This spicy vegetarian enchilada bake replaces tortillas with carrot rice, making for a low carb, but delicious meal filled with beans, corn, veggies, and spices to fill you up without weighing you down.
I think I got a little overly emotionally involved with the Oscars this year.
Just enough so that watching Birdman win Best Picture made me want to throw my television out the window and renounce pop culture for all of time.
But not so much that I would ever actually do such a thing and risk missing reruns of Vanderpump Rules. I mean, I think we all want to see whose life Stassi is going to trash up next, #amIright?
Let’s dish: who did you love?! who did you hate?! who made you fling electronic devices across the room?!
My major take homes were: Jennifer Lopez is eternally hot, Kerry Washington is my soulmate, and Lady Gaga can SING.
But if I ever hear the song Everything is Awesome again, there is going to be a throwdown.
Tegan and Sara – I’m sorry, but…no. Just, no.
I know a lot of people host these all-out crazy Oscars parties, which sound like the perfect excuse to eat, drink, and be merry on what would otherwise be a boring weeknight, but for me it was all about my couch, my PJs, a glass of something a little bit sparkly, and my spiralizer.
YES. My spiralizer.
You see, my good friend Ali’s cookbook – Inspiralized
, which is all about how to turn spiralized veggies into healthy, creative, and satisfying meals comes out TODAY.
As in THIS SECOND.
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy a few weeks ago (because we’re besties like that), and I can’t put it down! It’s that good.
Ali was the person who originally convinced me that I NEEDED to add a spiralizer to my life (and my wedding registry). I was always commenting on how crazy delicious her recipes looked and she was all like, “JOANNE! You are a vegetarian! You love vegetables! Just get a spiralizer already!!”
She was right. It was a necessity.
And now, also because of her, I’ve gone on a spiralized recipe SPREE.
Who can blame me when there are a gazillion recipes from her cookbook that I want to make – Spicy Butternut Squash Nachos, Arugula, Olive, and Onion Sweet Potato Pizza Stacks, and Jicama-Stuffed Peppers with Asiago, to name a few. While the cookbook is not exclusively vegetarian, many of the recipes are OR can be adapted to be – and they are all veggie-heavy, which I LOVE!
It was near impossible to choose what to make first, but I guess you have to start somewhere, so I dove in with this Vegetarian Carrot Enchilada Bake. Filled with all the fun spicy flavor that you’d expect from a plate of enchiladas, but made lighter with carrot rice in place of the tortillas, this cheesy casserole is BIG on comfort, but not on calories. I love that it tastes indulgent, but is actually pretty high on the health spectrum, so I can have a mega plate of it three times a day and not feel guilty. Which I’ve been doing like it’s my job.
I couldn’t possibly keep all this spiralized love to myself, so Ali has been sweet enough to allow me to GIVE AWAY a copy of the Inspiralized cookbook to one lucky reader! USE THE WIDGET BELOW TO ENTER!
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1¾ cups or 1 (14 oz) can cooked black beans
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 10 oz frozen corn
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp minced fresh cilantro
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 3 large carrots, peeled, spiralized with BLADE C, then riced in a food processor
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese, grated
- Heat oven to 375F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the onion is translucent. Stir in the beans, jalapeno, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cilantro, cooking just until corn is heated through. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and lime juice. Toss to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the flavors meld together. Stir in the tomatoes and carrot rice and cook for another 2 minutes to warm through. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the casserole. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, or until the carrot rice is cooked through. Uncover and bake for 5-10 minutes more or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown and bubble. Serve warm.
More healthy Tex-Mex!
Cornbread and Black Bean Panzanella
Winter Vegetable Tostadas with Gruyere and Fontina
From Around the Web:
Mexican Frittata from The Fauxmartha
Mexican Corn and Poblano Soup from Annie’s Eats
Mexican Chocolate Breakfast Shake from Oh My Veggies
Mexican Corn Quinoa Salad from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Mexican Egg and Sweet Potato Breakfast Scramble from Taste and Tell
Sweet potato and Zucchini!
