So, my original plan was to post waffles today because, if you have been keeping up with me on Instagram, you will see I’ve been making a ton of waffles. I have both a Chai Waffle recipe and a Chocolate Waffle recipe. However, I realized that several of my posts lately have all been sweet…um, oops….and due to the excitement over this recipe I shared on this Facebook post, I knew I needed to publish this one first. But don’t you worry, those Chai waffles are next. I’ve received countless waffle recipe requests since so many prefer them over pancakes. So, hold tight. 😉
This Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake was another spur-of-the-moment dinner idea that turned out incredible. Incredible. It’s truly hard to believe that this whole dish, with as delicious as it is, is only 8 ingredients (+salt and water). My daughter absolutely looovvved it. In fact, I’ve made it 3 times since I shared the teaser pic on Facebook. So many of you have been messaging asking when it is getting posted and yay, today is the day! Let me just say, it takes awhile to film a video with all the layers and prepare everything for the post, so that is why it took me several days to get it together.
We polished off this Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake in no time. Also, it’s SO easy to make. Another exciting thing? The Mexican Vegan Cheesy Sauce is made with no nutritional yeast! So many people hate nutritional yeast or are allergic, as well as many months ago I discovered it was a trigger for gout pain in my husband. Ever since then, I’ve been remaking recipes subbing out the nutritional yeast. For this recipe, I went to my #1 cheese sauce on the blog that soooo many of you say it has changed your life, the Mexican Cheese Sauce. BUT, that recipe uses a good amount of nutritional yeast. So, I had to think how to mimic that cheesy flavor without it.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I did it, lol. The shocking part is that I love this one better. It tastes even cheesier.
VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE IN 10 MINUTES
You don’t need to cook any veggies or do a million steps to make a homemade cheese sauce. This is SO easy to make and I swear, has the most real cheesy taste that I’ve tried yet to date and I’ve tried a lot of recipes. It’s simple, fast and delicious.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, I don’t like long recipes with a lot of ingredients. It just flat out stresses me out and this recipe is so incredibly delicious and the fact it’s ready in under an hour and just 8 basic ingredients is kind of crazy.
To remake my original cheese sauce without the nutritional yeast, I used a good amount of dairy-free soy (or coconut) yogurt. It provided an amazing tang, wonderful body and texture and honestly, tasted better to me than with the nutritional yeast. That combined with all the natural vinegar in the salsa, makes for one delicious cheesy bite.
I don’t give two hoots if it is “real cheese” or not…when something tastes good, it tastes good. Period. No matter what. And unlike dairy cheese, this one isn’t full of cholesterol.
It will be going on nachos next! Mmmmmmm.
All you need to make this recipe is 8 simple ingredients (+the usual salt and water):
- Cashews or White beans
- Salsa
- Dairy-free Yogurt
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
- Black Beans
- Corn
- Corn Tortillas
I hope you all love this Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake as much as I do. Please watch the video tutorial below, as it really makes the process easier to understand when seeing the visual.
MORE VEGAN DINNER RECIPES
- Vegan Stuffed Ricotta Shells
- Barbecue Lentil Loaf
- Oil-free Zucchini Fritters
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Vegan 20 Minute Alfredo
- Vegan Chickpea Tomato Ragu
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Cheesy Mexican Tortilla Bake
Ingredients
FOR THE CHEESE (Makes 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup (150g) raw unsalted cashews (See NOTES below for subs and lower-fat option)
- 1 cup (240g) mild heat runny/not too chunky salsa (I love Trader Joe's or Sprouts Mild, you can use a medium heat if you don't mind the dish being on the spicy side, not recommended with kids)
- 3/4 cup (180g) PLAIN dairy-free yogurt (I used Silk Soy yogurt found at Kroger OR SO Delicious "Unsweetened" Plain coconut yogurt)
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (75g) water
- 1 1/4 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4-1 teaspoon fine salt (this will vary depending on the salsa used. Start with 3/4 and keep in mind the final taste after baked you want to stand out)
FOR THE CASSEROLE
- 9 small corn tortillas, cut into fourths
- Two 15 oz cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup (240g) salsa for middle layer
- 2 cups (293g) sweet corn (I used frozen)
- Optional: Green onions for garnish
NOTE
- The yogurt CANNOT be subbed here for milk, that will RUIN the recipe. The yogurt is thick, creamy and tangy and using a milk will not only make it bland, it will make the rest of the dish watery and soggy. Follow the recipe for the correct results.
