25 Vegetarian Picnic Recipes
This enchilada casserole tastes like my favourite vegetarian enchiladas, but only takes 15 minutes of effort – no rolling or layering! The perfect veggie-packed comfort food.
Some of my favourite dinners are those that can be a bit of a faff to make – lasagne, shepherd’s pie, enchiladas… They’re always worth it in the end, but sometimes I just don’t want to stand there for half an hour preparing my dinner.
Luckily, I’m the queen of a shortcut – and this enchilada casserole is a much quicker way to make vegetarian enchiladas, without all the fiddly rolling!
Just in case you’ve never had enchiladas before (what have you been doing all your life?), I’ll give you a brief description.
Regular enchiladas consist of vegetables and beans (or whatever other fillings you fancy), rolled up in large tortillas, and coated in enchilada sauce. They’re then baked in the oven until they’re hot and bubbly.
They’re one of my all-time favourite Tex-Mex meals – not only do you get all the incredible Tex-Mex flavours of a burrito or a quesadilla, but you also get the added bonus of a tasty sauce and a crispy cheese topping.
Enchiladas are all sorts of good bits, rolled up in one incredible dish.
This enchilada casserole is basically the low effort way to make vegetarian enchiladas. Instead of rolling the veggies and beans up into individual tortillas, I just mixed it all together (including bitesized pieces of tortilla), casserole-style.
Why does it matter whether the ‘filling’ is actually wrapped in a tortilla, or if it’s underneath it, or on top of it? It all tastes the same once you’re eating it, so why bother faffing around rolling each enchilada up separately?
This version takes less time, involves less hands-on prep work, and creates less washing up.
Win win win!
As you might guess from the name of this dish, it begins with roasted vegetables.
Roasting is by far my favourite way to cook the majority of vegetables. It’s hands-off, and it always gives the veg a really lovely flavour. They end up soft in the middle, with nice little crispy bits around the edges.
You can pretty much roast up whatever vegetables you like for this enchilada casserole. I stuck with my favourite Tex-Mex veggies – peppers (red and yellow), mushrooms, and courgette (zucchini).
There’s absolutely no reason why you couldn’t use a shop-bought enchilada sauce for this casserole, if you can find one you like. This is meant to be a low effort dinner, after all – and in fact, if you do just use a jar, this will end up being a one pot dinner, which is always good!
However, enchilada sauce is actually not that easy to find in the UK – and when I do spot it somewhere, it’s always super expensive. So, since homemade enchilada sauce literally takes just a few minutes to make, and the ingredients are things I always have in the kitchen anyway, I decided to make my own. Either way works just fine.
I’ve previously written a whole post about my homemade enchilada sauce, if you’d like to see step-by-step photos. It’s basically the same process as making a white sauce.
You’ll also need to cut up some flour tortillas, ready for adding to the casserole.
When the vegetables are nice and roasty, it’s time to mix everything together:
I mix it all straight in the baking dish, so it doesn’t create any additional washing up.
Top the dish with a bit of grated cheese, and pop it back in the oven for about another 15 minutes, until it’s all nice and crispy.
The end result tastes just like my favourite vegetarian enchiladas. The pieces of tortilla soak up a little of the sauce, just like in ‘real’ enchiladas – and by the time you’ve scooped up a big forkful, it’s totally irrelevant that they weren’t neatly rolled.
This enchilada casserole doesn’t really require any side dishes – it’s already a full meal in itself.
However, it’s sometimes nice to prepare some side dishes, if only so you can have a bit of variety on the plate. I probably wouldn’t bother if I was just making this for my family, but if we had guests, I’d probably choose one or two of these to serve alongside:
To make my enchilada casserole, I used mushrooms, courgette (zucchini), and red and yellow peppers. These are my go-to veggies for Tex-Mex cooking.
You could also use:
Or, to be honest, pretty much anything else that roasts up nicely. For example, carrot may not be a vegetable I would often put in enchiladas, but it does roast up really nicely, so there’s no reason you couldn’t add that too.
Just be aware that some vegetables roast more quickly or more slowly than others, so bear that in mind – you may need to add some veg to the dish a little later than others.
Yep! Vegetarian enchiladas (including this casserole version) are just the sort of meal that can be frozen easily – so they’re perfect for batch cooking. Just transfer the cooked casserole to a freezer-safe tub, and pop it in the freezer.
I’d personally reheat it thoroughly in the microwave. You could reheat it in the oven instead if you prefer, but it may dry out a little.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe.
The post Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.
Summer is here! Hurrah! At this time of year, my tastes definitely change. No more hearty, cheesy casseroles – now, it’s all about summer recipes. I’m thinking fresh salads, picnic food, and easy cold lunches.
And of course, summer is the perfect excuse to eat outside whenever you can. Whether it’s a proper picnic in the park or just a few nibbles in the garden, everything tastes better in the sunshine. I always have a few easy vegetarian recipes up my sleeve that are easy to pack up and take out – things like pasta salads, picnic nibbles, and quiches.
