I had a craving for Mexican this week and something about an enchilada casserole sounded soooo good. Spicy and warm. What could be better on a cold fall evening?
My son HATES black beans. I don’t understand why… they’re so small and have such a mild flavor. But alas, nope, he hates them. So, I decided not to add any black beans to this casserole and swapped them out for refried beans. I personally love refried beans. I’m a huge fan of Taco Bell’s refried bean burrito. I’m now craving a refried bean burrito 🙄. Anywho, refried beans are packed with nutrition, loaded with fiber and enough protein to satisfy your needs on a Meatless Monday!
I wanted the casserole to be a bit on the gooey side. Like melted cheese gooey. So, in addition to the Mexican cheese, I added cream cheese. Yum! Cream cheese was such a nice addition.
I made a homemade enchilada sauce because it is so super easy. BUT, if you want to save some time, go ahead and buy a can/jar of your favorite red enchilada sauce. You’ll need two cups. But making it at home only takes about five minutes; it’s that easy!
I coated each of the tortilla shells with the cream cheese before arranging the casserole. I scooped the refried beans into a bowl and mixed it up to soften it slightly and make it easier to spread on top of the cream cheese.
Then, I loaded up on veggies… onions, peppers, green chiles, corn, and tomatoes. Double yum! If anyone doesn’t like heat, skip the green chiles. They don’t make things super spicy, but it does give a small kick to the casserole!
This casserole is super easy to make and comes together quickly for a great Meatless Monday meal. You won’t even miss the meat! This is just exploding with flavors. Great served with a side of yellow rice 😋
Enjoy!
Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Loaded with Vegetables
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Meatless Monday, South of the Border
- Cuisine: Dinner
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Casserole Ingredients
1 can refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
4 oz diced green chiles
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 red onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 large red peppers, finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn
16 oz shredded Mexican cheese
12 – 5” to 6” corn tortillas, cut in half
2 TBs olive oil
Enchilada Sauce
1 TB olive oil
2 TB flour
2 TB tomato paste
3 TB chili powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp oregano
¾ tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth
Toppings
Sliced jalapeños
Cilantro
Sour cream
Guacamole
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°
Make the Enchilada Sauce
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to soak up all the oil. Add in the tomato paste, mixing with the flour mixture. Slowly add in the vegetable stir, constantly whisking or stirring to combine the flour mixture with the broth. Add in the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the temperature, cooking until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Make the Casserole
In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, cooking until slightly softened ~ 8 to 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add the corn and cook until heated through. Add in the diced tomatoes and diced green chiles. Stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Spread the cream cheese evenly on all of the tortilla pieces.
Pour ⅔ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9”x13” oven proof casserole dish. Arrange four tortillas evenly across the bottom (cream cheese side up) and then place two above those pieces (picture creating the shape of two alarm clocks). Spread out half of the refried beans on top of the cream cheese. Evenly spread half of the vegetable mix then sprinkle with a third of the cheese. Drizzle ⅔ cup enchilada over the top.
Repeat with a second layer. I reversed the alarm clock tortilla shape with each layer to ensure full coverage. Add the remaining tortilla shells to the top of the second layer. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and cover with the remaining cheese.
Wrap the casserole dish in aluminum foil and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until the the cheese is melted and lightly browned and the casserole is bubbling.
Serve immediately topped with the fixings of your choice.
Enjoy!
Keywords: Meatless Mondays, Enchilada Casserole, Enchilada Casserole with Black Beans, Enchilada Casserole with Refried Beans, Healthy Enchilada Casserole
