One Pan Mexican Quinoa
Wonderfully light, healthy and nutritious. And it’s so easy to make – even the quinoa is cooked right in the pan!
Despite my daily 3-mile runs, all the morning donuts have finally caught up with me. So Jason and I made a pact to lighten up our diet before our Cabo trip in 6 weeks. But instead of eating bland, boring salads, I decided to make a fun, healthy quinoa dish that we would both really enjoy.
And that’s exactly what this quinoa dish is. With a fun Mexican twist, this dish is chockfull of so many amazing flavors, from the tangy lime juice to the hint of spiciness from the chili powder and jalapeno. And not only is this healthy and nutritious but it’s also unbelievably easy to make. Simply throw everything into the skillet and that’s it. Even the quinoa is cooked right in the pan, really letting the flavors soak in.
Now who said healthy food has to be boring?
One Pan Mexican Quinoa
Wonderfully light, healthy and nutritious. And it’s so easy to make – even the quinoa is cooked right in the pan!
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, minced
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions:
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
- Serve immediately.
Notes:
Adapted from Cook Like a Champion
Did you Make This Recipe?
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I almost never leave recipe reviews, though I rely on them. This recipe was so good, I had to. The leftovers were just as good reheated, especially topped with a couple of scrambled eggs.
Just made this for lunch with chilled shrimp. Very good. I think next time I will add some Tabasco and cook in the shrimp.
We were looking for a way to make quinoa edible. This cinched it.
Cooking this for my 2nd time right now. I had never even cooked Quinoa in my life. This recipe is amazing! Thanks for sharing
I use this recepie as a base for a meal. the flavours in it compliment adding other vegetables and even meat. It is amazing
I love this meal! Super easy to make! Can anyone tell me if it’s freezable?
Made it once before. This time added some red & yellow chopped peppers and used 1 tbsp chilli powder and and 1 tsp of cumin. Gave it a little more flavor.
Inexpensive, quick, delicious meal! All ingredients that people typically have on hand. Thank you!
Quite good. Made as is but did not put cilantro (husband hates it) or avocado in it. Instead I served homemade guac on the side. For those who don’t like quinoa, neither did I, but I found that if I rinsed it VERY WELL, I did like it. Unrinsed?
This was one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever eaten. You can do so much with this and it’s nutritious. Because I just used Rotel, I added a cup of broth. Onion and red pepper were also sautéed in butter before being served with sour cream, salsa, and Tostitos. Thank you very much
I probably left a review for this sometime in the past; suppose I’ve made it maybe 40 times more n the past 6 years or so. It’s so easy amd everyone in the family loves it. It is also an awesome meal when camping: use canned veggies if car camping, dehydrated is backpacking.
This is an excellent choice if you’re trying to eat a low FODMAP diet, to help with digestive issues. Because I can’t have onions or garlic on this diet, I used garlic-infused olive oil. I also left out the corn (personal preference). Followed the rest of the recipe as is, but didn’t add the avocado, lime and cilantro until the next day when I warmed up leftovers. And I couldn’t resist adding TexMex cheese on top! Fabulous meal and very filling!
Yum! This recipe is delicious and versatile. I followed the recipe base but added some veggie crumbles and a bell pepper. I added more of the seasonings based on personal preference. Topped it with some shredded cheese and a bit of sour cream and devoured it. I will definitely be making this again!
This is so easy to throw together on a weeknight. We usually make fajita meat to go with it and boom- full meal. I use this recipe ALL THE TIME.
This is a really delicious easy, healthy recipe that I’ve made for potlucks, dinners, and meal prep. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe from the bottom of my heart and my full and satisfied stomach.
I haven’t made this yet but sounds delicious. Not a big fan of quinoa. Could you use couscous?
Quinoa is the best food I have ever come to known, this is highly rich in protein. before reading your blog I ate quinoa in the normal way but now I got a good quinoa recipe and I will try it, Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe which is very useful and most people just missed it, but you helped a lot. Subscribed your blog.
This is so incredibly good. When making it for the second time I added a higher amount of spices and added a bell pepper. The quinoa turns out perfectly cooked.
This was easy and damn delicious for real. I cut it in half because I’m one person but it will be in rotation.
I honestly wasn’t looking forward to making this. I just wanted something healthy. This was so good! I added some cheese after it was done which took it to another level but it was great without it. So easy! I’ll definitely make again!
Each of us added 1/2 teaspoon extra seasonings and vegan meatless gluten-free meat substitute. I absolutely loved it! Oh my God, wrap them in corn tortillas! Definitely one of my favorites now! My sincere thanks go out to you!
This is such an easy, flavorful dish that is filling without being heavy. Perfect for lunch or meal prep. I’ve made it a few times, and the most recent time I didn’t have vegetable broth on hand so I used water with a few extra spices to compensate (garlic powder, onion powder, extra salt and pepper). It still turned out perfectly. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Amazing!!! WOW!!! Each of us added 1/2 teaspoon extra seasonings and vegan meatless gluten-free meat substitute. I absolutely loved it! Oh my God, wrap them in corn tortillas! Definitely one of my favorites now! My sincere thanks go out to you!
I have a package of dry quinoa. Would you cook that first and then add it in to the recipe and simmer it for 20min?
No, add the raw rinsed quinoa and it will cook in the stock and all the other ingredients. The beauty of one pan recipes.
Looks Damn Delicious! Making this soon. Might to a red wine reduction with onion, garlic, red pepper and butter instead of vegitable broth and use diced green mango instead of jalapeños.
