Eating enchiladas is fun. And very tasty. Making enchiladas CAN be fun, but in my experience it’s usually a pain in the butt, and takes more time than I want to spend on a weeknight. And since I don’t make them very well – I’m sure there is some sort of Mexican grandma trick to roll them so they stay that way, but I have no Mexican grandma so I never learned it – mine always fall apart either before, during or after serving. But I’ve come up with a solution for this. I just make them where they’ve already fallen apart. On purpose.
All of the components of a great enchilada translate perfectly to a great enchilada casserole. Make the filling the same way you would for enchiladas, and instead of painstakingly rolling them up, just layer them with tortillas like a lasagna, smother with sauce and cheese and bake. This takes a fraction of the time, and tastes wonderful. It may not be quite as pretty or impressive, but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
I made this once for a vegetarian friend and her family. Her husband told me afterward that he’d always hated zucchini. Oops. But then he went on to say he actually liked it cooked this way since it didn’t taste like zucchini but just added some crunch to the dish. Yay! So…if you’re looking for a recipe in which to sneak a few extra veggies to the family, this is a good one.
Veggie Enchilada Casserole
Veggie Enchilada Casserole
2 small zucchini, diced or sliced
1 small yellow summer squash, diced or sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 red bell pepper – diced
1/2 jalapeno – minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
15-20 corn tortillas, quartered or sliced
1 can green or red enchilada sauce (i like the green best)
2 cups shredded jack or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
In a large bowl mix all veggies, black beans, sour cream and seasonings. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with tortillas, scoop 1/3 of the filling on top of them, then sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese, then a layer of tortillas, and so on until you use up all the filling. End with a layer of tortillas. Pour enchilada sauce on top, sprinkle with remaining cheese and chopped tomatoes. Bake 30 minutes at 375˚. Serve with a simple salad on the side.
Veggie Enchilada Casserole served up with Salad. You need some.
3hungrymonkeys 