An easy + healthy quinoa casserole with all your favorite Mexican flavors. Meatless and high in protein, this easy casserole is a nutritional powerhouse! It's naturally gluten-free - and freezer friendly too.
Recently, I was browsing through the recipe archives (here!) I realized that there was a big discrepancy between the number of quinoa recipes (not that many!) and my love for the stuff in real life.
I don't get crazy over quinoa the same way I do with, say, sweet potatoes fries, camembert or smoked salmon – let's be real, it's not that exciting! – but it's a staple for me.
I eat quinoa every single week, in a variety of healthy recipes because it's versatile, filling, protein-rich and I find its slightly nutty taste delicious.
With that realization, I've decided to step up my quinoa game on Not Enough Cinnamon and start sharing more healthy quinoa recipes!
Did you catch the quinoa salad with spinach + pomegranate and the roasted cauliflower quinoa detox bowl with tahini sauce this month? They're good ones!
Healthy AND comforting - this Mexican Quinoa Casserole is perfect for keeping things light during the cold months!
Now because it's January and we all crave recipes that are ideally both healthy and comforting (two words that aren't always easy to combine!), I've made you this delicious Mexican quinoa casserole.
It's made with all your favorite Mexican ingredients like black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder... and it's bursting with flavors!
Thanks to the quinoa, the black beans, and the cheese, each serving is high in protein (despite being meatless) but only 365 calories for a big portion.
And it freezes really well if you want to make some ahead or store the leftovers. Enjoy!
If you tried this Mexican Quinoa Casserole, don’t forget to rate the recipe below and let me know how it went in the comments – I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more deliciousness and behind-the-scenes!
Mexican Quinoa Casserole
An easy + healthy quinoa casserole with all your favorite Mexican flavors. Meatless and high in protein, it's a nutritional powerhouse! It's naturally gluten free - and freezer friendly too.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño seeds and ribs removed, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 small lime juiced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ⅓ cup chopped cilantro + more for serving
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cans black beans 15 oz cans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups enchilada sauce ideally without added sugar
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
Toppings
- scallions, avocado cubes, jalapeno slices, sour cream optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Prepare a large baking dish. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
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Cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil with a generous pinch of salt. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork then set aside.
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Prepare the veggies: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and garlic, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and jalapeño, and cook until they soften for about 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice and spices.
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Remove skillet from the heat and gradually stir in the cilantro, corn kernels, black beans, quinoa, enchilada sauce and one cup of cheese. The skillet will be crowded so stir delicately. Taste and adjust salt + pepper if needed.
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Transfer the mixture to a prepared baking dish, sprinkle remaining one cup of cheese on top and cover with foil (trying not to make the foil touch the cheese or it'll stick).
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Bake for 20 minutes then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is beautifully melted and golden brown and casserole is bubbling.
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Remove from the oven and let rest for about 10 minutes. Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pods
More healthy casseroles:
Lisa Huff
Such a healthier alternative to the Mexican I eat. 🙂 Great idea! And my waistline thanks you!
Marie
Haha my pleasure Lisa 😉
Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze
I think this is a perfect weeknight dish. It would provide such tasty sure-to-induce-coworker-envy leftovers!
Marie
Oh they would be jealous for sure 😉
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life
This looks so flavorful and yummy! I love bright vibrant colorful dishes like this. I'm usually not one for casseroles, but this one is so much healthier and I can't wait to try it!
Marie
Thanks so much Marlynn! 🙂
Beth
That looks like a delicious casserole! You totally had me at Mexican!
Marie
Thanks Beth 🙂
Jenni
Oh, wow! This looks SO delicious! Love that it has quinoa in it so it has a ton of protein! What a great dinner option!
Marie
Thank you Jenni 🙂 It's one of my favorite plant-based protein!
parth rathod
This casserole looks delicious
thank you for sharing
Marie
Thank YOU!
krishi
Interesting recipe and easy to cook. Thanks for this article.
Marie
Thank you 🙂
40A.
Black beans, quinoa, cheese - this casserole has a lot of my favorite comfort foods and I can't believe I can have that for not even 400 cal/portion! Truly amazing! The perfect recipe for this time of year!
Reba
How can I freeze this to bring over to a family?
Marie
Definitely! It's perfect for freezing.