No complaints about the dinner menu tonight! Slow Cooker Enchilada Pasta is a hearty, cheesy dish that will surely bring everyone back for seconds. Enjoy a vegetarian meal with a flavorful combination of black beans, corn, and enchilada sauce.

bowl of enchilada pasta next to fresh tomatoes

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What’s To Love About This Recipe

This is one of my favorite recipes to make on busy days because you really don’t have to prep or pre-cook anything. Just add everything in and turn on the slow cooker!
Enchilada pasta is perfect for the times when you need to serve a nice hearty bowl that will fill everyone up! It’s great for dinner on school nights, prepping between activities, or enjoying an easy weekend meal.
This pasta is packed with flavor, and adding a quality enchilada sauce is so simple!
The recipe is totally flexible! As written, it’s designed to be vegetarian, but you can add in just about anything that you love.
It’s always a good idea to have a meal idea ready that you can make with shelf-stable ingredients. Keep some canned items, frozen corn, orzo pasta, and cream cheese on hand to whip up a fantastic meal!

Ingredients Needed

Black beans – Black beans are a great source of protein and fiber. They can make vegetarian meals very filling and nutrient-dense. Use canned beans, drained and rinsed, or leftover home-cooked black beans.
Diced tomatoes – Diced tomatoes add a bit of acidity and richness to the pasta dish. Grab a can or two to keep in your pantry for convenience!
Frozen corn kernels – Frozen corn is so nice to have on hand because it tastes fresh, sweet, and maintains a nice texture during cooking. I like the little bit of added crunch that it adds to the dish.
Enchilada sauce – Choose a jar or bottle of your favorite enchilada sauce from the store, or make your own homemade Ancho Chili Enchilada Sauce. I love Frontera Red Chile Enchilada Sauce because of its thickness and bold flavor. Siete Foods also has tasty red or green enchilada sauces.
Vegetable broth – Broth adds a flavorful base to the pasta and provides the necessary moisture. If you don’t need to keep the recipe vegetarian, you can also use chicken broth.
Seasonings– Combine just a few staple seasonings for Mexican flavors! Add chili powder, dried cilantro, and cumin for a deep, earthy blend.
Cream cheese – When the cream cheese melts into the other ingredients, it creates a smooth, creamy base with a little bit of tanginess.
Dry orzo pasta – Orzo pasta is a small variety that adds excellent texture without making the dish too heavy. Add it near the end to cook just right.

ingredients in bowls on table: dry orzo, enchilada sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, cream cheese, black beans, diced tomatoes and frozen corn

How To Make Enchilada Pasta In The Slow Cooker

Place all ingredients, except for the orzo pasta, in the slow cooker.

black beans, corn, tomatoes, seasonings, broth and cream cheese in slow cooker

Cook on high for up to 4 hours or low for up to 8 hours until all ingredients are warmed through and the cream cheese is melted.
Add in the dry orzo pasta and stir to combine everything evenly.
Let it heat for 15 – 30 minutes on high until the pasta is cooked and tender.
If needed, add additional broth or water (1/4 cup at a time) to ensure that the pasta is tender and doesn’t dry out.
Serve immediately and remove the leftovers from the heat so that the pasta does not become soggy.

white slow cooker filled with enchilada pasta

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

This recipe is totally flexible, and you can customize it to be a repeat dish on your menu! Here are a few ideas for swaps:

Enchilada pasta incorporates black beans as the main vegetarian protein, but you could also add leftover chicken, cooked ground beef, or cooked ground turkey.
Swap the can of black beans for pinto beans if you like. (This would be a great way to use up a large batch of leftover Slow Cooker Pinto Beans!)
Change the base flavor depending on the type of enchilada sauce that you use. Try a red or green sauce, or try out your own homemade version like my Slow Cooker Ancho Chili Enchilada Sauce.
To add some extra veggies, include some finely chopped bell peppers or jalapeños along with the other ingredients at the beginning.
To make the recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free orzo instead of regular orzo. Also, be sure to use a gluten-free enchilada sauce.
For a dairy-free recipe, swap out cream cheese for a dairy-free version.

spoonful of enchilada pasta over white slow cooker

How To Serve Enchilada Pasta

Enchilada pasta is a great one-bowl recipe, but you can serve a heartier meal with a few extra sides.

Top off your bowl with just about anything you would use on enchiladas! Some suggestions are a bit of sprinkled shredded cheese, sour cream, black olives, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, or freshly chopped cilantro.

Include appetizers such as fresh pico de gallo or Spicy Queso and tortilla chips. Add a fresh salad with garden veggies and Zesty Lime Jalapeno Ranch Dressing or Roasted Corn Chopped Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette to complete the meal!

white bowl filled with enchilada pasta and topped with chopped cilantro in front of white slow cooker

Storing and Reheating

Save your leftovers for easy lunches and dinners. Store the pasta in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat it in the microwave.

I don’t recommend freezing cooked pasta due to texture changes that will occur when defrosting. However, you can prepare the ingredients without the pasta, freeze them, and then add fresh, cooked pasta when ready to serve.