Vegan Enchilada Casserole Gluten-Free by Vegan Anj Featured

VEGAN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE (GLUTEN-FREE)

There are few things in this life more comforting than enchiladas. This vegan, gluten-free enchilada casserole is actually made in the crockpot – so you can just throw everything in there and let the pot do its job. The end result will be melty, gooey, and totally decadent plant-based enchiladas.

I’ve long been a fan of crockpot cooking because it typically affords limited prep time – I like to take a work break late afternoon to get things going, then just go back to doing whatever I need to and by the time I’m hungry, dinner’s hot and ready to serve.

My Mom’s Homemade Enchilada Casserole, Vegan-Style

Credit goes to my mom for the original enchilada casserole recipe – she used to make a non-vegan version, but after experimenting together on a few batches (we’ve used Impossible meat in lieu of lentils, which is also very tasty), we came to the conclusion that this vegan enchilada casserole is actually way better than the non-vegan version. So – shout out to Deborah for coming up with the O.G. recipe, and for being open to reworking it into one that’s completely mouth-watering, yet leaves you feeling a whole lot better after eating.

I’ve used lentils as a staple in so many of my meals – they’re hearty, super nutritious, protein-rich, and very filling. They make for such a great base in so many dishes (I also love using them in my bolognese, too). I noted in the recipe that you can add black beans as well, but I’ve found that lentils bring the perfect amount of protein and texture for my taste – but this is a dish you can totally play around with and add your own flair to. Buying the pre-cooked ones (I like Melissa’s, sold at Whole Foods).

Vegan-Enchilada-Close-Up-Photo

This vegan, gluten-free enchilada casserole has been on heavy rotation in my kitchen (and has also become a favorite of my boyfriend’s). I hope you love it as much as we do and please drop me a comment below if you have questions or reviews!

P.S. – be sure to check out my vegan spicy fusilli recipe (adapted from Jon + Vinny’s) if you haven’t already – it’s a special one.

Vegan Enchilada Casserole (Gluten-Free)

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Anjelica Price-Rocha Course: DinnerCuisine: Mexican
Servings

4-6

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

2

hours 

This vegan enchilada casserole recipe is gluten-free and easily assembled & made in the crockpot. Just throw everything together for a healthy, delicious meal and let it work its magic.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp olive oil, plus a drizzle to grease the pot

  • A dozen corn (or other gluten-free) tortillas

  • 10 oz. pre-cooked red or black lentils (I like Melissa’s, Trader Joe’s, or Auga – you can also cook them yourself)!

  • 15 oz. enchilada sauce (I like Whole Food’s or Trader Joes’ brand, or Hatch)

  • 8 oz vegan cheddar shreds (you can also mix in vegan mozzarella shreds)

  • 10 oz. canned, diced fire-roasted tomatoes

  • 2 oz. canned, diced green chilis (or use the whole can for an extra kick)!

  • 4 oz. can sliced black olives

  • 1.5 tsp garlic salt

  • 1.5 tsp chili powder

  • 1.5 tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika is fine too, but I highly recommend the smoked)

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • Optional: avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, or dairy-free sour cream to garnish

Directions

  • Grease your crockpot.
  • Add cooked lentils to a medium-sized bowl and mix in 1 tsp. olive oil, followed by garlic salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Stir to evenly combine, taste, and add more spices to your preference. Set aside. Open cans of enchilada sauce, olives, chilis, and fire-roasted tomatoes so you have them handy, as well as the cheese.
  • Begin layering! Start with the enchilada sauce at the bottom of the pot – just enough to cover the bottom. Place 2-3 tortillas in the pot so that that bottom is mostly covered by them (I use 2 full tortillas side-by-side and two halves on the top and bottom – it will vary depending on the size of your crockpot). Add another layer of sauce on top of the tortillas so they’re coated, not soaked. Scatter about 3 tbsp. of fire-roasted tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of chilis across the tortillas (modulate depending on spice tolerance).
  • Next, scatter the lentils on top of the tortillas – about 1/2 cup per layer, depending on how “lentily” (that’s a word!) you’d like your casserole to be. Toss the shredded cheese on top (again, however much you’d like depending on how cheesy you’d like the dish to be – just leave enough cheese for at least 4 layers). Finally, add the sliced olives – I like my olives so I’m fairly generous, but you can modulate based upon your taste. This completes your first layer. Repeat this 3-6 times depending on how stacked you want your casserole to be and how much of the ingredients you have left.
  • After your last layering round, finish with only the fire-roasted tomatoes, green chilis, cheese, and olives on top.
  • If you want your casserole to cook faster, set the crockpot to “high” and set the time to 2 hours. If you’re waiting a few hours to eat it, cook it on “low” for 4-5 hours.
  • Once the timer goes off, check to make sure your tortillas are soft and cheese is fully melted – that will indicate whether the casserole is done. Once it is, use a spatula to cut your preferred portion sizes, add any desired garnishes, and serve!

Notes

  • If you’re feeling something meatier, lean into using some meatless crumbles! Beyond, Impossible, and Trader Joe’s make some awesome ones. I’m all about finding whatever plant-based bridge food works best for people, so go with whatever your palette likes best!

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