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Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas are stuffed with creamy refried beans and cheese, then smothered in a smoky, spicy chipotle-infused enchilada sauce with jalapenos, serranos, and corn. These irresistibly delicious enchiladas are a crowd-pleaser and perfect for any holiday gathering.
★★★★★
“Hi Nisha. I tried your Enchiladas and they were AMAZING!!! My husband loved them. So easy to put together and the taste was on point. Thanks so much for such a detailed recipe. Love your blog.”
– Shelly
Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas Family Recipe
My family is full of cooks, from my mom and siblings to my nieces and me. Cooking together during the holidays is always lively, as everyone loves to offer their input. While none of us are chefs, we all like to pretend and play the part.
These Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas have been a cherished family recipe for over 15 years, especially around Christmas. My niece, Rhea, started making them when she was just 10, and over the years, the recipe has evolved with contributions from both my brother and his daughter.
The enchiladas come together using store-bought refried beans and enchilada sauce, but with our own twist. The refried beans are sautéed with garlic, serrano peppers, and scallions. The enchilada sauce is infused with chipotle peppers, garlic, serrano peppers, and corn. Once everything is ready, simply assemble and bake. Serve them up with Mexican Rice and the Best Guacamole.
I’ve shared this recipe on the blog twice before, but I’m updating it again because it just keeps getting better. Last Christmas, they reached a new level of deliciousness, making this the perfect time to share version 3.0 right before the holidays.
More Holiday Recipes
If you love enchiladas, you’ll love my Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna and this Black Bean Enchilada Pasta. If you prefer Italian food, try the BEST Vegetable Lasagna – it is out of this world! Other classics include my Baked Ziti with Spinach and Baked Eggplant Parmesan.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Semi-Homemade: With store-bought refried beans and enchilada sauce enhanced with garlic, chipotle, and serrano peppers, these delicious enchiladas come together in no time and taste amazing.
- Perfect for the Holidays: A tried-and-true recipe, enchiladas are always a holiday favorite! A warm and comforting recipe that’s perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Great Make-Ahead Option: These enchiladas can be assembled in advance and baked when needed, making them perfect for the busy holiday season. They also freeze well so you can bake the enchiladas at a later time.
Ingredients
- Flour Tortillas – I recommend using soft flour tortillas for this recipe – Mission Soft Taco Flour 8″ Tortillas. You may use any brand you like.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – I love Hatch Chili Mild Enchilada Sauce – it’s organic and made with minimal ingredients.
- Mexican Cheese Blend – Use any Mexican cheese blend for this recipe.
- Refried Beans – Make sure you use refried beans made with pinto beans (not black beans). I used Trader Joe’s Traditional Refried Beans, however you may use any brand you like.
- Taco Seasoning – I love Trader Joe’s Taco Seasoning, it is on the spicier side.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – Use canned chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. Use 1 chipotle pepper and leave it whole when adding it to the enchilada sauce. Also, use 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce.
- Taco Bell Sauce – I used Taco Bell’s Mild Sauce to flavor the refried beans. You may use any taco sauce brand you like.
- Frozen Fire-Roasted Corn – I used Whole Foods’ Organic Fire-Roasted Frozen Corn. Run the corn under warm water until thawed and then drain. You may use frozen sweet, white, or yellow corn.
*See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.*
Substitutions
- Corn Tortillas – Feel free to use soft corn tortillas for a lighter option. If you’re using corn tortillas, you’ll likely end up with 15-20 enchiladas.
- Whole-Wheat Tortillas – For a healthier option, you may use whole-wheat tortillas.
- Gluten-free – Use corn tortillas, gluten-free refried beans, and enchilada sauce.
- Vegan – For a vegan option, use a vegan Mexican blend and make sure the refried beans and enchilada sauce are vegan too.
- More Spice – This recipe already has a kick, however feel free to add another whole chipotle pepper to the enchilada sauce and more serrano peppers to the beans and enchilada sauce.
