Chili Enchiladas

These vegan chili enchiladas use frozen-then-thawed tofu as the meat stand-in, the freezing step transforms tofu’s smooth texture into something chewy and porous that grabs marinade like a sponge. Squeeze it dry, tear it into rough pieces, and you get something close to ground beef in crumble.

The marinade is the smart move: soy sauce, peanut butter, tomato sauce, onion powder, and chili powder. The peanut butter adds richness and umami that pure soy can’t deliver alone, the tomato gives the right red color, and the chili powder seasons from the inside out. Pan-browning before rolling locks the flavors in.

The enchilada sauce builds from scratch with a 30-minute simmer that develops depth, then a cornstarch slurry pulls it from thin to glossy and clingy.

Pro Tips

• Freeze the tofu the night before, then thaw on the counter or in the fridge. Fresh tofu won’t deliver the chewy texture that makes this work.
• Squeeze the thawed tofu HARD between paper towels or in a clean dish towel. Wet tofu won’t absorb the marinade and steams instead of browning.
• Warm the corn tortillas briefly before rolling, either in a dry skillet or wrapped in damp paper towels in the microwave for 30 seconds. Cold tortillas crack when you fold them.
• Pour sauce on the bottom of the pan first, then on top of the rolled enchiladas. This stops the bottoms from drying out during the bake.

Variations

• Add a layer of shredded vegan cheese or pepper jack between filling and sauce for extra melt.
• Stir 1 cup of black beans and a handful of corn into the tofu mixture for more texture and color.
• Use flour tortillas if corn aren’t available, but expect a softer final texture.