These black bean and scrambled tofu enchiladas are a make-ahead, savory vegan breakfast that’s packed with plant protein! They’re also freezer-friendly and great for serving a crowd.

I love protein-packed, savory morning meals. Some of my favorite breakfast options are savory ones. Savory breakfast fills me up super efficiently. It affords me an opportunity to get plenty of protein early in the day. And it gives me a lot of variety in my choices.

When life gets busy, though, I tend to default to less creative, faster morning meals. These include oatmeal, toast, and granola with vegan yogurt. There’s nothing wrong with any of these options. I love them and rely on them consistently.

Yet I’m always thrilled to have something super hearty and savory waiting for me in the fridge when I wake up. I’m always on the hunt for savory, make-ahead breakfasts. These black bean and scrambled tofu enchiladas are one of the best I’ve made. They’re nutrient-dense, filling, and delicious.

Best of all, the tofu enchiladas can be prepared on a weekend and then enjoyed in leftover form for days to come. This gives you one less thing to think about on busy mornings!

A plant-protein dream team

These tofu enchiladas feature two of the best vegan protein sources out there: beans and tofu.

I’m no stranger to combining these ingredients. The rice, beans, tofu & greens in Power Plates is probably the recipe that I cook most often from that book. I’ve also combined black beans and tofu scramble before, in this recipe.

Beans and tofu are each great sources of plant-protein. But they’re even more powerful when they’re combined. A 4-ounce serving of tofu paired with a half cup of beans affords about 18 grams of protein. Any greens or whole grains you add to them will only add to that number!

One of my nutrition professors in grad school encouraged us aspiring RDs to help our future clients achieve 20 grams of protein with every breakfast. She recommended this for satiety, blood sugar stabilization, and because it helps people to meet protein needs. I think it’s a great goal, but I’ve found that it’s no easy task to meet it consistently.

My nutrition clients lead busy lives. Not all of them are breakfast lovers. And some of the most convenient morning options, including simple preparations of oatmeal, provide only half of the 20 grams my professor was adamant about.

Beans and tofu are two plant foods that help to make twenty grams highly achievable within a meal. This meal doesn’t have to be breakfast, of course. It could be lunch or dinner. One of the things that I love about these tofu enchiladas is that they’re suitable for any meal.

But if you can prepare them ahead of time and eat them in the morning, you’ll be getting a nutritious start to the day.

Preparing black bean & scrambled tofu enchiladas

The scramble in the tofu enchiladas is a variation on my classic tofu scramble. I kick up the flavors with ground cumin and crushed red pepper flakes. Then, I fold in black beans, which add extra protein, fiber, iron, and textural contrast.

Preparing the scramble is simple! After that, it comes time to make the enchiladas.

I keep the enchiladas relatively simple by using store-bought enchilada sauce. Assembly is quick once the scramble itself is ready. You’ll warm your tortillas (wheat or corn, your choice) in the oven while you get scrambling on the filling.

Next, layer the enchilada sauce at the bottom of your baking dish. Fill the tortillas with filling, roll them up, and layer them in the dish.

Top the tofu enchiladas with your remaining sauce and anything else you might like. You could use a store-bought vegan cheese for the recipe. You can also use my cashew queso or all-purpose cashew cream.

It’s also fine to bake the black bean and scrambled tofu enchiladas without anything cheese-like on top. I think that chopped cilantro, maybe with some avocado slices, makes a really lovely, low-key garnish.

Can I make the scrambled tofu enchiladas ahead of time?

Yes, these enchiladas can definitely be prepared in advance. There are a few ways to do that. First, you can prepare the scrambled tofu filling a few days before you assemble the enchiladas themselves. Store the filling in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply stuff it into your tortillas when you’re ready to assemble and bake the enchiladas.

Second, you can assemble the enchiladas the day before baking. Roll everything up and get it set up in your baking dish. Cover and let the enchiladas sit overnight. The day of baking, simply pour the enchilada sauce on top and bake as directed.

You can also bake the enchiladas and reheat them a few days later, before serving. The whole assembled dish can be stored in the fridge with some covering for up to four days.

Can I freeze enchiladas?

There’s good news if you want to prepare the tofu enchiladas far ahead of time: enchiladas are freezer-friendly! In fact, they’re one of the make-ahead baked dishes that I freeze most often.

You can freeze these enchiladas for up to six weeks. To reheat, thaw them in the fridge overnight, then reheat them in the oven to serve.

Reheating tofu enchiladas

For best results, I recommend reheating the scrambled tofu enchiladas in the oven. About 20-25 minutes at 350F will do the trick.

If you don’t have time for oven reheating, reheating the enchiladas in the microwave is also fine. A couple minutes on high is all you’ll need to get them warm.

What if I have a soy allergy?

If you’re allergic to soy, one option for a substitution is Pumfu, which is made from pumpkin seeds. You’ll need the same amount, 16 ounces.

You can also make a batch of my chickpea flour scramble. Full disclaimer, I haven’t tried this substitution yet. But I think it ought to work well.

5 from 5 votes

Tofu Scramble Black Bean Vegan Breakfast Enchiladas

Author – Gena Hamshaw

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons avocado oil
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 16 ounces firm or extra firm tofu, pressed gently to remove excess moisture and crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup vegan bacon of choice, chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• Dash crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 12 corn or wheat tortillas (6 inches across each)
• 16 ounces store-bought red enchilada sauce (2 cups; you can also make your own using the sauce portion of this recipe)
• cashew cream (optional, for topping; you can also use my cashew queso sauce, avocado slices, chopped cilantro, etc.)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350F. Wrap your tortillas in foil and place them in the oven to warm up while you prepare the enchilada filling.
• Heat the oil or water in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion. Cook the vegetables, stirring now and then, for 5-7 minutes, or until the onion is clear and soft. Add the tofu, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and salt. When the spices are evenly incorporated and the tofu is warmed through (about 2-3 minutes), stir in the nutritional yeast, black beans, and vegan bacon if using. Mix everything well, then add the lime juice and crushed red pepper. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings as desired.
• Remove the tortillas from the oven. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 inch rectangular baking dish. Pour about 3/4 cup of the enchilada sauce into the baking dish and spread it out with a spatula so that covers the bottom of the dish.
• Fill a tortilla with about 1/3 cup filling, then roll it up. Place the tortilla seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat this process with all of the remaining tortillas, placing them side-by-side in the dish. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, using a spatula to spread the sauce evenly on top.
• Transfer the enchiladas to the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the sauce is dark and bubbly (check them at 30 minutes to see if they’re ready). Allow the enchiladas to cool slightly, then top with cashew cream or cashew queso, if using, and any other toppings of choice. Serve.

Notes

Leftover enchiladas will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They can be frozen for up to 3 weeks.

It’s such a treat to wake up to a recipe as flavorful, textured, and colorful as this one. Best of all, it’s great to have a delicious, savory vegan breakfast option that will fill me up with fiber, protein, iron, and other nutrients.

Hope you’ll give these a try and enjoy them. Can’t wait to hear what you think!

xo