Vegan Enchiladas with Lentil Filling
Ingredients
- 12 tortillas (22 cm in diameter)
- 7 oz vegan cheese or to taste
Enchilada filling
- 1 cup dry lentils (*see recipe notes)
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (*see recipe notes)
- 1 1/3 cup rolled oats gluten-free if needed (*see recipe notes)
- 3 heaped tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 medium-sized carrot grated
- 1 medium-sized tomato chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 tbsp chia seeds (ground) or flax seeds
- spice mix: 1/2 tbsp onion powder, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1-2 hot chili peppers chopped (or less if you don't like it too spicy)
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp oil to fry the veggies
Enchilada sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp gluten-free flour (or all-purpose flour if not GF)
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- spice mix: 1/2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Rinse lentils thoroughly to remove any dirt and place them in a medium-sized pot. Add broth and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer with a lid on for about 20 minutes or until tender. Then remove the pot from the heat but keep covered for a further 10 minutes.
While the lentils cook, prepare the enchilada sauce: heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add all spices and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook for another minute. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Let simmer until the sauce is thick, approximately 5 minutes.
After preparing the sauce, make the enchilada filling by heating oil in a pan and frying the vegetables (onion, garlic, bell peppers, carrot, tomato, chili peppers). Then mix in the cooked lentils, sunflower seeds, rolled oats, tomato paste, chia seeds, and the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the enchiladas by spooning the filling into each tortilla, rolling them up, and placing them seam-side down in a baking dish.
Pour the prepared enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and sprinkle with vegan cheese.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
