Hearty, comforting, and perfect for family breakfast or weekend brunch, these breakfast vegetable enchiladas are a winner every time! These red enchiladas take a bit of time and elbow grease but the results are worth it.

This recipe was originally published March 14, 2020. It was updated with new recipe photos and information on March 16, 2022.

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What's better than enchiladas? Breakfast enchiladas!

Starting your day with these hot and savory bundles of cheese and vegetables is proven to make your day a good day! They're perfect for Saturday mornings, brunch with friends, or even as breakfast for dinner.

These enchiladas rojas, or red enchiladas, are topped with a homemade red enchilada sauce. But please, don't be intimidated! Homemade sauce is ready in just a few simple steps (the most important note: don't step away from the stove! Keep an eye on the sauce so it doesn't burn.) and is so much better than store bought. I mean, seriously. If you're anything like me, you may find yourself never going back (and making this your go-to enchilada sauce recipe)!

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These Vegetarian Enchiladas Are...

• Hearty - have a busy day ahead of you and need a meal that will pull you through? This scrambled egg enchilada recipe is for you. With an estimated 23 grams of protein/serving, these enchiladas will give you the energy you need!
• Savory - red enchilada sauce is just mildly spicy (though I offer variations to kick it up if you wish), adding flavor and dimension to the recipe rather than heat.
• Cheesy & comforting - what is an enchilada without cheese? Gooey melty cheese add satisfaction and comfort to the dish, making it a great one to turn to during the fall, long winter days, and whenever you need a little dose of familiarity and comfort.

Ingredients:

• Tortillas - flour (whole wheat or white) or corn tortillas work, though see my recipe notes below for how to best work with corn tortillas.
• Black beans
• Corn - frozen and thawed or drained canned corn both work well
• Mozzarella cheese
• Broth - namely, vegetable or chicken broth
• Sweet peppers - red and green peppers, though yellow and orange also work
• Onions - yellow or white onions
• Tomato paste - an important ingredient for the red enchilada sauce!
• Garlic
• Eggs - adds protein and makes the enchiladas super filling
• Spices - chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, dried cumin

Substitutions:

• Meat - diced chicken or steak can substitute for the eggs. Just stir them in until heated through (there is no need to cook as long as you would cook the eggs).
• Beans - pinto beans or garbanzo beans can substitute for the black beans.
• Cheese - Monterey jack, shredded Mexican cheese blend, or shredded sharp cheddar cheese can substitute for the mozzarella cheese

How to make breakfast enchiladas:

For the complete recipe and ingredient measurements, scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post.

Make the homemade red enchilada sauce:

• Whisk together the flour, chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl.
• Heat olive oil in a saucepan. Whisk the flour mixture into the hot oil until fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste to the pan with the spice mixture. Whisk and cook until fragrant.
• Whisk the broth into the skillet with the tomato mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and dark red.

Make the bean and vegetable enchilada filling:

• Sauté the onions and peppers in oil in a skillet until the onions are translucent.
• Add the garlic to the peppers and onions and sauté until fragrant. Add the black beans, corn, and salt to the skillet and cook until heated through.
• Add the whisked eggs to the skillet and cook, scrambling and stirring the eggs as you do, or until the eggs are cooked through.

Assemble the enchiladas:

• Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a large baking dish.
• Line up the enchilada sauce, enchilada filling, and tortillas on the counter.
• Spoon the bean and vegetable mixture into the center of a flour tortila. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Roll up the enchilada and place on the sauce in the baking dish.
• Assemble the rest of the enchiladas.
• Spread the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the enchiladas with cheese.
• Bake the enchiladas until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are golden brown.

Recipe pro-tips:

• Corn vs. flour tortillas - enchiladas are most commonly made with flour tortillas, but they can also be made with corn flour tortillas. Corn tortillas can more easily split, so I recommend finding the fresh tortillas and/or heating them very briefly (over the gas range or in the toaster oven) before adding the filling to make them more pliable.
• Managing the recipe steps - for best success, I recommend making the enchilada sauce and the vegetable filling one at a time. Both the sauce and the filling take focus and cook fast; it's easy to burn the sauce or the vegetables if cooking them at the same time. If you are a very seasoned cook who is confident in your multi-tasking abilities, you can try your hand at it. If so, I recommend preparing all of the ingredients before you fire up the stove top.
• Making the enchilada sauce spicier - the enchilada sauce if made with a mild chili powder, is mild with just a bit of a kick (no heat or spice). If you'd like your sauce spicier, you can stir hot sauce or cayenne pepper into the enchilada sauce. If using hot sauce, stir 1-3 teaspoons in as the enchilada sauce simmers; if using cayenne pepper, whisk ⅛-3/4 teaspoons in with the chili powder and other seasonings.

Making enchiladas ahead of time:

There are two ways to make this enchilada ahead of time: just making the sauce ahead of time and making the whole casserole ahead of time. Here's how:

1. Making the sauce ahead of time - make the red enchilada sauce recipe ahead of time and freeze or refrigerate until making the enchiladas. You can even make multiple batches of the sauce at once and freeze them to enjoy later. Just doing this simple step ahead of time can save so much time when you are hungry and ready to eat!
2. Making the whole casserole ahead of time - assemble the enchiladas in the baking dish as directed, up until pouring the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours, or until baking. Refrigerate the enchilada sauce in a covered container, as well. When getting ready to bake, warm the enchilada sauce at 50-60% heat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave, or until smooth and pourable. Spoon the sauce the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake the enchiladas according to the recipe.

Recipe FAQ's:

Storage and freezing:

Leftovers enchiladas can last covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

The enchiladas can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen enchiladas in the refrigerator for 24-36 hours, or until mainly frozen through. Then heat up in the microwave.

Dietary adaptations:

This recipe is naturally vegetarian and processed sugar-free if the red enchilada sauce recipe is made with vegetable broth.

To make these veggie enchiladas vegan and dairy-free, use a nut-milk mozzarella cheese in place of the traditional cheese and make the enchilada sauce with vegetable broth.

To make this recipe gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour mixture and corn tortillas instead of flour.

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Saucepan
• Whisk
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Silicone spatula
• 8 x 13" baking pan
• Large non-stick skillet

More breakfast and brunch recipes:

• Mountain Breakfast Skillet
• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Whole Wheat Belgian Waffles
• Diced Hash Browns
• Brioche French Toast
• Whole Wheat Pancakes

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