Rutabega is my current favorite!
I am guilty of not trying out my spiralizer yet but I would most definitely try this recipe ASAP!
This looks out of this world delicious and healthy too, Joanne. I don’t have a spiralizer, but I guess a grater would do the trick too.
My favorite veggie to spiralize is zucchini! 🙂
I got a spiralizer for my birthday in November and haven’t even used it yet. I’m the worst veggie lover ever. I’ve ever talked one of my friends into buying one and she used it immediately, putting me to total shame. This casserole looks like the perfect recipe to break in in with
Oh gosh, I would LOVE this dish for dinner tonight!! Looks amazing.
I LOVE my spiralizer! My favorite to spiralize is sweet potatoes. I use the noodles as taco filling, casserole filling, and riced as “risotto.” Their subtle sweetness is so lovely in any dish!
I don’t yet own a spiralizer, but this recipe makes a good case for getting one!
Oh my gosh, I love this recipe! Healthy comfort food is the best. (And I think I got emotionally involved in the Oscar fashion, lol)
I just got my spiralizer and I love to make Zucchini noodles! I can’t wait to try carrots and Rutabega!
I could not finish Birdman, after 70 minutes I went to read a book. So I was quite upset by the nomination. Oh, well.
I guess Hollywood will always look with kind eyes to the “saga” of actors, directors, that to me are often big self-centered babies who think the world revolves around their belly button. Ok, glad I got this off my chest.
I use my spiralizer a lot, but haven’t done the carrot thing very efficiently – usually I end up with a big mess and a lot of leftover carrot. I need more practice 😉
It doesn’t get any better than “BIG on comfort, but not on calories.”! I’m in!!
i’ve never spiralized…… but it looks like fun!
Of course zucchini is a go to, but also sweet potatoes, butternut squash, cucumber
The only thing I have spiralized so far is zucchini but I have really wanted to give sweet potatoes a shot!
I don’t own a spiralizer yet, but I have always thought zucchini would be the perfect veggie to spiralize.
This veggie enchilada bake looks fantastic Joanne! Love the use of carrots! Pinned!
Ooh, something else to use my spiralizer for! I’ve only used it once so far, but think it’s awesome!
I actually didn’t watch the Oscars because I haven’t even seen half the movies yet. So much to catch up on!!
This veggie bake looks fabulous – I love how you took the simplest of ingredients and made them into something totally oscar worthy!
i’ve never spiralized before but i so want to! i’ve seen spiralized sweet potatoes & am sooo intrigued by those 🙂
I’ve been on the fence about getting a spiralizer, but this recipe makes me want to get one now. As for the veggies, sweet potatoes all day!
OMG I need one of these spiralizers soooooo damn bad, like NOW!!!
I have only used zucchini, but I love the results. Time to try a new vegetable!
So far I have only spiralized zucchini and sweet potatoes. This dish looks amazing!
I don’t have one, but I think if I did, I would go to town on spiralizing all the root vegetables!
What a great idea! I love this healthy spin on enchiladas!
Zucchini!
This looks so good – must make it.
I don’t have one yet either, but my first experiment would be with sweet potatoes. I would pair the noodles with sage and walnuts for a healthy and delicious faux pasta!
i’ve never put carrots in my enchilada casserole before, but it’s a fine idea. this is one heck of a colorful dish!
You have me so hungry right now lol. I am loving that salad. But I also love this enchilada. I never thought to add carrots. Amazing
hahahahhaa I totally thought Boyhood was going to win and I definitely thought Everything Is Awesome was NOT awesome at THE FLIPPING OSCARS! No kids watch the oscars! Ugh. Just my humble opinion. Um, you hooked me with that first picture girl! I need to just bite the bullet and get a spiralizer.
i’ve actually only spiralized zucchini, clearly i have so much more to try!!
This is genius! Love it!!!
