Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
A lightened-up, healthy enchilada bake that you can enjoy guilt-free, chockfull of quinoa, black beans and cheesy goodness. And the leftovers taste even better!
I think it’s safe to say that I have somewhat of a love affair with Mexican food. Whether it’s fish tacos, cheesy enchiladas or a giant burrito the size of my forearm, I could honestly live off of all of these for the rest of my life.
So when Old El Paso asked me to be their brand ambassador for the next year, well, how could I say no? It just gives me an excuse to make even more of my favorite Mexican-inspired dishes to share with you all! And to start things off, I just had to share my favorite Mexican comfort food lightened-up.
Now this is a super easy enchilada bake with quinoa instead of tortilla. By using quinoa, we’re adding in some fun healthy goodies, like protein and fiber, and there’s absolutely no rolling or wrapping of any kind. You can simply throw everything into a bowl, mix it up, and bake it from there. Yes, it doesn’t get easier than that!
After you let this bake through, you’ll have the most amazing cheesy enchilada bake! It’s so good, you’ll never want to have traditional enchiladas ever again!
Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 10-ounce can Old El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce
- 1 4.5-ounce can Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles, drained
- ½ cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
- 1 Roma tomato, diced
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8×8 or 2 quart baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.
- Spread quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and cheeses have melted, about 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with avocado and tomato, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you for this recipe! It was a hit with the whole family, they even asked for seconds!
Do you use 1 cup cooked quinoa or all the quinoa yielded from cooking the 1 cup dry/2 cups liquid?
Absolutely love this recipe! It’s a staple as I try to get my boys into a more plant based diet.
Hi, has anyone done the work to calculate nutrition stats per serving? Wanted to check before reinventing the wheel!
Can I use a Dutch oven for this?
As a native to New Mexico the enchiladas I grew up with didn’t use corn nor cilantro in the enchiladas and maybe it tastes good, but for me I would swap the corn for onion and add those on top with more sauce. As a garnish I would put shredded iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. I’m definitely going to try it using the quinoa. Great idea!
Is there a way to use uncooked quinoa and throw it all in the oven in one go? Wondering about liquids and cooking time.
I have made a similar casserole with uncooked quinoa (Chocolate Covered Katie) and about 1 c extra liquid for each cup dry quinoa. Cooking time this way is more variable and may take up to 20 m longer. Mine never really got the fluffy texture I have had with precooked quinoa and with the comments, several people struggled with quinoa that was too firm at the end. All in all, mixed results. I precook my quinoa now and it does freeze well bagged up plain to use later. Hope this helps.
This is a very good casserole and healthy! We make this fairly often. Sometimes when we want something healthy and a meatless meal we make this casserole and use it as a filling inside of our flour tortillas instead of taco meat. Then we add shredded cheese, tomatoes and green onions. It is so good and my mother and husband love it!
Great recipe! I’ve made this many times.
I have made this many times and love it! I find it’s a very forgiving recipe… You can add and subtract within reason, and still have a fabulous casserole! I just brought a 9 x 9 out of the oven because I added that much stuff to it! A couple of chopped Roma tomatoes for chopped green onions, a.k.a. spring onions, a little, extra cilantro probably an extra quarter cup of both cheeses… And I used a quarter cup of black beans that I had in the freezer and a full can of pinto beans in Lou of the recipes direction for beans. I also did not put any corn in it, didn’t have any! I upped the seasonings to 1 teaspoon of each. Like I said, you can play with us and still have a wonderful outcome! Thank you so much for sharing it with us!
I have been wanting to make this, but did not have all the ingredients. Today I did and I made. It is so damn good. I followed everything to the T and boy is it easy peasy and tasty. Thank you as always to posting these fabulous recipes, you and your team are so very creative.
Amazing! I improvised a lot. Used chicken broth instead of water for quinoa. Didn’t have corn, so I used mixed veg. I used the whole can of black beans, a can of mild rotel, and a combo of Mexican blend cheese and shredded cheddar. I left out the chilis because I was feeding little ones. Also, I forgot the cilantro, so we added it as a garnish. All that to say, there is a lot of flexibility in this delicious dish! Thank you so much for sharing!
Has anyone ever accidentally thrown in the quinoa forgetting to cook it first? I did that and now unsure if I need to throw it out or what to do?
I’ve been making this recipe for a couple years, never gets old. Use whole cans of beans/corn and double recipe so it lasts for a few days (cause I can eat a third of the original by myself, which is a lot). Love that it’s healthy and easy!
I’ve brought it to parties and shared the recipe with friends, always a hit!
Excellent taste and so easy to make. Great for when you have a vegetarian in the family and non-vegetarians love to eat it too!
Absolutely delicious! I have made this time and time again. I wouldn’t change a thing. For the calories conscious just use reduced fat cheese. Not sure if it will change the full flavor one gets from regular cheese but my family and I like this recipe as is! In fact, this site is a go to for me. I have NEVER had a bad recipe from Chungah.
The most delicious way I’ve ever tasted quinoa. It will be on constant rotation!
This is delicious I usually make a cup and half of serving not sure how much is an exact serving.
What is a serving size? Is it a cup?
This was delicious!! The flavors come together beautifully! I did increase corn and beans as there seemed to be a lot of quinoa. We loved it with the tomato and avocado added for serving. I also put a dollop of greek yogurt on it. YUM!!! Thanks, DD!!!
Love this dish! Make it as a healthy substitute for taco Tuesday! I add shredded chicken to it as well for some added protein! Delicious!
LOVE IT. i personally prefer garbanzo to black beans
This is a go-to recipe for me, I’ve made it more times than I can count. It is great for meal prep when you don’t have a lot of time to cook. I make it as is and add shredded cabbage, tomatos and avocado. It also freezes very well!
Shredded cabbage as garnish or mixed in with other ingredients?
I love this recipe and have made it several times. I add extra black beans and some pepper jack cheese. I would like to try with ground chicken, has anyone made it like this?
Hi Carrie,
I’ve made it with ground meat multiple times and it comes out perfectly. Brown your meat separately and add after step 3.
Delicious and so easy. I did not mean to change it up but I used what was on hand- green chiles enchilada sauce in stead of red sauce and can of green chiles. I used Mexican style shredded cheese. I crumbled thin tortilla chips scattered between the cheese on top and that was a great touch.
Hi just wondering what the Serving size is? My bf is on a diabetic diet so I have to be pretty exact with his carb intake . Thanks so much
Delicious! I added more black beans, sliced black olives and used Mexican blend cheese. I will definitely make again.
We LOVE this casserole. We add extra cheese and eat it like a dip with corn chips. I know, maybe not the healthiest, but it so, so delicious!
Oh my goodness, this is so flavorful and delicious! I added chopped olives and onion, as well as some red pepper I needed to use up. Since I was doubling the recipe I used full cans of the corn and black beans as well as more cilantro and green chiles since I love them. It is one of my all time favorite recipes!
Could this be assembled and then frozen to make later?
I was given this as a freezer meal. Although the heat time would have to be longer it still came out great! Hope this helps
Love this recipe! It has become a regular meal in our household because all four of my kids like it!!
OMG this is literally amazing and flavourful!!! My kids absolutely loved it and my daughter is extremely picky and devoured this (with extra cheese of course LOL). I substituted the quinoa for rice as my daughter isn’t a fan!
Normally I watch tv when I eat. I got more than halfway through eating this before I realized that I was not watching anything! It’s so good, I wanted to focus on the food! This is my first time cooking/eating quinoa, and although I’m not sure what it is exactly, this meal is delicious.
Great recipe and healthy. Our family really enjoyed it.
Thanks!
This is absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe because we have big appetites and added cut up green onions and avocado before serving. Great recipe. Thank you!
Added chopped Cubanelle peppers and red peppers. Wanted to try something different –
Baked the cooked quinoa first on oiled parchment paper- ga “quinoa pizza crust”. (Mixed with egg, cheese and seasonings – lots of recipes in Pinterest) Then a layer of refried beans, then the rest of casserole mixture- and topped with chopped cherry tomatoes & avocado as suggested – absolutely delicious!!
This is one of our favorite go to meals. We have made it so many times, I can’t count. It is one of those you don’t have to measure everything exactly kind of recipe. We usually add more corn and beans than called for. Sometimes we add shelled edamame or Gardien crumbles for extra protein. Green enchilada sauce or salsa verde has been used in a pinch with great results. We’ve honed in on a pepper jack/cheddar cheese mix we think is a winner. Definitely serve it with all the accoutrement, like avocado, sour cream, salsa, pickled jalapenos, chipotle tabasco, it’s fun and tasty and makes 6 filling servings for us that freeze and reheat perfectly.
What I like most about it is while the quinoa is cooking, I dump the remaining ingredients, frozen or not, in a bowl, add the quinoa when done and top with the cheese. I can prep this in 15 minutes flat – the time it takes to cook the quinoa. Then I cover it and first one home pops it in the oven for 30 minutes.
I like this recipe because it’s really tasty as is and also has plenty of room to modify for personal preferences. The first time I made this I followed the recipe exactly and we really enjoyed it! Sometimes I use sauteed bell peppers instead of corn or refried black beans instead of whole black beans. We use cheddar or a Mexican blend of cheeses, and often add a little shredded chicken and jalapenos to our bowls. Last night I couldn’t find quinoa at the store but I did find a rice/quinoa blend so I used that instead. Of course these changes alter the calorie count, but it’s easy enough to take the base calculation and look up online how the changes will affect that.
Thanks for a great recipe!
This is one of our all time favorites and a go-to for everything but I need a dairy free version for a friend- what could the cheese be subbed for?
you can find non-dairy cheese in most stores—-we have vegans in our family so I usually only buy non-dairy (be warned, it doesn’t melt as well, though)
Trader Joe’s has great non-dairy shredded cheese options!
Soooo good!! Can this be frozen?
I often make this and freeze half!
This has become a family favorite – even my pickiest eater loves it ! Every ingredient adds such texture and flavor- so easy and quick to make! Thank you for this brilliant vegetarian and healthy recipe !!!!
Wonderful! Very tasty and easy to fix!
This has become a staple in our house. The second day after I make it we have tacos and use this as the “taco meat”. Has anyone tried freezing it before, does it hold up?
I made 3 of these casseroles today. Quick, easy and delicious. Topped with the tomatoes, cilantro and avocado as recommended. I also put out sliced black olives and sour cream. Rave reviews from all 3 families.
Has anyone tried this with cauliflower rice and some sort of ground meat?
This looks amazing – just wondering if I could make it carb friendly
This was delicious and I don’t like kale. Will make again. I did mix a small amount of balsamic glaze into the balsamic vinegar and oil
I’ve made this a couple of times now and love it! It’s so good. My question is has anyone tried to freeze this? If so, how did it turn out? I’m looking for freezer meals to prep and am hoping this meal will work!