Instructions
- First, prepare your cheese sauce by adding all of the ingredients listed under "cheese sauce" to a high-powered blender. I did not soak my cashews since I have a Vitamix, but if you do not have a strong blender, you will need to soak your cashews overnight, drain and rinse. Otherwise, your sauce will be gritty. Taste it and tell me how darn cheesy that tastes! The cheese sauce tastes insanely delicious and cheesy straight out of the blender, but gets even cheesier after it's baked! If you are just wanting to use the cheese sauce for nachos or another recipe, I would add it to the stove and heat it just to thicken it up slightly. It is delicious on nachos!
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly spray a 8 1/2 by 8 1/2 square casserole dish like ceramic or stone with nonstick spray. Layer about a 1/3 of the cheese sauce on the bottom and spread out with a spoon. REFER TO VIDEO for easy visual tutorial. Lay on top of the cheese sauce 6 of the cut tortillas per each row for 3 rows.
- Add 1 can of the beans on top of the tortillas and spread out. Add the other 1 cup of salsa and spread out over the beans. Layer 1 cup of the corn. Layer another 1/3 of the cheese sauce on top of the corn and spread out. You will notice there is only 1 layer of salsa in the middle. This is just to add another layer of flavor and moisture, it definitely didn't need 2 layers of salsa.
- Repeat the steps by adding the remaining tortillas, then the beans, corn and remaining cheese sauce. Cover everything well and top with a piece of foil gently covering the dish. This is so the cheese sauce doesn't bake up and harden too quickly.
- Bake with the foil on for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake another 5-10 minutes until the cheese is getting a nice firm orange-brown look on the edges. I baked it for about 8 minutes without the foil but if you prefer the cheese to be more firm, just bake it a bit longer. Just keep in mind that the longer you bake it, the drier the top cheese layer becomes after it is removed from the oven.
- Garnish with fresh green onions. I loved the crunchy, fresh element of the green onions to the warm cheesy flavor.
- This dish reheats very well also. I just reheat leftovers in the microwave and mmmmmm, delicious.
Notes
If you make this recipe, please do not repost it in full on your site, please link to me instead giving proper credit. I work very hard to create my recipes and share them for free, so please be respectful and link properly. If you are inspired by this recipe, again, please give proper credit and do not simply post it on your site and ask before reprinting any of my recipes.
I just made the cheese sauce to go with our taco night. I have 3 girls. One specifically can’t stand any non-dairy cheese/sauces that I’ve tried. She tried this with tortilla chips and couldn’t stop eating it! One of the others couldn’t believe that it was a vegan sauce. For once, I found something that everyone in the family will eat! Yay!! Delicious recipe! Thank you!
THANK YOU!! This recipe was easy, fast and delicious!! I was super excited to see that you aren’t using nutritional yeast (my family can’t stand the taste). We are transitioning to a plant based diet because of some health issues and it’s not always easy to find things that we all like. Your website is a huge help!
Yay! That thrills me Robin, thank you so much for the amazing review!!
I follow you on Instagram and saw this on your stories- made it tonight- so yummy! I subbed soft tofu for the yogurt and the sauce turned out great! Thanks for sharing!
I finally made this tonight and it did not disappoint! It was super quick to put together and delicious! I did make it in an oblong dish but will need to cook it a little longer as the center was just warm (the edge pieces were hot.) Thank you!
So happy to hear how much you enjoyed it Amy, thank you for the feedback!
