# Cheesy Vegan Enchilada Skillet: A Quick and Flavorful Meal
Everything you adore about enchiladas, without the hassle! This incredibly tasty, cheesy vegan enchilada skillet assembles in roughly **30 minutes** with straightforward techniques, minimal dishes, and no requirement to stuff or roll tortillas.
This simple, healthful meal highlights soft cubed sweet potato or winter squash, fiber- & protein-packed black beans, and a luscious red enchilada sauce. Everything simmers in one pan and is crowned with a gooey cashew “cheese” that renders it SUPER satisfying and delightful!
## History of Enchiladas
It’s [thought](https://www.britannica.com/topic/enchilada) that enchiladas could have stemmed from a similar Mayan dish referred to as papadzules. The first documented recipe for enchiladas appeared in an 1831 cookbook named *El Cocinero mexicano*. Generally, enchiladas consist of meat, seafood, beans, cheese, potatoes, or vegetables wrapped in corn tortillas and adorned with enchilada sauce.
Our “inspired-by” enchilada skillet captures all the tastes of traditional enchiladas, yet it’s vegan, and instead of rolling the fill into tortillas, we cut the tortillas and prepare everything together in one pan on the stovetop!
## How to Create a Black Bean Enchilada Skillet
This **1-pan**, **30-minute** vegan enchilada skillet initiates with **a foundation of sautéed vegetables** — onion, garlic, sweet potato, and poblano pepper. The veggies can be varied here, so don’t hesitate to mix it up! We enjoy using kabocha squash for a fall twist and have found that green bell peppers work nicely when poblanos are unavailable. We also believe butternut squash would be great, as well as greens like kale or spinach.
Once the onions are very soft and the squash and peppers are just starting to become tender, we mix in **black beans** + **corn tortillas** that have been sliced into strips.
Next is the final ingredient in the skillet part of this recipe (hello, simple + tasty!): [red enchilada sauce](https://minimalistbaker.com/easy-red-enchilada-sauce/). We appreciate the rich flavor of our homemade enchilada sauce (and often have it ready in the freezer), but this recipe also performs well with [store-bought enchilada sauce](https://www.amazon.com/Siete-Family-Foods-Sauce-Enchilada/dp/B0815GKVC4/?tag=minimalistbaker-20).
Lastly, it simply wouldn’t be enchiladas without: the CHEESE! More specifically, a **tasty cashew “cheese” sauce** inspired by our beloved [Cheesy Vegan Pizza Beans](https://minimalistbaker.com/cheesy-vegan-pizza-beans-30-minutes/). It’s created by blending cashews, water, lime juice, garlic, tapioca starch, and sea salt. When drizzled over the enchilada skillet and sealed with a lid, the heat and tapioca starch work their magic, forming a **gooey, cheesy** layer! Total *swoon*!
We strongly recommend trying the cashew “cheese” sauce, even if you’re not vegan or dairy-free! It’s super simple and elevates this dish to a whole new level. Nevertheless, this enchilada skillet is also scrumptious with shredded vegan or dairy cheese (like pepper jack).
We believe you’ll ADORE this recipe! It’s:
– Smoky
– Spicy
– Incredibly flavorful
– Satisfying
– Versatile
– Quick & easy to whip up
– & SO delicious!
This dish is hearty and fantastic as an independent quick meal for weeknights! It would also complement our [Smoky Shredded Tofu Taco “Meat”](https://minimalistbaker.com/smoky-shredded-tofu-taco-meat/) or [1-Pan Mexican Shredded Chicken](https://minimalistbaker.com/1-pan-mexican-shredded-chicken) for a higher-protein choice. Alternatively, for more veggies, enjoy it with our [Crunchy Jicama Slaw](https://minimalistbaker.com/crunchy-jicama-slaw-1-bowl/) or [Quick Citrusy Cabbage Slaw](https://minimalistbaker.com/quick-citrusy-cabbage-slaw-mayo-free/).
## Additional Enchilada-Inspired Recipes
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and make sure to tag a photo [@minimalistbaker](https://www.instagram.com/minimalistbaker/) on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
### Recipe: Cheesy Vegan