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Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Enchiladas Recipe (Sweet Potato and Black Bean)

2/12/23 by Nicole | Leave a Comment

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5 from 3 votes. Leave a review!

These flavorful vegan enchiladas are made with sweet potato, black beans and a quick homemade enchilada sauce. The recipe uses basic ingredients to create a delicious plant based enchilada casserole.

You can serve these enchiladas as-is or topped with any of your favorite sauces, like vegan sour cream, avocado sauce, guacamole, queso or chipotle aioli!

Casserole dish filled with baked enchiladas, topped with red sauce and cilantro garnish.

Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchilada Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients that are available at most grocery stores. While the enchiladas are vegan, no ‘special’ vegan ingredients are needed (although you can add vegan cheese if you like)!

Bean and Sweet Potato Filling

To make your enchilada filling, use the following ingredients or their substitutions:

  • Sweet potato: As the main base for the enchilada filling, you’ll need one medium-large sweet potato.
  • Onion and garlic: Add lots of flavor to these enchiladas with onion and garlic. Feel free to add as much garlic as you like!
  • Bell or poblano pepper: Whenever possible, I like to make this recipe with a poblano pepper for extra flavor, but a bell pepper of any color (I typically use green for this recipe) is great too. You could substitute the pepper for extra beans, onion or sweet potato if you don’t have any on hand.
  • Black beans: As the second main filling ingredient, you’ll need some cooked/ canned black beans. One large (19 ounce) can works perfectly or, use 2 cups of cooked, drained and rinsed black beans. Any other bean could work as well so use what you like or have on hand.
  • Vegetable oil: To boost the flavor, sauté your onion, garlic and pepper in some vegetable oil. I typically use avocado oil for this recipe but use what you like.
  • Corn: I love adding corn to my enchiladas for an extra vegetable. Frozen corn works great for this recipe but feel free to use fresh corn if you have it. If you don’t like corn, use another vegetable or extra sweet potato/ pepper/ beans.
  • Cilantro: I’m a huge fan of cilantro and love adding plenty to this recipe for a distinct, fresh flavor. You can skip the cilantro if you’re not a fan or substitute it for another herb of your choice.
  • Spices: This filling uses chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper for a tasty, smoky flavor. I use American-style chili powder which is mild in terms of its heat profile. You can add spicy heat with cayenne pepper, red chili flakes, hot sauce, jalapeno pepper (or any other hot pepper) or serve the enchiladas with a hot sauce of your choice.
  • Lime juice: Added at the end of cooking, lime juice brightens all the heavier, smoky flavors from the spices. Using an acidic ingredient like citrus or vinegar always enhances flavor.
Arrangement of unprepared ingredients for sweet potato black bean enchilada filling.

Vegan Enchilada Sauce

For a tasty homemade enchilada sauce, use these ingredients:

  • Vegetable broth: This creates a nice flavor in enchilada sauce. If you don’t have vegetable broth, water can work. I use a no-salt-added broth so I can adjust the salt level to my liking. If your broth has salt, taste the sauce before adding any additional salt.
  • Tomato paste: The base for this quick enchilada sauce is tomato paste. It blends with vegetable broth to create the perfect saucy thickness.
  • Spices: Use onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin and salt to create delicious flavor in this easy enchilada sauce. You can adjust any or all of the spices to your liking!
Small glass and wood dishes with ingredients for enchilada sauce.

Enchilada Assembly

To put the recipe together, there’s one last ingredient:

  • Tortillas: You’ll need 6 large flour tortillas to assemble the enchiladas.

How to Make this Vegan Enchiladas Recipe

This is a simple vegan enchilada recipe to make, but it does require some time to cook and assemble.

Step 1: Cook Sweet Potato and Black Bean Filling

To start, peel and cube your sweet potato. I like to cut it quite small so that it cooks faster and makes the wraps easier to roll.

Once the potato is ready, add it to a large pan along with about an inch of water. Place a lid on the pan, bring it to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes.

The sweet potato should be fork tender when it’s done. Cook time depends on how large your sweet potato pieces are. For me, it takes about 10 minutes total.

Carefully drain the water from your sweet potato, then remove the sweet potato from your pan.

Pan of cooked sweet potato cubes.

While the sweet potato cooks, I like to prep the other vegetables and filling ingredients. If you don’t like to multi-task, get everything prepped before you start cooking.

Add vegetable oil and chopped onion to a pan. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding bell pepper and minced garlic.

Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly. If your garlic starts to brown (or burn), lower the heat slightly and splash some water into the pan.

Next, add black beans, corn and spices. Toss to coat everything with the spices; you may need a splash of water to help the spices mix in.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding your cooked sweet potato back in, along with chopped cilantro and lime juice.

Remove the pan from your hot stovetop.

Four images showing the steps of making enchilada filling (cook onion, add garlic and pepper, add spices with beans and corn, add sweet potato and cilantro).

Step 2: Prepare Enchilada Sauce

As the filling cools (making it easier to assemble the enchiladas), prepare your enchilada sauce.

Simply whisk all the sauce ingredients together until well mixed. This is an incredibly easy recipe but if you want more info on it, check out my full post for easy vegan enchilada sauce!

Stirring a bowl of red enchilada sauce.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake Enchiladas

To assemble, pour about a third of your enchilada sauce onto the bottom of a large baking dish (9x13 inches is good). Spread the sauce into an even layer.

Spreading enchilada sauce into casserole dish with wooden spoon.

Next, lay out 6 large tortillas and evenly divide your filling between them all. If you want to use vegan cheese in this recipe, add it to the wraps now (many brands are unlikely to melt on top of the enchiladas).

