Do you love quinoa, easy recipes, and Mexican flavors? Then, you've found the perfect spot on the internet! Our own version of Mexican Quinoa is simple and tasty, ideal for a weekday dinner that will satisfy the whole family.
This is probably my favorite quinoa recipe. Making a meal in less than 30 minutes that I know my whole family will eat with no complaints is not as easy as it sounds. My two kids make it quite challenging to find nutritious recipes that they enjoy. Still, I keep a few on rotation that I know work every time like this broccoli pasta, or this Mexican Quinoa is one of them!
You'll only need one pan and a handful of ingredients for this recipe. Its combination of pantry ingredients, such as black beans, onion, corn, and quinoa, with fresh veggies like red peppers, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro, works beautifully in this Mexican-style dish. Don't worry if quinoa is one of those grains that you undercook or overcook; this recipe has all the tips for you to master your quinoa cooking skills.
Why I Think You'll Also Love This Recipe
- It uses only one pan, yes, that's right! One pan is all you need to make this dreamy quinoa.
- Kids typically enjoy this recipe, although you might consider omitting the red peppers if they find them a bit too crunchy. Keep the rest of the recipe as is, and watch the magic happen!
- It can't get much easier than this. Following the amounts for quinoa and water from the recipe card, you'll have a fluffy quinoa that's perfectly cooked. Trust me, I've been cooking quinoa for as long as I can remember.
Ingredients
- Quinoa. For this recipe, we use three-colored quinoa, but regular quinoa works exactly the same way.
- Black beans. We recommend getting black beans without added ingredients apart from salt and water. Sometimes, tinned beans come packed with unnecessary ingredients that are not good for you. You can also use dried black beans, but they'll need to be soaked overnight and boiled until tender.
- Canned corn.
- Red Pepper. Green or yellow pepper is also a fantastic option and will add color to the quinoa.
- Onion. We like cooking with white onion, but red onion is also a great addition to this recipe.
- Fresh tomato. You can also use tinned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or passata.
- Spice mix. We use the same spice mix that we add to our fajitas: cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Avocado, fresh lime, and fresh cilantro for garnishing.
All these ingredients are easy to find in your local supermarket, so you can bring all those delicious Mexican flavors to your table with ingredients that you most probably already have or can get on your next shop run!
How to make One-Pan Mexican Quinoa
Once your fresh ingredients (onion, fresh tomato, and red pepper) have been finely chopped, you can make this recipe in four simple steps. This is one of those recipes I cook from start to finish while my husband runs the bath for my kids!
Step 1: Add olive oil to a pan big enough to feed your whole family. Stir fry finely chopped onions, peppers, and minced garlic.
Step 2: Add the chopped tomato and spices. Mix well and cook at medium heat for a few minutes. At this point, if you want to add some spice, you can add a teaspoon (or two) of chipotle paste. You can also add this at the end, as not everyone may want the Mexican quinoa spicy.
Step 3: Briefly rinse the quinoa. Now it's time to add the quinoa, corn, beans, and water or vegetable stock. Incorporate all these ingredients, mix well so everything is combined, and bring the water to a simmer.
Step 4: Cover the pan with a lid. If you don't have a large enough lid, which sometimes happens to us, place some tin foil securely on top, ensuring you leave a small gap for the steam to escape. You'll want to leave the quinoa cooking this way for about 15 minutes. After this, turn the heat off and leave to rest for five more minutes. Remove the tinfoil, and with two forks, fluff the quinoa. Your Mexican Quinoa is ready to be served now!
Garnish the Mexican Quinoa with sliced avocado and chopped coriander. Remember to drizzle some lime before serving it.
One-Pan Mexican Quinoa
Ingredients
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 cup red pepper finely chopped
- 1 fresh tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water or vegetable stock
- 1 avocado
- A handful fresh cilantro
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Finely chop the onion, red pepper, and fresh tomato. Mince the garlic.
- Add olive oil to a large pan, and cook the chopped onion and pepper until the onion starts to soften.
- Next, add the chopped tomato, garlic, and spices. Mix well and cook at medium heat for a few minutes.
- Rinse the quinoa.
- Add the quinoa, corn, beans, and water or vegetable stock. Incorporate all these ingredients, mix well so everything is combined, and bring the water to a simmer.
- Cover the pan with a lid or place some tin foil securely on top, ensuring you leave a small gap for the steam to escape.
- Leave the quinoa cooking for about 15 minutes at low temperature. After this, turn the heat off and leave to rest for five more minutes.
- Remove the tinfoil, and with two forks, fluff the quinoa.
- Garnish with sliced avocado, chopped coriander, and some fresh lime.
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use rice to make this recipe?
Yes, you can use rice instead of quinoa. We recommend using long-grain rice, and the ratio would be 1 cup of rice for 1 and ¾ cups of water or stock. You'll need to cover the pan just as we do for the quinoa.
Do I need to rinse the quinoa before cooking?
Yes. When you cook quinoa without rinsing it before, you may get a bitter taste that comes from the saponin found in quinoa seeds, which they naturally contain.
What other vegetables can I add to this recipe?
Some other vegetables that we like to add to this family favorite are green beans, mushrooms, and broccoli. You can add them together with the tomatoes, except for the broccoli, which we prefer to add with the quinoa.
Serving Suggestions
This colorful Mexican Quinoa is a complete meal that can be served on its own for a winner lunch or dinner.
We like garnishing the quinoa pan with sliced avocados, fresh cilantro, and some lime drizzle. Of course, if you like spicy, adding some chipotle paste or jalapeños on top is what you need!
Looking for a Cinco de Mayo Menu? You may want to check out some other delicious Mexican recipes we love.
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