Creating an Authentic, Plant-Based Salsa Verde Mexican Casserole
Let’s face it, tortillas crumble. Enchiladas are one of my favorite dishes to order in a Mexican restaurant. However, whenever I try to make them in advance at home, they tend to fall apart. I wanted to preserve the authentic Mexican flavors of Green Salsa Verde Enchiladas. Yet, I needed something that I could meal-prep and even freeze. Thus, I decided to transform the standard enchiladas into a hearty, plant-based “lasagna” casserole.
The Essentials of Authentic Mexican Enchiladas Verdes
Enchilada literally
I adapted this authentic Mexican Salsa Verdes recipe from Rick Bayless, a Chicago-based chef who specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine. His recipe uses it as a sauce for pork, but, like most salsas, you can use it for tacos, tostadas, or enchiladas.
The recipe starts with tomatillos as the base. These tart fruits are sometimes called husk tomatoes, due to their appearance. They are related to
Turning Salsa Verdes Enchiladas into a Plant-Based Casserole
In order to transform regular enchiladas into a plant-based casserole, I wanted to keep a few essentials of the original recipe:
- Green Salsa Verde: This is the hallmark sauce for green enchiladas. It’s worth the time and energy to make your own salsa. You can always make a double batch and freeze extras for future meals.
- Corn Tortillas: Again, this is essential to authentic Mexican enchiladas. While some parts of northern Mexico use flour tortillas, corn dominates through most of the country. Choosing a high-quality corn tortilla means fewer ingredients. All you need are corn, lime, and salt.
- Plant-Based Filling: For the enchilada casserole filling, I wanted something hearty, satisfying, and typical of Mexican cuisine. Black beans, potatoes, and onions create the base. However, you could also use pinto beans, bell pepper, or mushrooms. I’ve even done a “Super Green” version with spinach, zucchini, and green bell peppers. All of these ingredients are common in Mexican cooking.
Easy Assembly
That’s it! Once you have the basic components, you layer it together into a hearty, satisfying casserole. This recipe is:
- Hearty and Satisfying
- Full of Mexican Flavor
- Freezer-Friendly
- Great for Batch Cooking
- Budget-Friendly
I hope you enjoy this recipe! I think you will love how it brings the flavors of Mexico to your kitchen in a healthy, plant-based, approachable way.
Chef Katie’s Healthy Eating Tips for Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Plant-Based Casserole:
Extra Sauce: Make a double-batch of the sauce and keep it
Charred tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeno create the authentic Mexican Salsa Verde
Gluten-Free: Black beans, potatoes, and corn tortillas are naturally
Gluten-Free: Black beans, potatoes, and corn tortillas are naturally a gluten-free food, which makes this a hearty gluten-free vegan recipe. 
Hearty potatoes and beans create the base for this satisfying, plant-based Mexican casserole 
Use good quality corn tortillas for the most authentic Mexican flavor and healthiest recipe
Freezer-Friendly: This casserole is incredibly freezer-friendly. Make a double-batch. Assemble the casserole, then tightly wrap in foil. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge. Keep wrapped in foil and bake at 375F for 40 minutes, removing the foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Single and Smaller Portions: For smaller portions of this recipe, use a smaller pan. Mini loaf pans and regular loaf pans work great if you’re feeding less people. The mini loaf pans work best for single-serving sizes. Use regular loaf pans for 2-3 servings.
Charred tomatillos, onion, garlic, and jalapeno create the authentic Mexican Salsa Verde
Watch this Cooking Video to Learn More:
Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Plant-Based Casserole
- Medium
- Servings: 6
- Ready in: 70 minutes
- Yield: one 8×8 or 9×9 square casserole
If you love this, you’ll also love Vegan Tortilla Soup with Hominy, Vegan Southwest Sweet Potato Lasagna and Easy, Vegan Lentil Tacos.
Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Plant-Based Casserole
Equipment
- 8×8 or 9×9-inch square baking dish
Ingredients
For the Authentic Oil-Free Mexican Salsa Verde:
- 12 tomatillos husks removed and cut in half
- ½ jalapeno stem removed
- 1 medium onion cut into large ppieces
- 4 cloves garlic skins removed
- 1 bunch cilantro stems and leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 lime juiced
- Salt to taste
- 1/2-1 cup water as needed
For the Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Plant-Based Casserole:
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 Yukon potatoes diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- Salt and pepper to taste
For assembly:
- 10 corn tortillas 4 whole and 4 cut in half and 2 cut into quarters
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler setting on your oven.
- To make the authentic Oil-Free Roasted Green Mexican Salsa Verde: Place the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, and garlic in a baking dish. Bury the garlic under the onion and tomatillos. Add enough water to cover the bottom ½-inch of the pan. Place the dish in the oven and broil 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Be careful to keep the garlic covered. You don’t want it to burn or it will taste bitter. Let it roast underneath the other vegetables.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the contents to a blender. Add the cilantro, cumin, lime, and salt. Puree until smooth. Add water, as needed to reach a smooth, pourable consistency. You may use ½ – 1 cup of water. Set aside. Turn the temperature down to 375While the Salsa Verde ingredients are broiling, you can make the Black Bean Enchilada Plant-Based Casserole Filling.
- To make the Black Bean Mexican Enchilada Casserole Filling: In a wide sauté pan, sauté the onion over medium-high heat until starting to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and sauté until aromatic, 1-2 minutes. Add the potatoes and 1 cup of water. Cook until the potatoes are knife-glide tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add the canned black beans.
- When the Salsa Verde is ready, combine 2 cups with the Mexican Enchilada Casserole filling. Taste to adjust seasoning.
- To assemble and bake the Salsa Verdes Black Bean Enchilada Mexican Plant-Based Casserole: Line an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking dish with parchment paper or foil. You can use the same dish you used for the Roasted Salsa Verde. Just be sure to wash out the dish first.
- Spread ¼ cup of the Green Salsa Verde Sauce onto the bottom of your pre-lined baking dish. Place one layer of the tortillas on top. Use the quartered tortillas to cover the corners of the dish. Try not to overlap the tortillas too much. Spread 1/3 of the Black Bean Casserole Filling on top of the tortillas. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, the filling, the tortillas, and the filling. Use up all of the filling. Your top layer should be tortillas. Pour on the remaining Green Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce.
- Place in the oven, uncovered, and bake 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or avocado and serve!
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 6.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 279 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 3 g | 4 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 0 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 0 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 140 mg | 6 % |
| Potassium 920 mg | 26 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 62 g | 21 % |
| Dietary Fiber 9 g | 34 % |
| Sugars 4 g | |
| Protein 11 g | 23 % |
| Vitamin A | 9 % |
| Vitamin C | 59 % |
| Calcium | 38 % |
| Iron | 25 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
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Approximately how many pounds of tomatillos?
It probably ends up being 2-2.5 pounds of tomatillos