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
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-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- 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
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We love this recipe. I have made it several times. Even my husband will eat this with no meat.
I made this for dinner and it was great. However, the next day the flavors seemed really intensify. My picky eater even loved it. Thanks for a winner recipe!
I have made this recipe sooooo many times now! So damn delicious! I like to add in onions and bell peppers in the first step! 🙂 Love love love your food!!!
Looks delicious. I want to make this for my friends baby shower. She is vegetaria. Can this be served as a cold dish?
I have actually found this best when served immediately but as always, please use your best judgment.
Making this dish for the second time tonight because it was such a hit with my boyfriend the first time! Love that the dish is tasty, quick and healthy. Definitely going to be making this all the time.
This ticks all the boxes!! One pan, healthy and delicious. Love it!!!!
I am making Chicken Enchiladas for Christmas Eve (about 10 guests) I have a couple of Vegans coming. Could I serve this a side dish to the Enchiladas AND an main dish for the Vegans? And should I double it?
Yes, absolutely! Doubling is completely up to you though – this recipe serves about 4.
My husband and I love this dish and have made it many times! It has so many great qualities- amazing flavor, one pan, fresh toppings (we add cut up cherry tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and cheese), and the leftovers are great for lunch the next day. Thank you!
I have made this multiple times. It is always a hit!
I have leftover cooked quinoa on hand that I wanted to try with this recipe. Can I prepare this dish with cooked quinoa? I imagine I would have to alter the liquid… Thanks!
Yes, absolutely.
We liked this. I couldn’t taste the heat at all, and mine actually turned out almost too sweet for me, so next time I’ll be bolder with the spices. Keeping in mind I didn’t really measure…
This is really good! Made it tonight for my omnivore bf and we both loved it. I was worried when it was done cooking…afraid it would taste like a mooshy blob. But the corn and beans gave it a great texture. Delicious!
Absolutely delicious! 5 stars! I will be making this a regular dish in my house!
I’ve made this many, many times and it is a favorite with the whole family. Tonight my husband made it for us and it took forever for the quinoa to cook and the liquid evaporated too quickly. We realized he didn’t cover it while it simmered. I always do, but we realized it doesn’t expressly say to cover in the recipe (although it is covered in a picture.) Just wanted to mention it in case someone else makes that mistake. Thanks for a great go-to recipe.
You are so welcome! The recipe does actually include to say “cover” – I know it can be overlooked so I always recommend reading through a recipe in its entirety at least twice before cooking. Hope that helps!
Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro.
I made this on Tuesday and it was so good and easy, I wanted to make it again straight away. So, this time, I made some replacements to make an Indian variety. Subbed chickpeas for black beans, peas for corn, curry powder for chili powder, coconut oil for olive oil, added some onion and ginger at the beginning, omitted jalapenos, added a little Siracha, and lemon instead of lime at the end. Delish! (Next time I’ll add the frozen peas when there is only about 8 minutes of cooking time left and increase the curry powder a bit).
Now I’m thinking of how to make it Middle-Eastern (caramelized onions!), Thai, and Italian. Epic recipe!
Hi! Wondering if this dish freezes well? Planning to make a batch and freeze the balance for later.
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’ve made this twice in two weeks! My husband loves it…my 16 month old loves it and I love that it is so easy! Thanks again!!
This recipe has become a staple for me and my fiancé. I love how simple and easy it is to make this quinoa, not to mention super healthy! It’s also quite budget friendly, which is always awesome! We do cook it a little longer than whats mentioned in the recipe. Either way, it is flavorful and delicious!
I made this for lunch today and it was absolutely yummy! It was ready in no time, tasted good and felt healthy. Thank you for the recipe. I am going to try more of your recipes.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I make it a couple times a month. 🙂 Are you still planning on releasing a cook book this fall? I’ve been looking forward to buying it!
The cookbook is scheduled to be released next Fall of 2016 🙂