Mexican Quinoa

One of the very first dishes that got me to like quinoa and start eating it regularly was this Mexican quinoa. I don't claim this to be an authentic version but it's a version that my family and I love and regularly have on our dinner menu. A base of delicious vegetables, black beans (or any beans of your choice), tomato sauce and spices add flavors to quinoa to make it a complete meal. It is an entirely vegan and gluten-free dish.

More delicious recipes that you might like - Vegetarian Enchilada Skillet, Savory Quinoa Breakfast Bowl, Thai Yellow Curry Quinoa, Potato and Cauliflower Biriyani, Gochujang Ghee Gnocchi

Ingredients for Mexican Quinoa

Quinoa - I used regular white quinoa but you can use any colored quinoa of your choice.

Water - We will need water for both cooking the quinoa and for adding it to the base. You can also use broth instead to cook quinoa for some added flavor.

Black Beans - I used canned black beans but you can of course make it form scratch. Substitute with chickpeas or pinto beans if you dont want to use black beans.

Onion - Use red onion if possible else yellow or white will do too. I used the onions finely chopped.

Bell Pepper - I prefer using red bell pepper but any bell pepper will work here. The bell pepper was also finely chopped.

Mushrooms - I used brown baby Bellas and finely chopped them as well similar to the onions and bell peppers.

Corn - I used frozen yellow corn. Frozen roasted or canned corn should work as well. Make sure to drain the canned corn before adding it to the dish.

Tomato Sauce - Use a good quality tomato sauce since it makes a big difference to the flavor. I like using Multi brand.

Spices - I used ground cumin, coriander and sweet paprika for adding some delicious flavors.

Canned green Chile - I added a small can of green Chile as well. It adds flavors and the vinegar in it brings some acidity to balance the flavors.

Toppings - I served it alongside avocado, sour cream, cilantro, hot sauce, lime slices and some jalapeño flavored tortilla chips. Feel free to use any of them or add others of your choice.

Salsa - I used ½ cup of corn and black bean salsa even though the recipe already calls for both corn and black beans. The salsa ups the flavor thanks to other ingredients like vinegar, jalapeños etc. Feel free to use any salsa you have on hand or skip.

Cheese - I did not use any cheese but you can use any Mexican cheese or cheese blend(use vegan alternative to keep this dish vegan) of your choice for topping.

How to make Mexican quinoa

• Cook the quinoa with water or broth. I made quinoa in an Instant Pot. Add the rinsed quinoa and water/broth to the inner pot. Close the lid and set the valve to "closed" setting. Press the "pressure cook" option and set the time to 2 minutes. Let the steam naturally release for 15 minutes before setting the valve to "venting" position. Open the lid once all the steam has been released and is safe to do so.
• In a large pan, add the avocado oil. Once hot, add the onions, garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, corn and mushrooms. Season with salt. Mix well and cook for 5 more minutes.
• Add the spices, tomato sauce and green chile. Mix well and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.Add some water if required. Season with some more salt if required.
• Now mix in the cooked quinoa and salsa (if using). Make sure all of the quinoa is coated with the sauce. Season again per taste. Add cheese if you want use it.
• Serve hot topped with cilantro and a side of avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips etc.

How to make it a one pot dish

Stove top

• Add the avocado oil in the pan and heat it for 30 seconds. Add the onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Now add the bell peppers, corn and mushrooms. Season with salt and mix. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
• Now add the rinsed quinoa to the pan and toast for a minute or so. Add the water or broth.Use 1 ¾ cup of liquid to every cup of quinoa used. Season with some more salt if required and cover the pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 18-20 minutes until the quinoa is completely cooked.
• Add the tomato sauce, spices and green chile. Add back the cooked and seasoned vegetables. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes at low heat.Check if the final dish needs more seasoning before tuning off the stove.
• Top with chopped cilantro and other sides before serving.

Instant pot

• Press the 'saute' option and keep it at 'low'. Once hot, add the avocado oil and follow the same steps as above.
• If you want to cook all of it together instead of keeping aside the cooked vegetables, cook the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Then add the bell pepper, corn and mushrooms. Season with some salt and mix and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Then add the quinoa, tomato sauce, spices and green Chile. Mix well. Add the water or broth. Season with more salt as needed. Mix and close the lid.
• Set the valve to "sealed" position and select the "pressure cook" option. Set the time to 2 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10-15 minutes before setting the valve to "venting" position. Open the lid when all the steam has been released and is safe to do so.

Storage and Reheating

Storage - This Mexican quinoa will do well both chilled and frozen. Store in the refrigerator in a suitable container for up to 5 days. To freeze, store in a freezer safe container for up to 2-3 months.

Reheating - Reheat in the microwave or in a pan over the stove top. On stove top, add a little oil to the pan before adding the quinoa to reheat it. To heat from frozen, place the quinoa in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Then reheat in the microwave oven, on the stove top.

Meal Prep - The entire meal can be prepared and can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer as mentioned above. You can also prep all the vegetables and chill or freeze for using when you plan to make the Mexican quinoa. You can also cook the quinoa and chill for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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