Mmmmmmmmmm!
Curious how that turned out? You made me think of trying that with beer.
We make this dish at least once a month. We love it! We put leftovers over spinach the next day.
Also another vote for how great this recipe is – really delicious, healthy, low cost and a big hit with the family.
This was one of the best dinners ever. You can do so much with this and it’s healthy. I added a cup of broth because I just used rotel. I also included onion and red pepper with sour cream, salsa and tostitos with serving. Thank you so much for this new exciting and even good for you recipe!
I first made this probably 5 years ago and it’s a staple in our families rotation – wife and ALL the kids love it. It’s also a great camping meal – requires only one pot and 100% shelf stable ingredients. I’ve even made backpacking with dehydrated beans and veggies.
This is very good…I was skeptical but it’s become part of our monthly rotation. The only amendment I would make is to drain the tomatoes first otherwise you will be cooking for hours. I am also not keen on hot avocados so I just serve it on the side.
I’ve been making this recipe for at least 2 years now and never left a review, so here it is!
This meal has been one of my go to meal preps- so full of flavor but not heavy and full of good for you ingredients. I always add shredded chicken and sub the tomatoes for salsa (we don’t usually keep tomatoes in the house). I choose salt free everything when possible: black beans, broth, etc., because I’m paranoid about heart health. Top it off with some queso if you have it on hand and feel like splurging the calories!
Anyways..to anyone thinking about making this dish, DO IT! And thank you for sharing this deliciousness with the world, it’s a tastier because of it 🙂
So yummy!!! I’ve made it a million times. My go to! I’ve shared with many friends/family. They all love it!
I am pleasantly surprised by how much I am enjoying this. It is filling yet not a challenge to eat two helpings. I did not have the tomatoes suggested, so I used salsa, but this will be a go-to lunch for me from now on (on a side note: I will be buying canned tomatoes now that I see how versatile they can be.) Thanks!
Just made this for dinner and loved it! It was so quick and easy to make after work and ingredients are all easily accessible. I halved the recipe as I was just cooking for myself for two dinners and it turned out fine. Next time I will add red bell peppers and a bit of cayenne pepper to spice it up. Will definitely be making again!
I’ve been making this for years and it’s become a staple. I amp up the spice s bit and over the years have added tofu, tempeh, extra veggies, extra beans and it never fails to satisfy. It will not disappoint
My first try at quinoa. Liked it a lot.
Definitely my favorite easy dish to make. Been cooking this pretty often since last fall, so I figured I better chip in and leave a review!!
I usually use a little extra garlic and a lot of extra peppers and always double the recipe! Makes great leftovers and keeps me fed throughout the week. Sprinkling a hefty pinch of shredded cheddar over a bowl of this makes it gooey and all the more comforting. It was a hit at Catan night with my friends!
It’s amazing. Today I tried this recipe and I am loving it. Thanks for sharing.
This was so so delicious and ridiculously simple and quick to make!
comes out great every time I make it! It’s also amazing for meal planning and easily keeps in the fridge for a week.
This was easy and so delicious! i have a question that i don’t see addressed in any other discussion – is it assumed that you seed the jalapeno pepper when the directions only say to dice it? I did seed the jalapeno but wondered if i was missing a heat level doing that?
So I think that the vegetable broth should be 2 cups. I know that quinoa typically is a 1 to 2 ratio and since this recipe calls for one cup of quinoa, 2 cups of a liquid would be needed. That’s what I did, and it turned out okay.
Will, the undrained tomatoes provide enough liquid in addition to the broth to cook the quinoa. You don’t need a 2nd cup, though of course, if you liked it that way, there’s nothing wrong with adding it.
SO DELICIOUS! I was a bit skeptical once I got all the ingredients in the pan. But, this was beyond delicious! We served ours in tacos with cheese and sour cream. I will be making this again!!!!
loved this recipe, makes loads and tastes amazing
Our family really enjoyed the taste and the fact that it was a more of an “alkaline” healthy recipe. We grated jalapeño cheese on top this time – a nice finishing touch. It melts naturally on top when the entire is hot out of the pan.
Suggestion: We grated jalapeño cheese on top this time – made all the difference. It melts naturally on top because the entire is hot.
A healthy and very good recipe using one pan. Suggestion: We grated jalapeño cheese on top this time – made all the difference. It melts naturally on top because the entire is hot.
I never leave reviews but had to for this recipe! Incredible. So easy and delicious, thank you for bringing it into my life!
This has been a weekday staple for me for a number of years, it is delicious, easy and healthy!
I tend to use normal tinned tomatoes and add extra spice rather than fire-roasted. I also tend to use jarred pickled jalapenos as they are much easier to find where I live. Otherwise follow the recipe and its perfect!
Do you drain the liquid from the diced tomatoes or add the liquid?
I use this recipe for meal prep. It keeps and reheats beautifully. Jalapeños would be too spicy for me, so I use a can of tomatoes with chilies. I’ve made it with and without the liquid from the can, and haven’t had any problems. I’d say it’s spicier if you don’t drain the can. I’d also recommend draining the cans if you’re putting 2 cans of tomatoes with chilies in, but your pan might be larger than mine is.
I love this dish. So easy to make and so flavorful.
This was a quick and packed of flavor meal. My family devour it. Loved the combinations of vegies with the cilantro and lime. It will become a staple in our house. THANK YOU!
