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Enchilada Power Bowls! Flavorful, spicy, cheesy, and so satisfying! With green lentils, tofu, and black beans, this weeknight dinner is ready in 30 minutes! A flavorful meal the whole family will love. Plus, leftovers reheat really well!
📘 Introduction
That’s my kind of bowl. Filling, full of different textures, spicy, loaded with plant protein, and, more importantly, packed with flavor.
This recipe is called enchilada bowls because that’s what it’s all about: black beans, green lentils, and rice in a luxurious chili-cheese sauce. Think of it like deconstructed enchiladas in a bowl.
And if you are worried about protein, each serving contains over 20g of protein!
🥣 How to Make Enchilada Power Bowls
Rice and Lentils
It starts with the rice and green lentils that are cooked until tender, for about 20 minutes. Then, add cooked black beans. I recommend using canned beans for convenience, but if you have time, you can cook them from scratch. It can only be tastier!
I love to combine multiple legumes and grains. Firstly, it makes the texture more interesting, and secondly, you get complete proteins.
Tofu
While the rice and lentils are cooking, prepare the tofu. If using semi-firm tofu, press it for a few minutes to remove excess moisture. If using firm tofu, you can skip this step.
To add a ton of flavor to the tofu, we will let it marinade. Here are the ingredients you will need to prepare the marinade:
- Soy sauce: For umami and saltiness. For a gluten-free option, use tamari.
- Maple syrup: For sweetness. You can use coconut sugar, or agave syrup if you prefer.
- Almond butter: To add a subtle nutty flavor and creaminess.
- Ground Chili: For spiciness and flavor. Use chili spice mix, not chili flakes.
Preferably, you want to let the tofu marinate for at least 20 minutes (or overnight!), but if you are short on time, 15 minutes will be enough.
Next, sauté the marinated tofu for 7-8 minutes in a skillet or until golden brown.
Enchilada Sauce
The enchilada sauce is super simple to prepare! It is a mix of browned onions, tomato sauce, chili, oregano, and nutritional yeast to add a nice cheesy flavor.
Once the enchilada sauce is ready, add the cooked rice, lentils, and black beans and stir to coat.
Divide the enchilada rice and beans between serving bowls, top with sliced avocado, chewy and crispy tofu, and garnish with fresh parsley!
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can bake the tofu at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes.
Sure!
Tofu and enchilada beans will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Enchilada bean cans are reheated over low-medium heat in a saucepan. Add a couple of tablespoons of water, if needed, to prevent it from burning. Tofu can be reheated in a non-stick skillet.
If you are looking for a healthy and satisfying meal, look no further. This recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and makes 4 generous servings. It’s delicious, comforting, and filling!
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Enchilada Power Bowls with Spicy Tofu
Ingredients
Lentils, rice and beans
- 1/2 cup (100 g) dried brown rice
- 1/2 cup (95 g) dried green lentils
- 2 and 1/2 cup (600 ml) water
- 1 15-oz (425 g) can cooked black beans
Tofu
- 7 ounces (200 g) firm tofu
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp (15 g) almond butter
Enchilada Sauce
- 1 onion finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cup (360 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder (2 if you like it more spicy)
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp (33 g) nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 avocados sliced
Instructions
Lentils, rice, and beans
- Add the lentils, brown rice, and water to a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the tofu and enchilada sauce.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and add them to the rice and lentils. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
Tofu
- Whisk together all of the marinade ingredients together until combined.
- Drain the tofu very well. Line a plate with a paper towel, place the tofu on top, add another layer of paper towel, and place something heavy on top. Press the tofu for 5-10 minutes. Cut it into cubes and add it to the sauce. Stir to coat and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently until the tofu is light brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
Enchilada sauce
- Heat two teaspoons of oil in a saucepan, add the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, or until soft and golden brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato sauce, spices, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, and salt to the saucepan and whisk until combined. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the rice, lentils, and black beans to the enchilada sauce and mix until everything is well coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust saltiness if needed.
Bowls
- Divide the enchilada rice and beans between 4 serving bowls, top with half of an avocado (sliced or cubed), and sautéed tofu. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve!
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
Leave a Comment
That was great and very filling. Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
SO good!!
Thanks for your rating!
What do you mean by tomato sauce? In my country this is ketchup – is that what you mean?
No, not ketchup. Tomato sauce, or tomato purée which is blended/puréed cooked tomatoes.
Amazing and easily made with pantry staples….this is a winner. Used peanut instead of almond butter and tasted delicious. Thanks Thomas, keep the recipes coming!
Thanks for your feedback Colleen 😉
This has been a fantastic addition to our weeknight dinner roster. Thank you for the easy to follow, easy to make recipe! My kids and I switched to a vegan diet last year, and this has always been one of our favorite go to recipes. Thank you!
Thanks for your feedback Heather! Glad you like these bowls 😉
I wouldn’t call this recipe “spicy “ it only have a teaspoon on chili powder in it.
Have you tried the recipe? I found that spiciness really depends on your taste and how much you are used to it. Personally, after eating a lot of spicy foods, I found out I got used to it and now I have to add more chili to really taste it, so spiciness is definitely subjective.
I find your two stars a bit harsh for a “spiciness” issue though.
Absolutely delicious meal! Easy to make but it did take me longer than 30 mins! Going on the repeat list!!