Another winner! Easy, cheesy, creamy, filling! Brandi, what would we do without you? You’re the best! Thank you so much for all the effort you put into the recipes and for sharing them with us!
Thank you so much Andrea for this amazing review and for your kind words! I really appreciate it!!
Really, really good! Definitely 5 stars for a vegan recipe! Highly recommend!!!!
I’ve made this recipe many times now, and every time I love it. Sometimes I substitute a mix of kidney beans and pinto beans in place of black beans. I’m fortunate that our Whole Foods in Indianapolis carries two brands of unsweetened plain vegan yogurt. One is made from cashews (Forager Cashewgurt) and the other is made from almonds (kite hill).
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I love that it’s so easy yet so delicious.
Thank you so much Amy for the lovely review! That is great you find cashew yogurt, I need to try that sometime!
Wow, Brandi! I had to come here and leave a comment after making this for dinner last night!
That cheese sauce is incredible! I was licking my vitamix clean along with my 2 year old. 🙂
All 3 kids and husband loved this dinner. Simple, easy and so tasty! Thanks for a great recipe!
I did make mine in a 9 by 13 dish, and it was fine that way too. I didn’t like my smaller pans for it, they are too shallow.
Oh yay Nora, thank you so much for making it! I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you!
Mine wasn’t this pretty, but it was delicious! Thank you for another great recipe. 🙂
So glad you loved it Janis! Thank you!
I think every family member had a clean plate, so this was another winner! (My husband said 8/10, but I think he would only give 10/10 to things involving chocolate…) The tortillas almost totally dissolved in all the creaminess, which made for a neat texture although it provoked some initial protest from a child who had been promised something with tortillas (he soon stopped complaining). It didn’t taste particularly cheesy to me, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good to eat! I’ll try with a different kind of vegan yogurt next time and see if that makes a difference. I think I will also add some green vegetables! Thanks for this and all the other fun recipes that are adding some variety and innovation to our winter meals!
Do you think I could try tofu ricotta in place of the yogurt? I have never tried this recipe or the vegan ricotta before so I am unfirmiliar with the tastes and how they’d mesh, but it’s all I can think of that I have on hand. Also, just discovered your website and Can’t wait to try out these great looking recipes!
Hi Liz! My recipe calls for vegan yogurt, not vegan ricotta, which is very different. I would not use a ricotta. Vegan yogurt can be found at many grocery stores these days, so that is definitely what you want to use so you get the right flavor and texture!
So excited to make this. Got the groceries and couldn’t find plain soy yogurt…anywhere. Called every store in our town, including the heathfood store. Would coconut yogurt make it taste weird?
It’s a little disappointing that there are not more options for those of us who want to eat healthier….😓
Hi Amy, yes it says right above on the recipe that you can use soy or coconut yogurt 🙂 Actually, the coconut yogurt, the plain kind, is just as delicious because there is no sweetener added. Works perfect!
I love everthing about this recipe! The cheese sauce is shockingly amazing. It is super quick and easy to pull together. The majority of ingredients are staples in my house and always on hand. I am relatively picky about recipes that go into my normal rotation but this is definitely an easy yes. So honestly thank you because I am legit so happy about finding this.
Great recipe!!!! So delicious and friends who are non vegan eaters couldn’t believe how good it was. 😋
This will be a recipe I continually make and share with others.
Thank you so much Penny, you are the best for leaving such a wonderful review!
I’ve made this twice now, so just wanted to tell you how much I love this and give my modifications in case they’re useful for someone. I ended up using 1/2 teaspoon of cumin as the cumin flavor was too strong for my taste. I also found 1/2 teaspoon salt to be enough, but for omnis I’d probably use the full amount to better mimic dairy cheese. I made one batch with all cashews and one batch with half cashews/half white beans. While both were very good and not vastly different, the batch with all cashews was a bit more decadent and rich. So just depends what you’re going for. Thank you again for this great recipe. I’m slowly working my way through all the recipes I’ve bookmarked on your site over the years!