Another brillantly easy, fast recipe that my family loves. So far this week we’ve had pineapple fried rice, avocado pasta, thaï chicken basil bowls, and this. Each one has been damned delicious! Thank you so, so much for solving the recurrent “question qui tue” ( the deadly question) for me!! I love how diverse your recipes are, everything from many différent types of Asian to Mexican and Italian, and standard American comfort food! Even better, the ingrédients are all easily available at any groccery stores with a reasonable international foods section ( and often don’t even require a trip to the store if you have a well stocked pantry and fridge)! And the cherry on the cake is the speed and ease with which the meals can be prepared! THANK YOU!!
Eagerly anticipating tonight’s easy chicken tikka masala!
I really enjoyed this! Definitely best with the lime juice and cilantro. Do you think this could be frozen for future meals?
I’m going to try this recipe with the sole purpose of freezing it! I’m going to leave out the avocado, but add everything else as called for. Wish me luck!
I’ve made this before and it is very good! I prepped it tonight for my lunches next week and didn’t realize I was out of quinoa! I made it with brown rice instead and followed everything else in the recipe. It looks good, so hopefully it’ll taste good too!
So good and quick to put together. I’ve made this twice. I didn’t have black beans on hand the last time so I used pinto beans. Came out great. This recipe will definitely stay in rotation.
This was so good!
This is a great recipe that can be adapted to suit your tastes. I doubled the recipe to make more leftovers. I used one can of corn, one can of black beans, one can of kidney beans, and one can of garbanzo beans. I also added an onion which I cooked with the garlic and jalapeno before I added the other ingredients. I ended up using more vegetable broth than the recipe called for (I used 3-4 cups).
I am going to make it again this week. This time I think I am going to add some taco sauce that another reviewer recommended and I will probably add a little more of the spices. I was trying to make sure it wasn’t too spicy for my family, but it really wasn’t spicy at all. I’m also going to cut up a bell pepper and cook it with the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.
Even my teenage daughter, who claims to hate quinoa, loved this recipe. She ate it several times. We think it tastes even better when it is reheated.
Liked it after I added some chopped onion and cooked it into it, along with taco sauce and a sprinkling of cheese. I guess that may blow away some of the health benefits, but just didn’t love it until I made these changes. Made a great salad topper and base for nachos.
Excited to make this recipe, looks delicious. Does anyone have any tips to making this in the instapot? Time and which setting? Thank you, Christina
Hi Christina, I cook it in my ninja foodi pressure. I seare/saute garlic in olive oil and roasted my quinoa with it for like 2 minutes and added all the ingredients with 1 cup vegetable broth and PC it for 1 min and natural release for 7 min and I release the pressure after that. It came out perfect.
Now this is REALLY intriguing. Sounds like dinner tomorrow!
We made this tonight with only a couple slight changes. We added a can of garbanzo beans and some fresh spinach. It was delicious!
Made this for the 2nd week in a row and my family loves it. Great for meal prep. Quick, simple, and full of flavor
I make this a lot it is delicious nice vegetarian dish…I like to spice it up so I add extra cumin and two tablespoons of chili powder. When I serve it with sliced avocado fresh cilantro some crumbled blue tortilla chips and Frank’s hot sauce.
The next day or with the leftovers I add an egg and turn them into Patty’s fry them on both sides till crisp and serve them in a bun. I will however since I just read stuff it in a pepper not a bad idea this is a very good recipe and can be played with!
Made this last night and it is going to become a regular dish for sure!!! Might add more peppers next time:)
This recipe has become a delicious lunchtime life saver in my household. It is packed with flavor on it’s own but can also be decked out with a variety of toppings. Thanks so much for this recipe; I highly recommend it!
This was delicious! I served it in tortilla bowls just to be fancy.
I had high hopes for this recipe & it did not disappoint! I give it a 10/10 – will definitely be making this again. I did change a few things about the recipe & I’m not vegetarian so I added shredded chicken to the mix once it was done cooking for some extra protein. I used water with a little chicken bouillon mixed in instead of vegetable broth since I didn’t have any on hand. I also used a can of ‘diced tomatoes with green chiles’ since I had one in my pantry & I added some extra diced jalapeños to the mixture + a good amount of cayenne pepper (I’m 39 weeks pregnant & trying every trick to induce my labor so I went a little crazy with the spiciness). I only ended up letting it simmer for about 12 minutes, not sure why but the liquid absorbed very quickly & the quinoa was cooked all the way through so I had to take it off the stove early. Once it was done I stirred in some left over shredded chicken from taco night. Sadly I didn’t have an avocado so I went without it. I am now completely obsessed with this dish & I’m sure it’s just as good if you follow the exact recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
First off 100% real person if you were wondering. Secondly this is an amazing recipe. Seriously give it a shot
I have not even made this recipe yet but I am giving it a 5/5 because you didn’t write out your entire life story before the recipe. Thank you. Looks delicious, will make it tonight for dinner!
My vegetarian daughter came to visit so I made this. It is super easy and so delicious. I’ve made it again after she left. It’s perfect by itself or with a salad. Just add some shredded cheese and some sour cream and some tortilla chips! My meat loving husband even gives it a thumbs up. Very filling too!
I actually did not have beans and avocado! So I made it without and had a bigger can of tomatoes.
Even without those ingredients this recipe was absolutely bomb! So easy to make to, will def make this more often.
