Quinoa Black Bean Enchilada Casserole. Perfect for a meatless weeknight meal and unique enough for company, loaded with healthy protein and vegetables.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is one nutritious and versatile little seed. I’ve added it to many recipes, in everything from muffins and broccoli dishes, to breakfast porridge and every type of main dish in-between. I even have a chocolate cake recipe featuring quinoa that is To-Die-For and frequently requested. But for all the ways I’ve prepared quinoa (obviously a lot!), I think I most love pairing it with black beans in Tex Mex and Mexican-inspired dishes. So, keeping with this trend I’d like to share a hearty, healthy and super easy recipe for Quinoa Enchilada Casserole.
A perfectly filling main dish, especially when served with toppings like diced tomatoes, avocado and sour cream, this can also be a side for grilled chicken, pork or beef. Though I call it an enchilada casserole, the corn also makes this dish reminiscent of tamale pie. An excellent vegetarian dish, this would be every bit as delicious as a vegan option without the cheese or with a vegan cheese substitute.
Put this on the menu at your next taco party or for a weeknight meal when time is limited and easy clean up is your best buddy. Spice it up or down with more or less jalapeno peppers. Adding the amount called for in the recipe as written adds no heat, but just a hint of smokiness that works. Also, you can add less of the red enchilada sauce if you think you’d prefer a more “dry” casserole.
Quinoa Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
For the Casserole:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 15- oz. can red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, mild or canned, diced tomatoes if desired
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ jalapeno, chopped (optional)
- ½ cup canned corn kernels, drained
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Toppings of your choice, like diced tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, black olives and green onions for serving, plus extra cheese and lime wedges
Equipment and Extras:
- 9 x13 casserole dish
- Medium sauce pan
- Cooking spray oil
- Aluminum foil to cover
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish or equivalent. Set aside.
- Combine quinoa with 2 cups water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes to finish absorbing water and for quinoa to open up.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce,the canned tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeno, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with lime juice,salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in ½ cup cheddar cheese and ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spread quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses.
- Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 5 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with lime wedges, garnished with avocado,fresh tomato and other favorite toppings.
Recipe adapted from Baked in Arizona.
This recipe is delicious! (I’m reviewing it as I’m eating the leftovers)! I messed up and grabbed the green enchilada sauce but it still tasted really good. Will certainly make again but with the right sauce next time. Thank you Sally, we loved it!
This was delightful. I also add Mexican oregano and black olives. Thanks for sharing Sally!
delicious and easy! this was my first adventure with quinoa. thank you for helping me make it a good one! Will definitely make again.
This was fantastic! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great! Everyone loved it!! I served it with sour cream.
I was a little skeptical of the raw onions and garlic in the casserole, but this baked up beautifully and was absolutely delicious! I held back a little to put in ramekins and topped those with vegan cheese for my vegan kid, and she loved it too. Thanks for sharing!
Making this next week!! Sounds fresh and healthy!
Thanks, Brad! Hope you like it. 🙂
Excellent dish! Only thing I did differently was used a green enchilada sauce. This will definitely be in our meal rotation. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Dianna, Oh I think I need to try the recipe with green enchilada sauce! That would be a nice variation. Thanks for taking the time to comment and I’m glad you liked this dish.
WHAT IS THE CALORIE COUNT IN A SERVING?
Hi Gwenna, I don’t count calories but instead focus on fresh and healthy ingredients and reasonable portions. Most of the ingredients in this dish are vegetable-based and even the cheese is not a large amount given it will serve six people. If you’re concerned about the calories, you could cut down on the amount of cheese that goes into the dish. Thanks for your interest. 🙂