Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Quinoa is a vegetarian casserole filled with flavor and nutrition. Winter squash and spinach combine with quinoa and cheese for a delicious and easy weeknight dinner recipe.
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Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Butternut Squash Enchiladas with Quinoa will quickly become a family favorite on your dinner table.
By roasting the squash in the oven before adding it to the enchilada filling, you add a delicious caramelized flavor and creamy texture to the squash.
Butternut squash is a winter squash with yellow skin and orange flesh and has a sweet and nutty flavor that is very similar to pumpkin. It is actually known in Australia and New Zealand as butternut pumpkin!
This winter squash provides vitamins A, C & E, manganese, magnesium, and potassium.
Vegetable enchiladas are bursting with butternut squash and nutrient-rich quinoa.
Quinoa provides a complete protein source.
Stir in good-for-you baby spinach, and wrap up all that yummy filling in multi grain tortillas and you've just hit a home run at dinner tonight in the nutrition department!
Don't let the 50 minutes of cooking time scare you away from making this recipe because that's all unattended oven cooking time!
Yes, it's easy cheesy enchiladas packed with vegetables for the win!
Love butternut squash as much as I do?
Be sure to try this easy butternut squash soup recipe, butternut squash pasta and butternut squash mac and cheese too!
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Be sure to visit the Swirls of Flavor Amazon Storefront for GG's personal kitchen recommendations!
How to make vegetarian enchiladas
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Combine butternut squash, onion, olive oil, chili powder, kosher salt and cumin on baking sheet and toss until evenly coated. Roast 25 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375F. Coat 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer squash mixture to large bowl and stir in quinoa, spinach, 1 cup cheese and 3/4 cup enchilada sauce.
- Arrange a heaping 1/2 cup of filling in the center of a tortilla. Fold in the edges, roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
- Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
Best way to cook butternut squash
Roasted squash has a delicious sweet and caramelized flavor.
Roasting butternut squash in the oven is, in my opinion, the best way to cook this winter squash.
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Toss diced butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Roast for 25 minutes in a single layer on a baking sheet with low sides
Can you freeze enchiladas
Yes, you can freeze enchiladas both before or after cooking them.
- Simply wrap the baking dish that the enchiladas are in tightly in plastic wrap and then in tin foil and place in the freezer.
- If the enchiladas are already cooked, be sure to let them cool off and come to room temperature before wrapping them to freeze.
- The texture of enchiladas that are cooked and then frozen could become soggy so it is recommended that you freeze the enchiladas before cooking them.
- Enchiladas can be kept frozen for up to 3 months.
Swirls of Flavor Recipe Tips
- Save time and purchase already-cubed butternut squash available in your produce department!
- After cooking, top the enchiladas with cilantro
Substitutions
- You can substitute sweet potatoes for the butternut squash
- Love black beans? Take out the quinoa and replace it with canned black beans, drained and make black bean butternut squash enchiladas!
- Substitute cooked rice for the cooked quinoa
- I used multi grain tortillas for extra nutrition but you can substitute regular flour tortillas if you prefer them
- Replace the ancho chili powder and cumin with taco seasoning
Storage
- Store any leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Enchiladas will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
- As always, I find it helpful to visit the FDA website for food storage guidelines
Easy enchilada recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Enchiladas
- Turkey Enchiladas
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce from Honeybunch Hunts
Ingredients
Ingredients for enchilada casserole:
- butternut squash
- onion
- olive oil
- ancho chili powder
- kosher salt
- ground cumin
- cooked quinoa
- baby spinach
- shredded cheddar jack cheese
- enchilada sauce
- multi-grain soft taco flour tortillas
Butternut Squash Enchiladas With Quinoa Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash about 10 ounces
- 1 onion chopped, 1 cup
- 1 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups baby spinach 2 ounces
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese divided
- 2 cans (10 ounces each) enchilada sauce , divided
- 8 multi-grain soft taco flour tortillas
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Line a large baking sheet with parhment paper for easy clean up.
- Combine butternut squash, onion, olive oil, chili powder, kosher salt and cumin on the prepared baking sheet and toss until evenly coated. Roast 25 minutes or until squash is tender.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer squash mixture to large bowl and stir in quinoa, spinach, 1 cup cheese and 3/4 cup enchilada sauce.
- Arrange a heaping 1/2 cup of filling in the center of a tortilla. Fold in the edges, roll up the tortilla and place it seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
- Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted.
- Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.
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