Freezes wonderfully
Love this recipe! We use Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce, cook quinoa in broth and add ground turkey. I’m wondering if it would be good with cauliflower rice…
Making it right now and I’m so excited to try it! Does anyone know if the calories listed include the avocado and tomato?
Great! The family loved it!
Would it be possible to add ground turkey to this? Would you just cook the turkey and add it in with everything and bake it the same?
We do it all the time – cook the ground turkey, add some taco seasoning and water and let it simmer for 5 minutes, then stir it in with everything else. One of our go to easy dinners.
Sorry in advanced! I can’t follow recipes. I used a whole can of corn and black beans… I probably would do 2 cans of beans if this a main dish.
I’m one of those soap people… so cilantro and cumin are out. (Did you know cumin is cilantro seed grounded?!? No wonder I don’t like it!!!) I just use Target brand taco season. It doesn’t have either, but still has that “taco” flavor. I used chicken Broth to cook the quinoa. I probably doubled the cheese. And I added sliced jalapeño and hot sauce for me and sour cream for the kids… it was awesome!!!!
Actually, cilantro is the leaf of the coriander seed. Ground cumin comes from cumin seeds, it has a warmer flavor than coriander. Easy to confuse since they show up together frequently in recipes.
When you plant coriander seeds . . . . it grows cilantro !!
My husband is one of the ‘soap people’ and I always sub fresh basil. It has a different flavor profile but always works well…
We’ve made this regularly for about five years now. It is a super tasty, (mostly) healthy, fast meal that also, thankfully, doesn’t require chopping!
This is amazing!! Making it for the second time tonight. I am a vegetarian so I add an extra can of beans.Everyone in the family loves it including our 10 month old & 8 year old!
I found this recipe a couple years ago. I have probably made it for my family over 50 times. Why I haven’t left a glowing review. This is so fast and so easy. We use it to dip chips or tortillas in. Make it! You will not be disappointed. I always double or triple it for leftovers. Half the time I still don’t have any left. 🙂
Can this be made ahead and frozen.
Yum!! Very flavorful and filling dish with no meat! Very impressed and will make again!
This is so delicious as is and very easy to add any toppings like green onions, black olives, jalapeños…whatever your taste…I started making this for meatless Monday’s ..it’s perfect !
Delicious, I used tortilla chips instead of a fork!
This is going into the rotation! Doubled the corn & beans, made the quinoa (in the instant pot!) with chicken broth, and left the cilantro as an add-on, since my daughter’s one of those “it tastes like soap” people. Also made a batch of citrus-marinated chicken to have alongside, and wheat burrito tortillas for wrapping. A huge hit.
Absolutely delicious! I haven’t been a quinoa fan, but that has changed after this recipe! I fixed it exactly as the recipe said, except omitting the cilantro. I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow night.
This was delicious. My husband and 6 and 7 year old ate it up. I cooked the quinoa in chicken stock (we aren’t vegetarian, just trying to eat more healthy), and added 2 T of Nutritional Yeast (I just used in a mexican quinoa dish a few days ago, and so I thought I would try). Very, very yummy!! Next time (when I have an extra hour), I will try to put the quinoa on a baking dish in the oven and crisp it up a little.
This was not bad. At the end of the day though, it’s still quinoa. And either you like it or you don’t. I do think this recipe does the best job possible of making quinoa tasty for those who aren’t fans. I added ground beef so my picky kids tolerated it. Hubby liked it , so that’s a win;)
Just tasted like enchilada sauce. Ratio of beans and corn to quinoa also seemed a little low.
My doctor had me go on a mostly plant based food diet. I can only have animal products at 2 meals a week. So I substituted the milk-based cheese for a vegan variety from my grocery chain store and used the Pepper Jack style instead of the Mozzarella. It was amazing. My mid-Western, meat-loving hubby even liked it. I can’t wait to try the Lo Mein!
We made this with rice since quinoa is expensive. Delicious! I like to add sauteed onions and green peppers sometimes. Very flexible dish for using up veggies.
What is The serving size?
I’ve made this numerous times since I first discovered it 2-3 years ago and I loooove it! I need to double the recipe to take to a party. Should I split into 2 baking dishes or should it be ok to make in one large dish (if I have one large enough!) And not sure about cooking the quinoa in a double batch, less liquid and more time? Thanks, love this site!
Tish, you can do either-or – a double batch or a large baking dish. Whichever works best/easiest for you.
For the quinoa, you’ll need about 2 cups of liquid (water or stock for more flavor) for every one cup of dry quinoa. Good luck! 🙂
Love this recipe.. it’s one of my staples in my home now. I also recommend to everyone I know.
I use Mild taco sauce as it’s easier to find in my area. I also double the cumin and chilli spice to a tsp each. I double the corn and beans to a cup each …I use what ever cheese I have in the fridge. And usually I add ground chicken meat(with extra chilli/cumin in the meat).. we never have left overs as my entire family gobbles this up. Even the baby is eatting it now.
I made this last night, it was so delicious!! I can’t wait for left overs tonight 🙂
Thanks for the great recipe!!
The leftovers of this are always so good! Thanks for sharing, Lisa.
I am a busy mom with a full time job and 6 kids at home. I had to transition from being a stay at home mom who thrived in cooking healthy good meals for them to “HOW DO I DO THIS WITH SO LITTLE TIME NOW!” This meal was loved by all of them and i have some picky eaters. Coming from a Hispanic Culinary background, I choose to use my own enchilada sauce but in a pinch, El Paso will do with some doctoring up… This was really tasty and the kids added Greek Plain yogurt to top it off!
I’ve made this so many times, and just can’t get enough!!! Only slight change I made is using homemade enchilada sauce instead of store bought. Sooooooo good!!
That sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing, Christina!
Just made this and omg, let’s just say the kids all asked for seconds and there are no leftovers. So delicious! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!!!
Yum. I made this with green enchilada sauce (that’s all I had), two kinds of vegan cheese shreds (reduced to 1 cup of cheese total), and taco-flavored tofu crumbles. It came out so good. I’m super lazy, so I made the quinoa in the rice cooker – it came out perfect. I rolled it into a burrito one day and scooped it up with chips the next. It’s filling and easy to make. My husband also enjoyed it.
Do I only need to cook for 15 minutes? Your bake time states 30. Just clarifying.
Yes that’s correct. The recipe cook time is for the entire recipe, that includes the cooking of the quinoa etc. Thanks for asking!
I love to cook!! I am giving this 5 stars before I even make it! The total recipe just makes sense. Although I am not vegetarian I have had a terrible time digesting meat for a couple years and now I have been experimenting with other options to get protein in my diet. My husband has to have meat but I am so making this recipe work for him and me!! I am new to Quinoa but I have just found out that i can add it to alot of my recipes to give them the extra boost in nutrition. This is the first recipe I have seen with it that has me excited. Thank you so much for posting it. I will let you know how it comes out (after I put my own spin on it, lol!)
❤️❤️❤️ the enchilada casserole
I made this using green enchilada sauce and adding 2 chopped raw chicken breasts. I also added a cup of chicken broth because I’m using it for meal prep and wanted the leftovers to stay moist. I also added a little verde salsa and used maybe a cup of Mexican blend cheese instead of the cheddar/mozzarella and green onions. It’s a 10, and reheats awesome!!!
Excited to try question how much is 1 serving ? Anyone know what equals to in 21 day fix containers ?
I made this two nights ago and it was so delicious. I think next time I will add green onion on top. I brought the left overs to work today to share with coworkers. Yummy!!
This was very good…I doubled the chili powder and cumin though and I’m glad I did. Next time I will double the corn and beans =) there’s a lot of quinoa (2 cups) and it could easily support extra corn and beans. I also lightly brown/caramelized the corn for that “roasted” yumminess! Served this with some sour cream, sliced up a few black olives and then a lot of chunky salsa…excellent dinner! I am buying more supplies to make this again next week! Thank you for sharing your recipe made with Old El Paso enchilada sauce!
This was excellent. Added a lil more cheese and used pepper jack instead of mozzarella since that is what I had on hand. Wife raved about it. So good! Will make again for sure!!
Chunga, this was an amazing dinner casserole. I added chopped carrot, diced celery, and diced green pepper. also put in some left over bbq chicken, and YUMMMM !!!
Added the quinoa, did not tell my husband, yet, but, he sure liked it, two servings worth. )))
thank you, love your blog,
going to make the asian meatballs tonight, doubling the whole recipe, sounds like another winner.
adding in a lb of pork, from reading the reviews, think that will be a nice addition.
serving with rice noodles and baby bok choy.
Cheers
Made a few changes, turned out excellent ! 😀 Thank you.
So incredibly delicious. I accidentally picked a can for chopped jalapenos off the shelf instead of green chilies (same size can) so I left out the chili powder and the pepper and it turned out great.
Thanks so much for sharing this unique dish.
I usually never leave reviews but had to after I made this receipt. This is one of the best Mexican dishes I have had! My boyfriend gave it a 9.9 ! The sweetness of the corn with the quinoa, soo good! Will keep this in my meal rotation, it was a hit.
Love this recipe! My husband and I use this in our Meatless Monday rotation!
This sounds to good to be true.
I too love Mexican food.
As a vegetarian, I really look forward to making this.
Thank you, Chungah for this.
Delicious!!! I just made this and my boyfriend said “three cheers for Chungah!”
He is a weightlifter and likes to eat healthy so he was happy to try this. After we ate he said he didn’t want enchiladas with tortillas at home ever again.
I did add some canned diced tomatoes into the mix and topped it with some chopped black olives. But it’s a great recipe because you can easily substitute whatever veggies you have on hand.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Yum! So easy and will make again!
Delicious! I added a little chicken to mine 🙂 my husband and I both went back for a second serving!
I know this was posted awhile ago, but we just found it and it’s amazing! Our family- kids, parents, grandparents, in laws- everyone loves it! We make it at least once a month now. Sometimes as it is, sometimes we add chicken or pulled pork and put it in tortillas.
Just made this and am really amazed. Thank you!!!!!
Has anyone tried this using vegan cheese?
This is delicious! Thank you!! It freezes well before and after cooking and is easily doubled for large groups. I usually use 3/4 c quinoa and 1.5 cans of beans.
Tonight, after making it dozens of times, I tried it with quinoa, green enchilada sauce, great northern beans , cilantro, corn, 1/2 cup sour cream and Colby jack cheese. Amazing!
I have a large group of women over every other week and we eat this EVERY time… by their request. They love it- red and green alike ! So appreciate this delicious and forgiving recipe!
