Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (2024)

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Have you tried Vegan Enchiladas Verdes yet? I love these red sauce enchiladas here. But if you looking for a change then give this green sauce enchiladas a try! This vegetarian enchilada recipe is for all you busy folks out there who want to put dinner on the table with minimum preparation time. I have some smart make ahead of time tips for you as well which makes enchiladas possible in a snap. These green sauce enchiladas are vegan and gluten free too.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (1)

What is Enchilada Verdes ?

Enchilada is a very popular Mexican casserole dish made with stuffing soft tortillas with vegetables, beans or meat , cheese . Every tortilla is filled , rolled and placed in a baking dish. These enchiladas are then covered with ethnic Mexican sauce, either Mole , Verdes or Suiza. Then Enchilada casserole is baked to perfection.

Verdes refers to green sauce that can be made two ways –

  1. Made by roasting or puree of green tomatillos and then blending it with green chilies and spices to make a smooth flavorful green sauce .
  2. Made with only green chilies ,spices, veg stock and using cornstarch as a thickener .

Good news is that you may buy a jar of ready made tomatillo sauce aka salsa verde or green chile enchilada sauce that are available in cans at the grocery stores. This will make the process of making enchiladas quick .

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (2)

What is the Difference between Salsa Verde and Green Chile Enchilada Sauce ?

Salsa Verde is tangy because of the tomatoes where as green chile enchilada sauce is not .

Both are available in different spice levels like mild, medium and hot. Pick the one that suits your taste buds.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (3)

Ingredients of Vegan enchiladas with green sauce –

Enchilada is made up of 2 components –

  1. Filling
  2. Sauce

For the filling I have used the classic vegetarian combination of jalapeno , onion ,spinach and mushrooms with lots of garlic. On the protein front I have used black beans too. This vegetarian enchilada filling has clean uncomplicated spices. I have used some cayenne and smoked paprika for heat and oregano , roasted ground cumin , cilantro for a great flavor. Of course salt and pepper is a must too.

For the sauce I have used store-bought mild salsa verde aka green roasted tomatillo sauce . To be specific I have used Archer’s Farm Roasted tomatillo salsa verde. It was chunky so I gave it a quick blitz in my blender for a smoother texture .

You may use a can of Green chile enchilada sauce too.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (4)

If you like red sauce enchiladas then I have a delicious homemade enchilada sauce recipe for you here. You may choose to use store-bought one too.

I had some vegan cheese waiting to be used so I have added a little in this recipe. Feel free to use more and your favorite one.

Truly speaking this casserole recipe is very forgiving and you can customize it to your taste .

Details about possible substitutes is mentioned in the notes section below the recipe.

Store bought tortillas and the sauce makes the process of making these enchiladas a breeze. You may always choose to use homemade from scratch stuff too 🙂

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (5)

How to make enchiladas ?

Prepare the rolling station as shown in the photos above.

Pre heat the oven to 375 deg F .

If tortillas are cold and not pliable warm them on a skillet 5-10 seconds each side or in a microwave for 10 seconds.

This will avoid breaking of the tortillas while rolling.

Cover a 7*11 baking dish with tomatillo sauce on the base and sides.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (6)

Now lightly spread some tomatillo sauce on a tortilla as shown in the photo.

Place the filling in the center. Add some cheese if desired. Do not over fill.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (7)

Now roll the tortilla to form a cylinder.

Place the prepared enchiladas in the baking dish seam side down .

Repeat this process for other tortillas until the baking dish is filled.

Now spread more sauce over the top covering the tortillas.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (8)

Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

If topping with cheese then after 25 minutes take out the foil and bake for additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbly.

Enjoy with some nachos on the side and desired toppings.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (9)

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Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (10)

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4.46 from 22 votes

Vegan Enchilada Verdes

Vegan Enchilada Verdes aka green sauce enchiladas makes a delicious plant based Mexican meal for your entire family.