This is totally my kind of comfort dish! I love that you replaced the tortillas with the carrots, just amazing! So healthy and delicious!
I don’t have a spiralizer, but I need this dish in my life and so now I need a spiralizer. I’m going to watch Birdman coming up, but it looks crazy weird. Lady Gaga is sooooo talented. But I kind of like Everything is Awesome … don’t hate me.
I’ve been constantly debating whether to go for the spiralizer or not. I think I gotta do it. This meal looks like something I could eat everyday! This post made me sad I didn’t get to watch the Oscars…living abroad is great and all but I hate missing the best events because I’m asleep!
I totally missed the Oscars on Sunday – spent the whole night painting!
I have never spiralized before, but zucchinis look amazing to me!
Just got my Spiralizer and I LOVE it!
I have everything for this except cheese. In fact, they were all to be dinner tonight. Need to get cheese. I’ve never spiralized anything. I figure that I’d love carrots and sweet potatoes though.
forgot to mention: don’t enter me in the giveaway, I have the book, in fact it arrived TODAY!!!!! 😉
seems awesome, really creative recipes!
This looks really delicious Joanne, I just bought a spiralizer, perfect timing.
I love to spiralize sweet potatoes and zucchini.
I love these enchiladas. They look like they flat out taste good. That’s a major driver for me.
Love spiralized zucchini but I’ve been experimenting with a lot of different vegetables lately!
Yum this looks delish! I do need a spiralizer in my life too. On my wish list for sure!
Awesome post, your photos look super!!
Cheers to eating tonnes of spiralized veggies and vegetarian diets! Much like Ali, I started Twirly Bites in response to the overwhelming impact spiralizing has had on my outlook towards eating – and have dedicated Twirly Bites entirely to 100% spiralized vegetarian recipes!
Daikon radish!!!! Love to spiraize and fry up in Sesame oil…add spices…YUM!!!
So need a spiralizer in my life!
Love spiralized beets!
Hey! I just bought a spiraliser so I am so happy to see this (not sure mine has different settings but will give it a go) – it looks like the best sort of dinner. And the cookbook looks like one I need.
I love spiralizing butternut squash!
Zucchini!
The spiralizer is so fun! This looks like a great recipe!
I go to bring my spiralizer out more often. You make food drool worthy my dear.
The oscars, now that was something. I was floored at Gaga’s performance and not so happy with Jennifer Aniston’s choice of dress, although beautiful, it looks like she wears almost the same dress all the time. Well..anyways..you make unique and beautiful food always.
Ali’s cookbook looks amazing!! I can’t wait to grab myself a copy. I will have to invest in spiralizer though but it’s for a good cause (eating more veggies).
You’ve convinced me. I need a spiralizer. This enchilada bake looks amazing! Love the spiralized carrots!
i don’t have a spiralizer so don’t have a favorite veggie i use it with.
How have I never spiralized a vegetable before? I think this needs to change!
Never heard of this before today, but would make things much easier when I make homemade tabbouleh. So.much.chopping.
I love that you’ve incorporated carrot in these decadent enchiladas. So creative 🙂
This looks so good! I just made a dish of shredded (not spiralzed) carrots and black beans and so on. It was so good, this is a great idea!
I haven’t tried a spiralizer yet- this recipe looks to me like the first one I should try, sounds and looks absolutely delicious!
oh my gawd, girl! I’m glad SOMEONE said something!!!! Don’t even get me started on Birdman winning Best Picture. That was like the last movie that should have won. Sorry. I was also in shock. I thought Rosamund Pike looked gorgeous. . loved her dress. . and I am actually reviewing Inspiralized for The Kitchn. My editor emailed me yesterday about it! I should be getting a copy very soon! Can’t wait!!
Great recipe and a great give-away! This enchilada bake looks amazing! And I would absolutely LOVE to get this book, since I too am a lover of veggies! You know my sister Liz bought me a spiralizer two months ago and now I am obsessed with it!! So this book would be a perfect gift to me (since my birthday is coming up this Sunday) LOL…… Have a great day! xo Anna
I like to do zucchini but so far I’ve loved everything I’ve spiralized!
