If you ask my husband, he’d tell you this has been the most popular of the meatless meals I’ve made for Lent this year. He’s a sucker for pasta so I knew this would go over well but I didn’t expect him to opt to take leftovers for lunch instead of his usual sandwiches.

This casserole is an easy crowd pleaser – it tastes like tacos in pasta form – and bulked up with veggies and black beans, it’s a healthy option. I used my usual recipe to make the enchilada sauce. It includes chicken broth so this dish wasn’t truly vegetarian, but you could easily sub vegetable stock or find a store-bought, vegetarian alternative.

Enchilada Casserole
(from Oh She Glows)
Serves 6

8 oz. dry pasta
1 t. olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
3 bell peppers, chopped
2 T. taco seasoning mix
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. enchilada sauce (You’ll need to double this recipe to get 2 cups!)
1/2 c. cheddar cheese
1 c. chopped green onions
Salt & pepper, to taste
20 tortilla chips (about 2 handfuls), crushed
Avocado, salsa, sour cream, etc, to garnish

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse with cold water.

In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion, jalapeno, and peppers in the olive oil over medium heat for about 7-8 mins. Add the taco seasoning, drained and rinsed black beans, and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. Stir well and cook for another 5 mins. Stir in the cheese, pasta, and chopped green onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the casserole dish. Scoop on the skillet mixture and spread out evenly. Spoon on the rest of the sauce on top and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 15-20 mins at 350F until heated through. Sprinkle with crushed nacho chips, chopped avocado, salsa, and sour cream if desired just before serving.