An utterly indulgent pan of saucy, cheesy, hearty Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas. Stuffed with beans, squash, and bell pepper, these packed enchiladas are perfectly satisfying any night of the week!
Whenever I need a comforting dish to carry me through the week, I always make these Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas. They always hit the spot. Hunter and I will enjoy them for dinner loaded with our favorite toppings, then we'll have them again for easy lunches, and sometimes even for a savory breakfast!
I used to make these enchiladas with just enchilada sauce on top, but I really missed how cheesy and saucy traditional enchiladas are. I started drizzling my Vegan Queso on top, and now they are absolutely perfect. 🙂
What Makes This Recipe So Great
- The cheesy sauce: The creamy plant-based queso sauce drizzled on top of these enchiladas gives them an irresistibly indulgent, melt-in-your-mouth taste.
- Healthy and satisfying: These enchiladas are stuffed with nutrient-rich ingredients like sweet potatoes, pinto beans, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper. The queso is made with cauliflower and sunflower seeds, and when ready to serve, you can choose any of your favorite veggies and herbs to go on top! With all of these amazing, healthy ingredients, this dish is so incredibly satisfying and filling.
- Serve a crowd: I love making these enchiladas when hosting friends or family for dinner. Mexican food is always a crowd-pleaser, but this recipe is especially hearty and wholesome.
- Get creative with it! You can add just about any bean, legume, grain, or vegetable to the inside of your enchiladas, and you can get creative with your toppings too. Variations are welcome and encouraged here. 🙂
Where Do Enchiladas Originate?
It is believed that enchilada comes from the Nahuatl word chīllapīzzali, which means chile flute. In Bernal Díaz del Castillo's 1576 Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España, a dish with rolled tortillas is described that closely resembles enchiladas. The first enchilada recipe appeared in 1831 in El cocinero mexicano (The Mexican Chef). This cookbook is respected as one of the foundations of Mexican gastronomy.
Traditional enchiladas use corn tortillas stuffed with meat, seafood, beans, cheese, potatoes, or vegetables. This vegan variation is stuffed with sweet potatoes, pinto beans, and vegetables, and is topped with a plant-based cheesy sauce!
Ingredients & Variations
Sweet potatoes and pinto beans make up the bulk of the filling for the enchiladas, giving them a perfect sweet and savory flavor.
Garlic, zucchini, yellow squash, and bell pepper are sautéed in olive oil for a filling, veggie-packed addition. The vegetables are cooked in warm spices: cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Red enchilada sauce packs in that essential chile flavor. A little lime juice adds a hint of acidity and citrus.
Use your favorite brand of tortillas to wrap up the fillings, and when the enchiladas are done, top with a cheesy, vegan sauce and toppings: avocado, tomato, salsa, vegan sour cream, and hot sauce.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Sweet potatoes: If you wish to swap this out for something, I suggest opting for another sweet flavor like butternut squash, honeynut squash, or pumpkin. I have not tried other potatoes for this recipe as I think they would turn out too starchy or dry.
- Vegetables: You can mix and match the suggested vegetables for anything you have on hand! Onion, mushrooms, and dark, leafy greens are great additions or substitutions.
- Spices: Don't fret too much about having the specific spices listed. I love cumin and paprika, but you could also use chili powder, taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or cayenne.
- Beans: Pinto beans and black beans are my favorite choices, but you could also use kidney beans or any other type of bean you like. Lentils could also work.
- Vegan queso: Instead of making this cheesy sauce, you could simply top the enchiladas with shredded vegan cheese.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cook the sweet potatoes. Place the sweet potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium high.
Cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes. When done, drain.
Make the filling. In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute before adding the zucchini and squash. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the bell pepper and the spices. Continue cooking over medium until the zucchini and squash are soft, about 7-10 minutes.
Add the pinto beans to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the sweet potatoes.
Add ½ cup of the enchilada sauce to the skillet with juice from ½ of a lime. Turn the heat to medium low, continuing to stir.
Assembling Enchiladas
With the remaining enchilada sauce, pour just enough to cover the bottom of a casserole or baking dish.
Use a spoon to scoop a generous amount down the center of a tortilla, then roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the pan.
Continue doing this until all of the tortillas are used that can fit into the pan.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.
Spread it out evenly.
There will be some of the veggie-potato mix left in the skillet. Scoop it over the top of the enchiladas.
Bake the enchiladas. Cover the pan in foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until desired crispiness.
Make the Vegan Queso
While the enchiladas are baking, start the vegan queso. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and sunflower seeds to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium high and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are soft, about 10 minutes. When done, drain with a fine mesh strainer, using a spoon or spatula to scrape the sunflower seeds out of the pot into the strainer if needed. Add to a blender with the remaining queso ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Serve with queso and toppings. When the enchiladas are done, carefully remove them from the oven and drizzle the desired amount of queso sauce over top.
Add any toppings, or serve them on the side.