Made the dish for dinner tonight. The family gave it an A+. It was simple to prep and really quick to bake. My husband couldn’t believe it was quinoa. I added a green salad and tortilla chips on the side for the kids. They can’t wait to eat leftovers tomorrow.
Amazing!
Delish!!! I made this for dinner tonight and was pleasantly surprised. I excluded the cilantro because I don’t like the taste and salt because I was out, inconceivable I know. I wish I would have added some salt to it but other than that it was fantastic! I will definitely make this again!
Awesome!
If I add a pound or less of cooked ground turkey, should I add more sauce? any suggestions on how to keep the right consistency?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
I just wanted to thank you for this recipe. We found it over two years ago and it’s been on constant repeat since. One of our very favorite meals!! Soooo good!
Love that! 🙂
I added 1 lb. of ground turkey, no way less cheese. It was delicious! Thanks for the healthy inspiration!
Meant to say, “way less cheese”. That makes it more weight watcher friendly. It was still fantastic!
Does this call for 1 cup of dry quinoa or one cup of quinoa after it’s been cooked? (One cup dry yields about 4 cups cooked) so I want to make sure I’m not putting in too much!
The recipe calls for 1 cup uncooked quinoa which is then cooked in step #1. Hope that helps.
Can I sub rice for the quinoa?
Yes.
I make this all the time. I divide it into small batches and freeze for lunches. It freezes well. I just pop it into microwave to thaw and heat or put into my mini crockpot in the morning to be ready by lunch. Delicious and nutritious. Thanks for sharing
Mine was to runny…
This dish was the fourth or fifth I’ve made from you and I’m hooked!
This was so good. At first I wasn’t sure if it was 1 cup uncooked quinoa or 1 cup cooked, but the video answered (1 cup uncooked/ 2 cups cooked if anyone is wondering).
I love that your meatless dishes don’t leave me wanting meat. If anyone could make me vegetarian, it would be you. Thanks so much!
I made this yesterday. I had never tried Quinoa and was a little scared to try it but it came out great! My kids loved it my husband loved it! Definitely making this again and again!! Thank you!
I made this ahead for dinner tomorrow. Should I cook it now or will it be better to put it in the fridge for 24 hours and cook it tomorrow?
I recommend cooking now.
I made this a few weeks ago, its delicious!! My husband LOVED it too, he had seconds and never has seconds! Great flavors. We are more green enchilada people so I used that instead. It came out a little runny, which was mu fault, just make sure everything is drained well! A must try recipe 🙂
Also, I always fry up some corn tortillas, add a little salsa and ranch, and that’s how we eat it. SO GOOD!
I make this so often. My husband LOVES it and so do I. The left overs are delish. I attend a small group and I’m bringing this for dinner tomorrow night. I’m so excited. Also, I always buy Old El Paso™ because they taste the best! Thank for for this recipe. WE LOVE IT!
Amazing recipe! Made it last night with a side of avocado, came out absolutely incredible. Thanks for an awesome, yet totally easy, recipe!
Made this last night minus the corn because I didn’t have any. It was EASY and so FAST! My kid who is 12 doesn’t like quinoa so i figured this would be the best bet because it’s mexican flavors. Still a no go for her. WIN for me. I can eat this all day. Topped with sour cream/greek yogurt and tomatoes/avocado. YUM! Thank you!
just had this – made a few changes based on what we had on hand, but it was delicious! I’m adding this to our normal rotation for sure. I love how flexible it is – you can really add whatever you want to it.
Sarah
Midwest Darling
This Quinoa Enchilada Casserole is amazing! This meal is very delicious, healthy, and colorful. We added avocado and tomato to it after we cooked it and it made it extra fantastic. This is definetly the meal to beat!
I made this for a potluck lunch today (Dining for Women meeting) and it was a huge hit! Several people asked me for the recipe. I accidentally used a 14 oz can of enchilada sauce without checking, and it was pretty soupy, so I added a couple of tablespoons of instant masa (corn flour) to the mix, and it came out perfectly – I baked it for 30 minutes instead of 20 to make sure it would be fully cooked. I also added the whole can of beans, because, well otherwise I would have just tossed the other half. It was delicious! I haven’t cared for quinoa before, it looks like bird seed and was bland, but this recipe disguised that perfectly. One lady who lives in a retirement home and struggles with getting the place to serve her vegetarian meals asked if I would come by one day a week and bring this!
This was very, very good. My kids ate it up (although they picked out the green chilies). Thanks!
I made this last week and I am making it again tonight! This turned out great. Super easy and pretty healthy! I also added in some diced bell pepper too!
My family absolutely loves this dish. The kids gobble it up and it was even requested for his 4th birthday party meal! Whenever I make it now I double the recipe and freeze the other half (without the extra cheese on top, avocado or tomatoes, of course). I let it thaw in the fridge and it’s as fantastic as it is when it’s fresh. I do use an entire can of black beans and I use an entire *can* of corn (white shoepeg usually). Great when scooped up with tortilla chips and even wrapped in a tortilla as a burrito.
Love the idea of adding quinoa to a casserole!
This was good
I made this tonight and I was surprised at how fast it all came together. All I had to chop was cilantro, and some nights you just need a little less chopping. I served it with sour cream, olives, avocado and tomato on top with a side of warm tortilla wedges. All my picky kids LOVED it. AMAZING!
This was amazing! We are not normally into ‘meatless’ meals but this is a keeper. It was easy, satisfying, health-full and the flavor was over the top.
I just made this and had for lunch today. It was sooo good. Only thing is and I read so many comments and nobody that I saw seemed to have this issue, but mine was really runny? I don’t know if I did something wrong. I did use precooked quinoa from trader Joe’s that I heated up and put in but everything else was the same. Any suggestions on what I did? Taste was great and I’ll definitely make again!!!
I’m not entirely sure. But you can always add more quinoa as needed to soak up some of the “runniness”. Hope that helps!
I have tried this recipe and love it!
This is such a great way to enjoy quinoa! I can’t wait to try it out!
Well it was certainly delicous! I wouldnt call it “healthy” or “guilt-free” though, as that enchilada sauce is loaded with MSG. Definitely good though!
Really loved it! Great option for our gluten free family. . Used pinto beans and fresh corn. Next time will add more of both, along with green chili. Looking forward to reading the reviews for other ideas.
This was our first Damn Delicious recipe and it is fantastic! So easy to make ahead. We serve as a side at Mexican parties or as an entree for our family. Forget the forks, chips are our utensils! Damn delicious, for sure!
Hi, first time here. The cook time is listed at the top as 30 min, but in the directions as 15 min until bubbly and serve immediately. Can you confirm?
The cooking time also includes the time to cook the quinoa.
This recipe is soooo delicious! I’m a bit of a picky eater, but I have been trying new things to help me eat healthier. Not only was this super simple to make, it tasted fantastic. I will be making this all the time now, it makes great leftovers too!
Notes:
Okay, so being a young non-cook, non-housewife person, I wanted to add in my own experience to the pot. I wasn’t sure what size casserole dish to use (8×8 seemed small for that much quinoa and I only have rectangular anyway) so I mixed everything up before deciding – definitely went with my larger, ‘typical’ sized casserole dish (9×13 ?). Made the quinoa and while it was simmering I mixed everything else together. I DO NOT LIKE the texture or taste of green chilis but I know they add to the enchilada flavor so I put them in my food processor first (which I received for my first apartment 8 years ago and took out of the box for the first time today and definitely had to read the instructions for). Also purchased cumin and chili powder for the first time!
Actual changes:
– 1/2 cup corn and 1/2 cup beans to THREE CUPS of quinoa just seemed boring, bland, and wrong visually, so I used the entire cans of both – much better
– I used more cheese. Period. Probably the 3/4 IN the casserole and another 1/4 on top for each
– That’s about it. My avocados are firm because I just bought them today and started the recipe before remembering that, and I have sliced up grape tomatoes since I use that kind for salads already – all tastes fine, and I definitely recommend the cool juicy/creamy of the tomatoes and avocado on top!
DELICIOUS. And I can be a finicky eater! Hearty, enchilada flavor is just right without overwhelming, and it would be fine with even more beans/corn, honestly. I currently get like 2-3 corn kernels and 2-3 beans in each bite and that’s because I used like 2.5x the recipe amount (whole can instead of 1/2 cup). Using the amount in the recipe would’ve made the corn and beans seem more like a garnish which is very odd.
I had this same issue with the cheesey broccoli quinoa casserole; I had to put more cheese and I doubled the broccoli otherwise there’s no way you’d get a serving of veggies. And quinoa seems fine, but I don’t want only that in my mouth…
Made this recipe today and it turned out great. Perfect instructions. I’d like to know if anyone has tried to assemble, freeze and then bake?
This is absolutely delicious! I added a pound of chopped up chicken and baked for 20 minutes and it was perfect. I could eat this any day!
So delicious and so simple! I loved this recipe–made a whole batch and ate it all week for lunch. I don’t tolerate much corn so I omitted the corn and added extra black beans, which worked well. I also added about a 1/4 tsp each minced garlic and onion powder to boost the savory impact. And I used co-jack cheese for simplicity’s sake. Perfect.
I also soaked and rinsed my quinoa before cooking it, to lower the bitterness. Between that and all the seasonings, I couldn’t taste any of the typical bitter quinoa taste.
This is a delicious recipe and I want to make on my family vacation next week.
If I double the recipe, would baking it in a 9×13 be sufficient?
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
AMAZING TASTE!!!!!!!!!!! Loved this dish so much!
I was looking for a meatless recipe as my husband requested. I found your site. I tried this recipe we all loved it.
Made this tonight, was runny though.
My two kids (one of whom suffers through quinoa usually) and my husband both loved this. Yay! Will be making often. Thanks.
Um… ok this was DELICIOUS, and it got my husband to eat quinoa! Win! It’s also super tasty with chips!
Just have to let you know I’ve been making this at least once every 2 weeks for quite some time now. My whole family loves it! I’ve also prepared it for friends when they’ve had a baby or illness. I always double it so that I can also freeze one for later. It freezes very well, I just thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Making it now! Used Trader Joes bottled enchilada sauce and added to small diced zucchini.
No cheese for me, but hubby might add some
This is sooooo good. Had to have surgery and wanted to eat healthy still while recovering. My husband’said extent of cooking is frozen pizza. I doubled this and other recipes on your site and cooked them ahead of time and then froze them. They are just as good out ofor the freezer s fresh. My husband is now asking for this once a week.
For what it’s worth, this has quickly become a favorite at my house and something the husband asks for weekly! Thank you for sharing such a fantastic recipe that I don’t think we will get sick of anytime soon!!
My fiancé and I just made this tonight and did not expect it to be as fantastic as it was! Great recipe and so easy! Definitely staying in the rotation!
