Roasted Veggie Enchiladas Recipe

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Every home cook should have a good enchilada recipe (or several enchilada recipes) in their repertoire. Easy to make and double for a crowd, enchiladas are perfect for any occasion, be it a quick and easy weeknight meal or a more elaborate weekend affair. The soft rolled tortillas can be stuffed with virtually anything, be it ground beef, pulled chicken, or even soft, cooked pumpkin puree. That's why enchiladas also make such a good vegetarian and vegan option — there are endless possibilities of meatless fillings to roll inside each tortilla.

Having two vegetarian sisters has given me an appreciation of vegetables and their many flavors and uses. The key to making vegetables taste great is first by seasoning, and then by roasting (and coating in a really good sauce). In this roasted veggie enchiladas recipe, I pair spiced and roasted zucchini, eggplant, and carrot with a smoky guajillo chile pepper sauce for an earthy, tangy, savory enchilada. Stuffed with fiber-packed black beans and shredded cheese, these veggie enchiladas are a an easy, healthy meal to have any day of the week.

From the produce aisle, you'll need a small eggplant, roughly two zucchinis, a large carrot, and some garlic. You'll also need dried guajillo chiles, which are sometimes found in the produce section, and other times closer to the spices. From there, you'll also need olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, and chili powder, as well as a can of black beans and a bag of shredded Mexican cheese blend. Lastly, you'll need either corn or flour tortillas — I use the medium-sized taco tortillas, which are about the same width as my casserole dish.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Toss diced zucchini, eggplant, and carrot with olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder.

Spread vegetables onto a parchment-lined sheet tray.

Roast for 25 minutes, or until fork tender.

Once roasted, combine roasted vegetables with the black beans in a bowl.

To make the enchilada sauce, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.

Add the chiles, remove from the heat, and cover for 15 minutes, until peppers are soft.

Remove peppers from the liquid and add to a blender with the garlic clove, oregano, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Add ½ cup of the boiling liquid and blend. Continue adding liquid until sauce is thinned to an enchilada-sauce consistency.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve.

Spread ½ cup of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.

To assemble the enchiladas, scoop a heaping ¼ cup of vegetable mixture into a tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese.

Roll the tortilla around the filling and add to the casserole dish. Repeat the process until you have enough enchiladas to fill your dish.

Coat the enchiladas with sauce, then cover with 1 cup of shredded cheese.

Add to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and gooey, about 10 minutes.

Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro.

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I use eggplant, carrot, and zucchini in this dish because of how adaptable each of their flavors are to the spices and sauces used in this recipe. Each veggie acts as a blank canvas to flavor with cumin, garlic, and chilis. While each of these hearty veggies are generally available year round, you can also use other, more seasonal veggies for different flavors and textures. For example, you can swap the carrots for parsnips, which will add a slightly sweeter flavor and creamier texture. You can also add nutty butternut squash instead of zucchini, which turns these enchiladas into a fall-forward dish. You can also add mushrooms, peas, potatoes, or even a leafy green like spinach (which you wouldn't roast, but simply roll into the tortillas with everything else).

You can also swap in more unique options, such as artichokes, which you can use directly from a jar. You can also swap pinto beans for black beans and pair with summer squash for a more summery flavor, or swap in cooked lentils and pair with corn for a texture more similar to ground beef. I also love using fire roasted tomatoes for added acidic flavor, which can be mixed into the bean mixture before rolling each enchilada.

Guajillo chiles can be found in many large grocery stores, but are easiest to find in Latin markets that specialize in selling products like dried chiles. Guajillo chiles are large, dark red dried peppers that, when rehydrated, have a tangy, smoky flavor. They are used often in moles, salsas, or my favorite, birria, where they add mild heat and fruity flavor. Guajillo chiles aren't hot, but there are chiles you can add to up the spice level of this dish.

The best chile to use (and easiest to find) is the chile de árbol, which is a small, bright red dried pepper with a high heat level. You can remove the seeds and add two to three árbol chiles to the same soaking water as the guajillo, then blend one at a time into the sauce until you've reached your desired spice level. You can also add chile ancho for an even smokier flavor, or New Mexico chiles for a direct swap with guajillo (these may be easier to find). If you don't have any access to dried chiles, you can always use a premade enchilada sauce and add a little chipotle in adobo sauce for extra smoky heat.

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