June 8, 2017

Grilled Vegetable Enchilada Bowls

Jump to Recipe

These grilled vegetable enchilada bowls are a fun and fresh take on classic enchiladas! Healthy, light and packed with flavor, they’re filled with quinoa pilaf, grilled veggies, black beans and toppings. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.

A Grilled Vegetable Enchilada Bowl with a fork and a napkin plus enchilada sauce to the side.

It’s enchilada time! Because frankly, it’s been far, far too long since I’ve shared any sort of enchilada recipe.

So today, I bring you these grilled vegetable enchilada bowls.

Which are basically just another way for me to get my enchilada fix. But in a lighter, fresher sort of recipe, because hellooo summer.

So! Let’s discuss how they go down. We have a super flavorful quinoa pilaf base with some garlic, walnuts and plenty of fresh cilantro. We have deeelicious grilled summer veggies, like zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant.

There’s a bit of black beans for some protein and cool, creamy avocado for texture. And then! We smother it all in plenty of enchilada sauce.

Oh, and serve with some crunchy tortilla chips on the side, please and thank you. It’s my idea of a fantastic summer meal.

Side angle view of a Grilled Vegetable Enchilada Bowl with a fork and a bowl of tortilla chips in the background.

Tips & Tricks For These Enchilada Bowls

  1. First things first. Let’s talk about the sauce. I am absolutely not above using canned enchilada sauce. But! If you have a few extra minutes, make yourself some of the homemade stuff linked below in the recipe. It’s totally worth it in terms of flavor – I promise.
  2. These bowls are completely customizable. I think other grilled veggies would be great here – I would have loved to use fresh corn but it wasn’t available quite yet at my local stores. Same goes with the toppings. Go to town with whatever your heart desires.
  3. Along those lines … not feeling the black beans? Use any protein of choice.
  4. If you don’t have a grill pan, you can absolutely use an outdoor grill instead (I’d cook the veggies over medium / medium high heat).
  5. The cook time for the recipe may vary slightly based on the size of your grill pan (or your outdoor grill). I have to do three batches for all the veggies with my pan (and I cook them on the longer end of the time ranges) – so that’s what the cook time is based on.
  6. These bowls make for a great meal prep recipe. All the components can be made in advance – just reheat and serve.
  7. And finally, you may or may not need all of the enchilada sauce. I usually have about ½ cup leftover – but really, it will depend on your taste.

An overhead view of a Grilled Vegetable Enchilada Bowl with tortilla chips to the side.

Additional Enchilada Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

These grilled vegetable enchilada bowls are a fun and fresh take on classic enchiladas! Healthy, light and packed with flavor!

Grilled Vegetable Enchilada Bowls

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

These grilled vegetable enchilada bowls are a fun and fresh take on classic enchiladas! Healthy, light and packed with flavor, they’re filled with quinoa pilaf, grilled veggies, black beans and toppings. Dairy free, gluten free and vegan.

Ingredients

For the quinoa:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup raw walnuts, chopped
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

For the veggies:

  • 2 medium zucchini (or yellow squash), sliced lengthwise in half
  • 2 medium bell peppers (any color), seeded and quartered
  • 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), sliced into ½ inch rounds
  • olive oil, for brushing
  • salt and pepper, for sprinkling

For serving:

  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can red enchilada sauce (or homemade), warmed*
  • sliced avocado
  • chopped fresh cilantro
  • corn tortilla chips

Instructions

For the quinoa:

  1. Add the olive oil to a medium saucepan set over medium heat. When hot, add in the garlic and walnuts and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until toasted and fragrant.
  2. Add in the quinoa, broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Turn off the heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork. Gently stir in the cilantro.

For the veggies:

  1. While the quinoa is cooking, set a grill pan over medium high heat and allow it to heat up for several minutes. It is hot enough when a drop of water sizzles on the pan. While the pan is heating, brush the veggies all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Working in batches, place the veggies on the pan in a single layer (don’t overcrowd them!) and cook until tender and charred, flipping once halfway through. The zucchini will take about 4 to 6 minutes per side, and the bell pepper and eggplant will take approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  3. Remove the veggies to a cutting board and cut into chunks (you can let them cool for a bit if too hot to handle!).

To serve:

  1. Spoon some of the quinoa into a bowl, along with some of the black beans and grilled veggies. Drizzle with some of the enchilada sauce (to taste), then top with the avocado and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips!

Notes

*This is my favorite homemade enchilada sauce! Additionally, if using store-bought sauce, be sure to check the ingredients to keep these gluten free / dairy free / vegan.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 489Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 795mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 16gSugar: 10gProtein: 17g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

© Ashley / Cook Nourish Bliss
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Main Dish
Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Meatless, Recipes (ALL), Vegan, Vegetarian, Weeknight
24 Comments »