Butternut Squash Enchiladas In Red Sauce (Vegetarian)

If you’ve never tried vegetarian enchiladas before, you’ll be blown away by these amazing butternut squash enchiladas in red sauce.

The first time I tried butternut squash enchiladas was years ago at a restaurant here in Seattle called Cactus.

And I fell in love with the flavors. Ever since, I’ve always ordered the butternut squash enchiladas because I’m afraid no other dish will compare.

So, of course, I just had to recreate them at home.

I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I do!

The Ingredients + Substitutions and Variations

• Olive Oil. Used to sauté and soften the vegetables for the filling.
• Onion. Dice a small yellow onion or half a larger onion for savory flavor.
• Jalepeño. Adds a little spice to the dish. Keep the seeds for hotter enchiladas, scoop the seeds out for medium or omit the jalepeño altogether for a milder version.
• Garlic. Use jarred minced garlic or fresh.
• Butternut Squash. The main star of these enchiladas! Substitute sweet potatoes if you can’t find squash or have a preference.
• Spinach. Spinach gives this dish color and a healthy serving of veggies.
• Black Beans. Adds protein and texture to the enchiladas. Try substituting pinto beans or shredded chicken for alternative protein sources.
• Cumin and Chile Powder. These two spices combined give a lot of dishes that Mexican flavor we all can’t get enough of.
• Salt and Pepper. Used to season the enchilada filling.
• Red Enchilada Sauce. Use your favorite canned or jarred red enchilada sauce or make your own. I imagine they’d also be great with green enchilada sauce, but I haven’t tried it.
• Mexican Shredded Cheese. Cheese makes an enchilada an enchilada instead of a wet burrito! I prefer a Mexican blend but you could also try cheddar or pepper jack.
• Chèvre Goat Cheese. Adds a creamy texture and unique flavor to the enchiladas. For me, this is the ingredient that really sets this butternut squash enchilada recipe apart from others and makes it so irresistibly delicious.
• Flour Tortillas. I use the “super soft” Mission Flour Tortillas but any flour tortillas of the same size will work.
• Pepitas. Garnish the enchiladas with these nutrient packed seeds. Consider adding other favorite toppings too such as sour cream, cilantro or avocado.

Steps For Making Vegetarian Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Step 1: Sauté your onion, jalepeño and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes.

Step 2: Add in your cubed butternut squash. Reduce heat to medium low, stir and cover the pan for about 7-8 minutes stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Add your spinach, cover and stir occasionally an additional 2-3 minutes or until the spinach wilts and the butternut squash is fork tender. Turn off heat.

Step 4: Add your black beans, cumin, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. Let the mixture cool.

Step 5: Add 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese to your cooled mixture. Then spoon into flour tortillas. Dollop with crumbled Chèvre.

Step 6: Roll into enchiladas in a 9” x 13” pan.

Step 7: Cover the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350° F for 20 min.

Step 8: Remove foil. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes uncovered until cheese is melted and enchiladas are hot through. Garnish with pepitas if desired.

More Recipes:

• One Pan Mexican Chicken And Rice Bake
• Rosemary Chicken Thighs Crockpot Recipe