Vegan Mexican Casserole {Comfort Food!}

Name: Vegetarian Mexican Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS® vegetarian meat; 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or another high heat light oil); 14 ounces gluten free enchilada sauce; 18 corn tortillas; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1 jalapeno; 14.5 ounces 1 can diced tomatoes, unsalted; 8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese; 2 poblano peppers (chopped and deseeded); 1 tablespoon avocado oil (for cooking poblanos); 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons chili powder; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1 cup dairy-free cheese; 2 tablespoons scallions

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If you are looking for a great meatless recipe that will leave you satisfied, you are going to love this easy gluten-free Vegan Mexican Casserole! This casserole is perfect for those busy weeknights, and you can even meal prep by making it ahead and baking it when you need it!

a fork holding up a bite of the vegan Mexican casserole

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Fearless Dining
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(This post has been sponsored by Cultivated Foods, LLC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Are you looking for a fabulous gluten-free meat substitute that cooks just like ground beef? Mr. Fearless Dining has asked me to cook more meatless meals and I will be honest...it was really hard. Hard to find a meat substitute that is actually gluten free and hard to find a meat substitute that is the same consistency as ground beef.

If you have been struggling to find vegetarian meat that is also gluten-free as well, I am really excited to tell you about this new product: HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS® product. It is brand new, and you can find it at your local Safeway stores along with all of the ingredients to make this recipe!

Happy Little Plants ground with poblano peppers and cilantro on the counter

I LOVE that you can prepare HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS® products the same way you would ground beef or turkey. Put it in a pan, throw it on a grill, or cook it on a campfire...it is so easy to cook! Go ahead and get creative. This meat substitute cooks just like meat, so you have nothing to worry about when substituting it in your recipes!

Don't worry that this casserole won't leave you feeling satisfied because this meat substitute packs 20 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber in every serving! It is low-calorie too!

Are you ready to see how easy it is to make this recipe?

Recipe Step By Step Directions:

Happy Plants meat and onions in a skillet

Step 1: Brown the HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS® product with diced onions and oil in a large non-stick skillet. I used a 12-inch cast iron pan, which worked really well.

Use a metal spatula to break up the plant-based ground meat so that it cooks into bite-sized crumbles.

Chopping poblano peppers on a cutting board

Step 2: Chop up poblano peppers (removing the seeds) on a cutting board. We are going to cook these separately with vegan cream cheese to make a creamy pepper layer in this casserole!

Add spices, jalapeõs, and fresh cilantro to the pan of cooking meat

Step 3: Cook the meat over medium heat. Stir occasionally and continue to break up the meat into smaller pieces as it cooks.

Step 4: Cook the meat mixture until the product reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, as measured by a digital meat thermometer, about 10-12 minutes.

Step 5: Add the ground dried spices, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapeños to the pan and continue to cook and break up the meat for 5 minutes.

gluten free meatless meat substitute cooking with seasonings in a pan

Step 6: Add a can of diced tomatoes to the mixture, turn the heat down and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Step 7: Cook the poblanos and oil over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 minutes until the peppers are softened. Add the dairy-free cream cheese and cook on low until the cheese is melted.

a skillet full of vegan meat filling for the casserole

I still can't get over how similar the HAPPY LITTLE PLANTS® product is to ground beef. I could eat it by the forkful without making a casserole!

corn tortillas lining the bottom of a baking dish

Step 8: Spray oil on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Line the bottom of a baking dish with corn tortillas.

adding the Happy Little Plants Ground over the tortillas

Step 9: Add the ground layer and then top with more corn tortillas. Your vegetarian Mexican casserole is coming together!

adding the poblano and cream cheese layer

Step 10: Add another layer of corn tortillas, the dairy-free cream cheese, and the poblano pepper mixture. Top with the final layer of tortillas.

casserole is topped with enchilada sauce and dairy-free cheddar cheese

Step 11: Top with your favorite gluten-free enchilada sauce. Most grocery stores have several choices! Next, sprinkle on the dairy-free cheddar shreds and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

If you are looking for more vegan goodness, these are the best Sopes!