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
Did you make this recipe?
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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!