I love how summer food often feels super relaxed and thrown together (in the best possible way). A bit of this, a handful of that, whatever fresh ingredients you’ve got in the fridge… somehow it all just works, even without a lot of forethought. Sometimes our meals are as simple as a slice of crusty bread with some hummus and grilled veggies, or a colourful salad topped with crumbled cheese and a zingy dressing – it’s the kind of food that feels light but still totally satisfying.
Without further ado, onto the recipes!
These vegetarian sausage rolls are stuffed with a seriously tasty lentil and mushroom filling, wrapped up in flaky puff pastry. They’re perfect to batch cook, and can be served cold as part of a picnic. We also love them packed up in lunch boxes!
Get the recipe here!
These crispy fava bean chips make a great crunchy snack, as an alternative to nuts or potato chips. Flavour them however you like – I made cheesy ones!
Get the recipe here!
Tortilla roll-ups make such a fun alternative to a sandwich for picnics and lunch boxes, or just to eat at home for a quick lunch.
Get the recipe here!
Juicy peaches work so well in this tasty vegetarian salad, along with creamy mozzarella, crunchy homemade croutons, and a simple balsamic dressing. This one is a real favourite of mine.
Get the recipe here!
One of my favourite summery dinners – a tasty mixture of vegetables and soft goat cheese, wrapped up in a flatbread. These are so adaptable, so they make great fridge clearers!
Get the recipe here!
A big slice of this self-crusting quiche is great packed up for a picnic or lunch on the go. The fluffy egg mixture forms its own crust as it cooks – you won’t miss the pastry!
Get the recipe here!
This creamy chickpea salad can be served on its own, scooped up on tortilla chips, or inside some crusty bread to make the perfect high protein vegetarian sandwich!
Get the recipe here!
These homemade flatbreads require only 3 ingredients (and no yeast!). Pack them up in your picnic basket with a variety of fillings, and let everyone construct their own lunch.
Get the recipe here!
These cheesy vegetable fritters are great served warm or cold, and they’re such a tasty way to clear out any veggies from the fridge! Serve them with some tzatziki for dipping, if you’re feeling fancy.
Get the recipe here!
These cheesy bites are one of my all-time favourites for packing up into a picnic. They’re super easy to make, and far more tasty than they sound!
Get the recipe here!
A slice of this tasty, cheesy slice is beautiful served cold – plus, it’s packed with protein and fresh vegetables!
Get the recipe here!
Pasta salad is a versatile meal that can be packed up for picnics, or kept in the fridge so you can dig into it throughout the week. I love to add chickpeas, feta cheese, and heaps of fresh veggies.
Get the recipe here!
Pizza is one of our favourite summer dinners, sliced up for everyone to share, and served with a green salad, coleslaw, and crunchy veggie sticks. This Indian-inspired pizza is topped with paneer cheese and a curry-infused pizza sauce.
Get the recipe here!
This roasted vegetable crustless quiche is packed with tasty ingredients, and since there’s no pastry, it’s a light and healthy meal that’s perfect for warmer weather.
Get the recipe here!
I make quesadillas at least once a week, as they’re such an easy meal! For these roasted veggie quesadillas, try cooking up a big batch of roasted vegetables at the start of the week, which you can dig into throughout the week for salads, pasta dishes, etc.
Get the recipe here!
Tabbouleh is another vegetarian salad that’s great to have on hand in the fridge all summer long! This version is extra special, with all sorts of bonus tasty ingredients. I love to serve it as part of a light lunch, with pitta bread and hummus.
Get the recipe here!
Coronation chickpeas are a vegetarian version of a traditional British recipe, with a lightly curried creamy sauce. There’s so much flavour, and they are wonderful served with toast or salad, or packed up into a picnic.
Get the recipe here!
This cold spinach dip can be whipped up in minutes, and is so tasty served with crackers for dipping. This one’s great for lunch boxes too!
Get the recipe here!
One of my all-time favourite lunches! These juicy roasted mushrooms have so much flavour, in a tasty tikka coating. I love them served with naan bread, salad, and a yogurt dip.
Get the recipe here!
Homemade hummus is so easy to make, and makes a wonderful addition to picnics or summery meals. This version uses white beans, lemon juice and feta cheese for maximum flavour.
Get the recipe here!
I love making pitta bread pizzas in the air fryer for a quick and easy lunch that doesn’t heat up the whole house. These ones have two layers of toppings and cheese!
Get the recipe here!
Homemade hummus is so quick and easy to make, and I love adding my own flavourings. This one is made seriously tasty with sun-dried tomatoes, basil and toasted pine nuts.
Get the recipe here!
Cowboy caviar is a simple vegan bean salad that’s absolutely packed with fresh, crunchy vegetables. My version is coated in a creamy avocado dressing for extra deliciousness! I love this scooped up on tortilla chips.
Get the recipe here!
What could be more summery than a veggie burger?! These chickpea burgers are easy to make, and great stacked up with fresh toppings.
Get the recipe here!
Fattoush is a tasty salad made with crispy pitta bread croutons. My version also has roasted vegetables and plenty of other tasty mix-ins!
Get the recipe here!
The post 25 Vegetarian Picnic Recipes appeared first on Easy Cheesy Vegetarian.
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