Vegan Taco Casserole (Mexican Lasagna)

This vegan taco casserole is going to become a family comfort food favorite! It combines tortillas, salsa, vegan cheese and a high-protein filling mix made with tofu and beans. So easy, flavorful and satisfying, it makes for a great weeknight dinner and fun to serve with all your favorite taco fixings. 100% vegan + dairy-free.

This vegan taco casserole is just like vegan bean tacos, but instead, it is baked in the oven with all the yummy sauces and filling ingredients. You can use store-bought salsa and vegan cheese shreds for a speedy dinner, or make a quick cashew cheese sauce for a decadent version.

It might remind you of vegan black bean enchiladas, but the tortillas are layered instead of rolled, similar to a vegan Mexican lasagna!

It is packed with protein, making it a very filling vegan dinner idea, and comes together so much quicker than it seems, so you can even make it on a busy weeknight.

You can serve this dish with your favorite Mexican taco fixings, such as vegan sour cream, fresh cilantro and protein guacamole, and feel free to make it ahead of time for a fuss-free dinner during the week.

For another black bean taco dinner, check out these vegan avocado salad tostadas!

Let me know below in the comments if you give this recipe a try! ❤️

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Vegan comfort food recipe that's easy to make
• Packed with flavor and layered with so many textures
• Hearty and high in protein
• Great for meal-prepping ahead during the weekend
• Very versatile: add your favorite veggies or beans and serve with any Mexican fixings you like!
• 100% vegan and dairy-free

🗒 Ingredient notes (+ substitutions)

• Beans: use canned beans to save some time! Black beans are great for making casseroles 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.
• Tofu: use extra-firm or firm tofu. The tofu is crumbled in the pan, and gives it a meaty texture. You can also use tempeh or vegan ground beef crumbles instead!
• Spices: I used a premix of taco seasonings, but you can play around with the spices you want to use and include dried oregano, chili powder, cumin powder, sweet or smoky paprika or chipotle powder. I used this taco seasoning from the brand Kinder's.
• Salsa: I prefer using store-bought salsa for its convenience, plus most brands are healthy and made with minimal ingredients. I used the mild salsa from the brand Green Mountain Gringo.
• Cheese sauce: this vegan cashew white sauce is amazing for dairy-free casserole recipes. It makes the whole dish gooey and decadent, plus the sauce is healthy and easy to make in the blender. If in a rush, then you can use store-bought dairy-free cheese shreds.
• Corn: you can use fresh corn from the cob, frozen corn or canned corn for convenience.
• Tortillas: I think wheat tortillas work better than corn tortillas when making this baked taco dish, but both kinds work, so choose what you have or prefer.

⭐️ Full list of ingredients (+ quantities) down below in the recipe card!

📝 Variations

• Spicy: add chopped jalapeño or cayenne powder, or simply add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce. You can also play around with the spicy level by choosing a mild vs spicy salsa.
• Rice: you can include some cooked rice for an even heartier casserole or to use up some leftover cooked rice.
• No tortillas: you can also make this dish without the tortillas! In that case, use a smaller casserole dish and when serving, you can scoop the dish with crunchy tortilla chips. This can be a fun variation of vegan nachos for parties!

🍽 How to make a vegan taco casserole

Step 1: Warm up a large pan with a little oil, then add the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 min, then add the garlic and spices. Cook for another 1-2 min while stirring often.

Step 2: Crumble the tofu right into the pan using your hands/fingers, then add the black beans, corn and tomatoes.

Step 3: Stir and keep cooking for about 10 minutes uncovered.

Step 4: Meanwhile, cut the tortillas in half or into strips.

Step 5: Add about ⅓ cup of salsa to the bottom of your dish and spread it out.

Step 6: Transfer some of the cut tortillas over the salsa so that they cover the whole surface. It is ok if they overlap a little.

Step 7: Scatter half the tofu-bean mix over the tortillas and spread it out in an even layer.

Step 8: Drizzle half the cheese sauce over (or sprinkle half the vegan cheese shreds) and add about ¼-1/3 cup of the salsa over.

Step 9: Place another layer of tortillas over, spread the second half of the tofu-bean mix, drizzle or sprinkle the rest of the cheese and scatter some more of the salsa (you can finish the jar or keep some for serving).

Step 10: Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for 20 min, then uncover and bake for another 10 min. Let the dish rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

⭐️ Detailed recipe (+ video) down below in the recipe card!

💡 Helpful tips

• Don't stress too much about cutting the tortillas in a way that fits exactly in your dish. Just roughly cut them so the circular tortillas get into the corners, but it does not have to be perfect since you won't be able to tell once baked anyway.
• Start by baking the dish covered with foil. This helps the dish cook through without drying at the top too fast. Just uncover it for the last 10 minutes or so.

🍴 Serving suggestions

This taco casserole recipe is perfect to serve alongside a family-friendly Mexican meal. Pair with vegan elote, Mexican shell soup, fresh cucumber mango salad or zesty quinoa salad.

✅ Our favorite topping ingredients:

• Lime-marinated red onion
• Chopped romaine lettuce
• Lime crema
• Fresh tomatoes
• Vegan tofu sour cream
• Black olives
• Chipotle cashew sauce
• Sliced jalapeño
• Fresh cucumber pico de gallo

If looking for a drink to accompany your drink, then pair with agua de mango, vegan horchata or a mango mocktail!

❗️ Storage tips

This dish makes for amazing leftovers! Keep the extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat using the microwave or a mini oven until warmed through. Keep the topping ingredients apart when storing and reheating.

❓ FAQs

🌱 More vegan casserole recipes you might like

I hope you like this vegan taco casserole 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!

Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.