Learn how to make the most delicious Vegan Creamy Enchilada Lentils using simple wholesome ingredients! This recipe is quick, easy and ready in 30 minutes.
VEGAN CREAMY ENCHILADA LENTILS
I created this recipe for dinner one evening when I needed to use up some ingredients. It turned out really delicious, super fast and easy to make and nutritious. It is a great, quick plant-based dinner requiring easy everyday ingredients.
I love simple and wholesome lentil recipes, like these BBQ Chickpea and Lentils over rice.
All you need is 8 main ingredients.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
(full measurements on recipe card below)
- Two 15 ounce cans brown lentils, drained and rinsed
- Enchilada sauce: I would suggest my homemade recipe, but you can use store-bought if you like. It will change the flavors a bit.
- Plant-based milk: Use soy milk for higher protein or almond milk or light coconut milk for a really creamy version. I used almond milk,
- Red wine vinegar
- Tahini
- Pure maple syrup
- Regular paprika and smoked paprika
- Fresh kale and spinach blend
MORE LENTIL RECIPES
Vegan Creamy Enchilada Lentils
Learn how to make the most delicious Vegan Creamy Enchilada Lentils using simple wholesome ingredients! This recipe is quick, easy and ready in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 large tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) homemade enchilada sauce (make this first)
- 1/2 cup (120g) plant-based milk (soy for high-protein, lite coconut for extra creamy or almond for regular-I used almond)
- 1/2 tablespoon (8g) red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (20g) pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon (16g) tahini
- 1 teaspoon regular paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- two 15 ounce cans lentils, drained and rinsed
- 2 large handfuls (75g) fresh kale/spinach blend, roughly chopped
- grain of choice like rice or quinoa
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Add the garlic to a large nonstick pan over medium heat with a few tablespoons of water. Cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the enchilada sauce, milk, vinegar, syrup, tahini, paprika, smoked paprika, and salt and whisk well. Cook for a few minutes until it starts to thicken some.
- Add the lentils and cook until it thickens to your desired consistency. But don't overcook it, as you want to enjoy that saucy goodness over some grains.
- Stir in the spinach until wilted and serve immediately with rice or grains of choice. Taste and add any more salt, if needed. I like to stir in some more enchilada sauce right at the end.
Notes
Nutrition with 3/4 cup rice (for each serving) will be 18 g protein per serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the recipeCalories: 315kcalProtein: 15g
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8brandi on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Delicious! I used siete brand enchilada sauce and served it over white rice, so good!
So glad it was a hit, yay, thank you Jessie!
I made this recipe tonight after seeing it on Facebook this morning. It was fairly easy to put together, and we had it over brown rice. This was as delicious as it looks! The sweetness of the maple syrup was subtle but added a great flavor. Easy, delicious, and a definite keeper! Thanks Brandi!
Just made this and it’s delicious. Can’t wait to have it for dinner tonight.
If I didn’t have vegan sour cream in my fridge I wouldn’t have been able to eat this. Way too strongly spiced. Not spicy, but like eating a bowl of chili powder. My gut told me 2 TBS was too much – that’s how much I use for a large batch of chili – but I went for it since Vegan 8 recipes are usually on point. Unfortunately, this one didn’t make the cut for my family. If I make it again I’ll cut the amount of chili powder and cumin by half.
Hi Shelly, the 2 tablespoons is for the batch of enchilada sauce which is made separately and THEN you add only 1 1/4 cups of the enchilada sauce to this entire meal. It sounds like you maybe added 2 tablespoons of chili powder to this lentil dish?? If so, that would explain why yours was overpowering because I can assure you this recipe when made as written is not overpowering at all in chili powder or cumin. Others have made it below using my enchilada sauce and loved it, so I think maybe that’s what went wrong here??
How would you eat this? As taco in a shell?
I just like it served with rice for a complete protein meal! You could add to a taco shell although it might be a bit messy, haha!
This was so good! Loved the homemade Enchilada sauce – muah!
We had this for dinner last night it was absolutely delicious! I used your enchilada sauce in the recipe as well.
I throw in a tin of black beans as well because I am trying to eat more beans and legumes, such a quick, easy and tasty meal. Next time I will leave out the maple syrup in the sauce and the lentil dish as I found it a bit sweet for my taste, our tomato sauce must have a bit of sugar in it. Thank you for your brilliant recipes!
This is so wonderful to hear Heather, thank you so much for sharing!
This recipe was delicious! I used regular lentils because I didn’t have canned. The enchilada sauce was 👌🏻! We were eating that with a spoon. That will be in a regular rotation.
SO thrilled you loved it Marie, thank you!!
This recipe ROCKED!!! Super tasty, and even making your homemade enchilada sauce, it was totally doable for a weeknight dinner. THANK YOU!!! I didn’t have the rice flour, so I used corn flour — the recipe didn’t seem to miss a beat.
Aww yay Heather! I am so happy to hear how much you loved this, thank you for the awesome review!!
This was so easy and tasted so delicious! Super smooth and creamy – a nice change from regular sauces!
Yay, so so happy to hear this Jean!!
What are your suggestions for making this with dry lentils instead of canned? It looks delish!!
Hi Allyson! I would just cook the lentils separately first, drain any excess water and use them in the recipe. Because the ratio of liquids are listed based on already cooked lentils, so it would totally change the recipe if you don’t cook them first.
How many cups of lentils when using dry. What amt of cooked lentils equals 2 cans?
Thanks!
Hi Susan, you will need 3 cups of cooked/drained lentils.