So, so good! Adding this to my go-tos. I came across this while trying to find recipes for stuffed bell pepper filling. I used about half to stuff bell peppers (added ground turkey & melted cheese on top!) and ate the rest by itself. Great both ways 🙂
Delicious!
It is actually delicious. I have eaten it chilled from fridge and warm of course from microwave. It is completely good for lunch, dinner, or when I’m in rush and I haven’t eaten anything all day. It is refreshing and satisfying. Sometimes I add lots of kale and/or spinach after the onion, before the bell peppers. I like to see greens in my food. I have tried both separated paprika or chilli powder, and it tastes good; careful with the amount of chilli powder haha. As well different spices. I have cooked this meal several times since Summer 2019. No regrets, and I do recommend it a lot.
I think i put some extra water in this dish as mine was a little watery after cooking it
I plan on making this soon, but I had one question. Why only 1 cup of broth? Typically with quinoa it’s a 2:1 ratio liquid to quinoa. It looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks in advance!
I just made this following the exact recipe. It came out perfectly. I was wondering the same thing as you but the added ingredients must give enough liquid to make it work. It was delicious.
Great dish! Easy and delicious!
This was delicious and easy to make! Took an additional pan but we had it with an over easy egg on top for a little something extra and then drizzled with some Valentina hot sauce!
I just made this, I wanted something tasty and healthy. It was easy to make and delicious, I served it with salad and a few tortilla chips. I will be adding this to my regular dinners. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
Surely would like to know steps to make in an instant pot! Love your recipes!
This was better than I thought it would be. I dont like kennel corn so i switched it out for just a little chickpeas, not even a whole can. Also, i made guacamole on the side which made it 10xs better.
This is awesome. We used chicken broth in place of veggie stock. I tossed in a few peppers and an onion & added a little different twist to the seasonings. GREAT base recipe!! SO SO GOOD.
I have been making this for several years now, for my vegetarian kids. I always double the recipe, and we will eat this until it’s gone. It is delicious ! Filling and you won’t miss the meat. I am on low sodium, so this is perfect. Add a little cheddar and tortilla chips, even better. I sometimes add a sliced zucchini to it before cooking, makes a nice addition, adding a veggie. Thanks for your delicious recipes!
We made this with the addition of mushrooms and bell peppers The seasoning was was great!
LOVE this recipe!! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve made this numerous times and it is so amazingly tasty. SO GOOD!
Great base recipe! I used chicken broth, added shrimp and omitted the corn.
I like it!!!
I have made this a lot, but am not making it for Parent-Teacher conferences at my daughter’s school. What is the best way to make this in advance and serve a day later? Serve Cold? Keep the avacadoes separate? Any thoughts are appreciated.
I always double the ecipe and reheat the next day. It’s just as good the next day.
super quick and delicious, even for an amateur cook like me. i subbed the tomatoes for salsa since that’s what i had on hand. just needed to add an extra cup of water/broth, but the result was still great.
Delicious
So easy and delicious..it is definitely on our ‘Must make again’ list. Served with a spicy crusted salmon. Fantastic. I didn’t have roasted tomato (which would have been even better) so only used regular diced tomato. Still, it’s keeper!
I made this tonight for me and my son as we like to do meatless Mondays and it was great! Followed the recipe exactly with ONE exception. As I’m dieting, I substituted the quinoa with cauliflower rice to make it lower calorie. We did add some low carb tortillas which made it even more of a meal. It had just the right amount of heat. I included Sriracha sauce and some cilantro lime garlic sauce on the side, but this was great on its own and those extras were unnecessary and went unused. Thanks Chungah for yet ANOTHER fantastic recipe!
I saw all the great reviews and was afraid that my expectaTions will exceed the result, but result was perfect, the reviews are so good because this dosh is amazing. I subbed black beans for white chickpeas (garbonzo) as I only had dry black beans and was too hungry so needed to cook this asap, I also did not have chilli powder so I used chilli flakes ans used chillies instead of jalapeño, I will go more spicy next time but That’s just me, otherwise the taste is perfect for everyone.
Thank you so much, this is a gem as I had been looking for a good quinoa recipe like forever and was fairly sceptical until I tasted it, so glad I went through with it now this is on my favourites list.
This is amazing i have to try this recipe
Amazing recipe!!! The only thing I did different was add the roasted tomatoes and roasted zucchini in after (while the quinoa was cooking I threw the. tomatoes and zuccini into the air fryer). I also used a black chick pea as I didn’t have any pre-soaked black beans on hand. Amaaazing! And guess what else we did, we threw it into a wrap and it was diiiiivine!! :). Thajk you for the recipe. I love that it;s one pot and also that we don’t have to cook the quinoa separately!
We make this recipe often! It is filling and is a great fall food.
SO good! I’m not a good cook but even I could easily handle this recipe. I cut the amount of the spicy ingredients but it was still a little spicy for me (I’m very sensitive) but so delicious. Next time I might try subbing in onion for jalapeño to tweak it for my needs, but I’ll def make this again!
Loved it! Easy a quick recipe!
This is a great, delicious dish! I am so happy to have found it and it is in regular rotation at our house (I’ve also shared it widely and it is universally loved :-). I add more lime juice and often add chopped red and orange peppers. As others have noted, easy to make and only one pan to wash is appreciated.
My husband and I have made this before, and tonight we are making it again! It’s so good even our one year old loves it!
Damn delicious!
Was looking for inspiration with quinoa, and found it in this dish. Easy to make and so tasty.