I’m having a pinterest week where I make a weeks worth of recipes I find on pinterest. Tried this tonight. Ummm, seriously, you nailed the flavours. Incredibly delicious and ridiculously easy. This will be one that we continue to eat. Thanks for a yummy vegetarian meal!!!
My first time making (and trying I believe) quinoa ever and I am so happy it was with this recipe! It’s awesome! It’s so delicious with the cheese, enchilada sauce, and everything else in it. I followed the recipe exactly and love how it turned out. I would definitely make this again. I served this alongside some grilled chicken. I am not gluten free but trying to eat less wheat and this was definitely a tasty gluten free meal. Thank you so very much!
Oh my goodness this is so delicious!
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Added in a lb of cooked ground turkey and chopped and diced two tomatoes and threw them in to gave it a little extra liquid so it wouldn’t be too dry with the turkey addition. Cooked for the same amount of time. Perfect.
It was AMAZING! Thank you!! 🙂
The whole family loved it! Including my 2 1/2 year old. We will be making this again. Thanks!
I have made this quite a few times and we love it.
Question, is it not good though that there is more saturated fat in the dish? It is from the cheese I am sure. How does this dish stack up against other meals with saturated fats? Good or bad?
Thanks,Susan
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of calories.
I’m neither vegetarian nor really that health-conscious, and I fully endorse this for its AMAZING FLAVOR! All my girlfriend and I did different was add diced, smoked chipotles to kick up the heat, but we absolutely love this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!!
This is literally the only way I can get my kids to eat quinoa.. thank you!!! (They also love the teriyaki meatballs and orange chicken.)
I’ve made this 3 times now and still can’t get enough! Made it for the Super Bowl last weekend and added LightLife Smart Ground meatless Mexican crumbles (had to keep it vegetarian) and it tasted even better. I always have enough for a couple days of leftovers…have even used it as a breakfast side! Amazing recipe. Can’t wait to try more of your dishes.
Why/how is this so high in saturated fat?
The cheese! 🙂
I made this for Xmas dinner for the family, subbing red rice for quinoa. I added 1/2 cup more rice, black beans and corn each as I didn’t want the sauce to be too overpowering. I also reduced cheddar cheese by 50g. Regardless, this was an amazing dish. Family snapped this up on a heartbeat and 3 days later, I’m making it again! Thanks for sharing!
Super delicious. My husband was skeptical but he went back for seconds and declared it restaurant worthy. Yum.
Recipe serves 6…. does anyone know what the individual servings size is?
I am a beginner in cooking and this was one of the first dishes I tried when I started. I still do it almost every week because my husband and I cannot get enough of it! I have never tasted anything more delicious and I just can’t stop eating. there is usually none left over! its so healthy too, so i don’t even feel bad, ha!
Just made this exactly according to the directions. This was delicious. This will be a regular go-to for me. It was super easy to prepare. It felt like comfort food! Next time I might top with crumbled tortilla chips. Thanks- can’t wait to try more recipes from this site!
I have already made this recipe once for a family I nanny for and they LOVED it! I was curious if I was to add meat into the recipe would I need to adjust any of the other ingredients? The father doesn’t enjoy vegetarian too much and I was hoping to make everyone happy with this meal :). Thanks for the delicious recipe!!
Kate, you may need additional enchilada sauce and seasonings to compensate for this addition. Hope that helps!
This looks delicious! Just wondering…could I make it without the cheese or it that vital for the recipe? Also, could I add some vegetables in?
Yes, sans cheese and the addition of vegetables sounds amazing!
Made this a couple of times already and it’s delicious and love having a healthy lunch for the next day! I’m making it tonight and going to add some leftover taco meat.
Delicious!! I am not really a big fan of quinoa’s flavor normally but in this dish with the enchilada sauce I loved every bite guilt free! So did my husband who is picky. I added sauteed mushrooms, and next time I’ll try orange pepper and maybe zucchini too. Mine came out a bit spicy because of the enchilada sauce I used so I put a dollop of sour cream on top. Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂
Can you recommend a substitute for the cilantro? Unfortunately, I am a supertaster and cannot stand the soapy taste of cilantro.
Parsley would be a great substitute.
is this recepie gluten free ?
This recipe is not tailored to be gluten-free.
Made this for dinner tonight! It was so good. I added a couple of cans of different kind of beans, used green enchilada sauce, and added some additional sauce. Looks beautiful, makes tons and very filling. Thanks so much!
This is delicious! Can you freeze leftovers for another time?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I used different brands since I shopped at Whole Food, but this was AMAZING!!
I made this tonight and we loved it. I cooked the quinoa in vegetable stock instead of water for added flavor. My husband said to add jalapenos. I am going to use a mexican cheese blend next time so I don’t to buy two packs of cheese.
This was dinner tonight. Absolutely loved it. The only change I made was increasing the spices by about 3 times the amount called for. The is definitely a keeper and SO easy.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! We substituted an equal amount of rice for the quinoa, and it turned out great! It will be a new go-to favorite for us.
Made this last night and my husband and I enjoyed it. Great flavors! We accidentally added the tomato in before baking, and we used white rice instead of quinoa. Enjoyed it! The lunch leftovers heated up well at work too.
Do you think it would still work if I added some cooked ground beef to this recipe before baking?
Yes, absolutely, but you may have to increase the amount of the other ingredients to adjust for this addition.
My fiance has asked me to make this week after week. He LOVES it. I actually tried it with the recommended enchilada sauce and then the Trader Joe’ss brand and I’m going to say that I’ll actually stick with the sponsored enchilada sauce. It tastes more authentic and flavorful. Sometimes substitutions are the word and sometimes they are duds. Definitely sticking with this recipe though.
I made this recipe last night for my family and we absolutely loved it! My kids and husband couldn’t believe it didn’t have any meat! I doubled the amount on the recipe, as I have a big family, and wanted to have a little more left over for the next day. Thanks so much for posting this! I am looking forward to seeing and making more of your recipes =)
instead of cooking in oven, can you use a crock pot? Plan on taking to a potluck.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a traditional stovetop recipe to be used in a slow cooker without further recipe testing. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide: http://www.thekitchn.com/5-tips-for-converting-recipes-to-the-slow-cooker-189343.
I just made this and it turned out great! I added some sautéed onions and peppers and it turned out relish. Thank you!
What is the serving size for this recipe? It says yields 6 servings but does not say the size of an individual serving.
A serving size is roughly 1-2 cups.
If you have leftovers and reheat them would you recommend microwaving them or putting them back in the oven to heat up?
Thanks!
I prefer reheating in the oven but either option should work just fine.
Think I can use brown rice instead of quinoa? And if so, would you say the same amount (1 cup dry rice). I have all the other ingredients on hand but no quinoa.
Yes, the same amount of brown rice can be substituted.
We featured an adaptation of this recipe in a weekly meal plan at http://www.themenumaster.com!
This looks so delicious! I bought quinoa on an impulse, and have been looking for a recipe that I can incorporate it in. I love mexican dishes, and the fact that it’s a healthier option really appeals to me. I honestly prefer cooking to eating at restaurants, so I know what I’ll be trying tonight 🙂
I made this tonight, and it was amazing! I used a little more beans and corn, and ate it with corn chips. So yummy 🙂
Question on the green chiles. if i can’t find that in the store; how many chiles can i use to make up for it? want to make it tonight!!! by the way love your website!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would estimate anywhere from 2-4 chiles depending on the size.
I have made this a few times as written never disappoints. I thought that I would try a pizza version, using pizza sauce and my favourite toppings in place of beans, corn and chilis….OMG!
LOVE THIS. I’m making it for the second time to serve to guests. I did end up using the whole can of beans because I didn’t want to waste half a can, and subbed vegan cheddar shreds for the cheeses to make it vegan. Still delish, especially with extra cilantro (you can never have too much cilantro).
I’m single, so last time I ate it for a week and I didn’t mind a bit–it was even tastier on day 4! Awesome, awesome recipe–thanks!
Oh my goodness…I have never cooked quinoa, and I saw this recipe while on break…went and bought all the ingredients….I made a double batch, so I can also take for lunch. I also used some adobo sauce in mine, topped with avocado, tomato and lettuce. This is a keeper, will definitely be making again, may add some ground chicken or turkey to change it up sometime. Thanks this…no more rice for me- quinoa is a keeper!
I just made this dish for dinner tonight. My 8 year old son said, “Who ever thought of this recipe is a genius.” =) I told him after he was done that it was vegetarian and he looked shocked. He is a meat loving Korean boy. I have been using your website several times a week for dinners now. So glad I found you.
Turned out great! One question though. Is it one cup dry or cooked quinoa? The recipe talks about 2 cups water which would indicate 1 cup dray. Just seemed like a lot of quinoa when I made it last night. Thank youl
The one cup of quinoa in the recipe refers to dry, uncooked quinoa.
This was great. I added scallions and used a fresh jalapeno instead of the can of chilies. I also substituted queso fresco for the mozzarella, and smoked paprika for the chili powder. We love spicy, but I knew the enchilada sauce would be enough. I think next time I will just use the whole can of beans. What a great way to use quinoa and have a non meat dinner. Kudos.
I had kept a printed copy of this recipe on my fridge forever, knowing I would make it someday. Well today was the day! I made the quinoa first thing this morning and it sat in the fridge the whole day (just to get a jump on putting things together), then added everything else when we got home. My husband and I both loved this. Its a keeper. Thanks for posting.
I made this last night – so easy and soooo yummy! I added mushrooms and peas for a few more veg points!
This was, well, I hate to be just another cliche, but this was damn delicious!!
I am loving that you feature so many vegetarian-vegan-loving recipes. Most cooking sites and cooking shows just look over their designer reading glasses with scorn at us while they are slicing the veal or the coq as vin !! Lol!!
But seriously–I’m very grateful that you have that statement about quinoa and its complete value in a veg diet. We strict vegans have known this for a while. I’m excited that you are showing such delicious ways to eat and be healthy without eating our animal friends. You are great!
Some healthy recipes are deceiving because the pictures look far better than the actual taste. This is NOT the case with this delicious dish. The flavors and textures were spot on, and it was perfect for us paired with grilled chicken. I finally have a quinoa recipe that I LOVE. Thanks so much.
Just made this tonight. First time introducing the family to quinoa. It came out great! I couldn’t make enough for my suddenly ravenous family. Great recipe 🙂
I’m really excited to try this! Do you suggest a complimentary side to round out the whole meal?
Alana, please feel free to browse through the possible side dishes here. My personal favorite is the roasted vegetables.
