Consider this Enchilada Casserole with Jalapeño Cream Sauce a springtime + gluten-free version of my Roasted Butternut Squash Enchilada Stack with Creamy Green Sauce. It’s light but feels decadent, cheesy without being over-the-top. Plus, it’s absolutely packed with veggies and has tons of plant-based protein in the form of kidney + pinto beans. And, it can be tweaked slightly to be 100% vegan!

The star of the dish, the Jalapeño Cream Sauce, is incredibly tangy and bright. Honestly, I could whip up this sauce and straight-up use it as a dip for chips.

By the amount of ingredients + number of steps below, you might think this recipe is complicated. But looks can be deceiving! It’s actually incredibly easy to throw together. From start to finish, it comes together in about an hour — 40 minutes of which is baking time. Do yourself a favor and make this Enchilada Casserole with Jalapeño Cream Sauce for dinner tonight. Leftovers guaranteed!

INGREDIENTS - JALAPEÑO CREAM SAUCE

• 1 T. olive oil

• 1/2 c. water

• 1/2 bunch cilantro (stems included)

• 1/4 of a red onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 t. cumin

• Juice of 1/2 a lime

• 8 oz. light cream cheese (or vegan cream cheese)

• 1 fresh jalapeño, chopped

• 1/3 c. pickled jalapeños, sliced

• Salt & pepper, to taste

INGREDIENTS - ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

• 15 corn tortillas

• 1 - 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

• 1 - 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

• 1 - 15 oz. can fiesta corn, drained & rinsed

• 1 - 4 oz. can chopped hatch green chiles

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 3/4 of a large red onion, diced

• 1 poblano pepper, diced

• 2 T. olive oil

• 1 t. cumin

• 1 t. chili powder

• 1 t. oregano

• 1 1/4 c. sharp white cheddar, shredded (or shredded vegan cheese of choice)

• 8 oz. package of green chile enchilada sauce

• Pickled jalapeños, to garnish

• Salt & pepper, to taste

STEPS

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all Jalapeño Cream Sauce ingredients in a food processor and purée until smooth. Set aside.

2) Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions, poblano and red bell pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.

3) Add the corn, hatch green chiles, cumin, chili powder and oregano and stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Add the beans and cook for an additional 4 minutes. Season with more salt & pepper, if desired.

5) Remove the veggies from the heat and stir in 3/4 c. of the shredded sharp white cheddar cheese plus 1 cup of the Jalapeño Cream Sauce. Stir well to combine.

6) Pour 1/2 c. of the green chile enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 in. x 13 in. glass baking dish. Use a spatula to spread the sauce out evenly.

7) Layer five tortillas on top of the sauce. See how I did it below! Pour on half of the veggie mixture and drizzle half of the remaining green chile enchilada sauce. Repeat these steps.

8) Once you’ve completed the third layer of tortillas, pour on the rest of the cream sauce and sprinkle with another 1/2 c. of sharp white cheddar cheese. Top with pickled jalapeños.

9) Cover the tent with foil, being careful to tent the foil so it doesn’t stick to the top of the cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, then bake for another 20 minutes. Finish in the broiler to brown the cheese, if desired. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.