This Vegan Enchilada Casserole is a versatile, comfort-food dinner recipe you'll return to again and again! Made with layers of corn tortillas, plant-based taco meat, veggies, dairy-free cheese, and enchilada sauce, it has all of the flavor of enchiladas but couldn't be easier to make! Scale it up or down depending on the amount you need, and customize it to suit your taste. Everyone will love it!

Cheesy vegan enchilada casserole in a glass dish with a serving on a plate.

If you're a fan of enchiladas, but don't have the patience for rolling them, this enchilada casserole is for you!

Instead of rolling everything into tortillas, the enchilada ingredients are layered on top of each other, kind of like lasagna, but seriously SO easy.

To replace the meat traditionally used in enchiladas, I usually go with my vegan taco meat, which is made with soy curls and walnuts. If you haven't tried it yet, I highly recommend it. It's a reader favorite!

The taco "meat" also makes a great addition to vegan taco bowls and taquitos.

If you don't have access to soy curls where you live, that's no problem. This recipe is the very definition of versatile.

Try my lentil taco meat or TVP taco meat. You can also use your favorite plant-based ground beef, vegan chicken, or crumbled seitan. Simply cook it up with some taco seasoning, and you're all set.

For more Mexican-inspired vegan dishes, be sure to try my smoky white bean tacos, vegan quesadillas, and these totally addictive charro beans next!

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Why You'll Love It
Ingredients
How to Make Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Variations and Substitutions
Serving Suggestions
Storing & Freezing
Top Tip
More Vegan Casseroles
Recipe
💬 Comments

Why You'll Love It

Enchilada casserole has everything you love about enchiladas with no rolling required!
It's creamy, soft, meaty, and SO satisfying, with little bursts of sweet corn and the zip of enchilada sauce.
It's easy to assemble, making it perfect for weeknight dinners and meal prep.
This dish is easily customizable by using different plant-based meats, cheeses, and veggies.
Use a pie dish or square baking dish for smaller households or a 13x9 casserole dish to accommodate a group.

Ingredients

For the full recipe and quantities, see the printable recipe card below.

Corn Tortillas - Be sure to use 100% corn tortillas to keep this recipe gluten-free and vegan, as some flour tortillas and tortilla blends contain animal ingredients. Also, I find that flour tortillas don't hold up as well.
Enchilada Sauce - I use the Whole Foods 365 brand which is vegan and free from both oil and gluten. If you want to make your own enchilada sauce, I recommend this easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe from This Healthy Kitchen. Though I used red enchilada sauce, you can also use green enchilada sauce in this recipe.
Vegan Taco Meat - This soy curl/walnut "meat" is seasoned perfectly for this enchilada casserole, but what's great about this recipe is that you can customize it how you'd like. Therefore, I've included some additional options for the meat in the "Variations and Substitutions" section below.
Veggies - To keep prep simple I chose veggies that don't need to be sauteed first. We like red onion, corn (I use frozen and thawed), black beans, and black olives, but feel free to change things up and use what you have on hand.
Vegan Cheese - I'm using my almond queso fresco which is a vegan version of the popular Mexican cheese. It's ridiculously easy and quick to make, I promise! Sometimes I also include store-bought shredded vegan cheddar or Mexican-style shreds. See my Tips below for perfectly melted, gooey, vegan cheese on top!!

How to Make Vegan Enchilada Casserole

First, preheat your oven to 375° F (190°C) and locate a casserole dish.

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Sauce and tortillas laid in a casserole dish.

Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the dish (about ½ cup). Arrange corn tortillas so that they overlap slightly. Cut the tortillas into any shape you need for your dish.

The second step is to layer in the vegan meat, beans, and veggies.

Spread about half of the taco meat, beans, onion, corn, and olives on top of the tortillas.

Layering two types of vegan cheese on top of the veggies and meat.

Next, scatter about ⅓ of the cheese on top, then repeat the layering process: sauce, tortillas, the rest of the meat, most of the remaining beans and veggies, and ⅓ of the cheese. Reserve a small amount of veggies to sprinkle on top, and be sure to save enough sauce to completely cover the top/final layer.

Layering two types of vegan cheese and enchilada sauce.

Add a drizzle of sauce, then another layer of tortillas (unfortunately didn't get a photo of the very final layer - oops!). But all you'll do here is add the layer of tortillas, completely cover them with sauce, using a spoon to spread it all over. Then sprinkle the reserved beans and veggies on top, and cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake a large, 13x9 casserole for 35 to 40 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until hot in the center.

For a smaller dish (half batch), bake time is reduced to about 35 minutes total.

A slice of enchilada casserole on a plate with a lime wedge.

Variations and Substitutions

Plant-Based Meat - There are so many options here! You can swap the soy curl taco meat for this tofu chorizo or lentil taco meat. If you're short on time, you can also use store-bought plant-based ground "beef" or "chorizo." And if you'd rather have a "chicken" enchilada casserole, use seitan instead. If you decide to use store-bought ground beef or seitan chicken, saute it first with taco seasoning.
Vegan Cheese - If you prefer, you can use store-bought vegan shreds or my oil-free vegan cheese sauce or oil-free vegan queso instead of the queso fresco. Or do a combo like I did for the casserole in the photos. I used about 5 ounces store-bought vegan shredded cheddar and half batch of my queso fresco.
Veggies - You can add different or additional veggies such as spinach, arugula, kale, bell peppers, jalapenos, poblano peppers, sauteed mushrooms, etc.
More Filling - Add some cooked rice, pinto beans, or refried beans to make the dish even more filling.
Size/Type of Dish - The recipe is written for a standard, 13x9 casserole dish. If you don't need such a large amount, simply divide the ingredients in half and use an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish or a 9-inch deep dish pie plate (as pictured above).

Side view of vegan casserole with several servings removed.

Serving Suggestions

This healthy vegan enchilada casserole is perfect sprinkled with fresh cilantro, pico de gallo, a squeeze of lime juice, and avocado or guacamole.

You can also pair it with a side of Mexican rice or these air fryer tortilla chips and corn salsa.

Storing & Freezing

Store leftover vegan enchilada casserole in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or cover the entire dish, so it doesn't dry out, and reheat in the oven.

I haven't tried freezing the leftovers, but it should be fine. I recommend freezing individual portions in separate, freezer-safe containers so it's easier to reheat.

Top Tip

As you probably know, vegan cheese tends to dry out in the oven (it melts best in moist environments, as in this slow cooker vegan lasagna).

So, for perfectly melted vegan cheese on top of your casserole, don't add it prior to baking.

Instead, put the remaining shredded cheese in a bowl and add a generous splash of water. Microwave in 15-20 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth and creamy. Spread the melted cheese on top of the casserole just before serving.

I hope you enjoy this vegan enchilada casserole as much as we do! If you try the recipe be sure to leave a comment below and let us know.