Recipe: 6-Ingredient Vegan Enchilada Casserole
This vegan weeknight meal combines everything you love about enchiladas — the savory filling, corn tortillas, and bright salsa — with the ease and comfort of a casserole. Instead of typical rolled enchiladas, we spread the warm kale-and-mushroom filling between layers of corn tortillas. Think of it like an enchilada lasagna.
I held my breath as my meat-loving husband plunged his fork into the wide section of casserole layered on his plate. While he does love vegetables, especially kale, he doesn’t always find veggie-centric meals to be quite satisfying enough; he’s always left wanting more. But I was confident this dinner would be different. So after he took one forkful, followed by a second and a third, I waited for his reaction.
Not only were these enchiladas a total hit with him, but he was wowed by the savory flavors and simplicity of the dish. He especially loved how the mushrooms made this dish feel meaty and satisfying.
This is one of those magical dinner recipes that wins on so many levels. With just six basic ingredients, this recipe thrives on simplicity yet packs a ton of flavor. The heart and soul of this vegan dinner is sautéed shredded kale and sliced mushrooms — seasoned with cumin, layered between corn tortillas, and topped with rich salsa. For convenience I used store-bought jarred salsa. Add some heat with a hot salsa, or go for something more mild — it’s up to you.
6-Ingredient Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1 1/4 pounds
white button or brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 12 cups
shredded lacinato or flat-leaf kale leaves, center ribs removed (from about 1 to 2 large bunches)
- 1 tablespoon
ground cumin
- 15
(6-inch) corn tortillas
- 2 cups
salsa, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper
Optional toppings: diced avocado, cilantro
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Add the mushrooms, season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of ground pepper, and stir to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft, about 10 minutes.
Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir in the kale. Season with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of ground pepper. Cook until the kale is wilted and soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
To assemble the casserole, arrange 5 of the tortillas in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Spread 2/3 cup of the salsa over the tortillas, then top with half of the kale and mushroom mixture. Top with another layer of 5 tortillas, then spread with another 2/3 cup of the salsa, and top with the remaining kale and mushrooms. Top with the last 5 tortillas and spread the remaining salsa across the top of the tortillas.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes, until heated through. Remove from the oven. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving with toppings, if using.
Recipe Notes
If you don't have a large-enough pan for the mushrooms and kale, work in batches. Cook half the mushrooms and kale, transfer to a bowl, then prepare the remainder of the mushrooms and kale.