So glad you love the recipe so much Poppy and make it work for you! Yes, I’ve done both with beans and cashews and both are excellent but the full cashew version is of course the best! Yeah, 1/2 teaspoon salt definitely isn’t salty enough for me for that cheesy flavor, but that is great it works for you! Thanks for the lovely review!
This recipe is so good! I’ve made it for a few friends now, and everyone always goes back for seconds. The cheese sauce is amazing–I’m definitely going to use it for nachos as well. 🙂
That is so awesome to hear Penny, thank you so much for the amazing review!
This is amazing! I used a can of refried pinto beans and a can of whole pinto beans in place of the black beans and it was so incredibly good. The cheese is sauce is divine. We will be adding this to our weekly dinner menu! Thanks so much!
So awesome to hear that Rayne, thank you so much for the amazing review!
I’m a huge fan of your website and always recommend it to everyone. I just made this, but since I’m currently living in Germany, I couldn’t find corn tortillas. So I brought all the components to work – the sauce, black beans, and salsa – and thickly sliced potatoes and baked them in the work toaster oven. I heated up the cheese sauce in the microwave and the 2 guys I work with said it smelled like Taco Bell haha! I layered the beans, sauce, and salsa on the potatoes and it was really good and so filling! Since I had leftover sauce, I put it out with some tortilla chips and the guys gobbled it up, knowing it was a vegan cheese sauce. We added some sriracha and it was even better. Your recipes appeal to everyone because of the everyday ingredients and flavors that people are familiar with. Oh, and the only modification I made was to halve the cumin and do half beans/half cashews to cut down on the richness. Perfect!
haha, Taco Bell, I love it! I’m so happy to hear how much you and your coworkers, guys no less, loved it! Yay!! Thank you so much for the lovely review!
Excellent recipe! My entire [non-vegan] family loved it! I was a bit worried about the amount of cashews, as my family usually dislikes cashew based cream/mac and cheese/Alfredo sauces, saying they are too nutty tasting, but this did not have a cashew flavor whatsoever. I used one slightly rounded cup of cashews which amounted to about 130 grams for me, not 165, but the sauce seemed perfect with this amount.
I used So Delicious unsweetened plain yogurt and I loved the idea of using yogurt instead of nutrition yeast- it was very cheesy and delicious. We will definitely be making this again soon!
That is so awesome Sammy, thank you for the wonderful review and rating! Oops, yeah that should be 150 grams, not 165. I always do a rounded cup and it’s 150, but it’s not too big of a deal to be slightly off. I agree, no cashew taste whatsoever! So glad it was loved by all, thank you!
This dish is absolutely delicious! Definitely a keeper.
Yay Kat! So happy to hear that!
So delicious! My husband says he doesn’t like casseroles, but he tucked into this one. The “cheese sauce” was so cheesy that dairy was not missed. Will make this again soon and may add olives and green chilies next time.
That is so wonderful to hear Annie, thank you so much for the awesome review!
While everyone else is getting the turkey ready tonight, I made this for dinner. Huge hit! Perfect. And cannot believe how good the cheese recipe is! Thanks much.
So awesome Randy, thank you so much! Yes, so much better than turkey, right?! And healthier! Thank you for the lovely review and sharing!
I made this last week and the entire family
LOVED it! I’m thinking of making the cheese sauce and bringing corn chips and veggies for an upcoming potluck. How does the cheese sauce do if it sits out for a couple hours? Should it be refrigerated beforehand or is it good to go right out of the blender?
Hi Teresa! It’s good to go straight from the blender! You may want to slightly heat it up over the stove to thicken it some since it’s on the runny side from the blender. That is a personal choice though. But it is fine sitting out. Just give it a stir every now and then.
Awesome thanks!
This looks so so good! Can’t wait to make it! Can you use this cheese sauce as a nacho dip, have you ever tried it?
Yes, Amy, that would be delicious! But you will need to heat the cheese sauce over the stove first to thicken it up and that should work!