Vegan Verde Enchiladas with Chipotle Tofu

This dish is seriously one of my favorite plant-based recipes. I make verde enchiladas regularly using my homemade (and insanely easy) roasted tomatillo sauce (get the recipe here). And while I’m using my beloved crispy chipotle tofu along with my equally beloved vegan cashew cream as the filling for these enchiladas, you can stuff them and top with them any way you want. Shredded rotisserie chicken, seasoned black beans and cotija cheese are all client favorites, but what I love about this specific recipe is that it’s vegan, gluten-free and packed with delicious and satisfying flavor.

For my verde enchiladas I use organic fresh corn tortillas (Vista Hermosa brand is my fave). They’re made from only pure and simple ingredients – corn, water and lime juice. Because they’re super fresh, they need to be heated before rolling up your enchiladas. Why? Heating them makes the tortillas pliable enough to roll without breaking/tearing and also brings out a better flavor. If using a more processed tortilla, heating isn’t always necessary. Rule of thumb, if you’d heat the tortillas before eating as tacos, you should also heat them before rolling into enchiladas.

This is also a great recipe for meal prep days because the dish can sit in the fridge and when dinner calls, can be popped in the oven for effortless reheating. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Verde Enchiladas with Chipotle Tofu & Cashew Cream
plant-based | gluten-free optional | vegan
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

3+ cups green enchilada sauce (salsa verde), get recipe here
1 batch crispy chipotle tofu, get recipe here*
1 batch savory cashew cream, get recipe here
8-10 taco-sized tortillas (I love fresh flour & corn tortillas, like these from Vista Hermosa brand)
fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional

To Make

Before starting this recipe, make the verde enchilada sauce, chipotle tofu and savory cashew cream. If using other filling and topping options, prepare those as desired. See notes for ideas.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).

Heat tortillas in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds per side. Add oil between batches. Or wrap the stack of tortillas in aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven until heated through. This step is especially important for rolling fresh corn tortillas, it keeps them from cracking when rolling.

When all filling/topping/sauce ingredients are prepared and tortillas are heating, you’re ready to assemble the enchiladas.

Mix 1 cup of green enchilada sauce with 1/4 cup water. Line the bottom of a casserole dish with mixture.*

Transfer another 1 cup enchilada sauce to a shallow dish. One at a time, dip tortillas into the sauce and completely coat both sides of the tortilla in sauce. Lay coated tortilla onto a flat surface and add some tofu to tortilla (see pictures below). Drizzle tofu with cashew cream. Gently roll tortilla as tightly as possible and place in the casserole dish (place seam side down if they aren’t holding together). Repeat the dunking and rolling process with the remaining tortillas.

When all enchiladas are rolled and placed in the casserole dish, top with approximately 1 cup enchilada sauce, then with the remaining cashew cream (see pictures below).

Transfer dish to oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

* Notes

– for the tofu filling, I cut or crumble the tofu into smaller pieces than called for in the original Chipotle Tofu recipe – this isn’t a big deal but I find the enchiladas easier to eat if the tofu is cut into smaller pieces, keep in mind that tofu cut smaller will cook faster
– if using a different recipe for the enchilada sauce or a store-bought version, you may not need to add any water for lining the dish. I like to add a bit of water for lining the dish so that the sauce doesn’t become too thick after baking
– roasted/sautéed veggies, beans, lentils, shredded rotisserie chicken, cooked ground beef are easy filling options, add Tex-mex seasonings when prepping fillings for extra flavor! You can also add cheese to the fillings or toss fillings with a bit of enchilada sauce to add flavor and moisture. I don’t find extra moisture necessary if using the chipotle tofu and cashew cream as a filling.