I adore these hearty vegetarian enchiladas! Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas are stuffed with tender black beans, rice, bell pepper, onion, spices, and lots of cheddar cheese for a veggie enchilada to sink your teeth into!
These Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas make a super easy vegetarian dinner.
The Story Behind the Recipe
I’ve always thought of enchiladas as being a bit too … labor intensive. But lately, I decided to tackle my prejudice against enchiladas, and I’m so glad I did!
I started with a simple and easy homemade enchilada sauce, then set out to make an equally simple yet delicious and hearty vegetarian enchilada recipe. I know rice isn’t necessarily a traditional ingredient, but I really like how the rice fills out these black bean enchiladas and makes them feel even more like a meal-in-one.
Why You’ll Love Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas
- Fast! They’re surprisingly quick to put together.
- Simple! I don’t add a ton of ingredients to these black bean enchiladas. We’re keeping it simple, here. That said …
- Versatile! This is an extremely versatile recipe. Omit the cheese or swap it for dairy-free cheese if you’re eating vegan/dairy-free. Add a bunch of veggies if you like (roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cauliflower would be excellent!) Make it your own!
- Perfect for leftover rice! I don’t know what it is about rice … but there’s ALWAYS a bit leftover, I swear! I love that this black bean & rice enchilada recipe uses up a cup of leftover cooked rice.
Ingredients
- Olive oil – For sauteing the veggies.
- Onion – A standard yellow onion will do here, but use your fave (sweet or red are great too)
- Red bell pepper – Yellow or orange will work, too.
- Garlic – Finely minced fresh garlic.
- Cumin – For an earthy touch of flavor.
- Salt – To taste.
- Black beans – One can, or about 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans from scratch.
- Rice – You’ll need one cup of cooked rice (I like to use brown rice). If you don’t have any leftover rice, start with about 1/3 cup of raw rice and cook it according to package instructions.
- Tortillas – You’ll need 10 (6-inch) corn tortillas or flour tortillas, whichever is your fave.
- Enchilada sauce – Use your favorite brand or make your own homemade enchilada sauce!
- Cheese – I like to use shredded medium cheddar, but you can swap in your fave cheddar or even jack cheese. Pepper jack would add a nice little spicy kick!
- Optional garnishes – Avocado, cilantro, scallion, whatever you want
Adaptations/Variations
- Vegan Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas: Omit the cheese or swap in a dairy-free substitute.
- Black Bean Enchiladas: Just omit the rice.
- Black Bean & Sweet Potato Enchiladas: Add 1 cup diced roasted sweet potatoes.
How to Make Black Bean Enchiladas
- First, preheat your oven and have a 9×13 baking pan at the ready.
- Next, saute your filling ingredients. Start with the onion and bell pepper, then add the garlic. Stir in the cumin and salt, then add the black beans and cooked rice. Combine.
- Set up an assembly line with the tortillas. Smear a tortilla with a bit of enchilada sauce the fill with about 1/3 cup of the filling and sprinkle with some cheddar.
- Roll it up and line your baking pan with the enchiladas.
- Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce over the top, then top with cheese.
- Bake until bubbling and warm.
- Top with garnishes, if desired, and serve!
Tip for Success
Spreading the sauce on the tortillas should be enough to soften them up (at least in my experience). But if your tortillas are cracking when you roll them them up, I suggest wrapping them in a clean wet kitchen towel and microwaving them for a few seconds at a time until soft, or place them in the oven at 200 degrees F for about 10 minutes until warm and pliable.
I hope you love this vegetarian enchiladas recipe! We’ve been loving these easy black bean enchiladas for easy dinners, and they warm up well for a quick and hearty lunch, too.
I’m so glad I got over my enchilada prejudice and learned they’re actually super easy to make!
More Vegetarian Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Veggie Enchilada Casserole
- Portobello Fajitas
- Refried Bean & Cheese Burritos
- Beans & Greens Tacos
- Lentil Walnut Taco “Meat”
- Vegetarian Taco-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Black Bean & Rice Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced; about 2 cups)
- 1 red bell pepper (diced; about 1 cup)
- 2 medium cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 10 6-inch corn or flour tortillas
- 1 batch red enchilada sauce (3 cups / 24 ounces)
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (10 ounces)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Have a 9×13" baking pan ready
Sauté the filling ingredients
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper. Saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
- Stir in the cumin and salt and then add the black beans and cooked rice. Stir until combined then remove from heat.
Assemble the enchiladas
- Set up an assembly line with the filling, the enchilada sauce, the cheese, a large plate with the stack of tortillas on it, and the baking dish.
- Spread 1-2 tablespoons of the enchilada sauce over the first tortilla. Add 1/3 cup of the filling horizontally down the center. Top with 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar. Starting at the bottom, roll the enchilada up tight and set it in the baking dish.
- Continue with the remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake & finish the enchiladas
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbling and hot.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, avocado, and chopped scallions if desired. Serve.
Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real recipes. No A.I. here! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
