Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone!
Back in my 20's, I used to go all out for Cinco de Mayo. If we weren't going out for dinner, I'd make a whole spread of Mexican-inspired dishes. Let's be honest, though- I was mainly in it for the margaritas. Back in those days, if I could get away with having margaritas for lunch and throughout the rest of the day, it was a pretty good day.
These days, I don't even think I could handle a sip of tequila. What I can handle, though, is Mexican food. And by "handle," I mean "eat by the tons." I could probably live quite happily on just beans, tortillas, and guacamole. But why do that when there's so many more creative ways to enjoy Mexican food?
Take this Stacked Enchilada Pie. They're basically lazy girl enchiladas because all you do is stack the tortillas, filling, and cheese sauce instead of rolling each one. Ugh. I'm getting tired just thinking about it (all the rolling, that is).
For the filling, I used a mixture of homemade mashed black beans and Beyond Meat's new Beef-Free Crumbles (I used the Fiesty flavor). I used it because I'd been really wanting to try it and it added a delicious taco meat texture, but you could just as easily double the bean recipe or add more vegetables. I didn't because I was feeling too lazy too chop any (I'm not always this lazy, but when I am, I do it full-force).
I made a quick and easy cashew cheese to drizzle on each layer as well as all over the top. I also made an ultra-simple roasted red bell pepper enchilada sauce to cover the pie but if you want something a little more "involved," I do have a great roasted chile enchilada sauce that would work as well. You'll have leftovers of each, probably enough to make a whole other pie. If you're serving a big crowd, double the filling and the tortillas and just make 2 pies instead of one. I just froze the sauce and used the cheese on other things (salads, sandwiches, chips). The prep for this enchilada pie was probably less than 30 minutes and the stacking part is pretty fun. Even if you're just as lazy as me, you have no excuse to try it.
The pie makes 6 cute little wedges/slices. If this is all you're serving, you'll probably only feed 3 people. If you're serving other things, 1 slice each would be fine. If you're planning on making a big vegan Mexican spread for tonight, here's some other Mexican (and Mexican-Inspired) recipes you may want to consider:
1. Nacho Cheese Tofu Scramble Enchiladas
3. Roasted Portobello Soft Tacos
4. Mini Skillet-Grilled Chili Cheese Burritos
5. Cilantro Avocado Chickpea Salad Tacos
7. Chanterelle, White Bean, & Cheesy Roasted Kabocha Tacos
No matter what you decide to make for Cinco de Mayo, I hope you have a fun and safe night. Me, I'm still feeling pretty lazy so I'll probably be getting the enchilada sauce out of the freezer to make another enchilada pie!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- one 15-ounce can unsalted, diced, fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoon canned diced green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- for the cheese sauce
- 10 tablespoons reserved soaking water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon white miso
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- a few dashes of smoked paprika
- salt to taste
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or one 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained)
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon liquid aminos
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 package of Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles (I used the Fiesty variety)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro, plus some for garnish
- 2 tablespoons canned diced green chiles
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 corn tortillas
- avocado slices, for garnish
- sliced black olives, for garnish
- pepitas, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly spray a 7 or 8-inch springform pan (or a deep 7 or 8-inch regular cake pan) with olive oil.
- Make the enchilada sauce first. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Transfer to a blender and add the remaining sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Next, make the cheese. Combine the cheese ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, pausing to scrape the sides as necessary. It should be thick but easily drip off of a spoon. If it is too thick, add water by the tablespoon until you have the desired consistency. Set aside.
- Now, make the filling. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan (preferably the one you already used) over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion just becomes translucent. Add the beans, 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, liquid aminos, and spices and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Use a potato masher to lightly mash the beans and add 1/4 cup vegetable broth. Cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the beef-free crumbles, corn kernels, and the remaining vegetable broth and cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the 1/4 cup cilantro, green chiles, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Pour 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the prepared pan and spread to coat the bottom. Place 1 tortilla in the bottom. Top the tortilla with some of the bean/beef-free mixture. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce over the bean/beef-free mixture and then top with about 1/8 cup enchilada sauce. Place another tortilla on top and repeat the process until all of the ingredients have been used and you have a tortilla on top. Pour enchilada sauce over the top until the pan is 1/2 way full. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes.