This was so delicious! I subbed quinoa for barley just because I had some cooked already and it was wonderful. A real hit at Taco Tuesday with my girl and guy friends alike 🙂
Hey so, where I live the truth is quinoa is too damn expensive and for the moment I cant afford it. So in these recipe what would be a good replacement for the quinoa?
Rice or brown rice would be a great budget-friendly substitute.
Just made this as my first recipe from your website & it’s delicious! (I just found your website yesterday) I added organic beef; I only upped the spices to account for the increase in volume. I had to use canned “Rotel with lime & cilantro” since we didn’t have fresh but nonetheless, this was really, really good. I’m going to make it as written next time. Thanks for this! I’ll be checking out your recipes from now on. 🙂
I tried this tonight and loved it! First time I cooked with quinoa and it was very easy. I was very surprised at how well quinoa went with everything. I didn’t have green chiles, but it tasted just fine. I think next time I will mix all the cheese in with the rest of the ingredients. My cheese on the top just clumped together. I will definitely make this again!
This was absolutely fantastic! I held on to this receipe for awhile because I had never made Quinoa, and the reviews that I have read in preparing it was very scarey. I took out my rice cooker and used a trick from a recipe when preparing a rice dish from Alton Brown. The water that I put in the rice cooker was hot, therefore, the Quinoa was VERY flakey. This recipe will be doubled, at the minimum, from now on. An excellent dish, I can’t say enough.
Easiest dish I’ve ever made! So yummy too! Totally added more cheese cause I love cheese. definitely making it again!
I made this today for my family, and it was a hit! Made it exactly as the recipe stated. Only thing I’ll do differently next time is double it! =D
I love Quinoa and didn’t know it had amino acids–I can see now why it’s such a super food everyone raves about. I didn’t use to love Mexican food as a kid, but now I cook and eat it all the time. I’m definitely going to have to give this one a try!
Just made this! It tastes different without the tortillas obviously but with every bite I keep getting more and more addicted. This was pretty amazing! Although I probably ruined some of the healthy factor by adding a little sour cream, lol! This was the first healthy recipe I’ve ever tried and I will definitely make it again. So good! Thanks a lot!!
Just put this one in the oven. It smells delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I oved this recipe, made it tonight. I did not have enchilada sauce so just added 16 oz. tomato sauce and more cumin, chili powder and a dash of onion and garlic powder. It was fine. It is a great recipe for someone who eats vegetarian. Thank you.
This looks so good!! The only issue I have is that I cannot find Enchilada sauce in the supermarkets in my area.
Would salsa or another sauce type item work?
Thanks!
Here is my recipe for homemade enchilada sauce: https://damndelicious.net/2022/02/20/homemade-enchilada-sauce/.
Thank you for the recipe! Just wondering, how long does this keep in the fridge?
It should keep for at least 1-2 days.
Chungah,
This was very tasty, comfort food! Thanks for this awesome recipe!
Made this and it was really good. You can always add one of the cheeses as fat free to help with less calories.
Chicken would be good mixed in it
I added the whole can of black beans and corn. Felt like what the recipe calls for on those 2 was too little.
It’s a keeper!! Remember that this is 1 cup uncooked quinoa. So you are adding about 4 cups cooked quinoa.
I’m so glad you tried this recipe! And yes, I am all about adding more black beans and corn. As for the 1 cup uncooked quinoa, it should actually yield about 3 cups cooked.
I am a full time nursing student with limited time and funds. I am also a mother of 3 little girls. Making something that everyone will eat and that we can afford can sometimes be tricky!! This one was a winner!! The only complaint I got was that my pickiest thought it was a little too spicy. Maybe less green chiles next time.
Im anxious to try this out! I was wondering if anyone served anything with it for a side dish? I would want to make a side with it but I just don’t know what all would work with it 🙂
Green beans with almonds would compliment this dish .An additional touch of green will add color to this already attractive presentation.
I love this recipe as we are huge fans of mexican food. I also love the comfort feel of this and the fact I can make it ahead and put it into the oven half an hour before we want to eat. In the past I have done something very similar except have used 4 whole wheat tortillas and layered the veggies and sauce and cheese in an 8 inch cheese cake pan. It looks fancy and we all love it served with sour cream and salsa on the side. This, however, removes the tortillas and incorporates more plant protein. I also tend to put most of the cheese into the casserole and just a thin layer on top. Seems less greasy and more creamy that way.
I find it hard to find mild enchilada sauce so I just threw in a large jar of medium salsa instead. That plus the chilies gave us the perfect heat level.
I served it over a thin layer of mixed greens just to make it look interesting on the plate. Drizzled with a tiny bit of salsa ranch dressing…. otherwise my husband would complain about a “dry” salad.
Making this dish turned into a two step assembly; my daughter began the preparation; cooking the quinoa and making her own enchilada sauce, clock was ticking- time to head off to work. I was left with “step two” instructions…, which I followed (or so I thought!) Assembled all ingredients in a 9 x 13 pan (we had doubled the recipe) and baked as recommended. Oops… I had not added the enchilada sauce. The final product was Delicious!! We topped the dish with avocado pieces and diced red and yellow tomatoes. Gorgeous!!
This is amazing! I took it to a pot luck, and it was a hit!! Definitely going to make this again soon.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I love that it is so healthy also. My son went back for thirds. We won’t have any left to freeze and I am looking forward to the little bit of leftovers. The only change I made was using Fire Roasted green chilies because that was all I had. Thanks for a wonderful filling recipes.
This recipe is fantastic, everything you could ask for – easy, filling, quick and delicious! Have made it several times for my family, heats up and tastes just as good (if not even more flavorful) the next day. In fact I’m making it tonight for a dinner party we are having!
So yummy! Made this tonight. Used dairy free cheese. My family loved it so much i had to make a second batch!
Made this last night…all I can say is WOW!!!! So easy!!! I doubled corn, black beans and enchilada sauce. Added 1lb of lean ground beef and put in a 9×13 pan. So easy!!! Next time I will add onions and chopped peppers!!!! SO in love ! Thanks again!
WOW!! This dish was absolutely delicious. Nice twist to enchiladas. We love Mexican food so it was a treat to try something new. Although, it did not need it, I added 1 cup of diced up chicken. My family loved it. Even my picky eater.
I look forward to making your other recipes 🙂
I made this for women’s gathering at my house. It was so easy and simple to make a great dish. Everybody loved it whether they are vegetarian or not.. Thanks for sharing great recipes!
this is in the oven right now and I can’t wait to eat it!!
This was absolutely delicious. It was so cheesy. I loved it. I’m making it again right now! The first time I made it, I had a piece of tilapia with this on the side. It tasted better and better each day. Great recipe!
I made this last night and it was delicious! I did adjust the ingredients as mentioned by adding a bit more quinoa and corn and beans and I absolutely LOVED IT! I will definietly be making this again!
Is it okay if the quinoa is still warm when mixing with the other ingredients, or should it be cooled before proceeding with the recipe?
Yes, it should be fine.
OMG. This. is. Delicious. I made it last night as a side to shrimp tacos.. We loved it! So much that I ate it for breakfast!
Thanks for sharing!
This was soooo delicious, the entire pan was eaten! I love the texture of the quinoa. The only thing I did differently was add extra cheese 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
This was a great recipe for a busy weeknight! Just toss all ingredients together and pop it in the oven. I added a small can of California olives and instead of 1 cup of beans I tossed the entire can, plus 1 cup of corn and half of a green bell pepper. Turned out great! You really can play with the ingredients.
I made this for dinner tonight. My anti-vegeterian husband loved it! We didn’t even miss the meat.
I think next time I’ll add more cheese….. I also didn’t have any cumin so I left that out… I’m not sure how much that matters? I did not think this was as amazing as the picture looks or the comments indicate. Did anyone else think it was just meh??
Yes, Laura – by leaving out certain ingredients, it’s not surprising that you would have a mediocre outcome. It is best to follow the recipe exactly as written to obtain the best results possible.
Laura,
Cumin is a very noticeable, vibrant spice that’s used in MANY, if not MOST Mexican dishes. Of course it’s going to make a difference if you leave it out. I’m sure it would not have been included in the recipe if it “didn’t really matter”.
In order to be fair to the creator of a new recipe, It’s always best to follow everything the recipe requires, including all of the listed ingredients. This is especially important if it’s the first time you’ve made it, and even more so if you intend to leave a less than satisfactory comment regarding your outcome.
After making the dish according to the original recipe, then it’s fun to experiment with new or different ingredients based on your likes & dislikes.
Made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS!
I added TVP cooked in Better than Boullion No Beef Base (1 cup) & lightly fried in olive oil. I used a cup of cooked quinoa (as opposed to the yield of 1 cup dry), but after seeing other comments, I’d likely use the yield from 1 dry cup. I also used red quinoa, frozen (vs. canned) corn, and a tiny bit more cheese than 1/4 cup each sprinkled on the top. I did serve with diced avocado & tomatoes – nice touch!
I could definitely make this for a vegetarian OR non-vegetarian crowd. My boyfriend the meat-eater said it was his new favorite meal I cook. I might consider adding a dollop of whipped cream – but only if you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of health-factor (because the original recipe is so tasty AND healthy!).
What is TVP? I’ve never heard that term… Thank you in advance!
made this tonight… it was delicious!! Even my husband and my dad, who are both meat lovers, enjoyed it!! My kids also really liked it!! I added some sauteed zucchini and onions and garlic. Will definitely be making again!!
Just made this for dinner. I have changed to a very strict diet so it has been hard to find meals that I can cook and eat and that my partner will still enjoy! He is a meat lover so I added mince to his and it was perfect 🙂
I’ve been trying to incorporate quinoa into our diet and OMG this is damdelicious. Luv, luv, luv this recipe. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Just atet this and it was simple to make and over the top awesome!!! This exceeded my expectations. My whole family devoured it and said it was a for sure do over!! Thank you!!! You have so many great recipes…keep them coming!! I topped it with fresh diced jalepenos and added just a little extra cheese…did not measure anything except the quinoa.
i have soooo many quinoia recipes…but this was REALLY GOOD!! will make again!
I made this and it was so good! I added shredded chicken for a little extra protein and it was really tasty. I loved the use of quinoa instead of enchiladas. To check out how I used chicken see my blog: http://huntershealthykitchen.com/2015/02/23/quinoa-and-chicken-enchilada-bake/
i made this tonight…my first time with quinoa. Unfortunately, my enchilada sauce can was 14 oz, which I didn’t notice until it was too late. In retrospect, I should have added more beans and corn to balance that out. I only used one cup of the cooked quinoa, too. I think that was a mistake. And I didn’t have chili powder, so I substituted with red pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. The end result was soupy, as you might expect. However, it was tasty, and my husband certainly ate plenty of it (he used tortilla chips to assist in eating). I had plenty of leftover quinoa, and I mixed a generous dollop into the leftovers when I was putting them into a storage container, and it made a big difference in the consistency. Feeling rather stupid over that. But a definite keeper! A nice, healthy recipe to add to my repertoire!
