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This Vegan Enchilada Casserole makes a fast weeknight dinner. You can prepare it all on the stove top in just about 30 minutes, and it’s loaded with plant-based protein.
The key to this quick-cooking casserole is the use of quinoa and red lentils, both of which become tender in just about 15 minutes. Quinoa is a complete source of plant-based protein, containing all of the essential amino acids the body needs, and it also helps keep this meal naturally gluten-free.
Red lentils are one of my favorite types of pulses to work with, because they cook so quickly. Lentils contain high levels of soluble fiber, which is thought to promote heart and digestive health, and it may also help to stabilize blood sugar. Lentils make a great vegetarian meat substitute, because their small size makes them an easy ground beef substitute that will pick up the flavor of the seasonings you use.
I also added black beans to this dish for added texture, protein, and fiber. Black beans are thought to help promote healthy bones, thanks to their mineral content, including iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. They also contain potassium, which is thought to help lower blood pressure, but if you buy canned beans make sure to look for options with no salt added.
Cooked with chopped tomatoes and Mexican spices, this skillet meal has all the enchilada flavor you love, without much work. I hope you’ll enjoy it!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 bell pepper , chopped and seeds removed
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 (25 oz) box chopped tomatoes (nothing else added)
- 1.5 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups cooked black beans (or one 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed)
Optional Toppings
- fresh cilantro
- avocado
- sliced radishes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a 3.5 quart skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté the onion and pepper until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, if using, and sauté until fragrant, about one more minute.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes (with their juices), salt, quinoa, red lentils, water, and black beans. Stir well and bring the liquid to a boil. Cover and lower the heat to a simmer, cooking until the quinoa and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Serve warm with a topping of fresh cilantro, avocado slices, and radishes, if desired.
Nutrition
Per Serving (4 large servings): Calories: 368, Carbohydrates: 60, Fiber: 16, Protein: 17, Fat: 6
Recipe Notes:
- As written, this recipe is properly combined for better digestion, but you can add a sprinkling of cheese to the top if you want a more decadent casserole. It will melt on its own in the hot skillet, or you can place it under your oven’s broiler for 1-2 minutes, until bubbly.
- I don’t recommend using a different type of lentil in this recipe, as green and brown lentils take longer to cook when compared to red lentils.
Half-Cup Habit
This vegetarian main course is a great way to make sure you’re reaching your Half-Cup Habit goals. This 4-week challenge encourages readers to add 1/2 cup serving of pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas, or dry peas) to their diets three times a week. In other words, you simply have to eat 1 1/2 cups of cooked pulses a week. By participating, users will receive free recipes, pulses cooking tips and more.
Click here to join me in taking the Half-Cup Habit today!
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite vegetarian dinner lately?
So yummy! Enjoyed the flavours
Next time, I would put the lentils and quinoa in the before the tomatoes, black beans and water. It took closer to 30 minutes to cook. My husband who prefers steak went back for seconds.
Easy and delicious! We ate it with a few tortilla chips for added crunch. It was mild in spice, so more cayenne could be added for someone who likes it spicy.
Sadly, this recipe did not work for me. I had to triple the water content to 3 cups of water, cooked it for an hour and the lentils and quinoa were still not cooked through. A sad waste of ingredients, time and my family left starving for dinner, so we had to rummage around in the freezer to see frozen dinner alternatives I had left. Super disappointed. 😕
I made this Monday and it is lasting me all week! I think I might add a bit more spice to it next time to give it a bit more flavor. It was so easy to make, but I did notice that it took me much longer, probably twice the time that the recipe suggested, to cook the quinoa and lentils.
New to vegan cooking and I have tried some meals that definitely were embarrassing but this recipe is fabulous. I used tri-color quinoa but everything else stayed same in the recipe. Thanks for sharing
Delicious flavors! I personally didn’t want to include the tomatoes so I used some salsa and cooked it a little different. The whole family was able to enjoy the same dinner which is rare at our house. Will def make this again!!
This was great. I doubled the recipe, used roasted garlic, and added oven-roasted corn. Topped with a Chipotle enchilada sauce. Will definitely make again. Thanks!
Is there a chance you might include the Veggie Enchilada casserole with “an instant pot” way of cooking?
Love your instant pot vegan quinoa burrito bowl.
So delicious! The flavors are wonderful and it is easy to make! Leftovers reheat nicely.i have made this twice and each ice the quinoa has been a bit crunchy. I have cooked it 5-7 minutes more and the quinoa still does not burst open. Any suggestions!
Many thanks for a great recipe even if a bit crunchy’