This hearty casserole is easier to make than enchiladas since you don’t need to roll tortillas or make a separate sauce. Corn tortillas are added in with the beans and vegetables to thicken the casserole; a dish that everyone at the table will enjoy!
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (4 to 5 medium cloves)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces; about 1½ cups), undrained
- 1 can cooked black beans (15 ounces; about 1½ cups), drained and rinsed
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 5 cups coarsely chopped greens (kale, collards, or Swiss chard)
- 3 to 4 six-inch corn tortillas, cut into ½-inch squares
- 1 to 2 six-inch corn tortillas, cut into small rectangular "chips"
- Chopped cilantro and/or avocado for garnish (optional)
- Heat 1 tablespoon of water in a large frying pan or soup pot over medium-high heat. When the water starts to sputter, add the onion and bell pepper, and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and add the garlic, chili powder, and oregano, and cook for 2 minutes more, adding a little water as needed.
- Stir in the tomatoes, beans, zucchini, corn, greens, and the 3 to 4 cut-up corn tortillas, then cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Set aside a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
- Place about 1 cup of the cooked vegetables into a blender and blend briefly (add a little water if the mixture is too thick to blend). Stir this back into the cooked vegetables.
- Spoon the mixture evenly into the casserole dish and scatter the remaining 1 to 2 cut-up corn tortillas on the top. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
No corn? You may also leave the corn and tortillas out of this dish if you have chosen to avoid corn altogether; the casserole won't be as thick, but it will still be filling and have great flavor.
No baking? The baking helps firm up the casserole, but you may also forego the baking step and just eat the vegetable-bean-tortilla mixture as a stew.
Above: Left, before baking and right, after baking. The tortilla pieces on top curl during baking, creating little corn chips.
Above: When you shop for corn tortillas, look for an ingredient list with very few items, like the two above. Also look for “organic corn” (see Notes above). These do not contain preservatives and so will likely be found in the refrigerated section of the store.
Above: Avoid corn tortillas with long ingredient lists, which often include ingredients to soften the texture and enhance the color. Corn tortillas may also contain wheat, salt and oil, so always read the labels on packaged foods before you buy.
This dish makes great leftovers, and is also a delicious and filling on-the-go meal, hot or cold.
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please share a comment below or on my Facebook page. If you’d like to print this recipe, use the green “Print” button near the top-right of the recipe. Learn more about the Straight Up Food Cookbook here. Thank you!
I’ve made this one several times from the McDougall newslettter using Food For Life brand corn tortillas and kale instead of chard. It’s fabulous!! 🙂
Cathy,
I’ve made several different variations of this recipe and it never disappoints! I really like the detailed and important information you include on your site. It’s been really helpful on my own plant-based journey. Thanks!
Lauren at Edible Musings
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!
This is great! The zucchini is a really nice addition. Very filling. Thank you.
Thank you for this recipe, I have recently made this and it came out great! I have been suggesting my friends your blog. I am gonna make more recipes from your blog
Delicious. I made it last night.
Love your new profile photo! This recipe looks amazing!
Thank you! 😉
Have a family that loathes zucchini. What can I use as a substitute?
You can leave it out or add any other veggie you like (mushrooms, steamed squash or potatoes). 🙂
Thank you, Cathy for this recipe and all your recipes! I enjoy your way of cooking very much. I made this recipe tonight. I had most of the ingredients but not all. I didn’t have chard or zucchini in the house today. I added a little spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms and peas because I had them in the house and it was very yummy! Thank you! This will definitely be one of my “go-to” recipes as many of yours are for me! I appreciate you! Thank you!
Thank you Kathleen! 🙂 Love those substitutions!
It was amazing- very yummy!!! Thank you:)
I made this the other day and was very happy with the result! I added a jalapeno and lots of cumin for extra flavor. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you, I have the Starch Solution book; so many wonderful receipes are in there, so happy with my results of eatning this way, lost 25 pounds. This is a good receipe I have made burgers etc by adding extra oatmeal for extra flavor relish to taste n bread crumbs, even dried it out by accident in microwave n mixed with rice looked like (hamburger n rice). Taste delicious. So excited Im now selling this book in my shop Mel’s Show Case, Bermuda. I’m telling everyone I meet, no more pills lest bills n saved so much money. Praise God. May God continue to bless Dr John Mcdougal his wife n team.
Just a note that 8 X 11 could not be a square dish! 🙂 I’m looking forward to trying this. Thank you!
Good catch! 🙂 I just made this in a 9×13 dish and it worked just fine, so I changed it to that since it’s a more common size. Thanks!
Wow! I spooned some over my baked potato and froze a few large slices for lunches. I heart casseroles! This one is so good.
I just realized that the sauce from this recipe can be spooned over baked corn chips for “nachos.” Top with some sliced olives and jalapenos. Great versatile recipe – thank you!
What a yummy recipe! I didn’t have corn tortillas, so I added cooked brown rice instead and topped with tortilla chip pieces. The flavor is hearty without being overpowering. Great dish!
This was delicious; thanks for another great recipe! Next time I will also add in mushrooms, because my family loves them. 🙂
I found this recipe through the Forks Over Knives app. I made it today for lunch and it was so great! I know a plant-based recipe is a keeper when my meat-eating boyfriend wants a second helping. I love how versatile this recipe is! I added a tsp of cumin, as well as a little salt to mine, and topped each serving with fresh cilantro and guacamole. Next time I’ll add sliced mushrooms to really “beef” it up! 🙂 Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Thanks Keri! 🙂
Thank for this recipe!