Hi Frances, I came across your comment while looking for an answer to a similar question that I had. I wasn’t sure if the added quinoa was cooked or uncooked. It seems that you need to cook 1 cup of uncooked quinoa as directed on package. This will yield about 2 cups of cooked quinoa that is to be added to this recipe. I am not an experienced quinoa user either so I wasn’t sure. I also noticed that you should always rinse and drain the uncooked quinoa to get rid of toxins before you cook it. I hope this helps if you make this recipe again.
My husband found this recipe when he was searching ideas for dinners. We’ve made it so many times now and it’s one of our favorites!
Spotted this recipe last night and made it for dinner today. I am very pleased with the results. I followed the recipe to a “t” and I think its a delightful addition to my recipe box and so does my husband.I served it with a frilly green salad containing black slices olives, baby tomatoes, marinated artichokes cut up and Zesty Italian dressing. I used half the avocado in the salad and half on the casserole. Lovely meal! Many thanks for sharing with us.
Wowzah!! This was amazingly delicious!!!! And super easy to make! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!!!
Considering the nutrient density of quinoa, I really wanted to like it. But honestly I never liked the taste of it anytime I made it, until now. I am so happy to have found a way to make quinoa that is actually not only appetizing but incredibly delicious. With the fresh chopped tomatoes and avocados on top this just tasted ridiculously good! My whole family liked it which was even better. All the recipes I have tried on your blog have been nothing short of awesome. I wish I had come across it sooner!
Do you think I can add cooked shredded chicken to the recipe? It all sounds delish!
Yes, that sounds like a great addition – however, you may have to adjust the ingredients as needed to compensate for this addition.
Made this for the fam. They loved it. We didn’t use El Paso though. Just made our own enchalada sauce from a packet. You don’t have to use El Paso.
Instead of putting the cheese throughout the mixture I just made a layer of it in the middle and some on top. Sort of like a lasagna.
Made this last night. It turned out great. I was out of chili powder so I substituted with garlic powder and crushed red pepper. Planning on eating leftovers for lunch served cold over shredded lettuce.
I made this tonight and was seriously bummed! It looked so good in the pictures, but it was far from it. It was too soupy–the recipe calls for 10 oz. of the sauce, but I think it would be fine with half of it! It is far too bland and really, it’s just not a good combo of ingredients. After making it exactly like the recipe, I needed to go back and add more beans, more corn, onion, jalapenos, and pepper jack cheese for it to be eaten by my family. After everyone ate, I had a unanimous vote to please not make it again.
Make this recipe at your own risk, ask quinoa is an expensive ingredient!
I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well.
However, recipes are a base and can be adjusted to your preferences – so yes, if the mixture is not thick enough, try adding more beans, corn, etc. or reducing the amount of sauce. I’m also not sure how it is “far too bland” as there are a TON of fun goodies happening here, but we all have different taste preferences.
I really do hope you get a chance to try this again with a more successful outcome!
3$ a pound in bulk is expensive?
Maybe baking it longer in the oven would help thicken things up for you.
I made this tonight. Very tasty! It came out thick and seems more like a dip or burrito filling. We ate ours with some tortilla chips and extra avocado. I will definitely make it again…delish!
Yes. Using it as a dip sounds awesome. How about on some Triscuit crackers? Yes. It was so good.
Everyone always leaves comments about how good recipes LOOK but I just want to share that this recipe is amazing and delicious!!! I have tried so many of your recipes and I love them all. You have helped me mix up our typical dinners. I will definitely make this again. I think I added meat into this but I can’t totally remember at this point. Quinoa is totally new to me (thanks to one of your other recipes) so I am always looking to try more recipes with it. Thank you for always sharing your new recipes with us! =) HAPPY BELLY’S HERE! =)
LOVING your recipes! I’ve cooked “Damn Delicious” recipes four times in the last week or two and we’re loving them all. A double batch of Quinoa Enchilada Cass is prepped and ready to bake as soon as my oven preheats. Its that fast! (cooked the quinoa up last night) I can’t wait to try more Damn Delicious food!
I love your quinoa recipes. We eat a lot of quinoa in our house and I have a suggestion for people who are new to cooking it. In all my recipes after the amount of quinoa in the recipe I print (wash and rinse well) because there are toxins that need to be washed off. I even do that to recipes I get from your site, which I love, in case I pass the recipe on to a person new to quinoa.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe! We added a little dollop of sour cream and it really added a nice creamy element. I will be making this recipe often! Thanks again!
yummy! I just found your site through pinterest! this looks so good, totally going to make it!
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious!
I used a full cup of black beans and corn and added extra beans, and was cooking for 3men who all survived without meat – will definitely make this again!
Such a delicious meal! I never know what I’m going to get when trying random recipes off pinterest, but this was wonderful. I have never had quinoa, and I’m glad this was my first experience with it! 🙂
In the oven right now, looks great. May have added to much cheese.;)
Do you think I could add browned ground turkey to this and then bake it?
Yes, of course! But you may have to adjust the other ingredients to compensate for this addition.
I absolutely love this recipe so much that I’ve made it three days in a row for lunch! My kids and hubby enjoyed it just as much. I used salsa instead of enchilada sauce and added 1 cup chopped rotisserie chicken breast and 1/2 a green pepper. Fabulous. Thank you for a new found favorited.
Was super easy to make and delicious! My kids even ate it but they wrapped it in a tortillas. 🙂
Loved it! Made it tonight and was a hit with the hubby! He is very picky about Mexican and anything that has veggies and green things, but he loved it! Keep the great recipes coming. 🙂
Hells yes! I made this last night but substituted brown rice for the quinoa (brown rice obsession, nothing against the quinoa other than it’s a pain to spell) and it was really delicious. I added some strips of streak that I pan fried with pepper and garlic salt first to keep the man happy, and added some finely diced celery, green pepper, zucchini as well as the corn and beans. It was amazing. I think this is going to be a favorite, and it was SUPER quick to make (I used a veggie mandolin/slicer for the veg) and I think it took maybe 8 minutes..thanks so much.
just made this today! It is absolutely delish! I added some chicken to it also! This will be made often in our house! Next time I am going to add some onion, peppers and jalapeños and the pepper jack cheese instead of the mozzarella. Thank for the great recipe! Love it!
Made this with a few minor changes…i used two cups of quinoa and tomato paste to thicken it up and added jalapenos and extra chili powder and cayenne. I also used a whole can of black beans. Freezes great! I added the filling to bell peppers and froze those too.
I made this and my husband and I loved it! It’s kinda like a quinoa chili. Great recipe!
This is AMAZING!!! I did make a few changes because I’m one of those people who can’t help themselves when it comes to altering recipes. I added a half of a chopped onion, a few chopped up mini peppers (those ones that come in the bag), and a small jalapeno. I also used a whole can of black beans because I didn’t see much point in saving half a can, and medium enchilada sauce. Oh, and I mixed peperjack cheese and the mexican blend by craft.
Holy guacamole. Total winner. This was easy, quick, and so delicious I couldn’t believe my mouth. I think next time I might add some shredded chicken if I have some on hand, but it really doesn’t need it. I just have a hubs who prefers meat meals to meatless (even though we were vegetarians for 2 years. Silly boys). Thanks for the great recipe, this is for sure going into the rotation.
I followed the instructions and this is very runny. ??? Would’ve used half the enchilada sauce or added a cup or rice or cup of ground turkey to soak up all the liquid.
Rosi, please feel free to add more quinoa as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
I also had the same problem. I was glad I was making two batches. 1 for my dude, and one for my boss. My boss got the second one. On the second one I just added less water to the quinoa. I also added extra veggies (some onion, and a little bit of red and yellow bell pepper). Oh! And about 2 tablespoons of polenta to help thicken it up. I think it came out much better. I would also suggest not adding ANY salt. The green chili and enchilada sauce have plenty in there IMO.
Absolutely delicious!! I eliminated the cumin only because I didn’t have any on hand. Love this! Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
Is this something I can prep a night or two before and then pop in the oven when I get home?
I haven’t tried it myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work – although I recommend letting it come to room temp before popping it in the oven.
Thank you!
Very easy and delicious meal. I used more corn and beans than you asked. The idea of using Jack vs mozzarella is good one that I will try next time.
Quick, easy and yummy. Perfect combo 🙂
This was very tasty and pretty simple. Mine was a bit soupy–any suggestions? We added sliced black olives, sour cream and extra cilantro for toppings.
You can add more quinoa as needed to even out the liquid. Hope that helps!
Thanks! I kinda thought the liquid might cook off/soak up during baking but it didn’t so if you have any tips as to what the consistency should be before baking, that would help a lot! Family loved it, by the way!
It should definitely be more of a “wet” texture but if you prefer less liquid, please feel free to adjust the ingredients until the desired consistency is reached.
Tried this last week, was AWESOME. No enchilada sauce so I used salsa instead. I doubled the recipe in a 9×13 stoneware baking dish and will definitely be doing it again for a staff Christmas party.
I tried a similar version of this but used lentils instead of quinoa!
Tried this recipe and everyone LOVED it… Love the fact that it is a delicious vegetarian meal, but next time, I might add some seasoned pulled chicken, or ground turkey 🙂 Two thumbs up!
this was so good! I used whole foods brand quinoa and it Was perfect. Flavors were great. My husband said he almost wanted a bit of crunch but that could easily be accomplished with a few broken tortilla chips on top. My 12 year old son ate three helpings!!!
I’m not the same Nicole as above… but I have made this 2 times in the last month at the request of my husband and 13 y.o…..I’m from Texas and need frequent mexican flavors that we cannot find in CO. My daughter is experimenting with vegetarian preferences, so this hits the spot!
I love this dish! Even my hubby, who doesnt like any meal without meat, frequently asks me to make this! It’s been added to my family’s dinner rotation!
This was really good, and simple to make, too. We’re new to quinoa and trying to eat vegetarian, so this recipe was great. It’s the best use of quinoa I’ve found so far! Thank you so much!
This hit the spot! Really good. I didn’t use Old El Paso products (sorry), increased the corn & beans to about 3/4 cup each, and used reduced fat shredded colby jack. It was so good I probably ate another half a serving (minus the avacado) standing over the sink, haha! Oh, a little light sour cream makes a nice topping too.
I found this recipe on Pinterest. I am a college student living on my own, and I am always looking for new things to cook for dinner. I made this recipe a few weeks ago and added some ground beef to it because I am not a vegetarian and wanted to incorporate some kind of meat. It turned out delicious and it is great with tortilla chips or just by itself. Thanks for the recipe!
