Collard Green Enchiladas

Collard green enchiladas made with rice and beans wrapped in collard greens and smothered in enchilada sauce and topped with vegan cheese. 

“Do you get a lot of free stuff?” people asked when they find out that I’m a food blogger. 

“So much!” I always respond, not to brag, but to be totally transparent. 

And it’s true, being a food blogger has its most definite perks.

It’s fun being the first try try healthy products and getting restocked on my favorite brands. 

But what people don’t ever think about is…what do *do* with all of it?! 

Or maybe you do think about that, I’m not sure. 

My friends aren’t strangers to the “care packages” I gift them when we meet.

And I’m definitely a favorite at M’s work, where he takes boxes of goodies to share upon my request. 

But sometimes I like to keep things for myself, particularly if it’s fresh delivered produce. 

Some of the best recipes come from forced creativity, and I was definitely pressed to be creative 2 giant bundles of collard greens arrived on my doorstep. 

These Collard Green Enchiladas are made with rice and beans wrapped in…collard greens!!!

Afterwards, they’re smothered in enchilada sauce and topped with vegan cheese.

How’s that for creativity, hmm? 

What You Need to Collard Green Enchiladas

Here’s what you need for the enchilada filling: 

• basmati rice 
• black beans
• avocado oil
• white onion
• bell pepper
• chili powder
• smoked paprika 
• cumin 
• Himalayan sea salt

And here’s what you need for everything else: 

• collard greens
• enchilada sauce 
• vegan mexican cheese blend 

That’s it! 

How to Prepare the Collard Greens

Probably the most important part of this recipe is to properly prepare your collard greens for wrapping. 

Collard greens are super sturdy on their own, but there’s a lot we can do to make them more appealing and pliable. 

First, rinse the collard greens and chop off the tough stem where it meets the leaf.

Using a paring knife, shave down the backside to remove as much of the tough protruding core as you can.

You’ve already made your collard green a lot tastier! 

The next step is the blanch the leaves by dipping in boiling water for 30 seconds.

Remove them quickly and then plunge them into ice water to stop them from cooking any further. 

FYI: Sometimes I skip the ice water part and my collard greens have always turned out fine. 

Now your collard greens are ready for stuffing and baking! 

How to Prepare the Enchilada Filling

Next, prepare your enchilada filling. 

Because the wrap of these enchiladas is made of greens, I thought it would be nice to make the filling a little more substantial. 

I decided on a mixture of black beans a cooked rice paired together so this meal has a protein and a healthy carb.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a drizzle of avocado oil.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and seasonings and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until the onion is translucent and the peppers are soft.

Stir in the rice and black beans and mix everything well to coat them in the spices until everything is well-combined.

How to Assemble the Collard Green Enchiladas

Now that the collard greens and the filling is prepared, we can get started with assembly.

Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a casserole dish for baking.

Pour half of the enchilada sauce into the casserole dish, spreading it into an even layer.

To assemble, add one steamed collard leaf to a plate and fill it with a heaping 1/4  cup of the mixture.

You don’t actually have to measure; I find that it’s much better to eyeball and add more or less filling depending on the size of the collard green you’re working with. 

Starting at the base, fold the leaf over filling, fold in the sides, and then keep rolling into a tight cylinder.

Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

Tightly pack the stuffed collard wraps into rows on top of the enchilada sauce.

Top the rolls with the remaining enchiladas sauce and tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake Collard Green Enchiladas in 30 Minutes!

Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the collard green enchiladas for 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on vegan shredded cheese.

This step is optional, but highly recommended! 

The gooey melted vegan cheese paired with smooth cooked collard and rice and beans is absolutely to delicious. 

Return the dish to the oven and bake it uncovered for another 10- 15 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling. 

How to Serve Collard Green Enchiladas

These Collard Green Enchiladas are an creative recipe that’s perfect for when you’re craving Mexican and have a LOT of collard greens on hand. 

It’s a great vegan and gluten-free alternative to enchiladas that’s bound to please people of all dietary restrictions. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and reheat them in the microwave before serving.

Swaps and Substitutions

Collard greens are really the only greens that I would recommend using for this recipe.

The rice and beans, however, can be swapped for any rice and beans that you have on hand.

This is a great recipe to use any leftover rice that you have in the refrigerator. 

You could also swap in quinoa instead of rice. 

More Creative Collard Green Recipes

• Avocado Collard Greens Pesto Pasta

• Mushroom Marinara Stuffed Collard Greens 

• Leftover Holiday Collard Wraps

• Curried Sweet Potato & Lentil Collard Wraps

• Grilled Tempeh Collard Wraps 

• Rainbow Hummus & Avocado Collard Wraps 

• Sweet Potato Black Bean Collard Bowl

• Green Chickpea Salad Collard Wraps

I Want to Hear From You

If you make these Collard Green Enchiladas, let me know! 

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipes like this one to make later.

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XO Lauren

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