Vegan Enchilada Bowls are easy to make, versatile, healthy and delicious. Set up a DIY situation where everyone customizes and gets exactly what they want.
This post has been modified from the original, posted April 30, 2018. This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Vegan enchilada bowls are a fun idea for a cinco de Mayo celebration, or even just to celebrate delicious plant-based meals.
Think about anything you would fill or garnish an enchilada with…it’s all good! A combination of raw and cooked veggies, plus a killer, homemade enchilada sauce and you’re ready to rumble!
If you wanted to go the traditional route, follow my easy recipe for vegan enchilada casserole. Otherwise, stick with me right here, I’ve got tasty ideas for you!
Mexican food gets a bad rap because it can be laden with unhealthy ingredients, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Load up your vegan enchilada bowl with healthy and yummy alternatives.
In lieu of a heavy grain choice, consider using cauliflower rice instead. Great texture and taste in a nutrient dense, low carb alternative. Here are a few tasty recipes that would be terrific as the base of a vegan enchilada bowl:
Instead of dairy, why not try my delicious vegan sour cream, or roasted tomatillo salsa to top this off.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
My sister Natalie adores the taco sauce from Taco Bell. I remember the year she lived in Rome and I went to visit, the only thing she asked me to bring her from the US was Taco Bell sauce. Seriously. I honestly hadn’t realized until I went to get some before my trip just how unhealthy the ingredient list was. I vowed then to create something healthy that would serve the same tasty purpose. So, I made this up for her.
This delicious sauce stays good in the fridge for about 3 weeks, so it’s easy to always have a batch on hand. I am obsessed with this sauce, so I can finally relate to how she felt. Sauce so yummy, that any regular assortment of veggies/grains automatically tastes like Mexican food with a drizzle of this sauce.
This copycat taco bell sauce is equally at home on tacos, burritos, tostadas or vegan enchilada bowls. This sauce really is the star of these bowls—-but you can feel comfortable loading up on it because, even though it’s loaded with taste, there is little sodium and no preservatives or other ingredients you can’t pronounce!
DIY Enchilada Bowl Buffet
While the sweet potatoes and beans are in the oven, you will have time to make the rest. Chop your veggies, make the enchilada sauce, and the simple cauliflower rice. You can also make the cauli-rice and/or the enchilada sauce in advance. You can chop your veggies in advance and even roast the sweet potatoes/beans ahead. If you’re going to make a batch of homemade guacamole, I recommend you do that just before serving though.
I love entertaining, especially when I have a menu that doesn’t require too much last minute attention! If you’re going to make this for a weeknight dinner, no worries, you can pull this together in 30 minutes, and use what you have on hand for your buffet. I will often use this enchilada sauce combined with whatever is leftover in the fridge on top of a bed of greens for lunch. There’s no one way to do these vegan enchilada bowls. YOUR way is the best choice.
If you’re entertaining for Cinco de Mayo, consider this your perfect party plan. Make your own vegan enchilada bowls means everyone gets exactly what they want, you can prep much of this in advance, and you’ll be providing a nutritious and delicious meal that looks good too!
More ideas for your vegan enchilada bowls:
- Guacamole
- Vegan sour cream
- Fresh tomato salsa
- Roasted Broccoli
- Avocado Lime Dressing
- Southwest Quinoa Salad
- Mexican Pinto Beans
📖 Recipe
Vegan Enchilada Bowls
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes + Black Beans
- 2 ½ cups diced sweet potatoes approximately 1 large or 2 small-med
- 1 15- oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 2 Tablespoons olive or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large clove garlic finely grated
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups veggie stock
Vegan Enchilada Bowls:
- Simple Cauliflower Rice
- Roasted sweet potatoes + black beans
- Greens your choice: kale, spinach, chard, lettuce, etc
- Sliced radish
- Diced bell peppers
- Shredded cabbage
- Avocado chunks or guacamole
- Optional: fresh cilantro corn, vegan sour creme, sliced scallions.
Instructions
- Make the sweet potatoes + black beans: Preheat oven to 425. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss diced potatoes and beans with oil, sprinkle on spices and roast for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Make Enchilada Sauce: Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in arrowroot powder and cook for about 30 seconds. Add spices, garlic and tomato paste and whisk continuously as it forms a paste, about 30 more seconds. Gradually incorporated stock, whisking well after each addition. To avoid lumps, continue whisking until smooth. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Sauce will stay good in a glass jar, tightly sealed in the fridge for 3 weeks.
- Make Enchilada Bowls: Place greens in the bottom of bowl followed by other options and top with enchilada sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
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