Made this yesterday, with a few modifications, and it came out really well! I will be making this often!
Made this last night and t was a big hit! I added ground beef and some onion, zucchini, chipotle sauce,etc. — the recipe is great because you can add a little of this and a little of that and it’s very forgiving. Also, love that it’s made with quinoa, which adds some protein and nutrition. Plus, it’s one pot — I love this kind of comfort food! Your recipes and photography are fantastic – thank you!
I made this for dinner on Wednesday. It was delicious. We give it two thumbs up. I will be making it again.
Damn delicious!
This was absolutely fantastic!!! First time I was able to get my husband to try quinoa and he actually liked it!!
I made this last night and it was very yummy!!! It is a great recipe that you can tweak to suit your preferences.
Made this for dinner last night and it all came together very quickly and tasted great. This one’s a keeper.
Has anyone tried this in a crock pot? I’m wondering if the cooked quinoa and other items could be put in the crock pot to warm the mixture and melt cheeses. Then garnished with tomato and avocado….. Thinking of taking this for a work pot luck and was wondering if the crock pot had been tried.
I made this today. Added a cooked chicken breast to the mix. I love it. This is the first time I’ve cooked quinoa and actually liked it. We will have to see if my husband likes it, he is not a quinoa fan. But I think this will be acceptable!
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both loved it!
I made a few changes. Less quinoa, more black beans and corn.
For condiments we had sour cream, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped avocado, cilantro and limes. I’ll be making it for the family next time. Yummy!!
1. I made your enchiladas at the beginning of the year, which caused me to return to your site when looking for something to prepare for a dinner party. LOVE your enchiladas, but I was hesitant to go with tortillas. Oh, well (I thought).
and then!
YOU HIT ME WITH THIS! I’m so looking forward to making this. I was giddy when I saw this and my plan was changed.
YOU’RE AMAZING!
Made this for supper tonight. I loved it. It was delicious. Will definitely be making it again.
Made this for a Girl’s Game Night potluck – no leftovers. Three friends took a copy of the recipe and I’ve just emailed the recipe to another friend. I used the whole can of corn & black beans and full teasp of Cumin, with lots of chopped cilantro. Used the green enchilada sauce, will give it a try with red enchilada sauce next time to see how it changes the flavor.
Omg! This recipe was absolutely amazing and DAMN delicious! Lol it was so easy to make and my entire family has fallen in love with it!
This is great! I have been making quinoa with black beans and then using taco seasoning to make veggie tacos.. this is along the same lines but way better! And also works in a tortilla!
LOVE THIS! only added nice minced beef from local butcher! great dinner. now if I could only make my own Enchilada sauce?!
So I made this last night…and it basically changed my opinion on quinoa completely. I’m not usually a huge quinoa fan, but as a college student, I’m always looking for easy, healthy things I can make in batches and eat for later. I topped mine with Cherubs cherry tomatoes and crushed tortilla chips, and I’m eating it as we speak alongside a big bowl of edamame seasoned with Mexican seasoning and sea salt. YUM such a fan of your blog!
Xo,
Tay
acupoftay.com
Just made this for dinner tonight and the boyfriend and I LOVED it! I used all cheddar cheese bc that is what I had and once it was plated, we put extra cilantro on top and a swueeE of fresh lime juice skin with the avocado and tomatoes. Sooo yummy!
And that shouldn’t say “lime juice skin” I don’t know where that came from! 🙂 a squeeze of fresh lime juice along with the avocado and tomato.
Hi, the can of chopped green chili’s… would that be the same as chopped jalapeños? Thats all i can get in Ireland! Recipe looks fabulous!
Tara, these two are actually not the same but the chopped jalapeños would still be a great substitute!
LOVED IT!!! Used home made enchilada sauce, one 19 oz. can of drained black beans. 1.5 cups frozen corn and doubled the cilantro. Mine was a bit dry and will add a bit of water next time. I saluted 1 cup of finely diced onion with 1 lb. of ground turkey in a large high sided Teflon coated pan. Added the spices and remaining ingredients, topped with the cheese and covered on low for 5 min. which melted the cheese and made it a one pot meal. YUMMO!
I want to make this tonight for dinner but I do not have quinoa and with my twins it’s hard getting to the store. Can I substitute just brown or white rice?
Yes, that should be just fine.
I’ve made this several times and my whole family enjoys! I’ve added taco seasoned cooked ground turkey or beef before for variation and it makes for a great well rounded dinner!
I made this tonight. I wasn’t sure about using the OEP enchilada sauce. It was an excellent recipe. Everyone in our house says to keep the recipe in the top drawer. Thanks for sharing.
Can I substitute pearl couscous for the quinoa?
You can certainly substitute pearl couscous but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish as further recipe testing is needed. Please use your best judgment for this substitution.
I discovered Quinoa by accident and fell in love with it. Thank you for creating another recipe for me to try. I have already had dinner tonight but this recipe is making me hungry. 🙂
I made this tonight and I am so stuffed and satisfied! It’s easy to put together, and super tasty! What a great way to use quinoa. It’s healthy and filling. I’m trying to incorporate it more and more into my family’s diet. Thanks for the recipe!
Super easy to make and extremely delicious! I didn’t have enough quinoa so I mixed it up with some green lentils. Yummy!
I just made this. It was easy, quick, and delicious! FIY. I am JUST now learning to cook because I have a son, so if I can make it, ANYONE can 🙂
Thank you!
I’m trying this tonight, looks great! But was wondering if I add ground turkey, would that be a substitute for the quinoa or can I make it with both in the dish?
I recommend adding in the turkey instead of eliminating the quinoa entirely.
This is in my oven right now, such a great idea to use quinoa!
This was so delicious! Made it tonight and both my husband and I had seconds. Was super easy to put together. I ended up just using the whole can of beans and added a can of jalapeños. Didn’t miss the meat with this dish and will certainly be in the rotation. Thanks for a winner!!
Just made this tonight, super delicious, easy and fast! The only thing I would say is the 9X13 pan was a bit too big, still had plenty of space for more food in there. I’d probably make it in an 8X8 so that I don’t take up the whole fridge with the leftovers next time 🙂
Fantastic! This was my second try cooking with quinoa. I doubled the recipe and added a teaspoon of chipotle adobo sauce for spice and smokiness. So damn good!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was fabulous. I made it slightly less healthy and used a tortilla chip crust with a layer of sour cream and then put the quinoa mix on top. I also added peppers (in season) and extra tomatoes. Thanks for the inspiration.
I love the idea of a tortilla chip crust!
I tried this last week and our whole family of six loved it! I’m making it again tonight actually 🙂 Thank you thank you!
Made this for lunch with blueberry almond milk smoothies. The entire thing was a hit with my family. I left out the ench sauce and used Frank’s red hot. This was a great dish. Thanks for the inspiration!!!
I will be making this. I see you used a casserole dish instead of a 9 x 13’pan. My casserole dishes are pretty than my pans. Make enchiladas look even better.
I’ve made this 2 times. The first time, followed the recipe exactly. It was good. Second time, used “HOT” diced chilis and it was delicious! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
This was an amazing, delicious easy meal. As a habit I don’t do seconds. Not even with food I really love. I was thinking about it from the first bite…..didn’t do it. I get to have it again tomorrow!
How well do you think this casserole would freeze then cook??
Emily, unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Pingback: Meal Plan ★ 4th – 10th August, 2014 - The Flying Drunken Monkey The Flying Drunken Monkey Meal Plan ★ 4th – 10th August, 2014 - The Flying Drunken Monkey | One woman's struggle against housework
Oh this looks FABULOUS!! I must try it.
We had this for dinner tonight and LOVED it! My boyfriend couldn’t stop saying how amazing it was and requested we eat it every 3 days (lol!). The only things I did differently was 1) Cooked my quinoa with chicken broth, chopped veggies and seasonings to pump up the flavor and 2) added diced onions.
Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s definitely going into our rotation.
thanks for this! it looks great. And just in case anyone is wondering, I put the recipe in my handy little recipe analyzer web site (gives the nutrient breakdown and such) and it gave it a B+ and said that it’s good points are that it’s Low in cholesterol, High in iron, and Very high in vitamin B6. Yay!!
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe pretty well but made a couple of adjustments to my taste. I used about a cup of frozen corn (it worked fine – no issues with being frozen) and a whole can of black beans (because what do I do with the other half?). I used medium enchilada sauce for an extra kick (yum!). I also used about 1 1/2 cups of each cheese. Just seemed so right! Ha! The recipe was great albeit a bit too cheesy (lesson learned). I’ll definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
I’m thinking I might attempt to make this in my pampered chef deep covered baker and cooking the quinoa with all the other ingredients at the same time. Anyone have experience with this?
Wow! This was great. I even got a “Mom this is the best dinner ever” from my picky 7 year old. That made my day for sure. I headed into it thinking I would get some groans (due to the quinoa and meatlessness) but instead resulted in a meal everyone enjoyed 🙂
Can you substitute rice for quinoa?
Yes, absolutely!
Awesome. This will be a perfect, quick, weeknight meal with plenty of leftovers.
Thank you for this easy yummy recipe! Tried it tonight and it was a big hit with my family. Great vegetarian dish, I also added diced chicken for the meat eaters in my family and onions and tortilla strip for an extra crunch. A definite repeat 🙂
Just making this now yummy didn’t have any enchilada sauce so I just made my own can not wait to try
Just made this tonight and it is delish! My first time making quinoa and it did not disappoint. 🙂
Surprisingly, I used almost the identical ingredients to make a summer salad…so yummy! I understand that Quinoa is high protein with essential amino acids which, if you are vegetarian, is a BIG plus! Can’t wait to try this tonight. Thanks
Another winner in my house. Company here for 4 days and made this tonight for the first time. everyone raved about it. We put the bit that was left ove3r in the fridge and one guest had it for bed snack, He said it tastes as good cold so we all had a teaspoon and decided it would serve up nicely as a cold summer salad with tortilla chips.
Oh and I made your enchilada sauce as I did not have any and what a great recipe that is too.
Thanks again as we love your dishes.
Love this recipe! Thank you! Have made it several times and it’s never the same twice. I usually throw in whatever is leftover in the fridge in addition to what you list – peppers, partial bags of random cheeses, half a jar of salsa. Always comes out great!
Any experience freezing already cooked quinoa? Was thinking making a few batches to freeze for ballgame nights just not baking til then.
Unfortunately, I do not have experience freezing cooked quinoa – there are generally no leftovers for us to freeze!
Can I throw it together ahead of time and then bake it later?
Yes, absolutely!