Its literally damn delicious
My 22 year old vegan son made me this recipe it was tasty and like chili and the quinoa added a nice flavor and texture.
Has been a family favorite got to for years now! We love it! I do add a couple tablespoons of jarred jalapeno juice and double the spices. Also green onions at the end is
This is very tasty and so easy to make!
Pure deliciousness! Didn’t change a thing . Next time I’ll put the avocado on the side because it’s not a pretty color for left overs.
I feel like I should leave a review because I eat this all the time! I keep all of the pantry ingredients on hand usually and it’s yummy even without the fresh ingredients. I try not to eat meat every day and this is one of my favorite vegetarian meals!
Very good.. but added more broth and had leftover chicken added some to it… amazing…
This is such a flavorful meal that is simple yet delicious!
Perfect as written, easy to mess with if you want, enjoyed by vegans and meat-eaters, and super easy with not having to watch it and one-pot cleanup. My favorite recipe, and favorite of those I pass it along to! This was my first recipe from Damn Delicious: gateway recipe for sure.
I used low sodium everything and replaced the jalapeños with a small can of diced green chilies. I also did not have chili powder so I used the same ratio for cayenne pepper. It was too spicy for some members of my family but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I tripled the recipe so I would have enough for two more meals (big mistake). Should’ve simply doubled as there is about 4 pounds of Mexican style quinoa sitting in my fridge atm. Definitely can’t have that over two meals on my own. Supe super super good. I’m actually really looking forward to the leftovers and hopefully I can give some to a neighbour! 5 Stars!
This pan quinoa was a hit with my family. Typically not everyone likes quinoa dishes but this one was the exception.
I’ve literally sent this recipe to everyone I know. SO GOOD!
My family thoroughly enjoys this recipe!
I typically cook a pound of beef, and season it, adding it to the whole mix. It helps it stretch and it it’s so yummy!!
Hello,
While the recipe did turn out pretty good as directed- please please please indicate in your recipe instructions to wear gloves before chopping the jalapeno. I had to learn the hard way since i’ve never cooked with one before.
best,
burning, tingling hands reader.
I can’t tell you how many times this recipe has saved me. Lunch or dinner made SOOOO easy with literally ONE pot. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I think I forgot to give this recipe the five stars it deserves (with my review I just gave). Please add five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amazing and easy! I’ve made this so many times. Sometimes I add diced and baked sweet potato if I happen to have some. It is so good! This is the only recipe I’ve found so far where I actually really enjoy quinoa. Thank you!
Making this tonight for about the 30th time over the last few years. I usually double the cumin and halve the chilli powder, as Australian chilli seems to be a lot hotter than American. I also leave out the cilantro to save money unless I happen to have some, and while it’s definitely a little less amazing without cilantro it’s still one of our favourite meals. Cheap, healthy and delicious. Can’t ask for more than that.
Joshua, the chilli powder referred to in US recipes is a blend (I learnt that the hard way after making a dish with 2Tbsp of cayenne powder!). You can either make your own blend (there’s some great recipes online, or buy the Masterfoods Mexican Chilli Powder Blend. It’s in a jar with the other Masterfoods spices and available at most Woolworths and Coles. Obviously you’ve already adapted this recipe to suit your tastes, but I thought I’d let you know in case you make other US recipes that contain Tbsp of chilli powder as you’d miss out on the flavour if you just use straight chilli powder.
Adding on to what Elle said, you can also find Old El Paso brand “Spice Mix for Chili” in Australian stores. This is what American recipes mean when they call for “chilli powder”.
I literally make this every week, I love it so much!
I tried making this recipe twice. The first time it took a couple of two a week to polish it off, forgetting the minced jalepeno. After including it (and fully cooking the black beans*) it only took us (2 people) to finish the pan in one night! It was so damn delicious!
I have made this at least 20x. I use taco seasoning in place of the individual spices and it is FABULOUS. I cannot get enough of this. I have added steak and chicken. All just fantastic.
You’ll need more stock or water, I’ve found, to cook down the quinoa but that’s nothing. I love this. Thank you, thank you!!
Cooked perfectly. Served first portion with tuna and jalapeño patties. Delicious and warmed up second portion the following day.
Scrumptious!! And, easy to make.
I love how simple, quick and healthy this is! I saute onion and bell peppers with the garlic and I don’t use jalapenos or cilantro and it tastes wonderful! I’ve even put ground beef in it for a heavier meal and it was delicious. This is a very versatile and forgiving recipe and one of my go-to favorites! Thank you!!!
Just made this during the quarantine. It was easy and delicious just like all of your recipes that I’ve tried! The only thing I omitted was the avocado (not a fan).
Lovely this. I used baked beans in replacement of the black beans too! Whatever I had in the house. Paired with a pan fried tuna steak it is delicious!
Delicious and easy too.
This recipe turned out perfect! I cooked some white onion and green bell pepper before adding the rest of the ingredients to the pan. It’s delicious on its own or wrapped in a tortilla with some cheese.
This is one of our go to recipes when looking for a fast and healthy meal. It has made its way into our monthly recipe rotation.
We haven’t had to change a thing except omit lime or avacado when not on hand, otherwise the rest of the ingredients are part of our regular pantry items.
Delicious and quick! My meat loving husband loved it as well.
I made this quarantine style, with what we had on hand. Baked beans instead of black beans, salsa instead of tomatoes, an onion instead of jalapeño. Pretty dang good—a little sweetness from the beans. ♀️ Better than a plain can of baked beans, guys!
