This Cheesy Mexican Quinoa recipe is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Make it vegetarian or add some leftover chicken and customize with your favorite vegetables!
**Photo and recipe updated 8/2016**
Hi Friends!
I have a quick recipe to share with you guys today. I wasn’t planning to blog about it. It was just something I threw together the other night for dinner…but as soon as I posted it on Instagram and saw how many of you wanted the recipe, I wrote down the ingredients I used so I could share it with you!
This dish is, surprise surprise, Mexican inspired. Have you noticed we eat a lot of Mexican around here? Several times a week….but neither of us seem to get tired of it so it works for us.
So here’s what was in it:
PrintCheesy Mexican Quinoa
This Cheesy Mexican Quinoa recipe is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Make it vegetarian or add some leftover chicken and customize with your favorite vegetables!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 ⅓ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color is fine)
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ cup chicken, cooked (optional)
- ⅔ cup corn kernals
- 6 oz shredded Colby Jack or Mexican cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- Avocado & salsa for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 13-15 minutes.
- In a large saute pan, heat oil and saute peppers, onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Add beans, spices, chicken and corn and saute another 5 minutes.
- Add cooked quinoa, milk and cheese and stir until well combined.
- Serve warm and top with avocado and salsa if desired.
You can easily make this a vegetarian dinner but I love tossing in some leftover chicken. It’s a great way to transform chicken from my food prep into a completely new dish!
[Tweet “Try this Cheesy Mexican Quinoa from @leangrnbeanblog for a quick, protein-packed dinner.”]
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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I adore you because your photos still be fancy 🙂
xo
Mmmmm, cheese + quinoa has gotta be good.
i know, right?! can’t go wrong there!
I love Mexican food so I’m loving all your Mexican inspired dishes! 🙂
i’m glad…because i seem to be on a kick!
Yay!! Another quinoa recipe for me!! 🙂
you know it! add it to the rotation!
this looks fantastic! the instructions are similar to the ones for the lentil veggie mac n cheese, which I made again this past weekend too and my husband loves it!
yep! super similar 🙂 so glad you guys are liking the mac and cheese 🙂
A healthy Mexican mac n’ cheese! I love it 🙂 Definitely trying this out soon!
yes!! enjoy, my friend 🙂
This looks great! I’ve had a can of black beans in my pantry for AGES and I keep forgetting about them. May just have to use them to make this!
use them up girl!!! bean power 🙂
We eat a lot of Mexican themed dinners too! This would be a big hit in our house.
let me know if you try it out!!
I am always so impressed with your quick, easy, and delicious dinners, Lindsay! This one looks like another winner 🙂
thanks friend!!! quick and easy could be my middle name….or not…that might be awkward!
As usual your a culinary skills are unreal! This sounds delicious and easy to make. I read a lot of blogs Linds, but actually make more recipes from your site than any other; it’s food my family and I enjoy and eat time and time again. xo
thank you so much Lisa…that means a lot 🙂 xoxo
This looks delicious! I’m always in the market for tasty new comfort food recipes and this one looks like it just might get to the top of the list – Quick, easy & yummy – Three of my favorite things! 🙂
yay! mine too! let me know if you try it out!
Oh my! Sounds and looks delicious. I love your recipes because they are easy for someone like me who doesn’t cook. Can’t wait to try this.
thank you!! i like to keep things simple around here 🙂
I could eat Mexican food everyday for the rest of my life. This looks fabulous!
uh, me too 🙂 easily.
love cheezy quinoa dishes!
I love how quick & easy your recipes are! Perfect for when I get cooking-lazy (which is often).
thank you!!! i’m quite lazy myself 🙂
I need more Mexican foods in my life, this looks super simple and delicious! My kind of meals!
yes you do, my friend!!! so easy and delish!
This looks so delish! Almost like mac and cheese but with quinoa!
exactly!! more protein…for the win!
Thanks for the recipe girl, this looks amazing! I haven’t had quinoa in awhile and I kinda miss it!!
xxoo
woohoo!!! get it back in the rotation! quinoa for the win!
Sounds delicious! I do love me some quinoa.
isn’t it great! i’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING lately!
yummmm pinned!
That looks SO good! I am going to have to try this for dinner within the next couple of days! Thanks 🙂
wheeeeeee!!!! enjoy it girl 🙂
Yum yum yum!! I’m totally making this for the potluck I’m going to on Wednesday. Admittedly, when I saw the picture of this in your WIAW post I was hoping that you’s share the recipe 🙂
hope it turned out well!!
heck yea! Mexican anyday and everyday! 🙂
exactly, girl! always
This looks amazing! and I love the idea of using chips – my husband is obsessed with all things mexican so I will definitely have to make this soon. Thanks for the recipe!
you’re welcome! enjoy! ps…i use chips to scoop up pretty much everything!
looks delicious!!
AGHH! This is already bookmarked! My hubby is 1/2 Mexican and I feel terrible that I don’t make more mexican food!! Definitely going to try this!! It looks SO yummy! =) xoxo
All these fancy quinoa recipes mean I should try this stuff…. never had ti before. (gasp)
you should def try! but put it in something…don’t just try it by itself. gag!
Mexican inspired + cheese = Winner in my book!
hehe mine too 🙂 can’t go wrong with that combo!
Oh yes please! This looks fantastic 😀
thank you so much 🙂
This looks awesome! Thanks Lindsay
Yum, yum, yum! My husband and I just had this for lunch. I used 2 cans of black beans, no corn, and for the cheese…pepper jack. Awesome with chips (baked Tostito scoops) just like you said. Thanks so much.
yay!!! so glad you liked it!
Ok, I’m totally drooling over this. You make the best good!! I had to forward to my quinoa/Mexican food loving friend. Can’t wait to make!
Family favorite! We have it at least twice a month (not including leftovers). Fresh, lite, tasty and easy to make!
yay! love hearing that!
Love this & so do my family. We add leftover homemade salsa instead of the tomato and I add hot sauce to mine for extra kick. So good!!! Thanks.
★★★★★
so glad to hear it!