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Out of all of the recipes on my Weekly Meal Plan, this is the one we were most excited about!
I first made vegan enchiladas with ‘cheeze’ sauce almost a year ago and Eric has been gushing about them ever since. I must agree that I really don’t make them enough…and I’m not sure why because I’m crazy about them.
Last night, I jazzed up the original recipe and the outcome was so drool-worthy we found ourselves forgetting that they didn’t contain- or even need- cheese. Now that is a good vegan enchilada!
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For this version, I made a creamy green sauce made from Cilantro, avocado (the cream!), lime, and a few other spices that served as a decadent topping for the sweet potato, black bean, spinach, and pepper enchiladas.
They satisfied our every craving…and then some.
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Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Spinach, and Pepper Vegan Enchiladas
Adapted from Time Crunch Vegan Enchiladas.
Yield: 4 Enchiladas
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped (~2 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup sweet potato, chopped (or zucchini)
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 2 handfuls spinach, chopped
- 1 can black beans (~2 cups), drained and rinsed
- Enchilada sauce or Pasta sauce (about 2.5 cups)* see note
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder, or to taste
- 4 whole grain tortilla wraps (I used Food for Life Ezekiel)
- Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce, to pour on top (recipe below)
- Green onion & chopped cilantro, to garnish
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a baking dish large enough for 4 enchiladas. Pre-cook the chopped sweet potato, by simmering it in a small pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium to low heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add in garlic and reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Now add the chopped pepper, pre-cooked sweet potato, drained black beans, and chopped spinach. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Now add in your enchilada or pasta sauce. Stir well, and add in your seasonings: nutritional yeast (optional), cumin, fresh lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chili powder- all to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well.
4. Scoop about 3/4-1 cup of the mixture onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread out in a thin layer. Scoop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down on the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining 3 tortillas and leave a bit of filling left to spread over the top. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if preferred.
5. Bake tortillas at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your Cilantro cream sauce (see below). When enchiladas are cooked, remove from oven and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 enchiladas.
Note: Depending on what kind of sauce you use, you will have to adjust the seasonings to taste. I used a pasta sauce so I likely needed more seasonings to achieve the taste I desired.
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Make your filling and adjust all seasonings to taste.
Fill and roll your tortilla wraps, placing fold side down in the dish. You can sprinkle vegan cheese on them before baking if you prefer.
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Prepare the cream sauce while baking the enchiladas.
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Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce
Inspired by Kathy’s Cashew Cream Sauce.
Yield: ~1.25-1.5 cups
Ingredients:
- 1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh
- 2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out
- 2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cumin
- Black pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.
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When the enchiladas are done cooking, spread the Cilantro avocado sauce over top, sprinkle with cilantro and green onion and eat your heart out!
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A couple hints:
1) Due to the avocado in the cream sauce, this sauce needs to be used immediately for best results. If you plan on having leftovers, my advice is to wrap the leftover enchiladas without sauce and store in the fridge. You can try storing leftover sauce in an air-tight container for up to one day or you can make a half batch and make fresh sauce as needed.
2) These would probably be tasty with Nacho Cheeze Sauce too.
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We both loved ‘em. A bit too much maybe because we were totally stuffed afterwards! They would also make a fun meal if you are celebrating Cinco de Mayo tomorrow.
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After taking his last pleasurable bite, Eric proclaimed, ‘I predict this is the best recipe all week.’
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We shall see husband, we shall see. ;)
wow – your photos are wonderful! This is such a drool worthy dish!
These look awesome and so healthy! I make tofu enchiladas but have been thinking of making black bean ones for a little while now… I will definitely be trying these, thanks!
:drool: I love me some enchiladas! And I got plenty of avocados for the “sauce” :)
Oh my god that dish looks sooo good! I recently (well.. 3 years ago) discovered by love of enchiladas and more recently (a few months ago) discovered that trader joe’s sells an enchilada sauce, so this recipe shall be added to the queue.
These. Were. INSANE. Soooo delicious! I saw the recipe this morning and knew I had to make them tonight. I ran out and got the ingredients right away. They lived up to the pictures- packed with flavor and so satisfying (even for meat-eating fathers). Very very easy, too- some chopping, but really not bad. It was the first time I’ve made enchiladas because usually they’re drowning in cheese and I don’t really like that. These were perfect.
These are definitely going in the rotation. Thanks Angela!
I love, love, LOVE cilantro!! I’ll bet these taste devine. I am definitely bookmarking. :-)
This looks amazing! And it’s perfect for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow. I think I may even get my vegan-phobic parents on board with this recipe haha.
Oh I love guac! :)
Love the pictures, making me very hungry!
Whitney
This dish looks so good. Oh my gosh I want to make them
I love sweet potatoes and black beans together. Combine them into an enchilada with an avocado cream sauce and my stomach starts grumbling. They look absolutely delicious.
These look amazing, only change I will make is adding green chile, they just aren’t enchiladas to me without some spice. I love the guacamole cream!
drooling a little bit…cilantro and avacado are two of my favorite things in the world!!
Just found your website. This looks so colorful and delicious! I am craving eventhough I just had dinner!
Yum yum!!! I love Mexican food!
Wow, these look so yummy! I went out for Mexican tonight, and I’m sure this avocado cream sauce would rival Rosa Mexicano’s :)
Eeek, I’m so excited about this recipe considering the original has been one of my favorite recipes ever!
i’m gonna make this!! yummy!!
p.s. i’m in charge of making food for a meditation workshop at my yoga studio. any recommendations on any vegan cleansing finger food?? thanks angela!
I just made your avocado pasta, and now I’m going to need more to make this sauce!! Definitely perfect for Cinco de Mayo :)
*drooooooooooooooooooool* those look amazing!!!!!!!
Another amazing recipe! Those look fabulous!