About this Mexican casserole
This vegan enchilada casserole is a dream come true. In México, we also call it Pastel Azteca. It is the perfect dish to prepare for a family lunch or dinner. Why? It is so easy to make and is ideal for a speedy clean-up, leaving you more time to do other things.
This enchilada casserole is the perfect dish for a weeknight dinner! It’s easy to make, and the whole family will love it! This Mexican casserole consists of layering tortillas, enchilada sauce, and a mix of vegetables, all topped with bubbly and melted cheese.
Why are you going to love it?
Because it is very easy and fast to make: instead of having to roll like thousands of enchiladas, you just layer the corn tortillas, vegetables, and sauce. Just one bake and tons of smiles from your family.
Ingredients for the vegan enchilada casserole
- Sauce: Guajillo peppers, tomatoes, oregano, garlic, onion, and cumin.
- Filling: Zucchini, mushrooms, corn kernels, onion, and garlic.
- Topping: Shredded cheese (I use vegan) and Mexican crema or sour cream (optional).
- To finish: sliced avocado and chopped cilantro
- Feel free to add a chile ancho or chile pasilla to the enchilada sauce, or even chipotle peppers; a dried chile de árbol will also work here. Make it delicious.
- The same applies to the vegetables for the filling. Add cauliflower, add chopped tomatoes, and add some black beans or greens. Just taste and season as you go, and make it as delicious as possible.
- For the toppings, follow the same approach: add a mix of cheese, or just one type, add crema, more salsa, and so on. You do you.
How to make the Mexican casserole
The sauce. Toast the chiles until fragrant, about 30 seconds on each side. Remove stems and seeds. Place the ingredients in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, then add the chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic, and cook until they are soft. Blend all the ingredients and return them to the saucepan. Then, add the oregano, cumin, and salt, and simmer until the sauce is thick and fragrant.
The filling. Add the oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and let them cook for about 3 minutes. Then, add the corn and zucchini and season with salt. Let the vegetables cook.
The tortillas. Heat the tortillas over a lightly oiled hot pan or comal.
Some tips to help you out with clean-up:
- Start cooking with an empty dishwasher.
- Place every kitchen utensil and every piece of silverware in the dishwasher immediately after use. And do not worry about food sticking to any of them; the GE Profile dishwasher has a system of 40 jets that blast the silverware basket from top to bottom to remove stuck-on food.
- I typically use the third rack in my dishwasher for small bowls or ramekins, spatulas (affiliate link), lids, and other items.
- I have so much trust in my dishwasher and its reliable performance that I even put cast-iron pans and serving silverware in it, pieces I had only hand-washed before.
- Keep a kitchen towel handy and wipe as you go.
Best way to assemble the casserole
- Assemble the casserole. Spoon about half a cup of guajillo sauce on the bottom of the baking dish (affiliate link), and place eight tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the tortillas with the vegetables, then add 2 cups of sauce. Cover the vegetables with more tortillas and spoon sauce on top, just enough to cover them.
- Topping. Top with the shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375°F. The cheese should be melted, and the sauce should be bubbling.
- Serve with cilantro, onion, and diced avocado.
My favorite GE Profile UltraFresh system dishwasher features
- DESIGN. I love its clean and sleek design; the control buttons are positioned at the top, making it extremely elegant.
- LOOKS. It is made with fingerprint-resistant stainless steel, so yes, your dishwasher will always look clean and like new.
- SCREEN. Love that it shows on the screen which step it is; this makes it so easy to know when to open it and if it is clean or not.
- CAPACITY. The capacity of the UltraFresh System Dishwasher is excellent. It is also customizable. You can lower the top rack or fold down the lower rack tins, which are perfect for the Mexican vegan enchilada baking dish (affiliate link) I used.
- WIFI. I also love how it sends messages directly to my phone and how I can control the dishwasher from anywhere, thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi.
- STEAM+SANI. This function is EVERYTHING!!! This option loosens tough soils before the washing cycle begins. So, when your dishwasher features a powerful hard food disposer, steam, and sanitize options, magic happens. You always get clean dishes and glasses.
So, make your enchilada casserole and enjoy time with your family and friends. Let the dishwasher run through the night and sleep peacefully, knowing this dishwasher is ultra-silent and features a water leak sensor.
Vegan Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13 in baking dish
Ingredients
Sauce
- 6 guajillo chiles toasted and hydrated in one cup of water
- 2 pounds tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ onion medium
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
Filling
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 cups corn
- 3 cups zucchini diced
- 3 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt
- 16 tortillas
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- The sauce. Toast the chiles until fragrant, about 30 sec on each side. Remove stems and seeds. Place in a bowl and cover with one cup of boiling water.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, add the chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, and garlic, and cook until soft. Put the ingredients in the blender container, and add the chiles and the soaking water. Blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan, add the oregano, cumin, and salt, and simmer until thick and fragrant. About 7-10 minutes.
- The filling. Add the oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat, add the onion and garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and let them cook for about 3 minutes; add the corn and zucchini. Season with salt. Let the vegetables cook.
- The tortillas. Heat the tortillas over a lightly oiled hot pan or comal.
- Assemble the casserole. Spoon about half a cup of guajillo sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, and place 8 tortillas to cover the bottom of the pan. Cover the tortillas with the vegetables, add 2 cups of sauce, cover the vegetables with tortillas, and spoon sauce ontop ot the tortillas, just enough sauce to cover it.
- Finish with the shredded cheese and bake for 15-20 at a 375ºF oven. The cheese should be melted and the sauce bubbling.
- Serve with cilantro, onion and diced avocado.
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- About the Author
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I’m Ale Graf, a Mexican living in Texas and the creator of AleCooks and Piloncillo&Vainilla. I share easy, family-friendly recipes—some Mexican, mostly plant-based—that can be enjoyed all day, every day. My focus is on recipes that bring people together around the table, making mealtime simple, delicious and meaningful. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino, and my recipes have been featured in numerous online magazines and publications.
Follow along on my social accounts for daily inspiration, tips, and delicious recipes! I’d love to hear about you! Send me a DM on Instagram, and let’s talk all things food 🍽️✨