Course lunch/ dinner

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

10 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Adjustable Servings -3 people

Calories 461kcal

Author Khushboo

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 Portobello mushrooms or 12 small button mushrooms washed, cleaned and chopped
  • 7 cups packed spinach leaves
  • ½ cup onions chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic or 1 heaped tablespoon of garlic paste
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Couple twists pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 can Black Beans
  • 1 cup dairy free cheese optional
  • 1 can / 16oz / Homemade or store bought Roasted Tomatillo sauce / salsa verde mild
  • Six count medium size tortillas , gluten free or of choice *

Additional toppings (Optional)

  • Fresh salsa / Pico de Gallo
  • Fistful of cilantro chopped
  • Vegan sour cream
  • Sliced Jalapenos

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a wide pan. Once warm add in the onions and some salt.

  • Cook it until wilted and translucent . Approx 2 minutes.

  • Now add in chopped garlic or garlic paste.

  • Cook for 30 seconds.

  • Add in mushrooms and increase the heat to medium high for a minute.

  • Stir once or twice in between to avoid scorching at the bottom.

  • Add in all the spices and salt that are called for.

  • Now reduce the flame to medium low and continue cooking the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes until they are wilted and tender.

  • Add in the spinach in batches. Wait for the first half to wilt and then add another half.

  • Continue cooking for 1 minute.

  • Now add in the beans and cook for a minute more.

  • Give it a taste check and adjust spices if needed.

  • Let the mixture cool before proceeding with filling the enchiladas.

  • Prepare the rolling station as shown in the photos above.

  • Pre heat the oven to 375 deg F .

  • If tortillas are cold and not pliable warm them on a skillet 5-10 seconds each side or in a microwave for 10 seconds.

  • This will avoid breaking of the tortillas while rolling.

  • Cover a 7*11 baking dish with tomatillo sauce on the base and sides.

  • Now lightly spread some tomatillo sauce on a tortilla as shown in the photo.

  • Place the filling in the center. Add some cheese if desired. Do not over fill.

  • Now roll the tortilla to form a cylinder.

  • Place the prepared enchiladas in the baking dish seam side down .

  • Repeat this process for other tortillas until the baking dish is filled.

  • Now spread more sauce over the top covering the tortillas.

  • Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.

  • If topping with cheese then after 25 minutes take out the foil and bake for additional 5 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbly.

  • Carefully take out the casserole with help of oven safe mittens .

  • Place it on a cooling rack or hot food safe coaster.

  • Enjoy with the toppings mentioned.

Notes

Recipe to enchiladas with homemade red enchilada sauce here.

You may use a can of Green Chile enchilada sauce instead of salsa verde.

This recipe can be doubled or halved easily. The filling can be customized with your choice of veggies like zucchini , yellow squash , bell peppers, eggplant to name a few.

You may add or skip cheese or use of your choice.

Make filling up to 3 days ahead of time .

I have used 7*11 pyrex glass pan to make these enchiladas. You will be left with some filling that I used to make quesadillas . If using 9*13 pan then you will be able to make 8 enchiladas in total.

Nutrition

Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 674mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5300IU | Vitamin C: 17.9mg | Calcium: 402mg | Iron: 4.2mg

Tried this recipe?Click photo & send it @carveyourcraving or tag #carveyourcraving on Facebook or Instagram to be featured!

If you love your food with Mexican flavor these fusion recipes are calling your name –

Tex-Mex loaded pasta bake .

Instant Pot Mexican quinoa.

Vegan Chipotle Jungle Curry.

Don’t forget to pin and share this Vegan Enchiladas Verdes recipe for future reference.

Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (11)Hope you like this easy recipe on how to makeVegan Enchiladas Verdes and give it a try. Let me know if you have any questions below in the comment section.Never miss a recipe . If you like being here do subscribe to my blog.Make sure you have us in your contact list so that the recipe does not land in spam folder. Carveyourcraving(at)gmail(dot)com .

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Vegan enchiladas verdes ( green sauce ) A quick casserole dinner recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between green enchilada sauce and verde sauce? ›

The main difference between green enchilada sauce (verde sauce) and salsa verde is that enchilada sauce is cooked, and salsa verde is raw. Enchilada sauce also requires liquid (either stock or water), but salsa verde ingredients are simply blended together and eaten as is.

