Vegan Black Bean Casserole (Printable)

A satisfying plant-based casserole featuring black beans, vegetables, and creamy avocado topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Casserole Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
06 - 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
07 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - Salt and black pepper to taste
13 - 2 cups vegan enchilada sauce
14 - 12 small corn tortillas

→ Avocado Crema

15 - 2 ripe avocados
16 - 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
17 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
18 - 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut or soy yogurt
19 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 - 2 to 3 tablespoons water

→ Optional Toppings

21 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
22 - Sliced jalapeños
23 - Diced tomatoes
24 - Lime wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
03 - Add corn kernels, black beans, cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir thoroughly and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to combine flavors. Remove from heat.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly as needed.
05 - Spread half of the black bean and vegetable mixture evenly over the tortillas. Drizzle with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
06 - Layer 4 more tortillas over the sauce. Spread remaining black bean mixture on top and drizzle with 1/2 cup enchilada sauce.
07 - Arrange final 4 tortillas on top and pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the entire casserole.
08 - Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes in preheated oven.
09 - Remove foil and bake uncovered for additional 10 minutes until casserole is heated through and sauce is bubbling at edges.
10 - While casserole bakes, combine avocados, cilantro, lime juice, non-dairy yogurt, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding water in 1-tablespoon increments to achieve desired consistency.
11 - Allow casserole to cool for 5 minutes. Cut into portions and serve topped with avocado crema and desired garnishes.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's one of those rare casseroles that tastes indulgent without making you feel like you've derailed your whole week.
  • The avocado crema is so good you'll find yourself eating it straight from the blender with a spoon.
  • Builds in layers so you can prep most of it ahead and just bake when hunger strikes.
02 -
  • Drain and rinse your canned beans thoroughly or the casserole becomes starchy and gluey instead of tender and layered.
  • Don't skip resting the casserole at the end—I learned this the hard way by plating it immediately and having it fall apart despite being perfectly cooked.
  • Make your avocado crema right before serving because it browns quickly once exposed to air, and brown guacamole loses its appeal even if it still tastes fine.
03 -
  • Toast your spices gently in the warm oil for thirty seconds before adding vegetables—this releases their essential oils and makes the whole dish taste more intentional.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave long strips of zucchini instead of dicing if you want it to distribute more subtly throughout the casserole.
  • Buy your enchilada sauce in bulk and freeze it in ice cube trays so you always have the right amount on hand for spontaneous casserole nights.
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