Wow this was delicious! I couldnt find fire roasted tomatoes in the store so I substituted a can of chili flavoured stewed tomatoes. I didnt add beans because my fiancée doesnt like them. I also didnt add the lime juice or cilantro because I realized I didn’t have them. Still came out sooo delicious!! I topped this with ground beef that I had made separately (spiced with homemade taco seasoning). I feel like this might also be good with a dollop of sour cream on top! Will definitely make again. Loved that it was one pan and so easy. Thank you!!!
Delicious, easy and quick!
Looks great!
Just made with little different ingredient, great success! Thanks
Very delicious and easy to make.
Thank you
Thank you for this recipe it seems very delicisous I’ll try it
This recipe is very quick and easy to make! A plus side is that it adapts well to seasoning it however you like. The only change I would suggest is adding a tablespoon or so of light cream cheese on top – it really brings everything together!
So yummy. The avacado is the like the must needed garnish to sweeter up this salty/savory dish. I added a little bit
More garlic and adobo all purpose seasoning!
I have been making this often for several months. SO quick and easy and incredibly tasty and delicious!!! Can increase spice level or not. Terrific for last minute meals. It is a regular in our house. Much appreciated
I made this for my son who is vegetarian. The whole family enjoyed this recipe. The changes I’ve made is… I sautéed green pepper & red onion with the garlic. I will definitely make this again! Thank you for sharing.
This has been my go-to quinoa/easy/fast/delicious/re-heatable recipe for at least three years! Thanks for a great recipe!
Holy Cow , this is amazing. Added “Monkey and Me” Cilantro Lime Sauce, because I had some leftover and no other fresh cilantro. I want to eat it every day for the rest of my life!!! Also it is zero Weight Watchers Points on the new purple .
Pat, how can it be zero points with the olive oil and avocado?
When you split 1 tbs. of olive oil and a small amount of avocado into 4 different portions it 0’s out in points. If you eat more of it that just the 1 portion it may wind up being a couple of points, but not much more than 2 or so.
Excellent. It’s one of my favorite go to recipes. Thank you
Easy. Fast. Nutritious. Delicious. Simples!
great easy recipe!
what is serving size though?
An amazingly simple to put together yet absolutely delicious dish!! Great for a weeknight meal and will definitely make it again! Thank you!
So many good reviews and they aren’t exaggerating!! I make this at least once a week, and often double it… Which makes a LOT, but somehow it’s never enough. We love to throw leftovers into a tortilla over spinach or arugula and make burritos for lunch. I share the recipe with everyone.
I made this for guests who are eating a plant-based diet these days and it was a big hit with everyone! It was also delicious the next day, eaten cold as a quinoa salad with a squeeze of fresh lime to wake up the flavors.
This is my all-time favourite recipe… ever! Honestly, if I had to pick one meal that I’d eat every day for the rest of my life, this would be it. This is the recipe that I always use to introduce my friends and family to damn delicious! Super easy to make, beautiful colour presentation, and the flavour is perfect. A Mexican fiesta in your mouth! I’ve also made this to bring as a hot appetizer to potlucks. Instead of scooping into bowls, you serve it up with taco chips – the zesty lime taco chips are amazing with this recipe. As a meal or as an appetizer, you can’t go wrong! The only thing I change, is I use handfuls of cilantro instead of just 2 TBS (love my cilantro!) and I skip the cumin because it’s not for me. Easy recipe to tweak to your personal preferences! You can’t go wrong!
made this recipe last night, and it was a hit! my grandmother absolutely loved it and told me that i NEED to make this every week. i love these recipes and the family does too. they are very flexible, quick, and easy!
We love this recipe. We toss a whole can each of corn, kidney beans, black beans and then two 10.5 cans of rotel tomatoes. We make this into mini burritos for my two year old. One of her favorites!
I live by myself and cooking is not my forte. This has made it’s way into my regular meal-prep rotation fast and easy to make but also super tasty… I love it!
I like to make potatoes wedges and make this into a nacho type thing… the potatoes being the “chips” and the quinoa being the chili.
So flavorful and easy! I added an extra cup of veggie broth and it was amazing. The family agreed to put it in our rotation, and wished we had tortilla chips. Very versatile.
This is one of our go-to super easy, super good, super quick recipes. A few years ago, I decided to slowly but surely start eliminating as much meat from my diet as possible. This recipe was one of the first I stumbled across, and it has become one of my absolute favorites. My husband refers to it as “the yummy quinoa with the beans and corn and avocado in it” and he actually requests it from time to time! I like to meal prep on Sundays to have quick microwaveable meals during the week. This recipe holds up really great – even the avocado! – and I usually will make 6 meals instead of 4 if I divvy it up evenly and add another protein. We love it!
I like this recipe, but you should add to rinse the quinoa first! Not all is pre-rinsed and some people react badly to the saponin, as well as it will taste bad
Looks great, so colorful.
Omg! So yummy! I follow the recipie to a T and we get several meals out of it. Even my 2 year old loves it. I just love the fact that it’s basically a complete meal that happens to be vegan and iss soo delicious! Good job to the chef.
This dish was absolutely delicious, and very filling. I added mushrooms and onions. The sour cream was excellent on top.
So delicious!!! The lime juice at the end adds the perfect zing. My son added some hot sauce, too. Will definitely add this to my dinner line up.