Can I use green enchilada sauce instead of salsa verde? ›

No, they are not quite the same. Although you could use salsa verde for enchiladas, I don't really think you'd want to use enchilada sauce as a salsa. The ingredients in each are similar, as another person mentioned, but the consistency is not usually the same.

How do you make canned green enchilada sauce taste better? ›

Add stock - Chicken, beef, or vegetable, stocks pack a ton of flavor - because they are prepared by simmering bones and vegetables in water for hours, often with herbs and spices until the flavor is extracted - and can instantly elevate the flavor of canned enchilada sauce.

Which is hotter red or green enchilada sauce? ›

Red chilies make red enchiladas sweeter and milder than green sauce. However, you can adjust the spiciness. Additionally, you can prepare them with cooked peppers. On the other hand, enchiladas with green sauce are made with raw and fresh green ingredients, such as tomatillos or green chilies.

Which is hotter Mexican red or green sauce? ›

Cilantro often makes an appearance in both, but more so in green salsas, which feature an overall herbal flavor. Typically red salsas are served slightly chilled, while green salsas can be served chilled or as a warm sauce. Another general rule? Red salsa is hotter than green.

What can I do with a jar of salsa verde? ›

Put It on Your Tortilla Dish of Choice

If a tortilla is involved, salsa verde can be too. Tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, any and all tortilla-based meals.

Is salsa verde the same as green Mexican sauce? ›

Salsa Verde, literally green sauce, is a term used to describe a number of green sauces used in various European cuisines including Italian, French and Spanish and then, of course, in Mexican cuisine.

Is salsa verde the same as green tomatillo sauce? ›

Salsa verde in Mexico is a green salsa, which could be tomatillo or avocado based. However, salsas are typically referred to by ingredient, not color.

What else can I do with enchilada sauce? ›

Here are a few ways to use it — starting at the beginning.
  1. Try out traditional enchiladas. Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Whip up some enchilada soup. ...
  3. Get spicy with enchilada casserole. ...
  4. Dive into enchilada dip. ...
  5. Get saucy with wet burritos. ...
  6. Explore Mexican lasagna fusion cuisine. ...
  7. Layer up some chilaquiles. ...
  8. Stuff some peppers.
Oct 15, 2023

How do you thicken canned green enchilada sauce? ›

Use a roux made of some (equal amounts) of cooking oil (fat) & some starch (like all purpose Flour or corn starch). You put about 1/4 cup of each in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wire whisk to keep the paste moving, so it won't burn, as it cooks about 2 to 4 minutes or so.

How do you thicken green enchilada sauce? ›

Or alternately, you can thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cold water and cornstarch whisked together, then added to the sauce once it has reached a simmer). Storage instructions: Let the sauce cool to room temperature.

Is it better to cook enchiladas covered or uncovered? ›

It isn't necessary to cover enchiladas while baking. All of an enchiladas components are cooked and you are just heating them through when you bake them. Ideally your ingredients will be room temperature, not ice cold, when you assemble the enchiladas.

What happens if you don't fry tortillas for enchiladas? ›

To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.

Should enchiladas be covered when baking? ›

Arrange enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with taco sauce and remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.

Is salsa verde the same as green taco sauce? ›

Green taco sauce is not the same as salsa verde, as it typically also includes green tomatoes in its ingredients. Salsa verde is a great dip for tortilla chips, topping for tacos or burritos, or sauce for roasted pork.

What is a substitute for green enchilada sauce? ›

Salsa Verde is a fantastic replacement for green enchilada sauce. Most salsa Verde is a little simpler than green enchilada sauce, often just a mix of tomatillos and jalapenos without other spices. Enchilada sauce is often a bit more complicated, including onions, garlic, spices, and other additions.

Why is verde sauce green? ›

As a kid I always thought that green salsa was made from green tomatoes, but actually it is made with a distant relative of the tomato from Mexico, the naturally tart tomatillo (pronounced "toe-mah-TEE-yo"). A tomatillo looks like a little green tomato covered with a husk.

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