I enjoyed it last night fresh and hot out of the oven. Today I ate it cold for lunch, and it was still very delicious!
I drive for a living, so it is really great to have something as good and portable (and healthy) as this. This is one of those things that actually taste just as good, if not better, on the second day. Better than any fast-food place on the road!
Sincerely,
Lynn
Thanks Lynn! 🙂 I find that most things taste better the 2nd day, after all the flavors have settled in together. Happy driving!
trader joes has inexpensive corn tortillas. gmo free
Would this be something I could put together and hold in the refrigerator until the evening to bake?
Sure! 🙂
I can’t seem to find any brands without salt..which brands, besides Margarita’s (not sold in my area, or online) do you use, and where can they be purchased?
Tortillas seem to be a regional thing, so brands vary a lot. Look in the cold section for the best quality, and if you can’t find no salt, get the one with the lowest. People do make their own as well. 🙂
Do you think it would be possible to half the recipe and have it come out. There is only one of me the rest of the house is non veg. I don’t like to make things that I will need to eat 6 times.
Sure, very easy. You could use an 8×8-inch dish instead. 🙂
I made this dish yesterday for a church potluck lunch. I was excited to have something filling for lunch and excellent waiting for me. Even cold, it was good. I really like the sauce I made in the blender. That really made the dish! Do you have better suggestions for that type of event? In a week, I’ll be attending small group. That’s a bible study with church friends. We’re encouraged to bring good food to share. Any ideas? I already know if I use your recipes it’s going to be good!
Hi Aliena, I would suggest the creamy coleslaw, curried potato salad, black bean and yam salad, 4-bean salad, or Tu-No salad. Salads are great because they are meant to be cold. 🙂 Everyone will love any of these.
made this the other day love it have some left over to try today for lunch usually better the next day. I used a hand blender and blended it a bit ( as i am a man dishes mean a lot to me) worked well Ha!
Yay! Thanks David! 😉
My daughter is a vegetarian and my son in law is allergic to beans. What do you think would be a good substitute?
You could use some green peas or tofu instead of the beans, or just add more of the other ingredients. 🙂
This was really good….Thanks! I made some changes. I only used 1 cup of onions 2 cups seems like too much. Added some heat by reducing the chili powder to 2 tsp and adding 1 tsp chipotle chili powder. Also added 1 tablespoon jalapeno pepper, minced and cooked it with the onions. Used 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice instead of zucchini and did not blend just added it to the skillet after the 1 cup blending of the mixture was added. Did not add the chard leaves nor did I bother with the corn tortillas. I figured with the added rice that was enough carbs/starches for my me.
I love this dish and so does my picky picky husband who hardly likes any veggies, including the ones in this recipe! The flavor and heartiness have him asking for more. Also, Trader Joe’s has corn tortillas made from corn and limes – and that’s it! 99c a pack, and they make great chips too!
can it be frozen to serve over holidays – if so, freeze before or after baking??
I wouldn’t freeze it since it has tortillas in it; I don’t think those would do well; although you could do a test one (or half) before the holiday feast to see how it does.
Cathy, thank you so much for this recipe. Our omnivore guests LOVED it! (and of course we do too). Happy Holidays!
I made this for a ladies night pot-luck last night for my non-veg friends. It was a hit! I’ve only just learned about your site and looking forward to making more recipes. Everything looks Amazing!
Incredible casserole!! It was so tasty. Thank you for the recipe. Do you think I could add pab
Thanks Maria! 🙂 What was the end of your sentence??
Cathy, this is one of the first recipes I made when starting my vegan journey. It’s always good, adaptable to changes, and carnivores love it too!
Question: Have you ever mixed in, or topped it with, nutritional yeast? I love the stuff, but since it took a while before I liked it, I wonder how the average carnivore would react. Any thoughts?
I don’t use nutritional yeast, but if you like it, feel free to add it. Mixed in would probably be better for newbies.
Thanks Cathy. Good idea to mix in!
This casserole taste just like enchiladas, which is a pleasure I thought I would never have again after adopting a plant-based diet. I chopped up all the leaves of a cilantro bunch and added them to the greens. The only unsuccessful part was the strips of corn tortillas on the top. They looked just like the picture but they were so tough they were almost impossible to chew. I wonder if that had to do with the exact brand of corn tortillas I used; also, I might have left the casserole in the oven a little too long. Next time I make this, which will be very soon, I will try pulverizing two tortillas in the blender and then sprinkling the tortilla crumbs on top. Thank you, Cathy, I love your palate.
I love this one too! Yes, I think different tortillas will give diff results. Try a different kind next time. If they’re tough instead of crispy, they may just need more cooking time.
The flavor and texture were excellent! I used all six tortillas and had fun using scissors to cut them into strips and then in chips. I like the suggestion to add mushrooms. That would make it a little more substantial. If you’re in Texas, I recommend El Milagro corn tortillas from San Marcos, Tx available at HEB/Central Market. The ingredients are Stone Ground Non GMO Corn, Water and Lime (Calcium Hydroxide).
Thanks Leah! 😉
I made this recipe tonight and it was very tasty and full of flavor. I will add some chopped mushrooms next time and finely chop the kale.