Thanks to McCormick taco seasoning, you can whip up these healthy, from scratch Gluten Free Smokey Vegetarian Enchiladas in no time. Limited ingredients with unlimited flavor!
So just after posting a recipe for making taco meat with my own seasoning blend, I decide to make enchiladas with NO meat using pre-made taco seasoning. Hmmm…seems a little backwards to me. Oh well, let’s do this thing!
Sometimes the best things in life are done backwards. Prime example: eating dessert before dinner. The few times in my life where I have actually done that were pretty epic and memorable.
I will admit, though, that most things done backwards are total and utter failures. Me and backwards just don’t quite jive. I like order, clarity, and structure; all of which are achieved by following proper steps with your eyes focused forward.
Just ask my dad. He will agree, especially after watching me back our family fan into the side of the house at 16. Backwards is just not my thing.
Or ask Ben. He will also agree. He watched me back our Ford Escape right into the front of his car in our own driveway. Again, backwards is just not my thing.
But using taco seasoning to shortcut a meal with absolutely no taco meat…that’s my thing! They’re called Gluten Free Smokey Vegetarian Enchiladas and they are fresh, bold, and prepared in one pan.
That’s my kind of backwards!
These vegetarian enchiladas are filled with a mixture of boldly seasoned and sauteed onions, jalapenos, and bell peppers. Then they’re mixed with green chilis, diced tomatoes, black beans, and corn. So basically, there’s not even any room for meat in there. You won’t even know it’s gone.
I seasoned both the filling and the sauce for the enchiladas with McCormick brand taco seasoning because it’s certified gluten free and tastes great. Most other taco seasonings are naturally gluten free as well, but may be produced in a facility that processes wheat, meaning that traces of gluten may be present. Using the name brand seasoning ensures that there are no gluten mishaps, and that makes me happy.
Speaking of the sauce; it’s a cinch to whip up. The enchilada sauce is just a simple mixture of tomato sauce, seasoning, brown sugar, lime, and liquid smoke. The dark brown sugar and liquid smoke give these enchiladas their deep, smokey flavor that is so darn delicious.
After making the filling, you just remove it from your cast iron pan and pour the sauce ingredients right in. Then fill your softened tortillas with some filling, roll them in the sauce and repeat until the pan is filled. Top those babies off with some shredded cheese and olives, and your enchiladas are on their way to melty goodness in the oven.
Once those enchiladas have basked under that oven sun for about 20-25 minutes, you’re ready to scoop up and eat up. You can serve these with some sour cream and diced avocados or guacamole for some added creaminess and coolness to the meal. Or just eat them straight out of the pan.
Wait, no. Don’t do that. You’ll burn your face off. Not because they’re spicy. But literally, that cast iron skillet will burn your face off. Especially if your name is Ben and after 35 years you still don’t realize that pans coming right out of the oven are HOT. So there’s your fair warning right there.
Other than avoiding third degree burns, I’m pretty positive you will enjoy these one pan vegetarian enchiladas. Because, let’s face it, who doesn’t love fresh and easy???
Besides tacos, what do you use taco seasoning for?
- For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 1 large or 2 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 bell pepper (any color), seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- salt for seasoning
- pepper for seasoning
- 1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz.)
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ can diced green chilis
- 1 tablespoon McCormick taco seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- For Sauce:
- 1 large can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
- 2½ tablespoons McCormick taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- For Enchiladas:
- 10 white or yellow corn tortillas
- 1½ cups shredded Mexican/fiesta blend cheese
- ¼ cup sliced olives
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare veggies by chopping onion, jalapenos, and bell pepper. Mince the garlic. In a large cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once skillet is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles, add onion, jalapeno, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, for 8-10 minutes or until onions are beginning to caramelize. Add garlic and add a few shakes of salt and pepper to season. Stir and cook 1 minute more.
- Add diced tomatoes, black beans, green chilis, taco seasoning, lime juice, and brown sugar. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced. Stir in corn. Transfer mixture into a separate bowl and set aside.
- In same skillet, combine ingredients for the sauce. Stir to combine.
- Wrap stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 45 seconds to soften tortillas. Add about 2 tablespoon shredded cheese and ¼ cup of filling to tortillas, one by one, and dip the tops (side with no seam) in the sauce, and place them seam side down in the pan. Repeat for remaining tortillas, arranging them close together in pan to fit all 10 tortillas. Use a spoon to scoop more sauce from the pan on top of tortillas if needed.
- Sprinkle tops of tortillas with cheese and sliced olives. Bake in cast iron skillet at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately.
Woah! These enchiladas look absolutely divine. My husband is a big time carnivore. . .so nearly every meal we eat has some sort of meat associated with it. . .but I thinking he might make an exception for these beauties.
Aw, thanks Lynn! I know what you mean. My hubby acts so deprived if there’s no meat on the table. But sometimes I can trick him with meals like this!