Thanks Ivana! 🙂
Just writing a second comment apologising as I don’t want to come off as being rude, your work is good stuff keep it up! The ads I can easily ignore 😛
Hey Karen,
It’s all good, don’t worry. Thanks for the heads up though, I will check what I can do to remove ads from the recipe print page.
Your print button has ads all over the recipe print page if I wanted to print ads I’d become an advertiser
This was really yummy! The star of the show is absolutely that sauce! I will be making it again for other dishes. I used left over white rice, cilantro instead of parsley, and I added a squeeze of lime on top at the end. My hubby added a dollop of sour cream to his second bowl since we’d already eaten all of the avocado and he said that was a nice and tangy addition as well. Will definitely make this again!
So glad to hear you liked it Melanie 🙂 Thanks for your feedback!
Family loves this recipe! I’m the plant-based diet eater in the house but EVERYONE loves the flavors of this dish. Great recipe and it comes together quickly.
Thanks for your rating Patricia!
Do you put the rice and lentils in already cooked?
Rice and lentils are dried, then cooked for about 20 minutes.
This is so delicious! I did use more nutritional yeast – increased by 1tbsp and then sprinkled on top with a squeeze of lime when plated. Great recipe! Will definitely make this again.
Great! Happy to hear you liked it!
I absolutely love the texture of this recipe but just want to check is the chili powder a premade mixture of spices or powdered chillies? I’m from the UK
The one I used here is a chili mix that contains cumin and other spices.
Fantastic and very easy my family loved it. Great recipe for family’s to do together. Looks like a lot of things but very simple. Loved doing it with my son ,also I did chicken cubed and marinaded in sauce also for those that don’t like tofu, but the ate both and liked them.
Thanks for your feedback Scherril! 🙂
Hi, due to health reasons (thyroid insufficiency) I try to avoid soja. Is there a substitute you would recommend for this recipe?
Hi Andrea, you may want to use seitan.
Great idea – the sauce, for me, turned out horribly, so I used a medium-spice salsa instead and that was great. I also did the quick and easy marinate the tofu in oil and taco seasoning 🙂
Sorry to hear that Kelly!
This makes for a very delicious post-workout lunch! I made one batch of this but made a few tweaks. I added 2 cans of black beans instead of one to make it a little more hearty. I also used a whole 16 oz block of tofu, and tripled the marinade ingredients. If I were to do this again, I would have just doubled the extra, as triple was a bit too much. And I baked the tofu at 375 until crispy instead of pan-frying it. I always struggle pan-frying tofu as it tends to break apart on me. When eating, I top with a hearty amount of avocado and lime juice. The one flavor that throws me off is the almond butter – to me, the tofu tastes Asian and sweet, not exactly what pairs well with an otherwise Mexican lending flavor. If I were to make this again, I would probably make it a little more of a Chipotle flavor, but that’s just me! This recipe is a great base for adding your own spin on it, and I appreciate greatly this idea to add a variety of plant power to your day!
Thanks for your feedback and sharing your tweaks Nicola!
i loved it i need to find more like this
Thanks 🙂
Wonderful recipe! I used the leftover enchilada mixture to stuff some zucchini the next day. The taste of the tofu was incredible. My daughter who isn’t a big tofu fan, loved it.
Awesome! 🙂
This recipe is amazing, so tasty and clean eating. Avocado is a must, it really does enhance the meal.
Glad you liked it, thanks for your feedback!
Is the nutrition info with or without the avocado please!
Without the avocado.
Delicious! Substituted quinoa for brown rice and added lots of cayenne & Cholula for heat. Cilantro too – otherwise it was a perfect, hearty bowl. Thanks for the recipe, cheers!
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback Meghan 😉
This was so good! My meat loving boyfriend even was going for seconds!
Awesome! Thanks for your feedback Cassandra!
My brown rice always takes 45-50 mins to cook. Your directions are for only 20 mins. Doesn’t that result in hard rice?
Well if your rice takes 45 mins to cook then yes it will result in hard rice. I would recommend cooking it on the side, not with the lentils.
I learned that not all brands of brown rice have the same cooking time. If you use basmati brown rice, or Thai brown rice, it usually only requires 20 mins.
This was absolutely delicious!
Thanks for the feedback Jennifer!
this looks and sounds really tasty – I must give it a try at the weekend – but minus the chilli for me 🙂
Thanks Christine!
Loved this recipe! I am a non-vegan trying to incorporate more plant-based foods into my diet and this was the perfect use for the tofu I had in the fridge and hadn’t yet been bold enough to open! (Thanks for the in-depth directions on preparing the tofu, by the way–they helped a rookie immensely!) I didn’t have the nutritional yeast so I threw in a little extra soy, and it was still a really nice, complex sauce, even without the cheese flavor.
Delicious, filling, and plenty of leftovers for a few more meals. Thank you, Thomas!
Thank you so much for the feedback Rachel! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
I found this recipe to be very bland. It was not spicy at all.
Did you follow the exact recipe and used all the spices? I make this regularly and no one finds it bland, maybe try adjusting the salt and/or chili?
Delicious! No need to tweak anything, it’s that good!
Thanks for the feedback! Glad to hear you liked it Rebecca!
Thus was really yummy. I didn’t have almond butter so I used peanut butter and added a little sirachi to the tofu mixture. We really enjoyed it and will definitely make again. Great recipe
Any nut butter works great here! Thanks for the feedback Karen 😉