Vegan Enchiladas

Step 1

Place the cashews (or walnuts) in a small bowl; pour boiling water over top and cover bowl with a small plate; set aside for 30 to 60 minutes. If also making Homemade Vegan Queso, soak another 1 cup raw cashews for the queso now, then complete the queso in Step 6.

Step 2

If making your own Homemade Enchilada Sauce, do that step now.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the cashews. In a food processor, combine the drained cashews and mushrooms; pulse a few times until finely chopped. (Mixture should resemble the texture of ground meat, so don’t overprocess it into a paste/paté.) In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add ground cashew-mushroom mixture (no need to add oil). Saute, stirring often, until mushrooms are cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in drained beans and spices; mix until well combined. Add ½ cup broth or water; stir and heat until liquid is absorbed, 2-3 minutes.

Step 4

To assemble enchiladas, pour 1 cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish; swirl to coat the bottom. Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce onto a plate. Place one tortilla in the sauce on the plate (to get the outside of the tortilla nice and saucy) and top tortilla with a generous ¼ cup of the cashew-mushroom mixture. Roll enchilada to enclose filling and place, seam side down, in the baking dish (arrange tortillas in 2 rows along the long side, 6 enchiladas per row). Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling, placing each tortilla on the plate of sauce while you add the filling.

Step 5

Pour any remaining enchilada sauce (plus any left on the plate) over the enchiladas. Bake for 15 minutes.

Step 6

If making Homemade Vegan Queso, complete the steps to do so now.

Step 7

To serve, drizzle purchased or homemade vegan queso over enchiladas, or smear 1/3 cup of queso on each plate and top with 2 enchiladas per serving and desired toppings.**