These vegan black bean enchiladas are made with a homemade enchilada sauce and a creamy cashew “cheese” sauce! Packed full of vegetables and loaded with flavor, these are the best vegan enchiladas you’ll find!

One thing that I can always look forward to after a long day of work is a wholesome, flavorful dinner. Especially when it’s cold and gloomy outside, it always makes me happy.

Plus, cooking is such a great stress-relief! I love playing some good music and just letting my mind relax while I whip up some deliciousness.

Recently, I can’t stop making enchiladas. The flavors are incredible, and there are so many filling options.

The ones I’m sharing today are made with black beans, which is a popular plant based option that’s loaded with protein.

Paired up with the fluffy wraps, the homemade sauce, and the vegan cheese on top – this is some serious comfort food.

Speaking of the homemade enchilada sauce, you won’t be able to get enough of it! I certainly can’t.

Rich and savory, it contrasts super well with the tangy ‘cheese’ sauce and absorbs super well into the tortilla.

Overall, I would definitely recommend making extra enchiladas to enjoy the next day (or go back for seconds)!

How to make black bean enchiladas

As you can see, there are three different components to the recipe – the black bean filling, the homemade enchilada sauce, and the ‘cheese’ sauce.

But don’t worry, because each one requires just a handful of ingredients and it’s way easier than it looks!

Make the black bean filling

Firstly, heat some olive oil a large pan and garlic and a red chilli pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, then add onion and cook for 2 minutes more.

Now add carrots and bell pepper, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables soften.

Add the black beans, tamari and apple cider vinegar and cook for around 5 minutes, until the black beans soften. Set aside to prepare the enchilada sauce and the ‘cheese’.

Make the vegan enchilada sauce

This sauce is absolutely delicious, and really easy to make!

Firstly, heat olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. When the spices are fragrant (around 2-3 minutes), add the tomato paste, garlic, and sriracha. Stir for a few minutes more.

Now add the gluten-free flour and gradually pour in the vegetable broth, around ¼ cup at a time, whisking until the sauce thickens.

Transfer to a bowl and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.

Make the vegan ‘cheese’ sauce

The great thing about this vegan cheese sauce is that it’s super versatile. If you have any left over, you can save it to use for other recipes. Like nachos!

Simply add soaked cashews, plant based milk, cumin, turmeric, nutritional yeast and cornstarch to a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth.

Transfer to a saucepan and stir over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Assemble and bake the enchiladas

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) while you make the enchilada sauce and the cheese.

Add around ½ of the enchilada sauce to the base of a rectangular baking dish.

Next, add ¼-1/3 cup of the black bean filling to the base of a tortilla. Wrap it up tightly, tucking in the edges, and then arrange in the baking dish over the enchilada sauce.

Add the rest of the sauce on top, followed by the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Recipe tips and substitutions

You can add bite sized roasted sweet potato to the black bean filling. It makes a delicious addition!

This recipe is gluten-free as long as you use gluten-free tortillas.

You can add other vegetables of your choice to the filling. For instance, zucchini and leafy greens work well.

When making the sauce, do not turn the heat up too high as this can make the sauce become too thick very quickly.

Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

Black bean filling

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 red chilli pepper de-seeded and chopped
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 large carrot peeled and diced
• 1 large bell pepper diced
• 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed (8 oz)
• 2 tbsp tamari
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Enchilada sauce

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• ½ tbsp sriracha
• ⅓ cup gluten-free flour
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Vegan cheese sauce

• 1 cup cashews soaked in water for 4 hours
• 1 ½ cup plant based milk
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Make the black bean filling

• Heat the olive oil a large pan, adding the garlic and a red chilli pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, then add onion and cook for 2 minutes more.
• Add carrots and bell pepper, cooking for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
• Add the black beans, tamari and apple cider vinegar and cook for around 5 minutes, until the black beans soften. Set aside to prepare the enchilada sauce and the ‘cheese’.

Make the enchilada sauce

• Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and add cumin, turmeric and cinnamon. When the spices are fragrant (around 2-3 minutes), add the tomato paste, garlic, and sriracha. Stir for a few minutes more.
• Now add the gluten-free flour and gradually pour in the vegetable broth, around ¼ cup at a time, whisking until the sauce thickens. Transfer to a bowl and set aside while you make the cheese sauce.

Make the vegan cheese sauce

• While you make the cheese sauce, you can preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 F).
• Add the soaked cashews, plant based milk, cumin, turmeric, nutritional yeast and cornstarch to a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth.
• Transfer to a saucepan and stir over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Assemble the enchiladas

• Add around ½ of the enchilada sauce to the base of a rectangular baking dish.
• Next, add ¼-1/3 cup of the black bean filling to the base of a tortilla. Wrap it up tightly, tucking in the edges, and then arrange in the baking dish over the enchilada sauce.
• Add the rest of the sauce on top, followed by the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

Nutrition