Enchilada Bake

This layered vegetarian enchilada bake skips the fussy rolling and stuffing. Instead, you build it lasagna-style: flour tortillas, a chunky bean and vegetable sauce simmered with red wine, and a cool ricotta-yogurt mixture that melts into creamy pockets throughout.

The sauce does the real work. Sautéed onion, garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper get simmered with beans, canned tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin for a full 30 minutes. That slow simmer concentrates the flavors and thickens everything into a sauce that actually clings to the tortilla layers instead of making them soggy. The red wine adds a subtle depth you won’t quite be able to place, but you’d miss it if it weren’t there.

Mixing ricotta with yogurt instead of using sour cream alone gives you a lighter, tangier layer that cuts through the earthy beans and spices. It stays creamy after baking rather than breaking or getting oily the way some cheeses do.

Pro Tips

• Let the sauce cool for 5 minutes before layering. Hot sauce poured directly onto tortillas starts breaking them down before the casserole even hits the oven.
• End with sauce on top, then the ricotta-yogurt mixture and olives. This protects the tortilla layers from drying out and gives you a bubbly, golden top.
• Cut the tortillas into halves or quarters so they fit the casserole dish without too much overlap. Stacked layers of full-size tortillas can get gummy in the center.

Variations

• Black bean and corn: Use black beans and stir in frozen corn kernels for a Southwestern spin with more color and sweetness.
• Spicy chipotle: Add a minced chipotle pepper in adobo to the sauce for a smoky, lingering heat.