Just made this for dinner tonight, I loved it and my picky kids ate it with out complaint. It was my first time cooking with quinoa. I’m going to be making this more often. Thanks!
This looks so yummy! I am planning to make it tomorrow night, but wanted to ask if I have to cook the quinoa first before adding it to everything or not? This may be a question with an obvious answer, but just wanted to be sure!
Becky, you will start with uncooked quinoa and cook it as indicated in the first step of the recipe.
oh goodness! I completely overlooked that! Thank-you!!
This sounds really good! The only thing is I wish you would have posted the nutritional info.
Mikala, unfortunately, as I am not a registered dietician, I am not comfortable sharing nutritional information for any of my recipes. I recommend utilizing online calorie counters at your discretion to obtain such information.
Yum-o! Made this along with your Watermelon Slush, which was a perfect refresher with this dish. I skipped the spicy ingredients for my family, but I used fresh blackened corn and red peppers to add a little extra punch ‘n crunch. Still turned out to be a dinner table fav with second helpings all-around! Thanks, Chungah!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! This was only my 2nd time cooking with quinoa and let me just say that learning you have to rinse it off first saved me from hating it! This dish was easy to make and very flavorful. Even my picky 6 year old ate it (and that says a lot). Will definitely make again.
Can you freeze? If so, how? We made this and I am trying to make meals ahead right now and we enjoyed this so I could like to freeze it.
Unfortunately, I have never tried freezing this with myself so I cannot answer with certainty. Please use your best judgement for freezing and reheating.
Does anyone know what 1 serving equals in the 21 day fix? 1 green,1yellow and 1 orange??
I agree, I could live off Mexican food! I am so excited to try this, I never heard of using quinoa. I will make sure to mention this link in my blog when I do. I would love your tips and suggestions as well if you check my blog out. Thanks for the recipe!!
I doubled this recipe to be able to use my Rachel Ray bubble and brown! 🙂 Doubled well, and wonderfully versatile…I used diced tomatoes with green chiles, PLUS the green chiles it called for. Sharp cheddar and jack cheeses. Dried cilantro (just no fresh on hand). Taco sauce instead of enchilada sauce. I did find that I had to quadruple (and probably more) the spices…we like bold Mexican flavors. To serve, I threw on a dollop of sour cream avocado and green hot sauce! Thanks for the excellent recipe–great for people like me who like to build on them and make them our own!
Saving this recipe! I love enchiladas and this recipe is a lot quicker than rolling up each one individually!
Great, simple week night recipe! I made this last week but also added rotisserie chicken to it. Delicious! My boyfriend asked tonight if I’d make it again for dinner tomorrow!! My first time on your website…excited to try out more! Thanks for sharing!
When boiling quinoa, do you boil in water, chicken / veggie / beef broth?!
Any of the above! It really depends on personal preference.
I always use veggie broth, the broth just adds a bit more flavor to it.
Made this with a packet of 94% lean ground turkey in it, and bought a bigger can of enchilada sauce to make up for the added ingredient. Superb! Will be adding this my meal rotation!
Just made this for dinner and it was delicious! Super flavorful. I did go slightly lighter on the cheese and enchilada sauce to watch calories- but it still turned out super yummy! I can’t wait to enjoy these leftovers for the next couple of days!
OMG – Thank you so much… I just made this and it is absolutely amazing!!! Super easy and quick to make and I could eat it all day!!!!!
Is there another type of sauce besides enchilada (from Old El Paso, of course) that I could use instead? Do they make a green sauce? (not a fan of traditional red sauce). Thanks!
Yes! They have a mild green enchilada sauce.
this was great i just made it tonight. i topped mine with tomatoes and red onions and a dollop of sour cream. this is a keeper. it would go well in wraps and to stuff vegetables with as well. like stuffed peppers etc. i will make this again. thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing! I made this last night and it was delicious and super simple, even someone who avoids the kitchen (like me) can figure it out. Thanks!
I wanted to tell you that I made this tonight and it was SO good! The flavors and texture were spot on, and I enjoyed every bite, especially with the avocado and tomato on top. Great meatless Monday dinner. 🙂
I made this tonight and it was so delicious. My husband loved it too. Great mix of spices and textures. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for the recipe.
Looks delicious! Your pictures look so bright and crisp! Pinned!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful! I added some shredded chicken thighs as my husband prefers non vegetarian dishes, and mashed up the avocado with some spices and mixed it right in. My husband and I both loved it. Will definitely be making again!
When you added the chicken how long did you bake it for? I want to try the same thing!
Anyone figured our the calories yet? Maybe per oz served?
Leah, it is best to use online resources at your discretion to obtain caloric information.
haha I know! I was being lazy and hoping someone already had. 🙂
Using myfitnesspal.com it calculated 313 calories per serving (using 6 total servings)
According to the above label, it has 285.1 calories in it.
Wow! I’m so glad I stumbled across the photo for this recipe on pinterest. I just made this for dinner tonight and it tastes Ah-mazing! At first my husband eyed it dubiously (because there was no meat) but after a few mouthfuls he said it was delicious too and told me I could make it again (win!) Thanks so much for creating a healthy and nutritious vegetarian meal 🙂 I’m always on the look out for healthy meal ideas and I’m so glad I’ve found your site. I’ll be back to check out more recipes soon!
This is the first recipe I’ve made from your blog & I absolutely loved it! I was hesitant to make it at first only because my last experience with quinoa was not a good one (it was NOT one of your recipes) & I wasn’t sure if I actually liked it. When I saw this recipe, though, with all of the favors I love, I decided to go for it. I can’t wait to get into the rest of the recipes here to make more of them!!! Thanks…
I made this for lunch earlier and it was fantastic!! Added a small zucchini (diced) and a diced onion and it was wonderful!! Super easy and the family loved it! This will be lunch for the next couple days and I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
Question: any reason why you are using canned corn, over your usual grilled or frozen??…This recipe will be an introduction to quinoa to me and the DH (dear hubby)….wish us luck…teehee
I used canned because that is what I had on hand. But feel free to use frozen, grilled or corn!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply…….Very much enjoying your recipes and “getting to know you”……
Hi! I’m hoping to make this week, but I have had such horrible experiences with quinoa…is there a brand that’s your favorite? I followed step by step instructions and always end up with runny uncooked quinoa. Thanks
I personally love to use the Trader Joe’s brand.
Trader Joe’s brand is not only the atstiest, it’s also well priced compared to other stores!
I make mine in the steamer just like rice, one part quinoa one part water, steam for about 30 minutes. Perfect every time.
The best tip for tasty quinoa is to rinse it beforehand. It has a bitter coating that rinses easily. Then cook at a 1:1 ratio (eg 1 cup water to 1 cup quinoa). Boil water, add quinoa and return to a boil, then lower heat and cook on low until water is absorbed.
Making it right now, can’t wait to try it, smells delish!!
Made it; liked it a lot.
Just made this and it is oh so delish!! My husband and I like spicy food and so we added diced jalepenos and used pepper jack cheese instead of mozzarella. I can’t find hot enchilada sauce or hot diced green chilis in Virginia like I can in California or I would have bought those instead of mild! Oh well just added extra chili powder and some red pepper powder. I will definitely be making this again!!
Did you measure the quinoa after it was cooked? Or before?That part has me confused. Because if I cook 1cup of quinoa, after it’s cooked it makes a lot more.
Bonne, you will be starting with 1 cup uncooked quinoa and using all of the quinoa it yields (about 2 cups).
I made this last night and it was delicious!! I added 1 cup of cooked quinoa (had leftovers) and I noticed it was a little runny, but still tasted delicious. Next time, I’ll try with 2 cups cooked. I really enjoyed this reciepe! Thank you!!
Did anyone else’s look really runny at first? Baking mine now!
Thank you for your review, I’m glad you actually made the recipe and took the time to comment. It’s very frustrating when readers post comments like….”this looks good” but didn’t actually make the recipe. Yeah…we all know it LOOKS good, but how does it taste?
I’ve tried quinoa several times but haven’t really cared for it. This looks like something i would love though. Love all the healthy ingredients!
I’m loving all the new ways I’m finding to enjoy quinoa. This recipe is at the top of my list. Can’t wait to try it…maybe tonight!
I love love love mexican food and this recipe proves why! This looks amazing, love the added beans!
Love this vegetarian spin on enchiladas, great flavors!
So incredibly delicious!
That is a great use of quinoa! Looking forward to trying it soon.
yum! looks delish!
This looks amazing! I love the idea of getting the enchilada taste without the tortillas.
This looks amazing! Love the idea of using quinoa instead of tortillas! Can’t wait to try it!
I love this bowl of gluten free yumminess! Pinned.
I will be making this tonight. Mexican is also my favorite!
Girl, you are the queen of comfort foods and you’ve done it again! This looks absolutely devine! I’m pinning the heck of it 🙂 Have a great day!
Oh..my…goodness! I just have to make this sometime this week! Not only does it look amazing, but it looks a little bit healthier than the traditional enchilada casserole!
This looks really good. Brown rice is about as fancy as we get around here but this recipe makes me want to try quinoa.
Congratulations! I am going to try this recipe this week. The last recipe I made my husband said, “That’s damn delicious!” No kidding. He had never heard of your website and I had just stumbled upon it that day. Good job and congratulations on your success.
I am just really starting to dig Mexican flavours, and I am totally obsessed with quinoa…and cheese…and avocado..and e’rythang about this! Love that it’s lightened up too 🙂 Pinned!
Mmmm, this looks so great!
It’s really cool that you will be one of Old El Paso’s embarradors next year, congratulations! 😀 I cannot wait to see what tasty treats you cook up then 🙂 Mexican and Asian are my two favourite cuisines, they always seem to hit the spot no matter what sort of day you’re having 😀 x
This looks awesome and I love that you kept it vegetarian – thank you 🙂 Corn, beans, chiles, the avocado and tomatoes…mmm, looks delish! 🙂
Wonder if you can Freeze ahead of time , Great side dish for Xmas Eve!
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! I recommend using your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Just made this dish. Really wonderful for a Lenten meal. I, however made changes. I added sauteed onion and garlic and substituted roasted edamame for roasted corn. I also added the whole can of black beans since we love them so much. Will definitely make again.
Yes, in my experience this freezes very well (leave off the avocado and tomato, obviously)!
I am new to quinoa. I would to freeze this for later. Did you freeze in small portions or all together?
I prepared this dish (without avocados, tomatoes, etc) and froze it in an 8×8 pan. Once it was thawed, I baked it as normal and it turned out great!
Lindsey, Did you freeze it before cooking it? Or did you cook it then freeze?
This was AMAZING! I added some left over seasoned taco meat from the night before because we have to have meat with everything. Even my 2 year old ate it! Sharing with family…