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These vegetarian enchiladas are made with my chipotle enchilada sauce and are so seriously good. Creamy mashed avocado is tucked into lightly fried corn tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese, plus more melty cheese on top.
This cheesy enchiladas recipe is one of my family’s favorite vegetarian dinner ideas. They are filling and full of flavor with an irresistible combination of creamy avocado and melty cheese.
I usually make these enchiladas when we are having people over so that every last bite will be gobbled up the same day. The avocado filling will start to brown a bit if these sit overnight, which doesn’t impact the flavor at all but is something to keep in mind. Smothered in homemade enchilada sauce and topped with more cheese, each bite of these enchiladas is supremely satisfying. These are basically next-level cheese enchiladas.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe
- Easy. These enchiladas are simple to make, especially if you make the enchilada sauce in advance. Then all you have to do is fry up some tortillas, mash up the avocado filling, assemble and bake.
- Vegetarian. Although we love plain cheese enchiladas, if you’re looking for a more interesting vegetarian option this recipe is always a huge success. I also have a black bean enchiladas recipe that people love!
- Cheesy. The melty cheese does something magical when paired with the creamy avocado filling. It is seriously so good.
- Satisfying. These enchiladas are good enough to serve for weeknight dinners, Sunday suppers and even holiday gatherings.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make these vegetarian enchiladas. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Smoky chipotle enchilada sauce – You can make this the same day you are making the enchiladas, or make it in advance.
- Olive oil – You can also use vegetable oil or peanut oil.
- Corn tortillas – Try to get good quality tortillas, not the ones that fall apart easily.
- Avocados – The trick here is making the enchiladas when the avocados are perfectly ripe! I usually buy a couple of extra avocados to up my chances.
- Dried cilantro – If you are not a cilantro fan you can also use oregano.
- Lime juice – Fresh is best but from a bottle works too. This is help prevent the filling from browning too much.
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Monterey Jack cheese – You could also use cheddar cheese.
Why Do You Fry Tortillas for Enchiladas?
Lightly frying corn tortillas to make enchiladas does two things:
- It softens the tortillas and helps them hold their shape when you are rolling them around your enchilada filling.
- The oil prevents the tortillas from soaking up too much of your enchilada sauce during baking.
Tips for Success
This vegetarian enchiladas recipe is pretty straightforward, but it never hurts to have a few tips:
- Don’t skip frying the tortillas. It is tempting to skip this step, especially if you are in a hurry or want to cut down on calories. However, as mentioned above, it is important to fry your corn tortillas when making enchiladas.
- Work quickly. Even though we are adding lime juice to the avocado filling it will brown if you let it sit for too long. Therefore get everything prepped before you make the filling, then promptly spoon the filling and cheese into each tortilla and roll it up. This will minimize the amount of time the filling is fully exposed to the air and will cut down on any browning.
- Use fresh lime juice if possible. You can use bottled lime juice in a pinch, but I find that fresh lime juice has better flavor.
What Goes with Vegetarian Enchiladas?
Homemade enchiladas go perfectly with this Instant Pot Mexican Rice. Just place all the ingredients in your instant pot and get it going right after you put the enchiladas in the oven. Fluff the rice before serving, then serve with the enchiladas and any extra lime wedges. I like to squeeze fresh lime juice over my rice.
I also recommend adding a side of frijoles refritos, which you can make with homemade frijoles de la olla.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
These enchiladas are best eaten the day they are made. However, if you must store leftovers you can do so by placing cooled enchiladas in an airtight container and storing them in the fridge. They will keep for 1-2 days, but the sooner you eat them the less browning you will have on the avocado filling. The browning does not impact the flavor and the enchiladas are safe to eat, but just visually I prefer eating these enchiladas while the avocado filling is still bright green.
The easiest way to reheat extra enchiladas is in the microwave. Just place the desired amount on a plate and heat for 2-3 minutes, depending on how much food you are warming up.
More Mexican Dinner Ideas
Vegetarian Avocado Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 batch of smoky chipotle enchilada sauce
- ½ cup olive oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- 4 Hass avocados
- 1 tablespoon dried cilantro or oregano
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1-2 limes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Take out a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- Fry the tortillas. Put 1/2 cup olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, fry the tortillas, one at a time, for 2 to 3 seconds on each side. Drain on paper towel-lined sheet to get rid of excess oil.
- Prep the avocado filling. Peel and pit the avocados. Immediately toss with the lime juice (prevents browning too quickly), cilantro, salt and pepper. Mash well.
- Assemble enchiladas. Spread 1/2 of the sauce into a 9×13 baking dish. Spoon 2 tablespoons of avocado filling into each tortilla, sprinkle some Monterrey jack cheese on top, then roll the tortilla. Put them seam side down in your baking dish, tucking them snuggly against each other. Once all the tortillas have been filled and placed in the baking dish, ladle the rest of the sauce over the rolled tortillas. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil lightly with PAM or olive oil, then loosely cover the enchiladas sprayed side down. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce, is bubbly and the enchiladas are heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.