Everything you love about enchiladas, minus the fuss! This super flavorful, cheesy vegan enchilada skillet comes together in about 30 minutes with simple methods, minimal dishes, and no need to fill or roll tortillas.
This easy, nourishing dish features tender cubed sweet potato or winter squash, fiber- & protein-rich black beans, and a rich red enchilada sauce. Everything gets simmered in 1 pan and topped with a melty cashew “cheese” that makes it SUPER satisfying and delicious!
Origins of Enchiladas
It’s believed that enchiladas may have originated from a similar Mayan dish called papadzules. But the first written recipe for enchiladas was in an 1831 cookbook called El Cocinero mexicano. Traditionally, enchiladas are made with meat, seafood, beans, cheese, potatoes, or vegetables stuffed in corn tortillas and topped with enchilada sauce.
This “inspired-by” enchilada skillet has all the flavors of classic enchiladas, but it’s vegan, and instead of rolling the filling in tortillas, the tortillas are sliced and cooked together with everything else in one pan on the stovetop.
How to Make a Black Bean Enchilada Skillet
This 1-pan, 30-minute vegan enchilada skillet begins with a base of sautéed vegetables — onion, garlic, sweet potato, and poblano pepper. The veggies are flexible here, so feel free to experiment! Kabocha squash works beautifully as a fall variation, and green bell peppers are a reliable swap when poblanos aren’t available. Butternut squash would also be delicious, as would leafy greens such as kale or spinach.
Once the onions are very tender and the squash and peppers are just beginning to soften, stir in black beans and corn tortillas that have been sliced into strips.
Next comes the final ingredient in the skillet portion of the dish: red enchilada sauce. The bold flavor of homemade enchilada sauce is hard to beat — and it freezes well for future use — but this recipe also works well with store-bought enchilada sauce.
And lastly, it just wouldn’t be enchiladas without the CHEESE! More specifically, a flavorful cashew “cheese” sauce inspired by the fan-favorite Cheesy Vegan Pizza Beans. It’s made by blending cashews, water, lime juice, garlic, tapioca starch, and sea salt. When poured over the enchilada skillet and covered with a lid, the heat and tapioca starch do their magic, creating a melty, cheesy layer that ties the whole dish together.