Wrap each enchilada as tightly as you can and place them into the pan, seam-side down, so they stay held together.

Two images showing a spoon scooping enchilada filling onto tortilla then hands placing wrapped tortilla into casserole dish.

Once you’ve wrapped all the enchiladas, pour the rest of your sauce over top and spread it into an even layer.

Spreading enchilada sauce over top of six enchiladas in casserole dish.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 °F for 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and serve hot.

How to Serve Enchiladas as a Balanced Vegan Meal

I consider a balanced meal one that contains a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fats and lots of vegetables or fruits.

There’s some plant-based protein in this recipe from the black beans. There’s plenty of healthy carbohydrates from the sweet potato and tortilla wraps. Select whole wheat tortillas for extra fiber if you like!

This recipe is loaded with vegetables and should create a filling meal.

It is a fairly low-fat recipe, which some people enjoy. If you want to make the meal more satisfying, add some extra healthy fats on top of the enchiladas when serving (see ideas below).

Plate with enchilada on wood board plus grey ceramic baking dish with baked enchiladas, sour cream and lime garnish.

Vegan Enchilada Toppings

These enchiladas are delicious on their own, but I love adding extra sauce or toppings when serving this recipe.

Some of my favorite vegan enchilada toppings include:

  • Vegan sour cream (homemade or store-bought)
  • Guacamole
  • Extra cilantro
  • Avocado sauce
  • Chopped avocado
  • Lime juice
  • Black bean and corn salsa
  • Fresh chopped tomatoes
  • Chipotle aioli/ mayo
  • Vegan queso

If you want to add vegan cheese shreds to this recipe, I highly recommend adding it to the wraps as you fill them.

Vegan cheese often doesn’t melt well, especially when baked on top of a casserole in the oven. The steam inside your tortilla wraps will give cheese the best chance at melting.

Close up of a cut open black bean enchilada with red sauce and sour cream with baking dish of enchiladas in background.

How to Refrigerate and Reheat Homemade Enchiladas

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat over the next few days, microwave one serving at a time until heated through to the center.

While leftover enchiladas are quite tasty, this recipe is typically best enjoyed the day it’s made. If refrigerated and reheated, tortilla wraps tend to become soggy and may rip apart more easily.

Two plates of black bean sweet potato enchiladas with red sauce, topped with sour cream and lime garnish.

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of a baking dish filled with vegan enchiladas topped with red sauce and cilantro garnish.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

These vegan enchiladas are made with sweet potato, black beans and an easy enchilada sauce. The filling is packed with flavor and creates a nutritious, delicious meal.
5 from 3 votes. Leave a review!
Prevent screen going dark
Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 6 Enchiladas
Calories 430 kcal
Cuisine Mexican-inspired, Vegan

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking pan
  • Large frying pan with lid
  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Measuring cups (or kitchen scale)
  • Measuring spoons
  • Can opener

Ingredients
  

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Filling

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (30 millilitres)
  • 1 medium sweet potato , peeled and cubed (450 grams after peeling)
  • 1 large onion , chopped (140 grams)
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 medium bell or poblano pepper , diced (130 grams)
  • 2 cups black beans , cooked, drained and rinsed (19 ounce can)
  • 1 cup corn , I use frozen corn (150 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ¾ teaspoon salt , or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper , or to taste
  • ½ cup cilantro , chopped (20 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (15 millilitres)

Enchilada Sauce

  • ⅔ cup tomato paste (150 mL/ 5 oz can)
  • 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth (310 millilitres)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • salt , to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

Enchilada Assembly

  • 6 large flour tortillas
Prevent screen going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Cook Sweet Potato and Black Bean Filling

  • Peel a sweet potato and cut into small pieces (slightly larger than the beans).
    1 medium sweet potato
  • Add the sweet potato to large pan and cover with water. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Once boiling, cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Drain the water and remove sweet potato from your pan.
  • Add avocado oil and sauté the diced onion for 5 minutes.
    2 tablespoons avocado oil, 1 large onion
  • Add minced garlic and chopped bell pepper. Sautee for another 3 minutes, stirring regularly. If the garlic starts to burn or stick the pan, add a splash of water.
    3 cloves garlic, 1 medium bell or poblano pepper
  • Add the spices, black beans and corn.
    2 cups black beans, 1 cup corn, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Toss to coat everything with spices and cook another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the cooked sweet potato back into your pan with cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine, then remove your pan from heat.
    ½ cup cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice

Step 2: Prepare Enchilada Sauce

  • Whisk all the sauce ingredients together.
    ⅔ cup tomato paste, 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, salt
  • Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 3: Assemble and Bake Enchiladas

  • Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
  • Spread about ⅓ of the sauce into the bottom of a large (9x13 inch) baking dish.
  • Lay out all 6 flour tortillas and divide the prepared filling evenly among them.
    6 large flour tortillas
  • Roll the tortillas as tightly as possible and place into baking dish with the seam side down.
  • Pour the rest of your sauce over the enchiladas and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes until the sauce bubbles on the edges (or appears thickened/ cooked).
  • Serve hot topped with your favorite sauces/ garnishes.

Video

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Enchilada (⅙ of recipe)Calories: 430 kcalCarbohydrates: 80 gProtein: 15 gFat: 7 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 2 gSodium: 1402 mgPotassium: 991 mgFiber: 14 gSugar: 14 gVitamin A: 669 IUVitamin C: 39 mgCalcium: 206 mgIron: 7 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Main Meal Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

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  • Close up of a blue pot filled with bean chili.
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About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


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Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

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