Vegan Lentil Enchilada Casserole
These homemade vegan lentil enchiladas are so delicious! Corn tortillas are filled with this mixture then rolled. The lentil mixture consists of rolled oats, bell peppers, onions, garlic, sunflower seeds (for nut free version) or walnuts and shredded carrots!
These really are the best vegan enchiladas! You might think they are beef but they are totally Vegan! They are meat free, dairy free and even good for you! We did not use a homemade enchilada sauce but will the next time!
There is no oil added to these Enchiladas! We did use a blend of cheeses which included cheddar, monterey jack, asadero and queso blanco.
Lentils are delicious in this enchilada casserole and they are also rich in protein, are gluten-free, plant-based, nut-free when you use the sunflower seeds, and they contain only wholesome ingredients.
Walnuts are a great substitute for sunflower seeds or you may choose other seeds. If you wanted to replace the rolled oats, you can use any other flour of choice, e.g. a gluten-free flour mix or chickpea flour. Just make sure you use the amount mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks to Elavegan for your idea. This Vegan Enchilada Lentil Casserole was delicious!
Vegan Enchilada Lentil Casserole
Ingredients
- 12 8 inch Corn tortillas
- 2 cups A blend of cheeses
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 2½ cups vegetable broth Better Than Bouillon
- 1 cup sunflower seeds optional-Walnuts
- 1⅓ cup rolled oats (GF)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large onion
- 2 tbsp ground flax or chia seeds I grind them together
- A spice mix: ½ tbsp onion powder, ½ tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp ground cumin, and 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped up
- Himalayan salt and pepper to taste
- a combination of water and Braggs Liquid Aminos to saute veggies
Instructions
- Rinse lentils to remove any dirt and place them in a medium-sized pot. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer with a lid on for about 20-25 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat but keep covered for 10 minutes.
- To make the enchilada filling: In a skillet heat over medium heat. Add onion + garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes in water and Braggs, stirring occasionally. Add chopped bell peppers, tomato, grated carrot, and 1 hot chili peppers and the spice blend then sauté for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add all dry ingredients (spices, salt + pepper, the oats, the sunflower seeds, and the ground chia seeds) into a food processor and blend for about 20-30 seconds.
- Add the cooked veggies and the tomato paste, and blend again.
- Finally, add the cooked lentils and blend until everything is combined. The mixture should stick together and the texture should look like in the pics below. If the mixture isn't thick enough or doesn't stick together, then add more ground oats.
- Preheat oven to 390 degrees F.
- Spread 2 heaped tablespoons of enchilada filling over the surface of a tortilla.
- Roll up the tortilla and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- Repeat this step with the other tortillas.
- Then pour the enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas. I made two layers but if you only wanted one layer use a second smaller baking dish. The filling is enough for 12 tortillas.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, add your cheese blend (or use your favorite vegan cheese to taste), and put the enchiladas back into the oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro or greens of choice (optional).
Notes
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I typically use brown lentils which cook in about 20-25 minutes.
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You can use other seeds or nuts as an option instead of sunflower seeds.
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Chickpea flour is a good alternative for oats (The oats were great though!)
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