How to make Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
STEP 1 – Make the Beans
- Heat a pot on medium heat. Once hot, add oil, followed by cumin seeds, and saute for 40 seconds (Image 1).
- Next add chopped garlic, jalapeno, and serrano peppers. Saute for a couple of minutes (Image 2).
- Now add the white scallions. Saute for a couple of minutes (Image 3).
- Add Refried Beans, 1/2 cup water, and Taco Bell sauce (Image 4).
- Stir the beans until everything is well combined (Image 5).
- Heat the beans for 3-4 minutes (Image 6).
- Add green scallions and 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning (Image 7).
- Stir and cook for a minute, then turn off the stove. Set aside for beans to cool (Image 8).
STEP 2 – Make the Sauce
- Heat another pot on medium heat. Once hot, add oil, followed by chopped garlic. Saute for a minute (Image 9).
- Next, add onions, jalapeno, and serrano peppers, and saute for 2 minutes (Image 10).
- Then, add frozen corn rinsed under warm water and drain (Image 11).
- Now add red enchilada sauce and stir (Image 12).
- Cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce for 7-8 minutes until heated (Image 13).
- Add 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (leave it whole), and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (Image 14).
- Then, add fresh cilantro (Image 15). Stir and cook for a few minutes, then turn off the stove.
- Your sauce is ready (Image 16).
STEP 3 – Preheat Oven, Assemble & Bake
- Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F. Take a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Add 3 ladles of enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a baking dish (Image 17).
- Wrap Tortillas. Take a flour tortilla and add 3 medium spoonfuls of beans (roughly 1/4 cup beans) (Image 18).
- Add enough cheese to cover the beans – about 3 tablespoons (Image 19).
- Roll up the tortilla and place over the enchilada sauce on the baking dish (Image 20).
- Assemble. You should have 10 tortillas total – you may need another smaller baking dish. Don’t squish the enchiladas together, or else once baked, they will get stuck (Image 21).
- Top with generous amounts of sauce, spreading evenly between all the tortillas, and top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend (Image 22).
NOTE: You may have leftover enchilada sauce, which you may use in pasta, rice, or eggs.
- Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven for 35 minutes covered, then 3 minutes uncovered (Image 23).
- Your enchiladas are ready! Enjoy with Mexican rice, guacamole, sour cream, and lettuce. So good (Image 24).
Recipe Tips
✓ Soft Flour Tortillas – Use soft flour tortillas, such as Mission Soft Taco Flour Tortillas.
✓ Each Serving – One 8″ flour tortilla can be cut into half to make 2 small enchiladas. Assume each person will have 2-3 small enchiladas, hence 1 to 1 1/2 regular-size enchiladas.
✓ Enchilada Sauce – Add a generous amount of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas making sure the tortillas are well-coated. You may have leftover sauce which you may use in pasta, rice, or eggs.
✓ Add Sauce to Bottom of Baking Dish – Add a thin layer of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the baking dish.
✓ Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – Use canned Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. Use 1 chipotle pepper and leave it whole when adding it to the enchilada sauce. Also, use 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce.
✓ Rolled-Up Tortillas – Don’t squish the rolled-up tortillas together or else they will get stuck after baking.
Serving Suggestions
→ Serve enchiladas with my Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Guacamole with a side of sour cream and lettuce.
→ You may also serve with a side of Chipotle Salsa.
Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend using a Mexican cheese blend, however cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese also works.
Yes, you may swap out pinto refried beans for black refried beans.
You may also use the protein of your choice for this recipe such as chicken, beef, or even tofu.
More Casserole Recipes
- Vegetarian Mexican Lasagna
- Masala Mac and Cheese
- Baked Ziti with Spinach
- Vegetable Lasagna
- Baked Eggplant Parmesan
Tried this recipe? If so, please leave a comment & rate this recipe. That would mean so much to me. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I’m happy to share and mention you. Thank you!
Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas
INGREDIENTS
For Refried Beans
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 Jalapeno, deseeded & chopped
- 1 serrano, deseeded & chopped
- 1/2 cup white scallions, chopped
- 16 ounces refried beans
- 1/2 cup mild taco sauce, I used Taco Bell brand
- 1/2 cup Water
- 2 tsp taco seasoning, I used Trader Joe’s brand
- 1/2 cup green scallions, chopped
For Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 jalapeños, deseeded & chopped
- 1 serrano peppers, deseeded & chopped
- 1 cups frozen fire-roasted corn, thawed, rinsed & drained
- 30 ounces red encihlada sauce, 2 cans of Hatch Chile brand
- Let it heat up
- 1 canned whole chipotle pepper, I used La Costena brand
- 2 tbsp canned adobo sauce, I used La Costena brand
- 1 1/2 tsp taco seasoning
- pinch of salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
To Assemble Each Enchilada (makes 10)
- 1 soft taco flour tortillas, I used Mission brand, 8" tortillas, need 10 total
- 1/4 cup refried beans
- 2-3 tbsp Mexican cheese blend, shredded, 1 1/2 cups total
To Assemble Enchiladas
- 3 ladles enchilada sauce – on bottom of pan
- 10 rolled-up flour enchiladas
- top enchiladas with most of enchilada sauce
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the Beans. Heat a pot on medium heat. Once hot, add oil, followed by cumin seeds, and saute for 40 seconds. Next add chopped garlic, jalapeno, and serrano peppers. Saute for a couple of minutes. Now add the white scallions. Saute for a couple of minutes. Season Beans. Add Refried Beans, 1/2 cup water, and Taco Bell sauce. Stir the beans until everything is well combined and heated for 3-4 minutes. Add green scallions and 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning. Stir and cook for a minute, then turn off the stove. Set aside for beans to cool.
- Make the Sauce. Heat another pot on medium heat. Once hot, add oil, followed by chopped garlic. Saute for a minute. Next, add chopped onions, jalapeno, and serrano peppers, and saute for 2 minutes. Then, add frozen corn rinsed under warm water and drain. Now add red enchilada sauce and stir. Cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and simmer the sauce for 7-8 minutes until heated. Season Sauce. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning, 1/2 cup water, 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (leave it whole), and 2 tablespoons adobo sauce. Then add fresh cilantro.
- Preheat Oven & Assemble. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F. Take a 9" x 13" baking dish. Add 3 ladles of enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a baking dish. Take a flour tortilla and add 3 medium spoonfuls of beans (roughly 1/4 cup beans). Add enough cheese to cover the beans – about 3 tablespoons. Roll up the tortilla and place over the enchilada sauce on the baking dish. You should have 10 tortillas total – you may need another smaller baking dish. Don't squish the enchiladas together or else once baked they will get stuck. Top with generous amounts of sauce spreading evenly between all the tortillas and top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend. NOTE: You may have enchilada sauce leftover which you may use in pasta, rice, or eggs.
- Bake. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven for 35 minutes covered, then 3 minutes uncovered. Your enchiladas are ready! Enjoy with Mexican rice, guacamole, sour cream, and lettuce. So good!
Not only was this super easy to make. It was DELICIOUS. I followed the recipe to a T – as normally I tend to add my own spin to recipes. This was perfect! No alterations needed.
Thank you for adding a new dish on rotation in our house.
Great recipe and very easy to try! Going with store bought enchiladas sauce and refined beans was definitely a savior. I liked the addition of onions and salsa to beans, I think that did the trick.
Amazing recipie! Easy, quck weeknight dinner option and so much flavor! Definitely reccomend!
Love it 😍
A super delicious easy recipe. I added some sauted veggies and served with some rice ,guac and pics de gallo. Yummy!
yummy comfort food – we enjoyed this. easy to follow recipe too!
Made these bean and cheese enchiladas today and they were seriously amazing. Even one of my boys who claims to be a carnivore loved these vegetarian enchiladas! Thanks Nisha for these simple yet delicious recipes.
Hi Nisha. I tried your Enchiladas and they were AMAZING!!! My husband loved them. So easy to put together and the taste was on point. Thanks so much for such a detailed recipe. Love your blog.