I’ve been making this for years, love it so much. But I definitely have to use twice the amount of broth. I also feel like the chili powder taste is really strong? Still, super yummy, and it will remain part of the rotation.
SO easy to make and SO delicious! One of my new favorite recipes.
GREAT dish
I Love it. Made it 2x already. Mski g again today. THANKS
Great flavour and very easy! However, I thought that 1 cup of broth was not adequate for cooking 1 cup of quinoa (and the can of tomatoes didn’t include much liquid). Am I missing something? I added 2 cups of broth, and it worked out fine!
This is a hit in my house for flavor and ease of making. I love how fast it is to prepare but the flavors are top notch! It’s great that it is customizable as well, my husband hates avocado so I add cheese to his and my daughter cannot have cheese so she gets his avocado!
Made this today and it is so good!! Very easy to make with wonderful flavors. I’m glad I have enough ingredients to make a 2nd batch!
My husband discovered this recipe for me a few months ago. I make a double batch on Sunday and love having it ready to go for lunch meals. A few times, I’ve used jarred salsa in place of the jalapeño and canned tomatoes. I also use Better than bouillon instead of veggie broth. On occasion I do add rotisserie chicken but mostly enjoy it on it’s own. Lately, I’ve been enjoying it as nachos or tacos. Thanks for the recipe ! It is in fact #damndelicious !
This is an easy recipe! I substituted garbanzo beans for black beans and rotes for the tomatoes and jalapeño because I didn’t have the right ingredients. It was delicious!
My daughter sent me the link for this recipe, and it has been my favorite ever since! I am a flight attendant and pack my food for a 3 day trip. This travels well, even after freezing, and is a delicious side, or stand alone dish, (it’s even great cold). I always bring extra for the rest of my crew, and pass along the recipe. They always love it, and I’ve received many thanks and pics of their take on this simple but amazing dish!
I love this meal.!! Was ganna cook it again tomarrow night but not sure if I should make as a side or entree, mainly because I don’t know what entree or any dish to make to compliment the meal. Any advice ?? What do you guys use?
Try it with chicken breasts baked with salsa and topped with cheese! Yum!
This dish is amazing! I love it as-is or when I don’t have jalapeños, I used canned diced green chilies. Also! For those of you who like more savory-ness: we had cheddar cheese to ours. I take a snack size Tillamook cheese packet and stick it down into my bowl and let it melt. Then, I stir it all together. It’s heavenly!
Best quinoa recipe around! Have been making it for years! highly recommend
Love this recipe. I’ve been making this for a couple of years and it is always great. If I’d try to make this in a slow cooker, do I still use a cup of broth or reduce / increase the amount of fluids?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Thanks so much for this simple, delicious, and flavorful recipe. I love how quick you can throw this together. Easy on the pocket book too!
This was fantastic. Made it as a side to some shrimp tacos. I substituted the seasoning with a 1/4 pack of Trader Joe’s Taco seasoning because it had bot Cumin and Chill in it. This dish got me crowned “The bets cook in the family”
How long can this be stored in the fridge for?
This is so easy to make and tastes so good it is addictive.
Wow this is very good. I went a little too intense on the stock, using Better than Bullion which I should have diluted a bit more. It took more like a cup and a half of stock to cook. This is simple but delicious–the flavors blend beautifully. Lime juice is key; fresh avocado is great. Used red pepper flakes instead of jalepeno , because no jalepenos at market. Cons: easy to make it too salty with the canned beans and stock and tomatoes. ours did not need any salting. This is going on the family staples list–everybody loves it
I found this recipe about a year ago and it has become a staple in our house. We are not vegetarians so I generally start with some ground beef and an onion with the garlic and jalapeño. Recently I was out of cilantro, but had some day old Pico de Gallo so we topped it with that. It was AMAZING! I highly recommend toping it with pice es Gallo, avocado, and sour cream. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
This is a favorite recipe, used as a side dish or the main meal, depending on what you add. I like adding raisins (that have been soaked in hot water to soften) for a sweet with the spicy. I also make it with different spices, so sometimes more mexican flavored and sometimes more middle eastern. It’s a great starting off point for meeting your flavor cravings of the moment. Thanks.
I make this all the time and add some sliced grilled chicken on top. I keep sending it to my health-conscious friends who don’t know how to make their quinoa taste good
My husband is not a quinoa fan, but he loved this. What a great recipe. I sprinkled a little Daiya cheddar on top, and remembered to run and pick some cilantro from my garden just as we sat down to eat. Definitely making this again when my kids come over.
The husband is not such a fan of quinoa, but really loved this! Great recipe! We were sitting down to eat when I remembered to run outside and pick some cilantro from my garden. Looking forward to making this again when my kids come over.
MAKE THIS RECIPE! It was my first time making quinoa, I’m a fairly new vegetarian (it’ll be a month next week!) and wow I am so impressed with this. My husband loved it — asked if we could make it again soon — and he’s not even a vegetarian or vegan!
I have been coming back to this recipe for years. I have probably made it a few dozen times for family, friends, roommates, etc. and it is always a hit. This quinoa is loved by vegans and meat eaters alike! I can’t believe how easy this recipe is, especially given that it tastes so wonderful!
This has seriously become one of my favorite go-to dishes. Yummy, cheap to make and incredibly filling. This one’s a winner!! Thank you so much for sharing it, Chungah!
This is delicious!!! Thank you! I fixed it today, as I am in a new path to eating plant based foods!! This recipe was fast, easy and super tasty!
