These bean and rice enchiladas are so easy to make, packed with Mexican flavors and very filling + satisfying, even though this is a vegan and meat-free recipe. The combination of hearty rice and black bean filling with creamy cheese topping (dairy-free!) and zesty enchilada sauce is a must-try!
I have heard so many good things from you about these super simple vegan bean and rice burritos that I decided to tweak the recipe and make a decadent baked version: black bean and rice enchiladas!
And if you love enchiladas or a taco casserole as much as we do, then this recipe is a must-try. Similar to this vegan chickpea enchilada recipe, it packs a ton of fiber and plant-based protein and has all the classic flavors you love from classic Mexican enchiladas.
It features a creamy and spiced bean and rice mixture tucked in wheat tortillas and drenched in a red enchiladas sauce. I used store-bought enchiladas sauce to make it easier, but you can also make your own sauce from scratch if you have the time.
But the best part is the creamy cashew sauce that brings this dairy-free enchilada dish to a whole new level! Feel free to use vegan cheese threads from the grocery store if you are short on time, but making the easy sauce yourself is absolutely worth your effort, I promise!
Let me know if you give it a try! ❤️
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❤️ Why you will love this recipe
- Decadent creamy baked dish that's full of flavors
- Amazing vegan comfort food recipe!
- Hearty, satisfying and filling
- This is a vegetarian bean enchilada recipe, but you won't miss the meat, it is so delicious!
- Great for meal-prepping ahead or during the weekend
- Perfect recipe to use up leftover cooked rice!
- Very versatile and forgiving recipe
- 100% vegan and dairy-free
🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)
- Beans: use canned beans to save some time! Black beans are great for making enchiladas since they are hearty, have a nice flavor and they keep their shape well when cooking. But, you could also use kidney beans or pinto beans if you prefer.
- Rice: I used cooked brown rice (long grain), but you can use your favorite kind of rice. Brown rice adds a more chewy texture and extra fiber, so I recommend using this instead of white rice. The important part is to use rice that's already cooked!
- Spices: I used a mix of chili powder and cumin, but you can play around with the spices you want to use and include dried oregano, sweet or smoky paprika or chipotle powder.
- Enchilada sauce: I prefer using store-bought enchilada sauce for its convenience. I used and love the red enchilada from the brand Somos because contrary to other brands that I tried, this one is mild without any spicy flavor, which works best for my kids. When I am in the mood to make my own, then I like the enchilada sauce from Oh She Glows.
- Cheese sauce: this vegan cashew white sauce is amazing for dairy-free enchilada recipes. It makes the whole dish gooey and decadent, plus the sauce is healthy and easy to make in the blender.
- Tomatoes and green chiles: use fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you can, they have more flavor and work well for Mexican dishes. I added a can of green chiles (choose mild or spicy) which are easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Tortillas: I think wheat tortillas work better than corn tortillas when making baked enchiladas, but both kinds work, so choose what works for you.
⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!
📝 Variations
- No enchiladas sauce: did you know that you can make enchiladas using salsa instead? This can be a great alternative if you run out of the classic red sauce or just feel like trying out a different version.
- Taco seasoning: feel free to swap the spices for taco seasoning packaging. If doing so, then use about 4 teaspoons total and taste to adjust the amount.
- Spicy: add a few dashes of cayenne pepper or some spicy sauce to the pan with the beans and rice. You can also use a spicy enchiladas sauce!
- Cheese topping: if you don't want to use the homemade cashew sauce, then simply add some vegan cheese thread over the enchiladas before baking. Or, skip it altogether and serve with a generous dollop of vegan sour cream!
- Veggie packed: for a meal full of veggies, then add some sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini, corn, cauliflower or mushrooms.
🍽 How to make vegan black bean and rice enchiladas
✅ Before getting started, make sure you have about 2 cups of cooked rice ready to go. You can prep the rice up to 4 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 1: Warm up a large pan with a little oil, then add the onion and green bell pepper with a pinch of salt. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, then add the garlic and spices. Keep cooking for 1-2 minutes stirring often.
Step 2: Add the cooked rice, black beans, green chiles and diced tomatoes. Stir and keep cooking for another 8-10 minutes.
Step 3: Add the cilantro and about ¼ cup of the homemade cashew cream sauce (or use cheese threads), then stir to combine.
Step 4: Add about ½ cup of the mix over a tortilla on the bottom half, then roll up.
Step 5: Cover the bottom of a large baking dish (such as a 9 x 13 inch or a lasagna dish) with a small amount of red enchilada sauce, then transfer the rolled tortilla with the seam on the bottom. Keep going with the rest of the filling and tortillas, you should have about 7-8 of them.
