This healthy Mexican quinoa casserole is the perfect weeknight dinner – Just mix the ingredients together and throw it into the oven!
With just 5 minutes of prep work, you could even try it out for dinner tonight!
The recipe is super easy to make and is sure to satisfy both meat eaters and vegetarians.
High in protein, it’s a meatless meal that’s filled with superfoods such as black beans, quinoa, and red peppers, yet tastes like pure comfort food at the same time ♥.
The best part is that you don’t need to cook the quinoa beforehand, which saves you time and also means fewer dishes to clean.
Serve it in bowls or on plates – the casserole is firm enough to slice into squares.
It also makes a delicious savory breakfast!
I adapted this quinoa casserole from an unlikely source: Banana Bread Quinoa Breakfast Bars.
Proof I do sometimes think about other things besides chocolate and dessert. The recipe takes just three easy steps, which I’ve posted below with accompanying photos.
Step-By-Step Photos:
Step One:
Gather all of your ingredients.
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 350 F.
Step Two:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Stir together until well-mixed, then spread the quinoa mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Step Three:
Bake 28 minutes on the oven’s center rack.
Turn off the heat, and let sit in the closed oven to firm up. Serve hot, or cover and refrigerate overnight.
Leftovers can be refrigerated 3-4 days.
While I’ve only made this quinoa casserole as listed, please feel free to experiment with other ingredients or spices.
You can try substituting chopped carrots for the corn, zucchini for the bell pepper, white beans or even lentils for the black beans, or perhaps even rice for the quinoa.
Leftover beans? Make these easy Black Bean Burgers
With any recipe, whether it be mine or someone else’s, it’s always a good idea to make the recipe exactly as written the first time so you know what it’s supposed to taste like.
Then you can experiment and see how using different ingredients changes the taste and texture of the recipe.
Edible experiments can be a risk, but sometimes that risk pays off big time!
In this particular case, I took a risk by adapting a dessert recipe to make a savory one… and I could not be happier with the results.
Cheesy Mexican Black Bean Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 can black beans, or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- 1 can corn, or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes, canned or fresh
- 1 bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup cheese, such as Daiya vegan, OR nutritional yeast
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper, and set aside. Drain the beans and corn. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients until well-mixed. Spread into the prepared pan, and bake on the center rack 28 minutes. Without opening the oven door even a little, turn off the heat and let the casserole sit in the closed oven for an additional 25 minutes. Remove, and serve. The casserole will firm up more overnight as well – store leftovers covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.Instant Pot Version: Add an extra 1/2 cup of water and set it to manual for 8 minutes. Thanks to reader Louise who came up with this version and left a comment to let us know it can be made in an instant pot!View Nutrition Facts
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More Healthy Savory Recipes:
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Blog Update:
There are some exciting things coming to the blog in the next few months, including a brand new ebook coming out very soon that may or may not be 100% devoted to breakfast recipes! I’ve also hired a full-time media director and updated the FAQ page:
This is an amazing recipe (and I’m not even a fan of quinoa)! I vary it, by adding a can of tomato sauce, reducing the water slightly. I actually make 1.5 x the recipe, so there’s more than enough for another dinner. We top it off with high fat yogurt or sour cream, chopped cilantro, salsa, and serve it with tortilla chips or warm tortillas. My kids love this! This is an excellent dish for potlucks, or as a dinner for new moms (it’s easy to eat with one hand, while nursing 🙂 Thank you.
This is so good and so easy. I’ve been eating it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Add a little hot sauce plus some green chiles and it’s perfection. And, it’s so quick and simple to make…hooray for one dish meals!
I made this last night and it was AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. And so easy.
I used a can of Rotel tomatoes instead of 1 cup crushed, and 1 Tbsp taco seasoning instead of 2 tsp chili powder.
I also sprinkled more cheese on top. So melty and delicious.
I recommend rinsing the quinoa first. This makes sure it’s fluffy and mine always tastes like stale pantry when i forget the rinse.
Do you think this can be frozen? Before you bake it or after?
I baked mine and then froze it. Came out fine. My family loved it but I did soak and rinse and precook the quinoa.
Just made this exactly as it said, It came out great. Very Tasty. I like how you didn’t have to cook anything first!
Loved the ease of prep and the flavor. The Quinoa seems a bit firm despite following the cooking directions exactly. Any suggestions?
I would presoak the quinoa next time so it sprouts and is more nutrient dense than left uncooked as it doesn’t open.
I’ve made this a bunch of times, often adding or subbing ingredients. It is always fantastic, except the time that I forgot to add the water – oops. I have to go to a party tomorrow night an we are supposed to bring appetizers. Have you got any thoughts about how you might turn these into small portions that would be suitable as appies?
Maybe cook in cupcake liners? Or try these instead? https://lett-trim.today/2017/10/02/broccoli-cheddar-quinoa-bites/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Making this in the next day or two and have a question about substituting the nutritional yeast for shredded vegan cheese. The recipe calls for 1 cup of shredded cheese and indicates the same for nutritional yeast… is this the case?
Thanks!
Yes! I used 1 cup nutritional yeast.
I made this in the instant pot. Added extra 1/2 cup of water and set it manual for 8 minutes. Came out excellent!
Thank you so much for reporting that it works in the instant pot! We will definitely make a note in the recipe so other readers with an instant pot can try it. I love mine and keep telling Katie that she needs to get one!
Jason (media relations)
What release did you do? Quick? Natural?