Check out the best vegetarian enchilada recipe (vegan and gluten free) that is super easy and simple to make. You can pick beans and veggies that you have on hand to use which makes this recipe even better to try.
Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe For Taco Tuesday
What I love about Taco Tuesday is it’s a reoccurring dinner theme in our house each week. Recently I came up with the best vegetarian enchilada recipe (vegan and gluten free) that was so easy and simple I just had to share.
One of the best things about this vegetarian enchilada recipe is that you can really use any veggies and beans you have on hand and it will still be so yummy.
I like to use black beans and chickpeas as the source of plant protein. I added in sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic as the veggies.
Weekly Dinner Themes
If you are a mom like me then you know the hustle and bustle of real life, also called mom life. With two kids, a puppy, working, and sports, life can be hectic.
Weekdays are busy and I have to be organized when it comes to dinner meals.
With a former very picky eater turned pretty good eater I have to be mindful that he is not quite ready to turn into the plant powered mama that I am.
Sunday mornings I sit down and write out different meals for the week that the whole family can enjoy.
This mama and feeding therapist is not a short order cook and believes that short order cooking can lead you down a slippery slope when it comes to picky eating.
No judging from me because lord knows I have done it a time or two too. Hopefully, this blog will help you learn some new tips and solutions to turn your picky eater around and feed your family more fruits/veggies.
Using weekly dinner themes is one thing I do to help with making one meal the whole family can enjoy.
Ya’ll it’s nothing fancy. Just write out what your meal is going to be for dinner each night that week and put it on a board or piece of paper for the kids to see.
Since my kids are older I let them help come up with the names of the themes. They love it. Plus, it’s a great way to get them involved so everyone is happy about mealtimes.
How Do Weekly Dinner Themes Help Picky Eaters
When sitting down to write out our meals for the week I think about the different foods we all enjoy. Foods we have eaten lately and foods that I want to try for the family.
This allows me to see the variety I’m offering for my family. It also allows me to make sure I have at least 1-2 preferred foods on the kid’s plates.
Does your child ever ask “what’s for dinner, mom?” and when you tell them they immediately say “eeeeww”? It’s like you can’t win!
You are looking forward to dinner then your kid just rains on your parade. You know from that first “eeeww” that dinner isn’t going to go so well.
Here are some tips to planning weekly themes:
- Have your kids help you come up with names of themes
- Ask for some meals they would like to have with dinners
- Write out the meals so they can see them each day
- Make at least one item that is a preferred food for your child
- Weekly meal themes help decrease anxiety for picky eaters because they are able to process and prepare for what the meal will be ahead of time
- Offer a “freebie” night which means you can eat out, order take it, decide last minute what’s for dinner
- Offer a kids choice night. Offer your child a choice of two options for dinner that night under the specific theme. For example, if it’s taco Tuesday offer your child the choice “would you rather have quesadillas or tacos?”
- Including your child in the process allows them to feel a sense of control which typically helps decrease any pressure or tension when it comes to meal times.
- Use the weekly dinner themes for 2-4 weeks then start new themes.
How To Make The Best Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe
This recipe is super easy and so tasty but what if you have a child that isn’t quite ready to eat all of these foods mixed together? That’s okay.
Often times mixed foods are hard for kids to eat and tolerate because of all the different textures included in them.
I always recommend making one meal for everyone and introducing all kinds of variety of foods from a very early age.
Offering as much variety as possible increases the amount of exposure to new foods and helps to decrease the chances of refusal from foods later on.
If your child likes quesadillas then you can roll up two cheese/tortilla wraps and place those on the end or in a separate dish while you are making the veggie packed ones.
You can deconstruct and save some beans and place on your child’s plate too.
Plant Protein and Veggies To Use
For this vegetarian enchilada recipe you’re going to want to pick your protein source. I chose chickpeas and black beans. I love using chickpeas because they are very similar to chicken as they don’t have a strong flavor or smell.
Other sources of protein could include: lentils, pinto beans, kidney beans, spinach, tofu, you could use shredded chicken but use 1/2-1 organic chicken breast and half beans. There are so many options but these are just a few ideas to get you started.
Pick your veggies. I always pick veggies that I’ve got on hand in the fridge. I’m all about saving time and money on my grocery bill. So I use what I’ve got.
Some options for veggies include: diced sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, chopped kale, mushrooms, peppers, etc.
I’ve also made this dish with brown rice and it’s so good too. You could add brown rice or quinoa to this recipe too.
Vegetarian Enchilada Recipe (Vegan and Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 can organic black beans drained (if using fresh just soak overnight then boil)
- 1 can organic chickpeas drained (if using fresh just soak overnight then boil)
- 1 container mushrooms sliced or chopped
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 cup frozen/chopped or fresh sweet potato If using fresh make sure to cook ahead of time. I like chopped/frozen because I can just throw into the pan.
- 1 cup mini sweet bell peppers chopped
- 1 pack/can Frontera Enchilada sauce
- 1-2 tbsp taco seasoning Low Sodium taco seasoning or make your own with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika
- 1/2 container dairy free cream cheese I like Kite Hill or Miyokos brand
- 3 Tbsp salsa
- 1-2 packs gluten free tortilla wraps We like BFree Brand or Food For Life Brown Rice Brand. Any GF options work fine
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375
- First, drain and rinse black beans and chickpeas
- Chop all veggies
- Place a small amount of water in the pan on the stove (med heat). Saute onions, mushrooms, garlic, peppers. Then toss in beans and sweet potatoes. Let saute for about 3-4 minutes until tender but still crisp. If using rice, make sure it's cooked ahead of time or buy the frozen brown rice already cooked. This is where you would add the rice to the recipe.
- Next, add in taco seasoning, cream cheese, and salsa. Stir until creamy.
- Pour about 1/2 pack of enchilada sauce into casserole dish
- Place a couple spoonfuls of beans/veggie mixture into a tortilla wrap and roll up. Place wraps on top of sauce. Make sure to pack in firmly. GF wraps may need to be heated in the microwave for about 10 seconds before rolling up. They can be a little bit more dry than typical flour ones.
- Once all wraps are in the dish pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Cover with tin foil and bake for about 20 minutes. You can place shredded cheese on top if you like. We use Daiya brand or So Delicious vegan cheese. If using dairy cheese I recommend just using half of what you typically would.
Notes
If you make this recipe please tell us in the comments section. We love to hear what you’ve tried.
You may also love THIS RECIPE too if you are liking the Taco Tuesday theme!
