Few preparations are as fundamental to southwestern cuisine as enchiladas, so they’ve evolved to being made with countless variations and embellishments. For this super-easy variation — stacked vegan cheese enchiladas — we’re going to stick with the basics.
What to serve with Stacked Vegan Cheese Enchiladas
Enchiladas are traditionally served with frijoles refritos (refried beans) and/or a simple rice dish. I enjoy opting for the beans to get more protein on the plate.
Use your favorite recipe, or ours for Quick Vegan Refried Beans) or a prepared brand. Or go up a notch with Frijoles Borrachos (Beer-Stewed Pinto Beans).
For a bigger meal, consider roasted or baked potatoes or sweet potatoes or the equally easy to prepare Mexican Yellow Rice (Arroz Amarillo).
A bit about enchiladas
In Early California Hospitality (1938) by Ana Begue de Packman, a wonderful book on the cuisines of Mexico and the Southwest, she claimed that authentic enchiladas are meatless. The word enchilada literally means “filled with chile,” and so it is supposed to be drenched in pure, red chiles.
Contemporary recipes like this one for enchiladas have been modified to use the tomato-based, chile-infused enchilada sauce. Cooking with pure, red chiles is something that cooks outside the Mexico or the Southwest are less likely to attempt!
Choosing good tortillas
Not surprisingly, a key to making successful tortilla recipes like enchiladas is to use good-quality tortillas, whether corn or wheat (in this case, we’ll be using corn tortillas).
As good as some of the products are in the Mexican foods section of supermarkets, some of the tortillas aren’t always the best (they’ll definitely do in a pinch, though).
Corn tortillas can splinter and fall apart under even gentle heat or manipulation — something less than optimal for soft tacos or enchiladas, though less of an issue in casseroles.
More and better corn tortilla choices: More options for stone-ground and even organic tortillas are readily available in natural food stores, Mexican groceries, and online sources. My favorite tortilla brands include Vermont Tortilla Company, Sonoma, and Maria and Ricardo’s. Some good brands are available only regionally, so keep exploring, because good tortillas are, obviously, essential to making great tortilla dishes!
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.
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Easy Stacked Vegan Cheese Enchiladas
Few preparations are as basic to Southwestern cuisine as enchiladas. For this super-easy variation — stacked vegan cheese enchiladas — we’re going to stick with the basics.
Ingredients
- 12 good-quality corn tortillas
- 15-ounce can or jar all-natural red enchilada sauce (see Notes for brands) — mild, medium, or hot, as you prefer
- 2 cups (1 package) vegan cheese shreds (any variety — cheddar, mozzarella, or pepper jack)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- Shredded lettuce as needed
- 1 cup or so halved cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup or so pitted and sliced black olives
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F.
- Arrange 6 tortillas on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a bit of sauce over each, then sprinkle with the half of the cheese shreds and all of the scallions.
- Top each tortilla with another. Spread with more enchilada sauce, and the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or the cheese is nice and melty. Garnish each enchilada with lettuce, tomatoes, and olives.
- Transfer the enchiladas to plates, allowing two for each of 6 servings, to plates. Serve at once. If any enchilada sauce is left, pass it around.
Notes
A few good-quality brands of enchilada sauce are Hatch®, Siete®, 365®. And there are others. Read the labels to ensure you're getting a variety with recognizable ingredients. Bonus if it's organic.
See lots more irresistible tortilla dishes.
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