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These Spicy Tofu Enchiladas are filled with crispy tofu, beans and diced tomatoes and then topped with spicy chipotle sauce and avocado—what’s not to love?! They’re easy to prep and you’ll most likely have leftovers so you can enjoy them two days in a row!
Tofu enchiladas are going down tonight! Honestly, I’m a huge fan of taco Tuesday, but sometimes I want to switch it up with something similar yet different, like quesadillas or enchiladas, for instance. The real reason I love enchiladas is because there’s always leftovers, and leftovers means that I get to eat them again the next day. Woohoo!
Speaking of tofu, you guys know I’m a huge fan. I use it in my vegan ramen, in my tofu curry again in my vegan bibimbap. And let’s not forget my most popular tofu recipe: my crispy baked tofu.
This is a husband-approved recipe that even meat eaters will enjoy!
Recipe features
- They’re loaded with spicy tofu, black beans, diced tomatoes, and avocado, aka the BEST ingredients and flavors
- It’s an easy way to trick people into eating tofu
- They’re fairly spicy, though you can lessen the spice level if you prefer
Ingredient notes:
Tofu – super firm
Tortillas – corn of flour, just make sure they’re about 6″
Diced tomatoes – fire roasted with green chiles (f you can find them); otherwise, regular fire roasted diced tomatoes work
Black beans – liquid drained and rinsed
Marinara sauce – try to get regular marinara (nothing with Italian spices) if you can; or, if you don’t want these enchiladas to be spicy, use store-bought (or homemade) enchilada sauce
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare the tofu: If you’re using a tofu press, I recommend pressing the tofu for 4-6 hours in the refrigerator. If you’re not using a tofu press, you’re going to want to grab a towel and place it over the tofu, and then use a flat item like a baking pan and placing it over the towel. This will press some of the moisture out and allow the towel to absorb it. Though this may seem tedious, it’s SO important if you want the tofu to be crispy.
Then, slice the tofu into small, bite-sized cubes and add it to a bowl with the taco seasoning. Any store bought taco seasoning will work! Finally, you want to pan-fry it with a little olive oil over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, which will allow it to get a little crispy/firm up a bit.
Step 2: Combine ingredients: In a bowl, combine the black beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles and onion together. There’s a good chance you’ll have leftover filling, and that’s ok. You can always eat it the next day on a salad or with roasted potatoes.
Step 3: Make the sauce: The sauce is the easiest part! You’ll want to grab your favorite marinara sauce and pour it into a bowl, then add the chipotle powder and whisk them together, which will help take the marinara sauce from Italian to Mexican.
Step 4: Assemble. Spread a 1/2 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Place a spoonful of the tomato/bean/onion mixture into the center of a tortilla, then add a spoonful of cooked tofu. Wrap the tortilla and place the seam side down into the bottom of the casserole dish. Repeat this process with all of the tortillas.
Toppings: Of course I topped them with avocado and I advise you do the same. See, I’m a pretty big wimp when it comes to spice, and the avocados helped to cool down these SPICY vegan enchiladas. I’d recommend using 1-2 full avocados for the entire pan, but don’t put them on until right before you’re going to eat them (otherwise, they’ll turn brown).
You could also add a dollop or two of plain dairy free yogurt.
Tips and FAQs
Storage: store enchiladas in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Wait to add any toppings (like avocado and/or dairy free yogurt) until you’re ready to serve or eat these.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yep! You can definitely make them a day in advance. If you do that, simply assemble the enchiladas, but don’t pour sauce over top of them. Wrap the casserole dish with plastic wrap, then place the whole dish in the freezer. Before baking, pour the sauce over top.
Do I have to make these spicy?
You don’t. If you want to avoid spiciness, I’d use regular, store-bought (or homemade!) enchilada sauce. The marinara + chipotle seasoning is really what makes these spicy.
What to serve with your enchiladas:
More delicious vegan dinner recipes:
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Spicy Vegan Tofu Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 6 soft taco shell size tortillas approx. 6"
- 8 oz super firm tofu pressed then sliced into cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 10 oz. diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 15 oz. black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1-2 avocados for topping diced
- 2-4 tbsp plain dairy free yogurt optional topping
For sauce:
- 2 cups vegan-friendly marinara sauce
- 1 tsp chipotle seasoning or more depending on how spicy you want it
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Pour tofu out on a plate and use a dish towel or several paper towels to soak up the moisture. I ended up using a dish towel plus two paper towels and pressed down on the tofu for a few seconds at a time. You want most of the moisture out but it's ok if you don't get it all. If you own a tofu press, use that instead.
- Transfer the tofu to a bowl, add the taco seasoning and stir until the tofu is coated. Then, add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large skillet and cook tofu on medium-high heat for 10 minutes or until tofu is crispy.
- While tofu is cooking, combine tomatoes, black beans and onion together in a bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir the marinara sauce and chipotle seasoning together and set aside. Take 1/2 cup of the sauce and pour it into a 9x13 baking dish, using a spoon or spatula to spread the sauce all over the dish.
- To assemble the enchiladas: scoop a spoonful of the tomato mixture into one tortilla, then add a spoonful of the cooked tofu. Roll the tortilla and put the fold side down into the baking dish. Repeat this process until all enchiladas are assembled.
- Pour remaining sauce and diced tomato mixture overtop of the enchiladas and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Add avocado and/or dairy free yogurt to enchiladas before serving, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in July 2016. It was updated with new text in September 2020.
