Published: Sep 23, 2021 · Modified: May 23, 2022 by kaydimaggio

Whole Food Plant-Based Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

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These Whole Food Plant-Based Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce are out of this world delicious! Full of healthy and good for you fall vegetables, this easy to make simple recipe is the perfect addition to your Fall menu.

Who doesn't love Fall? I know it is my favorite season! I love all the colors and flavors, all the fresh spicy scents. Most of all I love the changing of the trees and the crisp morning freshness that the air brings. Here in California, Fall means hopefully the end of fire season for us so we are on our way to cleaner air and better air quality.

These Whole Food Plant-Based Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce are everything that you wish for in a Fall dish. They have the butternut squash, the black beans, the savory spices, all covered in a creamy and smooth pumpkin enchilada sauce. Before you run away at the thought of pumpkin in enchilada sauce, stay with me a moment.

These enchiladas are a dream. Pumpkins originated in Central America and the pumpkin is an ancient staple food. The oldest pumpkin seed found dates back as far as 7000 BC, according to archeologists excavating a tomb in central Mexico. The Aztecs used pumpkin throughout the year and prized it, especially for its seeds, as did other Mesoamerican indigenous groups, including the Maya, who used the seeds and their oil in sauces and baked whole pumpkins in pit ovens called pibs. So before you run away, remember that we are just going back to roots with this dish.

Check out some other delicious Fall recipes such as my Everyday Vegan Crockpot Chili or my Vegan Chili Mac!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Substitutions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
Top tip
Whole Food Plant-Based Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce
Food safety

Ingredients

The ingredients in this recipe are easy to find and incredibly healthy and when combined, help to make a delicious and easy dish.

Tortillas, butternut squash, red onion, squash, red and green bell pepper, zucchini, pumpkin, black beans, diced green chilis, sour cream, spices. — Whole Food Plant-Based Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce Ingredients

Tortillas
Butternut squash
Red onion
Yellow Squash
Red Bell Pepper
Green bell pepper
Zucchini
Organic Pumpkin puree
Black beans
Diced green chilis
Sour cream
Cumin
Chili Powder
Smoked Paprika
Cayenne
Garlic Powder

Please see the recipe card for quantities

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine all the spices in a small bowl, mix and set aside. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Dice the bell peppers, onion, butternut squash, yellow squash, and zucchini.

In a large pan over medium heat, saute the butternut squash, bell pepper, and onion until tender, about 5 minutes.

Vegan Black Bean Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce

When the onion, squash, and bell peppers are tender, add in the beans, yellow squash, zucchini, diced green chilis, and half the spices. Cook for another 5 minutes until everything is combined. Take off the heat and set aside.

In a blender or food processor, combine the organic pumpkin puree, sour cream, and the remaining spices and blend until smooth.

Pour half of the sauce mixture into your pan.

Taking a tortilla, spoon ¼ cup of the vegetable mixture in the center of the tortilla. Gently, roll the tortilla lengthwise and place it in the greased pan.

Once all the tortillas have been rolled, pour the remaining pumpkin sauce over top and bake for 25 minutes.

Hint: To make this recipe super easy, buy pre-cut butternut squash at the grocery store. It might cost a little more than buying a whole squash but it will save you a ton of time in peeling, cutting, and dicing.

Substitutions

Can these enchiladas be made keto?

Sure! To make these enchiladas keto-friendly, just use a low-carb tortilla such as these Mission Carb Balance Soft Taco Flour Tortillas. Additionally, swap out the black beans and replace them with either vegan beef crumbles or seasoned tofu. Soyrizo would be delicious in this recipe!

Are these enchiladas Whole 30?

These enchiladas are not Whole 30 but can easily be made to be! Use grain-free tortillas such as these Cassava and Coconut Tortillas. Additionally, sub coconut cream for the dairy-free sour cream in the pumpkin sauce. In place of beans, fill with shredded chicken.

Can these enchiladas be made Gluten-Free?

Yes! These enchiladas are so easy to make gluten-free! Just swap out the flour tortillas for your favorite grain-free or gluten-free brand.

Variations

Spicy - If you want to make this recipe spicy, try adding some jalapeños to the filling and double the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce.
Deluxe - Served topped with fresh pico de gallo or guacamole!
Swap veggies or beans- This recipe uses black beans but feel free to use any beans that you want such as white beans or pinto beans. Also if you don't have all the veggies on hand, work with what you got! If you don't have butternut squash, swap it for sweet potato! The variations are endless!

Check out this other delicious Fall recipe here!

Equipment

Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. This is the blender I use for the pumpkin sauce and here is a great baking dish that is similar to the one that I use!

Storage

Store the enchiladas in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To freeze this recipe, follow the steps up until it is time to bake and then wrap the enchiladas in plastic wrap and tin foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Top tip

Invest and buy the pre-cut butternut squash. It will save you so much time and will get dinner on the table so much quicker!