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Vegetarian Zucchini Enchiladas

By Alexandra Caspero on August 13, 2019

Hearty vegetable filling with homemade enchilada sauce.

Serves 4

Vegetarian Zucchini Enchiladas! If you love enchiladas, then you’ve gotta try these corn and zucchini enchiladas. Vegetarian, easily vegan!

I’ve got your new favorite enchilada recipe right here —> zucchini enchiladas!

Please tell me you love enchiladas as much as I do. They are one of my favorite meals to make, especially after perfecting my homemade enchilada sauce a few years ago. Facing an overflowing pile of zucchini from the market a few weeks ago, it was only a matter of time before I created zucchini enchiladas.

Like pasta, enchiladas are one of my ‘clean out the fridge‘ meals. I sauté whatever vegetables I need to use up, roll them in tortillas, top with sauce and bake. Weeknight dinner perfection, that tastes like I spent all afternoon making it.

These vegetarian enchiladas are a delicious way to enjoy the height of summer produce: fresh corn & zucchini. It’s worth shucking the corn from the cob; the taste is so much better and the filling becomes incredibly creamy and silky. It’s night and day compared to using canned or frozen, so try not to take that shortcut if you don’t have to.

Other than that, it’s almost impossible to screw this recipe up. Let the corn and zucchini simmer for long enough that they start to almost melt together, that’s where the real magic of this dish happens!

What tortillas work best?

I’m partial to flour tortillas when it comes to these zucchini enchiladas, but corn will work for my gluten-free friends. I also recommend topping these with a little cheddar before baking and again, regular or dairy-free cheese will do.

Violife makes a really yummy cheddar shred that I often use if I’ve got it in the house. I find that putting a little sauce and cheese into the filling before rolling makes them even more flavorful and helps to marry all of the yummy ingredients.

I think of my enchiladas like I do burrito bowls or tacos. They are so delicious as-is that you almost don’t need any toppings, but a little thinned sour cream, avocado and fresh herbs take these completely over the top.

If you like these zucchini enchiladas, then you’ll also want to try my veggie fajita enchiladas, spinach and lentil enchiladas and vegetarian enchilada casserole.

Vegetarian Zucchini Enchiladas

Author: Alex Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: dinner, main dish
Method: stove top, oven
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Zucchini Enchiladas! If you love enchiladas, then you’ve gotta try these corn and zucchini enchiladas. Hearty vegetable filling with homemade enchilada sauce. Vegetarian, easily vegan!

Print Recipe

Author: Alex Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: dinner, main dish
Method: stove top, oven
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian

Author: Alex Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: dinner, main dish
Method: stove top, oven
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian

Scale

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
4 ears corn, kernels removed
3 medium zucchini, diced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 batch Homemade Enchilada Sauce
8–10 tortillas
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, for topping. Dairy-free if desired
Avocado, thinly sliced red onions, for topping

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the enchilada filling. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Let slightly bubble and brown, about 3-4 minutes in the pan for extra flavor, then add in the corn, zucchini and generous pinch salt. Stir, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned. Add the spices and let cook another 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Place a thin layer of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan and set aside.
Assemble the enchiladas. Add the 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and a few spoonfuls of the sauce to the cooked zucchini mixture and stir together so that the cheese is melted and the sauce is wet. Place a tortilla on a flat surface, then place a large scoop of the zucchini mixture on top. Wrap tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, wrapping, and placing seam-side down in the pan.
Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce, then cover with cheese- if desired. Lightly tent with foil, then place in the oven for 20 minutes until hot and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and top as desired. I love these most with thinly sliced red onions and avocado!

Notes

To make these vegan, use a vegan shredded cheddar cheese.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.