Recipe File: Veggie Enchilada Bake

Mexican food is a popular staple in our household. We love it for many reasons, including the various seasonal veggies you can incorporate. This new rendition of enchiladas more closely resembles a layered lasagna, giving it that comfort food quality we relish during cold winter months.

Using small, street-style tortillas is key, making this dish all sorts of forgiving since you can overlap them to fit your pan. While I use shortcuts such as frozen veggies and store-bought enchilada sauce, you can always use fresh cut vegetables and even a homemade salsa. I like to be liberal with cheese and mix up a variety of flavors, but of course, you’re free to adapt it to your needs or even make a vegan version.

Pro tip: Make sure you cover the top of your enchilada bake with sauce and cheese to keep it moist. Without that, the top might get too crispy and hard to cut. This dish keeps really well and tastes even better the next day.

Veggie Enchilada Bake

Serves 4

Store-bought enchilada sauce (I use Trader Joe’s brand)

1 package of street-style corn tortillas (I use Mission brand street tacos)

1 15.5-ounce can of black beans

1 15.5-ounce can of pinto beans

1 cup of frozen (or fresh) corn

2 cups of frozen (or fresh) butternut squash, cut into ½-inch chunks

1 cup of firm tofu, cut into ½-inch chunks (optional)

Small bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 cups of shredded cheese (such as a Mexican blend of sharp Cheddar, Jack, Asadero and Queso Blanco)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350o F.
Spread the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13-inch casserole dish.
Layer with tortillas and ensure that you cover the entire pan. It’s okay if they overlap.
Add a sprinkling of beans, corn, butternut squash and tofu.
Add a generous layer of cheese and about a half a cup of enchilada sauce.
Repeat the layers until the dish is full.
Top with the remainder of enchilada sauce and cheese, and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top gets golden brown.
Rest for about 30 minutes, cut into squares and enjoy!

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Judith Rich

Judith Klein Rich has been blogging about food since 2007. Born in Slovakia, her enthusiasm for food experimentation and creation stems from her deeply seated Eastern European roots. Currently writing under the alias of Eaty Pie (eatypie.com), her blog explores dining experiences, meal creation and travel adventures from a kid and a grown-up perspective.