Step 6: Cover the tortillas with the rest of the enchilada sauce, then drizzle the rest of the cheese sauce (or cover with vegan cheese threads). Bake covered with foil at 350ºF for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for a few more minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let the enchiladas rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!
💡 Helpful tips
- In a pinch, you can use already-cooked rice from the grocery store. This frozen brown rice or this pantry-stable brown rice both would work great and save you a step!
- For a speedy weeknight dinner, use canned beans, precooked rice, jarred red enchilada sauce from the store and store-bought vegan cheese (or serve alongside sour cream).
- If you have extra bean and rice mix, then simply transfer it to the edges of the enchiladas in the baking dish.
- While baking, keep covered for most of the time so the enchiladas can cook and soften without drying out.
- To prevent soggy enchiladas, then add just enough sauce to completely cover the tortillas without adding too much.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Vegan enchiladas are great to top with your favorite garnishes when serving, such as:
- Salsa (try pairing with this roasted habanero and mango salsa or this mango corn salsa!)
- Hot sauce or finely sliced jalapeño
- Pico de Gallo (our favorite are this cucumber pico de Gallo and this pineapple pico de Gallo)
- Avocado or protein-packed guacamole
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Diced red onion or Mexican-style pickled lime red onion
❗️ Storage tips
Keep the leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can use the microwave or even better, the oven (350ºF for 10-15 minutes or until heated through). Expect the leftovers to turn softer, but they will still be great.
❓ FAQs
Yes, it is easy to make this recipe gluten-free by using GF tortillas. Also, make sure to use a gluten-free enchilada sauce since it often includes flour as the thickening agent.
Yes! Ideally, you would freeze it before baking in the oven. This works well if you enjoy meal-prepping: make a second pan of enchiladas and freeze for later! Let the dish thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed (might need a few extra minutes if the dish is cold from the fridge).
Both work and you will see corn and wheat tortillas in traditional recipes. I myself find the texture better when using wheat tortillas, but try both to see what is best for you!
🌱 Similar rice and bean recipes you might like
I hope you like this rice and bean enchilada recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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📖 Recipe
Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas
Equipment
- Large baking dish 9 x 13 inches or a large lasagna dish
- Large pan
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion - diced
- 1 red or green bell pepper - diced
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 3 tsp chili powder
- 3 cloves of garlic - crushed
- 15 oz canned black beans - rinsed and drained
- 15 oz canned diced tomatoes - choose fire-roasted if possible
- 4 oz canned green chiles - mild or spicy
- 2 cups COOKED rice - I used long grain brown rice
- handful fresh cilantro - chopped (optional)
- 12 oz red enchilada sauce - mild or spicy, I used the red enchilada sauce from the brand SOMO
- salt and pepper - to taste
- 7-8 flour tortillas
- dairy-free cheese sauce - I used one batch of this vegan cashew sauce, you can also use store-bought vegan cheese threads
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- If not done already, start by cooking the rice and make the vegan cheese sauce (or use store-bought cheese threads).
- Warm up a large nonstick pan with a little oil, then add the onion and bell pepper with a little salt. Cook while stirring often on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes. Then, add the garlic and spices (chili and cumin) and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Add the cooked rice, beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles. Stir and cook for about 8-10 minutes stirring often.
- Add the cilantro (if using) and about ¼ cup of the cheese sauce of threads. Stir to combine, then remove from the heat.
- Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of your baking dish and spread it all over the bottom surface. Then, add about ½ cup of the bean and rice mix over the bottom half of a tortilla and roll it up tightly. Transfer over the dish with the seam side down, then keep going with the rest of the filling mixture. Transfer the filled tortilla into the dish as you go (you should be able to make 7-8 enchiladas).
- Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and drizzle the rest of the cheese sauce (or sprinkle vegan cheese threads over). Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for another 5-10 minutes.
- Let the enchiladas rest for 5-10 minutes before serving and garnish with cilantro, hot sauce, pico de gallo or any taco topping you like. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- In a pinch, you can use already-cooked rice from the grocery store. This frozen brown rice or this pantry-stable brown rice both would work great and save you a step!
- For a speedy weeknight dinner, use canned beans, precooked rice, jarred red enchilada sauce from the store and store-bought vegan cheese (or serve alongside sour cream).
- If you have extra bean and rice mix, then simply transfer it to the edges of the enchiladas in the baking dish.
- While baking, keep covered for most of the time so the enchiladas can cook and soften without drying out.
- To prevent soggy enchiladas, then add just enough sauce to completely cover the tortillas without adding too much.
- Storage: Keep the leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can use the microwave or even better, the oven (350ºF for 10-15 minutes or until heated through). Expect the leftovers to turn softer, but they will still be great.
- Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.
Amazing recipe, so good, will make again!
Thanks for your feedback, glad you liked it! 😊