Hands up if you love quinoa!
(I hope you've all got your hands up right now, otherwise I feel a bit silly for waving my arms madly here)
Now hands up if you love quinoa with enchilada sauce and black beans and veg and a crispy cheesy topping...
This Mexican quinoa bake is pretty much my new favourite thing ever (I know I say that a lot... but I always mean it at the time). The vegetables and black beans make this a hearty casserole, but the fluffy quinoa keeps it light. And the cheesy topping...
I literally just sighed. That's the only way to describe this cheesy topping. I used a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella - the cheddar gives a great flavour and crispiness, and the mozzarella gives those stretchy, stringy bits of cheese that make me want to cry in a really good way.
(just kidding, I don't actually cry over cheese, usually)
Pair this Mexican quinoa bake with a big pile of salad and maybe a slice or two of garlic bread, and you've got the perfect dinner - it's comfort food, but it's pretty healthy as far as comfort food goes. You could use brown rice instead of quinoa if you prefer, but personally I think the quinoa is a big part of what makes this dish so amazing. It's got such a great texture (did I mention fluffy?), and it's higher in fibre, protein, and iron.
One of the best things about this recipe is that everyone will love it - meat-eaters and veggies alike. Don't let your carnivorous friends be put off by the quinoa (even if it does sound like something you would eat at a vegan yoga retreat in the Himalayas) - once they taste it they'll be 100% converted.
Mexican quinoa bake
If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!
Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 175 g quinoa
- 500 ml vegetable stock plus extra water if needed
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 3 spring onions sliced
- 100 g sweetcorn kernels
- 1 x 400g tin black beans 240g when drained, drained and rinsed
- 4 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- 250 g red enchilada sauce shop-bought or homemade
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon hot chilli powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 100 g grated cheese I used a mozzarella and cheddar mix
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F).
- Boil the quinoa in the vegetable stock for around 15 minutes - the quinoa should become soft and the spiral-shaped germ should detach, and the liquid should all be absorbed. If the liquid begins to dry up before the quinoa is ready, just add a dash more water and mix well. When the liquid is nearly gone, you will need to turn the heat down fairly low to prevent the quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the garlic, onion and red pepper. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, until the vegetables are almost soft. Remove from the heat, and add the spring onions, sweetcorn, drained black beans and fresh coriander. Stir in the enchilada sauce and the cooked quinoa, and then add the spices as necessary (if your sauce was particularly spicy you might decide to skip the additional chilli powder). Season to taste, and mix well to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a large baking dish, and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and crispy, and the quinoa mixture is piping hot.
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
If you have any quinoa left over, make sure you put it to good use in my cheesy quinoa cakes!
Emma @ Fork and Good says
Ohhhhh this looks heavenly. One of the first posts I've read in a while that I actually plan on making as soon as I get home. Quinoa rules! Even if it does spark a debate on how it's pronounced every time it's bought up in conversation...
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Aw thanks! You should definitely make it, and definitely call it keen-waaaah!
Emma @ Fork and Good says
Quinoas bubbling away as I type. And YES, glad someone agrees with me on Keen-WAH!
Sarah @ Seriously Lovely says
Oh my, this looks delicious! My husband is skeptical about quinoa, but he loves Mexican food, so this would be a great recipe to convince him to give it another try.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Definitely! It's so fluffy, it will definitely convince him! :)
Julia says
My arms are waving like crazy over here too! I adore quinoa and am amazed at everything you can do with it. This Mexican bake looks absolutely delicious! What a tasty meal!
LittleMonsterx14 says
mmm i love quinoa bakes! i did a broc and cheese one, I need to try this one now too!
Courtney @ The Fig Tree says
Ooooo! This looks delicious! Love quinoa and love mexican flavours! Great post :)
Deena Kakaya says
I have to admit, I don't get very excited about quinoa unless it is cooked in bold and herby flavours, like your definitely inviting recipe x
Julia says
What a dish! Pinning!
Whitney @ To Live & Diet in L.A. says
This looks amazing!! I think even my meat-loving BF would go for this :)
How to Philosophize with Cake says
Mmm, now that's a casserole I'd eat! Awesome use for quinoa. :)
CakePants says
Mmm...this looks delightful! I love Mexican food, but I don't love how I usually feel really weighted down by it afterward, so this looks perfect, with the fluffy yet filling quinoa. Thanks for sharing the recipe!