn! Healthy comfort food!
Yay for healthy comfort food! I just made my meal plan for next week, and have sweet potatoes on the menu two times. I guess I love them too!
These look amazing! I love all the flavors.
Thanks, Danelle! These are certainly full of flavor!
Pretty much ALL of my favorite things! Totally wishing I had this for dinner! Just love it 🙂
Thank you, Chelsea! I guess you’ll have to put these on your menu plan soon! 🙂
They look absolutely scrumptious… And a comfort food…
How I wish to have them on my plate now.
Thanks, Sandhya! These are totally comfort food, but in a healthy way!
ooh i am so craving mexican right now.. looks delicious!
Thanks, Thalia! Me too! Is it weird to want a plate of enchiladas as a bedtime snack? 🙂
I could eat Mexican everyday! I love your healthy, vegetarian spin on enchiladas! I always feel so guilty after ordering them at a restaurant plus I don’t really like the taste of corn tortillas. Pinned!
Lately I’ve been craving Mexican, I can practically eat it every day too! I find flour or whole-wheat tortillas are so much easier for rolling into enchiladas. The corn ones always fall apart on me! Thanks for the pin!
I’m with ya…I have a hard time choosing between tacos and enchiladas on a menu. I usually do tacos for the 2 of us, and enchiladas for a group. These look like a perfect veggie version that I’m excited to try!
Tacos for 2, enchiladas for a group – that’s a good way to decide! You will love how easy these are to make, so far as enchiladas go!
Looks wonderful! I would have never thought of sweet potatoes in my enchiladas, but it sounds great!
The combination of the sweet potatoes and black beans in these, along with the seasonings, is so good! You’ve gotta try it! 🙂
definitely craving mexican right now.. these enchiladas look delicious!
Pingback: Favorite Enchilada Recipes | The Weary Chef
I’d use whatever kind is usually your favorite. I tend to try to save some money and buy whatever is on sale! 😉
I found this on Pinterest and made it tonight. It was delicious and a hit with our whole family. My 6 year old son actually ate 2 helpings, which is unheard of! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!!
That is amazing that your son ate 2 helpings! I’m so happy to hear that your family enjoyed this recipe, Tara! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. 🙂
This is the best veggie enchilada recipe out there! I make it on a regular basis. Sometimes I sub butternut squash for SP’s, but otherwise this recipe is one of the few that doesn’t require tinkering. THANK YOU!
I’m so happy to hear that you love this recipe! It’s been too long since I’ve made this one, and I have to try it with butternut squash now. Yum!
Absolutely delicious.  I’ll be making these again.