In this easy vegan enchiladas stuffed shells recipe, enchilada sauce is brought to the next level. Combining classic Mexican spices, a mild sauce with melty vegan cheese all packed into jumbo pasta shells. This hearty and comforting classic with a twist is a family favorite!
Oh look! We have some baby enchiladas! Move over corn and flour tortillas and say hello to jumbo pasta shells! These vegan enchiladas stuffed shells are going to be your new favorite way to enjoy enchiladas.
Seriously, if you are looking for an awesome alternative to the classic enchiladas – this is the recipe you want to make. This recipe is so delicious and flexible.
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Vegan Enchiladas Stuffed Shells Ingredients
Below are notes about the ingredients before we get into the full recipe on how to make easy vegan enchiladas stuffed shells:
- Vegan Beefless Crumbles – One of our favorite beefless crumbles are Gardein. We like these because they not only taste great, but they also are able to be cooked from frozen which is important for people like us who forget to thaw things. See Substitutions and Variations for other ideas to swap out.
- Onion – Sweet/White and/or yellow onions work best for this enchiladas filling. Then I always like to add in a can of diced green chiles too for extra flavor.
- Diced green chiles – these chilies are added to help boost the flavor of the vegan enchiladas filling but this also add a bit more kick on the spicy side! Use mild for less spice or hot for more spicy
- Liquid smoke – if your looking to give your crumbles a bit more of a “meaty” flavor, a few drops of liquid smoke goes a long way.
- Cumin, Chili & Garlic powder – When it comes to classic Mexican flavors these 3 spices are where it’s at. Feel free to adjust each to get more of that taste you enjoy.
- Jumbo Pasta Shells – The biggest tip we like to give with jumbo pasta shells is to immediately dump them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. This also helps when your handling them for stuffing and over cooked shells are just not that great lol.
- Vegan Cheese – First of all, always test a vegan cheese before adding it into any dish! Choose a vegan cheese you absolutely love for this recipe. Our family likes Violife or Daiya Cutting Board Blend. If you are new to vegan cheese or just want to hear more options on what cheese are out there, Check out our vegan shredded cheese taste test video . For this recipe we usually use the Mexican blend or make our own blend with this one and this one.
- Enchilada Sauce – This is another ingredient you want to make sure you enjoy prior to making this delicious recipe. You can use our homemade vegan enchilada sauce or store bought if you need it to go faster.
Substitutes and Variations
This vegan enchiladas stuffed shells recipe is really flexible. Below we go over what you can do to help meet your allergen and taste bud needs!
- Try swapping the vegan beefless crumbles – in todays market there is so many different crumbles to help with allergen needs. You can even use TVP as a sub. But if you want something less processed, using tofu, lentils, black beans, mushrooms or even jackfruit for a “chicken” version is a possibility!
- Try swapping the Jumbo Pasta Shells – if you gluten sensitive we realize this may not be the easiest to find in a lot of local stores. We haven’t tested these yet but here is a link to one we found at amazon . Alternatively, you could mix other gluten free or traditional pasta into the sauce instead.
- Try our vegan nacho cheese or no vegan cheese – we know how hard it is to come by a vegan cheese you love. It took us a while to come across something we enjoy. Our suggestion would be to try these without cheese as they are still really good or use our vegan nacho cheese as a substitute. As it has all natural ingredients and is super delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I make these Top 8 Allergen Free Vegan Enchiladas Stuffed Shells?
Yes! You can make it for any and every top 8 allergen need!
The ingredients in this recipe that are allergens are the pasta shells, crumbles, and vegan cheese.
For the pasta, you can simply sub a gluten free version.
The meatless crumbles in the filling, can be subbed with beans, tofu, mushrooms, jackfruit, roasted cauliflower or other veggies.
And finely you can use a vegan shredded cheese that is suitable to your needs.
You can create the perfect vegan enchiladas stuffed shells for everybody.
Can I freeze unbaked vegan stuff shells?
Yes. These can be frozen up to 3 months in advance. Before freezing just follow the recipe up to where you assemble them before baking. Cover them tightly with plastic wrap and foil. It’s a good idea to label the foil with the date 3 months from when you made them and the oven instructions.
Can I prep these vegan enchiladas stuff shells ahead?
Yes! Make the entire recipe as directed. Let cool and then cover or store in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Reheat as need by warming for 45-60 seconds and then in 15 second increments until desired temperature.
Other Recipes to Try:
Need some side dish ideas to pair with your Vegan Enchiladas? Try Chips with dip like our Vegan Nacho Cheese or Vegan Guacamole
Really love Enchiladas? Try our Vegan Jackfruit and Black bean Enchiladas
Pin these vegan enchiladas stuff shells for later!
Vegan Enchiladas Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo pasta shells
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups red enchilada sauce (click link for our homemade recipe)
- 4 oz can green chiles, drained
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 14oz bag frozen meatless crumbles
- 2 cups shredded vegan cheese, divided (more on top if desired)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Cook jumbo shells pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. (Don't skip the rinsing)
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in enchilada sauce, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring sauce to a boil, then turn off heat.
- Inside of a large casserole dish that has a cover (or you can use foil), spoon a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a large casserole dish.
- Remove 1/2 cup of the sauce and set aside. Into the remaining sauce, add liquid smoke and stir.
- Next add frozen crumbles and 1 cup of cheese and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and add crumbles mixture into into shells and place stuffed shells into the casserole dish side by side.
- When complete spread the remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle with remaining cheese
- Cover and bake for 25 minutes.
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Omg! I can’t wait to make this one I love anything pasta! Thanks for the recipe
Hope you enjoy it!