molé enchiladas in casserole dish with cashew queso drizzle and cilantro garnish

Vegan Molé Enchiladas with Cashew Queso

These vegan molé enchiladas with cashew queso are packed with veggies and flavor and make the perfect dinner or meal prep lunch staple!

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molé enchiladas in casserole dish with cashew queso drizzle and cilantro garnish

These vegan molé enchiladas are inspired by one of my mom’s go-to recipes. She would simmer chicken in store-bought molé sauce in the crockpot all day before putting that mixture into enchiladas with a hearty, happy helping of real deal cheesy delicious queso. While I still adore that particular dish, I wanted to develop a vegan version. This recipe is the result!

Ingredients for Vegan Molé Enchiladas

Baby Spinach: We are going to sauté a hefty amount of greens for the enchilada filling.

Tomatoes: I like to throw a drained can of diced tomatoes into the enchilada filling for flavor and brightness. If it’s tomato season, you can use fresh Roma tomatoes. Yum!

Red Onion: There’s nothing quite like a beautifully sautéed onion to add some dimension and texture.

Pinto Beans: Our protein source for these enchiladas! Black or white beans would also be a great choice.

Corn Tortillas: The tortilla of choice for these delectable enchiladas. Sieté also makes fantastic gluten-free tortillas (though they’re pricy if they’re not on sale). You could also use flour tortillas if you’re not gluten-free.

Molé Sauce: If you’re wanting a bit of a project, feel free to make my homemade molé sauce. It’s pretty bangin’ if I do say so myself. However, if you’re short on time or that just doesn’t feel like your journey, Dona Maria is always my mom’s go-to and it’s absolutely delicious. Be forewarned that while it’s vegan, it is not gluten-free.

Vegan Queso: I am a bit of a vegan queso connoisseur, and while I LOVE my homemade vegan cashew queso, that may also not be your journey. In that case, I highly recommend either Sieté or Trader Joe’s. If you use the Trader Joe’s, make sure you heat it in 30-second intervals in the microwave first or you may have some difficulty spreading it on the tortillas.

molé enchiladas in casserole dish with two placed on plate next to it

Storage and Freezing

Storage: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freezing: If you would like to freeze these enchiladas, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before placing in an airtight Ziplock/Stasher bag. When you’re ready to heat and eat, unwrap and place in a casserole dish, cover with foil, and bake on 350° for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Take the foil off for the last 5 minutes to get things a lil’ bit crispy.

If you try these vegan molé enchiladas, be sure to leave a star-rating and review! This helps Google find little blogs like mine and encourages others to give the recipe a try! You can also find me on Pinterest and Instagram. It makes my day to hear from you!

Other Fantastic Vegan Dinners:

molé enchiladas in casserole dish next to blue cloth
molé enchiladas in casserole dish with cashew queso drizzle and cilantro garnish

Vegan Molé Enchiladas

These vegan molé enchiladas with cashew queso are packed with veggies and flavor and make the perfect dinner or meal prep lunch staple!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4

Equipment

  • large frying pan
  • 9×13 Casserole Dish

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, or canola)
  • 10 oz baby spinach
  • 1 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes drained (or 2 fresh Roma tomatoes diced if it's tomato season!)
  • 1 medium red onion diced
  • 1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 batch molé sauce (or store bought)
  • 1 batch cashew queso (or store bought)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté baby spinach until just wilted. You may need to do this in batches. Add tomatoes and onions and sauté an additional 5-8 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent. Finally, add pinto beans and ½ cup of molé sauce. Simmer until everything is well-combined and the flavors come together, about 5 minutes.
  • Heat tortillas in microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften if needed.
  • Pour just enough molé sauce to cover the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
  • Spread a spoonful of vegan queso over each tortilla and top with spinach and bean mixture. Roll up tortillas and place them seam-side down in the casserole dish (a few may break and that's okay!). Top with remainder of molé sauce. Feel free to add some plant-based cheese shreds. Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with remaining vegan queso and any toppings you fancy!

Notes

Storage: Store in refrigerator in airtight container for up to 5 days. 
*Recipe only includes prep and cook time for making enchiladas.
Keyword cashew queso, enchiladas, gluten free, healthy, molé, molé enchiladas, molé sauce, vegan, vegan enchiladas, vegan queso, vegetarian

Photography by Hope Agresti

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