This Mexican Quinoa combines the hearty goodness of quinoa with bold tex-mex flavours. It is not only a time-saving meal but also a nutritional powerhouse.
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Recipe Highlights
- vegan
- gluten-free
- protein-rich
- one pot meal
- easy to cook
- zero added sugar
- meal prep friendly
- instant pot friendly
About Mexican Quinoa
The Mexican Quinoa with beans is a perfect example of how a simple, wholesome dish can be both delicious and nutritious. Whether you’re a busy professional, a student, or somebody looking for a healthy meal for the family, this quinoa recipe is sure to become a favourite in your kitchen.
Nutritional Benefits:
This Vegan One-Pot Mexican Quinoa recipe is more than just a tasty meal; it’s a nutritional powerhouse.
- Quinoa: This ancient grain is a complete protein – meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids.
- Beans are rich in protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, and zinc.
- Vegetables: The bell pepper, corn, and tomatoes add vibrant colour, flavour, and nutrients to the dish.
- Spices: The combination of chilli powder, cumin, and smoked paprika not only adds depth and complexity to the flavour but also brings anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Quinoa. A fluffy and slightly nutty grain that soaks up all the flavours you cook along with it. Use uncooked quinoa for this Mexican recipe.
- Beans (black or red), should be pre-cooked or use canned.
- Onion – use red, white or yellow finely chopped
- Bell Peppers add colour and natural sweetness to the dish.
- Sweet Corn is an essential ingredient in Mexican-style cooking. Use fresh or frozen corn kernels.
- Tomatoes. Either roasted diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or the tomato paste gives the desired sauciness to the quinoa.
- Ground Spices. A combination of chilli powder or paprika, ground cumin, black pepper, and salt is used to flavour the quinoa.
- Vegetable Stock instead of water adds a layer of flavour and nutrition.
- Jalapeno or a mildly spicy green chilli for that fiery kick.
- Cilantro, Garlic, Olive Oil, Lime Juice
Optional Toppings: avocado slices, vegan cheese, jalapeños, tortilla chips, sour cream, tomato salsa
How To Cook Mexican Quinoa in One Pot
Prep Work:
- Start by rinsing the quinoa under cold water. This helps remove the natural coating called saponin, which can make quinoa taste bitter or soapy.
- Soak it in water for 30 minutes or a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Drain canned beans, rinse them with water, and let them sit in a colander.
- Finely chop garlic, onion, chilli, and bell peppers.
Sauté Vegetables:
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped garlic, and onion. Cook until it becomes translucent, about 1 – 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped bell pepper, chilli, corn kernels, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes, allowing the vegetables to start softening.
- Add the ground spices, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the vegetables with the spices.
Add Soaked Quinoa and Stock:
- Add the soaked quinoa and beans to the pot.
- Stir everything together to ensure the quinoa is well mixed with the vegetables and spices.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pot. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Final Cooking:
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. The quinoa should absorb all the liquid and become light and fluffy.
- After 20 minutes, check the quinoa for doneness – if it’s cooked and the liquid is absorbed, remove the pot from the heat.
Finishing Touch
- Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Gently combine, cover and let Mexican quinoa rest for 5 minutes before serving.
My Tried and True Tips
- Customization: Feel free to customize the vegetables based on what you have on hand or your personal preferences. Zucchini, carrots, baby corn, or peas would make great additions.
- Instant Pot: You can easily cook this Mexican Quinoa in an instant pot using Saute and Pressure Cook mode in 30 minutes.
- If you use uncooked, soaked beans for this quinoa recipe, cook them in vegetable stock before adding quinoa to the dish as beans take longer time to soften or become al dente.
- Spice Level: Adjust the spice level to your liking by adding more or less paprika or incorporating fresh jalapeños.
- Meal Prep: This dish is perfect for meal prep. Store it in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes well for longer storage.
- Serve Mexican Quinoa topped with avocado, sour cream, tomato salsa, or tortilla chips.
More Dinner Recipes
- Lentil Stew
- Minestrone Soup
- Quinoa Fried Rice
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- Vegetable Tofu Stir Fry
- Tomato Couscous Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Bake
- Easy Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
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Mexican Quinoa Recipe
Try this vegan one-pot Mexican Quinoa recipe for a quick and flavourful meal. Packed with nutrients, it's perfect for busy individuals.
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Servings: 2
Calories: 560kcal
- Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 Cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ Cup canned beans
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 jalapeno pepper or green chili fine chopped
- 1 medium size red onion, finely chopped
- ⅓ Cup sweet corn kernels
- ⅓ Cup bell peppers, finely chopped (red, yellow, green)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon cooking salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 ¼ Cup vegetable stock or broth (get recipe)
- 1 lemon juice
- Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Start by rinsing the quinoa under cold water. This helps remove the natural coating called saponin, which can make quinoa taste bitter or soapy. Soak it in water for 30 minutes or a minimum of 15 minutes.
- Drain canned beans, rinse them with water, and let them sit in a colander.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped garlic, and onion. Cook until it becomes translucent, about 1 – 2 minutes or only to release its aroma.
- Stir in the chopped bell pepper, chilli, corn kernels, and tomato paste. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes, allowing the vegetables to start softening.
- Add the ground spices, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the vegetables with the spices.
- Add the vegetable stock to the pot. Taste, and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. The quinoa should absorb all the liquid and become light and fluffy.
- After 20 minutes, check the quinoa for doneness – if it’s cooked and the liquid is absorbed, remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Gently combine, cover and let Mexican quinoa rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve Mexican Quinoa warm with toppings of choice.
Recipe Notes:
- Rice: You can substitute quinoa with rice in this recipe. Adjust the quantity of water and cooking time accordingly.
- Do not add too much liquid to cook the quinoa else it will not be light and fluffy.
- While cooking the quinoa, always keep an eye on the pot to avoid burning. Sometimes, quinoa absorbs liquid more quickly than expected.
- Gently reheat leftovers in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 1427mg | Potassium: 1017mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1654IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 6mg
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