Love spiralizing beets!
My take on the Oscars: loved Boyhood and was sorry it didn’t win more; Graham Moore had the best speech (writers always do); Patricia Arquette rocks; every British actor is amazing (Redmayne/Cumberbatch/Oyelowo); what happened to NPH?
And the spiralizer? Would be a toss-up between the zucchini and the sweet potato.
My roommate just got a spiralizer and I can’t WAIT to try it! I never would have thought of doing carrots though…I’ve only had spaghetti squash. I have to make this recipe though!!
I’ve never spiralized any veggies but zucchini looks good!
zucchini, potatoes, carrots, squash, swedes… if it can be spiralized I love it! Thanks to Ali for pointing me over to Joanne’s blog 🙂
I came for the recipe and leave I excited!! I love Inspiralized!!. My fave is butternut mac and cheese.
Zucchini for sure – as many have already said 🙂
This enchilada bake looks lovely. I need to spiralizer in my life.
I watched the Oscars. I hated that song “this is awesome” – I thought it was so stupid!
Your dish looks amazing!
I never watch the Oscars and other than what was on the news, I have no clue who was there or who won. This recipe however, that’s a winner!
Oh wow, where was this recipe when I wanted enchiladas earlier today but had no tortillas?? Next time, I think.
My favourite spiralized vegetable so far are zucchini. The -best- for extra saucy dishes.
I need things like this to STOP tempting me to buy another.kitchen.gadget. This looks fantastic!
This recipe looks delicious! Thanks for sponsoring the giveaway.
So far I have only tried sweet potatoes and zucchini. I can’t wait to try the carrot enchilada bake!
Zucchini! I also like carrots:)
Zucchini has been my favorite.
My favorite vegetable to spiralize are zucchinis
I don’t know, because I’ve never used one, but I’m attracted to the idea of spiralizing sweet potatoes and carrots.
I love spiralized zucchini and carrots!
Yay thanks! I just found what I’m going to make for supper! I need this cookbook
[…] Joanne from Eats Well With Others made my Vegetarian Enchilada Bake. Get the recipe here. […]
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Parsnips
i have the spiralizer but not the cookbook. I need this. It’s the only way I can eat some of the great veggies!
My favorite is sweet potato
Zucchini and sweet potato!!
Zucchini!
My favorite thing to spiralize are cucumbers, because my daughters fight over the leftover cores!
Zucchini & carrots!
Zucchini is a classic but I loveeee beet noodles!! Butternut squash too ????
I love to use Sweet Potatoes and Carrots
I hope this is open internationally? I love using spiralized zucchini – I have a dinky handheld spiralizer so I can’t do hardcore stuff like potatoes but zucchini pasta has been my lunch and dinner pretty much every day for the past week or so! Yum yum – versatile and delicious. Great looking recipe!
This looks delicious, thank-you for sharing!
This is AMAZING! I’ve been trying to eat more veggies and protein and less bad carb ie in bread and such and found this recipe. I used a grater for the carrots as I don’t own a spiralizer, did 2 carrots and added some kale, reduced the chili powder to make it a bit less spicy and used chickpea/fava beans as I didn’t have black beans on hand, and did 1/2 cup cheese as per personal preference. Love how versatile this is and have been enjoying this for my packed lunch this week and feel so amazing and not bogged down at all after eating it. Thanks for the recipe 😀
Sorry to be a spiralizer-pooper! But, literally, I was too lazy to get the damn thing out of its box (hidden under my baking table on a shelf) so I just cut carrots, dropped the chunks into my food processor and lo and behold, carrot rice!
Thought I had a red pepper – used bulb of fennel instead.
Likewise no black beans so subbed pinto beans.
Only had goats’ cheese and used 4 rather than 8 oz then sprinkled with Parmesan.
Delicious with homemade crusty bread!