This is easy to make and it’s so good! I had to use beef broth instead of vegetable broth (store shelf was empty). Also used diced jalapenos from a can because I forgot to get fresh ones. Other than that, followed recipe to a ‘t’. It makes a lot and it’s very filling. Thanks for sharing this. I will make it again!
So simple and so delicous!
I had to review this dish. It is so simple and of course, delicious! Its a great side or even a meal in itself when you are in a hurry! I can’t stop eating it.
This was really good. :). I subbed black-eyed peas for the black beans (was serving black bean burgers, and needed a non-beany side to go with…), doubled the chili powder and cumin, sautéed some diced onion with the garlic, added a little ground chipotle for smoky heat— delicious! It was a little dry after cooking, though, and I added about 1/4 cup extra veg borth before serving. A keeper— thanks!
I’ve been making this recipe for years and it never fails to disappoint. I could honestly eat it every day! So simple and quick, and packed full of flavour.
I love this recipe. Has anyone tried to convert it to the Instant Pot? I just got one and would love to try that.
This recipe is a real winner. I’ve made it several times now and it’s always a hit. Thanks for sharing!
ware you sure it’s only 1 cup of water and 1 cup of quinoa? Usually when you make quinoa it is 2 cups water 1 cup quinoa.
It is 1 cup quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth. Please note that the tomatoes should not be drained – the liquid from the tomatoes are also needed for this one pot meal. 🙂
Can you add fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?
You can, but they do have a higher water content than canned tomatoes and less tomato juice, so it might end up more watery and less flavorful. As always, please use your best judgement when making modifications and substitutions.
This dish is super easy, budget-friendly and a family favorite! It’s full of flavor. We serve it with chips and Mexican shredded cheese topped with sour cream too. It’s a keeper in my recipe book!
I’ve made this about a dozen times now as an easy, delicious weeknight dinner. I’ve also started adding some chrizo sausage, right at the beginning, and it gives the whole dish an extra bit of savoury flavor.
One thing I want to flag for others is that both my wife and I don’t love adding the avocado right at the end. The pot and all the ingredients are so hot that it ends up cooking the avocado a bit and you lose that nice cool creaminess and get more of a mushy quality. I’d recommend keeping the diced avocado at the table and almost treating it like garnish. That way everyone can add them at the perfect time to their own bowl.
This is ABSOLUTELY one of my favorites! I make it every couple of weeks and take it to lunch in my mini-crockpot and life is good. 🙂
Oh that’s awesome!
I’ve made this recipe so many times, I love it! One question. What is the serving size? It doesn’t actually say what the serving size is.
Hi Caitlin! You would have to divide the full amount by 4 servings to get the serving size. Hope that helps!
One of my favorite dishes. Easy to make, not much chopping involved and simply delicious- thanks
I made this las night and it was wonderful. Lately I’m trying to switch to a plant-based diet. Would love to see more plant-based / vegan recipes. This is my favorite cooking website.
Thanks for your feedback, Ann Marie! Most of our recipes are also easily adaptable to a veggie version.
I have all ingredients except cumin. Can you suggest a substitute or will just omitting it change taste much??
So many great comments…..I really want to try this tonight and I can’t go to store.
You can omit the cumin if you don’t have it.
I’ve made this before and always love it. But I’m making it for someone who is gluten free. Is this recipe gluten free?
Lizette, this recipe is not specifically tailored to be gluten-free.
Lizette, quinoa is naturally gluten free but you can check the package to make sure. All other ingredients in this recipe are also gluten free unless they have been affected by cross contamination.
Looks great ! I haven’t had quinoa in a while ! 🙂
It’s a good one!
made this, it was great.
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Great food photos. It looks so good.
Is this vegan? I see that it’s posted in vegetarian, but it doesn’t say anything about being vegan, and I don’t see any obvious non vegan ingredients. I just want to be absolutely sure.
Yes, it is vegan. 🙂
Just came across this randomly, and made it this evening.
It was delicious!
Thank you so much
Awesome!
I love this recipe and make it all the time it’s my favourite I normally freeze some for later as well but today I was wondering if I could bottle it instead off freeze anyone else so this.
Is it really 400 calories a serving? And 20g of fat? It seems high when looking through the ingredients!
Wow!!!! No way one of my favorite Mexican dishes!!! I was nervous about it because I have never made def quinoa before. But MAN…. it’s awesome!!!!!!
Awesome!
Can this be done ib the Instant Pot?
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.
This one is really good. Unlike other posters who haven’t actually tried it yet still leave a comment (never understood that one), I have tried it many times and love it. It’s a great one dish meal and is on my list of regular dinners I make for the family. I like to to top it with a little grated cheddar cheese as well. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is seriously damn delicious and that lime juice really sets it all off!! I was looking for something vegetarian I could make with quinoa that didn’t require me running to the store, and am so glad I found this!
I made some substitutions and doubled it, but still is a killer dish that I can’t wait to have for lunch every day this week. I didn’t have fire roasted tomatoes, so instead used a giant fresh heirloom tomato I had just picked up at the farmer’s market. I also didn’t have fresh garlic, so improvised with garlic salt, and used bell pepper instead of jalapeno. I finished it off with shredded cheese and some Tabasco—YUM. I kept the avocado out and will add each time I eat a portion. I think next time I’ll sprinkle in some raw red onion after heating for a crunch.
Thank you so much for putting this on the internet!!!