- After it has cooled, drizzle more cheese sauce over the top. Slice a wedge and serve topped with avocado, olives, cilantro, and pepitas. Enjoy!
Notes
Make 2 pies by doubling the enchilada ingredients. The sauce and cheese recipes can stay as-is.
What are your Cinco de Mayo plans?
Photography by Chris Miller
Richa
that is such a tall pie and so fantastic!
Stefanie
I just got really hungry looking at all of this, darn it! Definitely bookmarking these for later 🙂
Emily @ It Comes Naturally Blog
I'm from the Uk and don't think I've heard of Cinco de Mayo? I love that dish though - I always cut it short when making lasagnes and things. Must try your recipe so I get some really good layers going on!
Gabby @ the veggie nook
Now these are my kind of enchiladas- no rolling required! Love this recipe Kristy! Even though I've never been much for Cinco de Mayo, I am certainly all for copious amounts of Mexican food!
Margaux
*swoon* that looks SO good!! Bookmarked and now waiting for an opportunity to spring this on family members 😀
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Ohhh I love a good enchilada pie!
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth
Holy guacamole! This looks like the best gut bomb ever! Happy Cinco de Mayo!
EugeneA
I was looking for something yummy to make today and your enchilada pie is the winner. But I have some hesitation.
I am washing of the dust on my cookware and getting back in to the kitchen and would like some guidance/reassurance I can take this on.
Here are my questions...
A) What if I don't have a food processor for the cheese sauce, is there another alternative?
B) What are the aminos for and where can I purchase them here in Silverlake/Los Angeles
C)AND where might I find "Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles"?
Best,
Eugene
keepinitkind
Hi Eugene! I'm so happy that you want to make this dish today! Here are the answers to your questions:
A) If you don't have a food processor, then a high-speed blender will work as well. If you don't have that, then I would suggest doing a store-bought cheese. My favorite is Follow Your Heart Gourmet Shreds: http://followyourheart.com/vegangourmetshreds. Just sprinkle some on each layer and then instead of drizzling the cheese at the end, sprinkle the cheese on the top after it's done baking and then return it to the oven until the cheese has melted.
B) I use Bragg Liquid Aminos, but coconut aminos are also available. It adds a savory umami flavor, similar to the flavor tamari or soy sauce would add (in fact, you can substitute either of these if you have them). I like liquid aminos because it's lower in sodium and a little more nutrient dense. You can find them at Whole Foods or natural food stores.
C) Beyond Meat Beef-Free Crumbles can be found in the freezer section (with vegan burgers and other frozen mock meats) in your local Whole Foods.
Good luck and I'll be sending you good vibes as you get to work in the kitchen. 🙂
rika@vm
What a pie! That looks amazing!
Heidi Kokborg
It looks beautiful! I love mexican food so this a must-try recipe 🙂
dishing up the dirt
Pour me a margarita and hand me a slice of that pie! Lovely recipe!
Megan
This looks great! What a unique idea!
Becca
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http://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/fl/What-Is-Cultural-Appropriation-and-Why-Is-It-Wrong.htm
Sarah
Hello,
This recipe looks absolutely delicious but I have one question. Would a dutch oven work instead of the cake pans? I seem to not have a deep cake pan in my kitchen yet. Thanks.
Sarah
keepinitkind
Thank you. I think it could work. It will be a little harder to slice and serve, but I can't see it not working. Good luck!
Sue
Happened upon this old recipe today. Can you suggest a replacement for the crumbles?
Thanks a lot. 🙂
Christina
Where is the nutrition information for this recipe? I made it last night and it’s amazing but I’m trying to keep track of my protein and I have no idea how to get the protein in a serving of this.
keepinitkind
I don't have nutritional facts for my recipes. Sorry!