Once the sun drops behind the trees and camp chairs start to circle up, a Dutch oven Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole is the kind of dinner that makes everyone wander over “just to check” what’s cooking. Set your Dutch oven over steady coals and you’ll get that cozy, baked-in flavor you can’t quite replicate on a home stove—bubbling edges, toasted spots of cheese, and an enchilada-sauce aroma that hangs in the cool evening air.
This is campfire comfort food built for real appetites: corn tortillas soften into tender layers while sautéed vegetables and beans bring hearty bite and a little smokiness from the fire. Because it’s a one-pot bake, it’s easy to scale for a group and simple to serve—scoop-and-go portions that land neatly on a plate or straight into a bowl. If you prep the veggies at home and pack the enchilada sauce and cheese in a cooler, dinner comes together fast after a long hike, with minimal cleanup and maximum satisfaction.
Dutch Oven Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- 12" Dutch oven
- Long-handled spoon
- Knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 large zucchini diced
- 1 large red bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups enchilada sauce red or green
- 10 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over coals. Add onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5–6 minutes until soft. Remove from heat.
- In Dutch oven, layer: tortillas, half the beans, half the vegetables, 1 cup enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
- Cover Dutch oven and nestle in a bed of coals; add a few coals to the lid.
- Bake 30–35 minutes until cheese is bubbling and casserole is hot throughout.
- Remove from heat, cool 10 minutes, then sprinkle with cilantro and serve.