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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I made this last night and it was sooooo good! My 10 year old son said it doesn’t even need meat. That was the fastest I have seen him scarf something down in a long time!! Thanks for posting this. I will be making it again!!!
This is the second time I’ve made this and it’s awesome! I did add a little chopped red bell pepper and onion to it because we love as many veggies as we can get. I liked this topped with plain greek yogurt and a few crushed tortilla chips and a drizzle of sriracha for a spicy kick.This is a seriously delicious dish!!!
Wow! Just wow. This is a fabulous quinoa recipe, I am adding it to my arsenal of weeknight, easy peasy meals. My boyfriend and I are HUGE fans of Mexican food and this has all the flavor and heat (I added some Cholula and hot smoked paprika) without the grease. This recipe makes enough for 4 BIG servings and reheats well (excluding the avocado) as leftovers. I also love that it is vegan but still quite filling. The only negative was that I scalded my tongue taking a first bite… it smelled too delicious to wait!
I made this with chicken tenders cooked in olive oil before I put it all together. I loved it!
I made this and it is AWESOME! My intense cravings for Mexican have always been a serious nutritional stumbling block… until now! I love this recipe.
Just cooked this recipes 20 mins ago and enjoying this! i’m even using as a taco filling with slices of avocado. This was wonderful. Thanks!
I just made this and it is seriously SO GOOD!!! I took out the avocado and stirred in some leftover shredded chicken from taco night and it’s AMAZING. Thank you for this bomb quinoa recipe!
I made a few adjustments – I left out the corn and added sliced black olives and my homemade taco seasoning. Plus, I ate it cold, as a salad. Very tasty! Thanks
I made this for dinner last night and it was AMAZING! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Hey anyone know the nutritional breakdown of this.. like calories and such? thanks!
Who cares! It is very healthy, is full of
good grains and vegetable that make a healthy meal. I doubt if you have to worry about the number of calories.
Made this for lunch today, with a couple of minor modifications (out of necessity, and personal taste). It was delicious, and so easy!! I think I’m going to use leftovers to make stuffed peppers – just need to add a bit of cheese. I can also see it being used as a burger recipe if a binder is added.
I’m new to the world of quinoa. I’ve been on a cleanse for a couple weeks and constantly scouring the web/pinterest for new recipes. This one was GREAT! Super easy to make and you could really add/subtract where you want (with the exception of the veggie broth and can fire roasted tomatoes, which add more liquid). I added bell peppers, paprika and then tossed in some shredded chicken at the end. It was great. Husband went back for 2nds. Thanks for the one pot easy cooking night!
Just made this dish and loved it! So easy, delicious, and versatile! We didn’t have avocados so I left them out but did put in a little ground beef we had. I can see so many possibilities and I love that it’s one pan. So awesome, thanks!
Do you think the quinoa could be substituted with couscous? I currently have couscous on hand but no quinoa. Looks so good! Excited to make this tomorrow!!
Yes, absolutely! Although you may have to adjust cooking time/liquid as needed.
I used couscous & cooked it about 15 minutes & added some red wine and a little more water. So good! We will be having this again soon!!
I’m so glad the couscous worked out!
Your pictures are to die for! I’ve been looking for a recipe like this, and I can’t wait to try it!
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I am going to try this tonight, I’m out of quinoa so I think I am going to try brown rice as a substitute. I love mexian food so I’m sure it’ll be great
Thanks! And does the corn go in frozen or cooked?
The corn does not have to be cooked beforehand.
Do you think I could use water instead of vegetable stock for this recipe??
Yes, that should work just fine.
THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING. Super tasty – literally the flavor combo was perfect!!…easy and quick to make and very little dishes! Thanks! I hope you post more “one pot” dishes!
How is the amount? Have to feed 5 adults, 2 of which are men. Thinking about doubling it but sometimes that just messes things up.
Sue, as indicated in the recipe, this recipe serves 4. I recommend making adjustments you see fit to feed a family of 5.