Enchilada Toppings Ideas
- Diced or sliced avocado or guacamole
- Diced tomato or cherry or grape tomatoes
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Hot sauce
- Vegan sour cream
- Vegan shredded cheese
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Finely chopped onion
- Cilantro
- Pickled jalapeños
Chef Tips
- Save time by prepping ingredients in advance. Buy pre-chopped veggies or chop your veggies and cook your sweet potato ahead of time to make these enchiladas a quicker weeknight meal. You can also make the queso in advance.
- Place the rolled tortillas seam side down. This will prevent the tortillas from unraveling and creating a mess that's difficult to slice and serve!
- Prevent the enchiladas from drying out. Bake the enchiladas in foil for the first 15 minutes to help them maintain their delicious saucy texture. Removing the foil at the end will help the edges of the tortillas crisp up so they don't get soggy.
- Save the extra filling! While you can follow the instructions and place the remaining filling on top of the enchiladas, you can also store the filling in an airtight container to be used in tacos, a tofu scramble, for nacho toppings, or in burrito bowls!
- Use large tortillas. 10-12 inch tortillas or burrito size tortillas work best here.
- Remember that messy is good! I've never made enchiladas before without making a mess! This is a messy recipe, so embrace it and don't worry too much about presentation. 😉
- Give yourself plenty of time and have fun. While the cook time is right around an hour, give yourself a little extra cushion so that you can have fun and take your time. These enchiladas will serve a crowd or last in the fridge throughout the week. It's a worthy investment of time and energy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of tortillas should I use for enchiladas?
The best answer is whatever type you like the most! I used flour tortillas in the photos because they roll and seal easily. You just want to make sure to bake them long enough so they don't get doughy. My personal favorite are brown rice tortillas, but they tend to break during the baking process—we're in it for the flavor no presentation! Traditionally, corn tortillas are used.
Can I make enchiladas gluten-free?
Yes! Use gluten-free tortillas like brown rice, corn, or cassava. Check the labels on your ingredients to make sure everything is gluten-free.
Are these enchiladas healthy?
They certainly are! Enchiladas are the perfect way to enjoy an assortment of vitamin-packed vegetables and sweet potatoes, protein-rich beans, and healthy raw toppings all in one dish.
Prepping, Storage & Reheating
If you wish to save time and prep some of this recipe in advance, you can prepare the filling (sweet potato, vegetables, beans) 2 days in advance by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
This recipe is freezer-friendly! You can actually freeze the enchiladas before baking them, or you can freeze them after removing the enchiladas from the oven and letting them cool. The most important thing here is to wait to add the queso and fresh toppings. Wrap each tortilla individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to reheat, thaw and bake according to the directions below, or bake them from frozen adding more time as needed.
If storing the enchiladas in the fridge, you can enjoy them for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, bake them at 350F for 15 minutes.
More Vegan Mexican Recipes!
Serve these enchiladas with Vegan Queso or my 5-Ingredient Black Bean Dip. 🙂 If you like this recipe, you may also like my Vegan Tofu Nachos with Sunflower Seed Queso!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Sweet Potato Enchiladas
Ingredients
Enchiladas
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potato peeled and diced, about 3 ½ cups or 3-5 sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 yellow squash diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 15 ounces pinto beans canned and drained, or your favorite type of beans
- 15 ounces red enchilada sauce
- ½ lime juiced, use the remaining lime for serving
- 6-7 tortillas
Vegan Queso
- 1 cup Yukon gold potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup cauliflower florets frozen
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
Optional Toppings
- Avocado diced
- Tomato or cherry tomatoes diced
- Lime juice freshly squeezed
- Salsa
- Vegan sour cream
- Hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to medium high. Cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 minutes. When done, drain.
- In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute before adding the zucchini and squash. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the bell pepper and the spices. Continue cooking over medium until the zucchini and squash are soft, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the pinto beans to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the sweet potatoes. Add ½ cup of the enchilada sauce to the skillet with juice from ½ of a lime. Turn the heat to medium low, continuing to stir.
- With the remaining enchilada sauce, pour just enough to cover the bottom of a casserole or baking dish. Use a spoon to scoop a generous amount down the center of a tortilla, then roll the tortilla and place the seam-side down in the pan. Continue doing this until all of the tortillas are used that can fit into the pan. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and spread it out evenly. There will be some of the veggie-potato mix left in the skillet. Scoop it over the top of the enchiladas.
- Cover the pan in foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until desired crispiness.
- While the enchiladas are baking, start the vegan queso. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and sunflower seeds to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium high and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are soft, about 10 minutes. When done, drain with a fine mesh strainer, using a spoon or spatula to scrape the sunflower seeds out of the pot into the strainer if needed. Add to a blender with the remaining queso ingredients. Blend until smooth.
- When the enchiladas are done, carefully remove from the oven and drizzle the desired amount of queso sauce over top. Add any toppings, or serve them on the side.
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