Slow Cooker Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
5 Comments Nov 26, 2022
Updated Nov 29, 2023
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This Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole combines the flavors of a traditional enchilada with a healthy vegetable mixture for a hearty meal your family will surely enjoy. You’ll need just a few pantry staples, a slow cooker, and a couple of hours of cooking time to make this delicious Mexican casserole.
Pair this vegetarian enchilada with a helping of Slow Cooker Refried Beans for a well-rounded Mexican-themed meal.
Table of Contents
Why this vegetable enchilada recipe works
Among other healthy recipes, these enchiladas use vegetables of the season, classic Mexican-flavored seasonings, and cans of beans, corn, and red enchilada sauce making prep incredibly quick and cooking super easy.
This is a versatile casserole dish you can whip together just a few hours before needing to put something on the table.
Recipe Ingredients
- Vegetables: Chopped zucchini, diced white onion, and diced red bell pepper make up the veggie filling of this dish.
- Canned Corn: Added to give this enchilada casserole extra crunch and flavor.
- Canned Black Beans: What’s a Mexican dish without beans – especially black beans? If you only have pinto beans, those work great too.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Go for the store bought enchilada sauce to keep things easy or you can make homemade red enchilada sauce.
- Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese is layered within the enchilada casserole and used as the final topping as well.
- Corn Tortillas: Layered on the bottom and top to create an enchilada-like baking dish.
- Seasonings: Chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder are classic Mexican seasonings that pack a nice smokey flavor.
- Olive Oil: Used to sautee the main ingredients together before adding them into the crock pot.
Step One – Add zucchini, onion, and bell pepper to a large skillet with olive oil and seasonings. Cook until translucent and fragrant.
Step Two – Add in the black beans, corn, and two cups of the enchilada sauce.
Step Three – Stir until well combined.
Step Four – Line the bottom of the crockpot with tortillas.
Step Five – Then add a generous amount of the veggie filling.
Step Six – Spread the enchilada filling and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Repeat for another layer (tortillas, vegetables, and cheese).
Step Seven – Top off the enchilada casserole with tortillas and the remaining red sauce.
Step Eight – Sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
Step Nine – Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!
Variations
- You can swap out the red enchilada sauce for green enchilada sauce. You may need to add some more vegetables and tortillas to account for the thinner consistency the green enchilada sauce tends to be. I would also switch to a Monterey Jack Cheese rather than the sharp cheddar cheese as it compliments the green enchilada sauce much better.
- If you’re looking to make it even heartier, consider adding a can of diced green chiles, green bell pepper, sweet potatoes, poblano peppers and red onions.
- Although it wouldn’t be considered “vegetarian,” you could add shredded rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef.
- As for toppings, you can’t go wrong with sour cream, black olives, fresh chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, and green onions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, a round crockpot will work if it’s 4 quarts or larger.
Don’t have Enchilada sauce? You can use salsa and taco seasoning; however, the consistency and taste will differ.
Yes! You can use pepper jack, Monterey jack cheese, and queso fresco.
Place any remaining vegetarian casserole in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Corn tortillas hold up much better when being cooked in a slow cooker. You can certainly use flour tortilla instead, though.
Sure! Add it into the pan as you would canned corn. Sweet corn, or fresh corn off the cob, is okay to use as well.
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Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced small
- 1 large zucchini, or 2 small, chopped
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. yellow kernel corn, drained
- 28 oz. red enchilada sauce, I like the La Victoria Brand
- 9 corn tortillas, (6 inch size)
- 8 oz. shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly shredded from a block reccommended
Garnishes
- ½ chopped cilantro
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 Roma tomato, chopped
Instructions
- Heat up a large saucepan on medium-high heat with one tablespoon olive oil. Add diced onion and cook until becomes translucent (2-5 minutes). Then add the red bell peppers and zucchini for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add the ground cumin, garlic powder and chili powder. Combine until well mixed and flavors are immersed.
- Turn heat to low. Add the can of black beans and Kernel Corn to the saucepan until well combined. Pour in 2 cups of the Red enchilada sauce. Save one cup of the sauce from the can for the topping of the casserole.
- Spray the bottom of slow cooker well with nonstick spray.
- Add one layer of tortilla to bottom (3 tortillas). Some tortillas will need to be broken in half to fit the slow cooker.
- Add 1/2 of vegetable mixture on top of corn tortillas to cover. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
- Repeat another layer. (3 corn tortillas, 1/2 of the vegetable sauce and 1/3 of the cheese)
- Top with 3 more corn tortillas, then one cup of the enchilada sauce that you saved. Sprinkle withe the remaining cheese.
- There will also be leftover enchilada sauce as the recipe doesn't use the entire can, however you can save in a container for a few days as well! I typically use less than 3 cups so the large can works for this recipe.
- Place lid on top and cook on high for 2 hrs. Top with cilantro, diced tomato, and sliced avocado.
Sarah’s Notes
- Place any remaining vegetarian casserole in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Don’t have Enchilada sauce? You can use salsa and taco seasoning; however, the consistency and taste will differ.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Made this tonight using Old El Paso taco sauce vs. enchilada sauce, since I didn’t have it. Family approved. Will try the variations the next time, but this is definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
Hi. Im dying to make this for a crowd. Have all the ingredients to DOUBLE it. Ill then have FOUR layers of filling and Im afraid the cooking time will be a disaster. Cant imagine the same 2 hours will be long enough for that much and four hours on high makes me cringe that it might burn HELP 🙂
I think it’s too saucy to burn. Usually though, if I’m making a very thick casserole I do 4-5 hours on low. I think that may work better for you.
Thank you for the swift reply Sarah. Thats what Ill do.
Any odea what the ideal inner temperature should be?
No, cook it until hot and bubbly. No need to take a temperature.