Sweet Potato Enchiladas – plant-based on a budget

These easy vegan sweet potato enchiladas combine a flavorful, smoky sweet potato and mushroom filling, rolled in corn tortillas and smothered in enchilada sauce. They’re easy to make, budget-friendly, packed with flavor, freezer-friendly, and ready in just 30 minutes!

Easy vegan sweet potato enchiladas that crowd pleases

If you’re looking for simple, inexpensive, but really satisfying, flavorful, meat-free meals that the whole family will love, Spanish food is one of our favorites. With options like black bean tacos, fully loaded burritos, bean quesadillas, and those tried-and-true sweet potato enchiladas, you won’t be let down.

These Easy Vegan Enchiladas are easy to make, healthy, hearty, comforting, and deliciously filling. Even with minimal ingredients, they’re packed with fiber, antioxidants, and several micronutrients like immune-boosting vitamins A and C. This recipe is also 100% gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan.

Even better, they require minimal chopping and simple preparation made even easier with the option to use store-bought enchilada sauce. However, they’re also super customizable, both by adjusting the fill and your choice of toppings (options listed below).

After baking, these vegetarian sweet potato enchiladas are tender in the center, smothered in sauce, and slightly crispy on the edges where the sauce doesn’t meet. You’ll have everyone coming back for seconds! Plus, any leftovers taste even better the second day and freeze well too!

The ingredients

Put together this delicious sweet potato enchilada recipe using just 8 easy and inexpensive plant-based ingredients, many of which are pantry staples.

• Corn Tortillas: We prefer corn tortillas, which are firmer than wheat tortillas. Use certified gluten-free tortillas if needed.
• Sweet potato: If you have pre-cooked diced sweet potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, you can skip a few steps in this sweet potato enchiladas recipe. Otherwise, you will need raw sweet potatoes. Alternatively, use butternut squash or squash.
• Mushrooms: Use any mushrooms (white, brown, button, etc.). If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, you can use spinach, kale, corn, onions, or even black beans.
• Green chillies: We use a can of diced green chillies, which are fairly mild, although you can use freshly chopped chillies if you wish and adjust the amount to your liking. Alternatively, use some chilli or cayenne pepper powder.
• vegetable broth: We kept this recipe oil-free by using vegetable broth (regular or reduced sodium will work).
• Spices: You need a simple combination of garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sea/kosher salt.
• Vegan Enchilada Sauce: You can use homemade or store-bought enchilada sauce – red or green (salsa verde).

What else could I add to sweet potato enchiladas?

• Black beans: Sweet potato and black bean enchiladas are the most popular pairing, perfect for adding extra fiber and protein. You can use homemade or canned black beans. Pinto beans work too.
• Fried beans: Use them either within the vegetarian enchilada recipe or in place of the vegan enchilada sauce.
• Vegan Cheese: Sprinkle some of your favorite shredded vegan cheese or vegan feta cheese in or over these vegan sweet potato enchiladas.
• Cumin: Add some to the sweet potato mix for an earthy, savory flavor. You might also like some ground coriander.
• Other Vegetables: Add options like sautéed onions, peppers, corn, spinach/kale, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, etc. to the vegetable mix.
• Rice/Quinoa: Make super hearty plant-based enchiladas with quinoa or brown rice.

How do you make sweet potato enchiladas?

• 1) First, peel and dice the sweet potatoes into small 1-inch chunks.
• 2) Heat the vegetable stock in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the sweet potato and garlic powder, stir and cook until tender.

Alternatively you could steam or roast meat the sweet potato (Have the potatoes in half and roast them for 30-35 minutes at 200°C, cut side down – then scoop out the flesh) or heat in the microwave.

• 3) Meanwhile, finely slice the mushrooms and sauté in a separate pan over medium-high heat to boil off excess liquid. Then add 2 tablespoons of the green chiles (or less/more to taste).

• 4) Once the sweet potato is cooked, use an immersion blender, potato masher, or fork to mash the potato to desired consistency. Season to taste.

• 5) Meanwhile, heat the tortillas over an open flame or in a dry skillet for a few seconds, about a minute per side, until just warm enough to become flexible.
• 6) To assemble the sweet potato enchiladas, spread the sweet potato and mushroom mixture among the tortillas, roll and place seam-side down in a high casserole dish.

• 7) Pour the enchilada sauce on top and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

• 8) Finally, remove the vegan sweet potato enchiladas from the oven, pour more enchilada sauce over them and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Vegan enchilada toppings

Enjoy this vegetarian enchilada recipe on its own or with your favorite toppings like:

We like to combine some avocado-based, fresh pico de gallo, cilantro, and sometimes crumbled vegan feta or other plant-based shredded cheese.

Top recipe tips and notes

• To save time: Use pre-chopped or even pre-cooked sweet potatoes.
• Bake seam side down: So that they don’t come loose during cooking.
• To avoid mushy enchiladas: Frying the tortillas in a little oil as you heat them creates a barrier so the sauce doesn’t soak in as easily.
• To avoid dry enchilada: Spread a layer of sauce under the tortillas and optionally spread the sauce over the entire tortilla (inside and outside). You can also cover the enchiladas with parchment paper while baking.
• If you have leftover fillings: The sweet potato and mushroom fillings are great for burritos or burrito bowls, tacos, etc. paired with lettuce, avocado, salsa, corn, beans, etc.

Instructions for preparing, storing and freezing

You can prepare the fillings from boiled sweet potatoes and mushrooms 2-3 days in advance and store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.

You can also freeze sweet potato enchiladas. We like to do this before baking, but it can be done afterwards as well. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then in a ziplock/stasher for up to 2 months. Either cook/heat them from frozen, extend the baking time, or thaw them first.

After baking, the sauce ensures that these plant-based enchiladas will soften over time. However, leftovers are stored for approx 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

To warm up For the vegan enchiladas, use either a microwave (1-2 minutes) or the oven (about 10-15 minutes at 350F/180C or 25-35 minutes from frozen).

Serving recommendations

You can enjoy these delicious, easy vegan enchiladas either alone or paired with:

More Vegan Mexican Recipes

Photos by Alfonso Revilla