Layered Enchilada Casserole

I made this Layered Enchilada Casserole for our dinner the next 3 nights!

Here's how I make it and layer it from the bottom up! You get LOTS of veggies in this, and you really CAN'T mess it up! You can get it all put together, cover with foil, and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes (or until bubbling and warmed through) before you're ready to eat it or bake it ahead and just microwave servings (that's what we do!).

NOTE: I like to cook the beans and the Smoky Roasted Vegetable Cheese Sauce ahead of time or the day before to reduce the amount of work on a single day. It helps A LOT! I usually cook the veggies for the veggies layer right when I am putting the casserole together.

1 package of Frontera Red Chile Enchilada Sauce with Roasted Tomato and Garlic (can find at Target, Walmart, Kroger, etc. and is OIL-FREE!) - Use half at the bottom of the casserole and half on top.

* Use any enchilada sauce you like as long as it is oil-free and clean ingredients

6-9 CLEAN corn tortillas, ripped into 3"-ish pieces to be used at the bottom, middle, and top of casserole, just below the last sauces layer.

BEANS LAYER:

3 cups mixed cooked beans (I soak 1/2 cup of black, pinto, and kidney beans in water overnight, then I rinse and drain and cook in Instant Pot with some seasonings for 30 minutes with natural release. You can also use canned. Just season them up with some cumin, chili powder, garlic, onion powder, and salt to taste)

VEGGIE LAYER:

**SAUTE IN A SKILLET UNTIL TENDER, adding frozen corn and spinach LAST**

1 onion, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 large jalapeno, chopped

1 zucchini, diced small

1/2 cup your favorite salsa

1/2 cup corn 

2 handfuls of baby spinach, chopped (optional) 

Salt to taste

CHEESE SAUCE (add on top of beans layer and on the very top of the casserole):

One batch of my Smoky Roasted Vegetable Cheese Sauce:

1 very small onion, chopped

1 carrot (washed and unpeeled), chopped

1 cup Butternut squash, peeled and diced (or use a cup of frozen)

a large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and chopped

1/4 red bell pepper, chopped into 4 pieces

1/2 cup orange grape tomatoes (which needed to be used up!)

3 cloves of garlic (leave in husk)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the above vegetables on a parchment paper-lined baking tray with sides. Roast for about 25 minutes (check at 20 minutes to see if the potatoes, carrots, and squash are fork tender).

Then, add the roasted veggies to the Vitamix with:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

1 t salt

1 t liquid smoke

1/4 t chipotle pepper

1/8 t cumin

1 1/2 cups water (more if needed)

Blend until smooth and creamy!