This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Remember when quinoa blew up and had its moment? It’s now just another grain that you have sitting in your pantry. That’s why this quinoa enchilada bake is a great way to use it up before it goes bad and make you fall in love with quinoa all over again!
I don’t particularly cook with quinoa a lot but when I do cook with it, I remember how versatile this grain is.
It’s just like rice where you can use it as a base for a plethora of flavors. I love using it in chili when you want to bulk it up a bit or as a replacement for rice in a grain bowl.
Quinoa enchilada bake
If you’re looking for a flavorful, no-fuss weeknight dinner idea, this quinoa enchilada bake fits the bill!
After the quinoa is cooked, all you have to do is throw everything into a baking dish and the oven does the rest!
The entire dish explodes with flavor and it could not be easier to make!
Tips to make the quinoa enchilada bake
- Most of your prep work will come from chopping the veggies. If you want to prep that ahead of time to make dinner come together faster, that is definitely recommended!
- Pick a high quality enchilada sauce. As the quinoa enchilada bake primarily gets its flavor from the sauce, you’ll want something that is higher quality because it means more flavor and less watered down.
- If you want to put in ground beef or ground turkey, brown the meat in a large skillet while the quinoa cooks and mix it together with everything else when assembling the bake.
Other quinoa recipes:
Garlic butter shrimp and quinoa
Butternut squash quinoa risotto
Quinoa Enchilada Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) water
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 ounce (28 g) packet taco seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15 ounce (425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ounce (113 g) can diced green chiles
- 1 cup (164 g) frozen corn kernels
- ¼ cup (4 g) minced cilantro or parsley
- 10 ounce (284 ml) can or jar enchilada sauce, (mild, medium, or spicy — whichever you prefer)
- 2 cups (224 g) shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Sliced avocado, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and spray a 9×13 oven-safe casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
- In a medium-sized pot add water and quinoa and set over high heat.
- When the water is boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa is fully cooked and the water is absorbed. Set aside.
- In a large 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat add olive oil.
- When the oil is hot add in the onion, bell peppers, jalapeno, and the taco seasoning.
- Saute for about 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent and the peppers are starting to soften. Add in the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in cooked quinoa, black beans, green chiles, corn kernels, cilantro, and enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
- Add the ingredients in the pan to your prepared baking dish and cover with shredded cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- Serve with sliced avocado on top.
1 cup of uncooked quinoa or cooked?
uncooked quinoa
What brand of enchilada sauce do you use/recommend?
i like using Hatch enchilada sauce