This post is sponsored by Circulon, but as always all opinions are mine.
Today I come to you with one of my favorite quinoa recipes that happens to be easy to make, clean, healthy, wholesome, vegan, and gluten-free. If you are with me, you are in for a treat today because we are making an incredibly delicious and versatile (more on that in a minute) Mexican Quinoa Recipe that is made in one pan and ready in 30 minutes.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients for Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- How To Cook Quinoa On The Stove
- How To Make
- Step By Step Recipe How-To Video:
- Creative Ways To Use This One Pan Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- A Few Tips for The Best Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- How to store this Mexican Quinoa Bowl:
- Other Mexican Recipes You Might Like
- Mexican Quinoa Recipe
This is yet another recipe I am adding to my collection of easy quinoa recipes.
Now, I know most of you are big fans of Mexican rice, and believe me, I am no different. However, I think it is fun to switch things up every once in a while. I think we can all agree that using (plant) protein-packed quinoa instead of rice is a great and healthy alternative to our favorite Mexican dish.
What I love the most about this Mexican quinoa bowl is that it all comes together in one pan, which makes the cleaning part so much easier for later. It is as simple as putting everything in one pan and letting it do its thing. Speaking of pans, I partnered up with my friends at Circulon to bring this recipe to you.
To make this One Pan Mexican Quinoa, I used their 12-inch Circulon Symmetry Merlot pan, the newest addition to the Circulon Symmetry family. It is a great pan that you can use for any dish (including soups). Though I think the best part is pan is that it is both oven and dishwasher safe.
Onto the recipe…
Ingredients for Mexican Quinoa Recipe
For this recipe, you will need an onion, bell peppers, spices (cumin and coriander), garlic, uncooked quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, water (or vegetable broth), and cilantro.
Plus, though they are optional, you can top it off with avocado, pumpkin seeds, and scallions.
To make this one pot quinoa dish a quick Tuesday night dinner, I used canned beans, diced tomatoes, and corn. I also used vegetable stock, but water would also work.
How To Cook Quinoa On The Stove
I wrote a detailed post on how to make quinoa but below is a quick explanation.
When I am cooking quinoa by itself, the water to quinoa ratio that I use is 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water.
If I have it on hand, I sometimes switch it up and use vegetable or chicken stock instead of water. I think it is such an easy way to make quinoa taste good.
In the recipe, however, it is a little bit different because we are cooking our quinoa with some vegetables. Since vegetables release some of their juices during the cooking process, we do not need as much water. Therefore, we use only 1 cup of liquid to make this Mexican style quinoa recipe.
How To Make
The process of making this one pan Mexican quinoa bowl has 2 folds.
- Sauté aromatics: onions, peppers ( I used bell peppers, but you can also use jalapeños), ground cumin, ground coriander, and garlic for a few minutes.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and cook: Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, corn, quinoa and your liquid into the mixture. You let it cook for 20-25 minutes with the lid on, and voila, dinner is ready!
RELATED: Need some inspiration for recipes with quinoa? If so, I’ve got you covered! Below are a few of the best quinoa recipes that I make over and over again with both vegan and vegetarian options.
- Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa (The exact same recipe but made in a pressure cooker instead)
- Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa Avocado Salad
- Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa Breakfast Porridge
Step By Step Recipe How-To Video:
Creative Ways To Use This One Pan Mexican Quinoa Recipe
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, this Mexican style quinoa dish is so versatile. Even though I served it by itself here, you can use this basic recipe to create different dishes. Here are some creative ideas:
Serve it as a savory breakfast bowl with an egg on top:
This makes a great protein-packed breakfast, especially if you work out in the morning and need a healthy breakfast to start the day.
Turn it into a Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad:
The beauty of this recipe is that you can serve it both warm and cold. I usually serve it as a warm meal on the day off. Then on the next day, I add in some chopped red onion, cilantro, avocados, radishes, and lime juice to turn it into a salad.
Serve it as a filling for a taco:
This quinoa and black bean recipe is perfect as a taco filling. Depending on the dietary restrictions of your family, you can roast some vegetables (cubed sweet potatoes are my favorite) and add them into the Mexican quinoa to make it flavorful and filling.
If you have meat eaters in the family, you can fill your tacos with the quinoa and then top it off with cooked ground beef or shredded chicken as well.
Serve it as a side dish:
While I am perfectly fine with serving this gluten-free Mexican quinoa bowl recipe by itself, I also think that it makes a great vegetarian side dish. Especially, if you are serving other Mexican dishes like Slow Cooked Beef Brisket Tacos, Grilled Flank Steak Tacos, or not so Mexican but still delicious Chicken and Potato Bake.
A Few Tips for The Best Mexican Quinoa Recipe
- Spices: Do not skip on sautéing ground cumin and coriander at the beginning. They are both oil-soluble spices, which means in order for them to release their flavors they need to interact with oil. If you want to make this recipe spicier, you can swap bell peppers with sliced jalapeños.
- Top it off with a dollop of sour cream or Mexican cotija cheese: I wanted to keep this recipe basic and vegan so I just garnished it with avocado slices and some fresh cilantro. However, if you don’t mind it being vegetarian, you can (in true Mexican fashion) top it off with some sour cream or cotija cheese as well.
How to store this Mexican Quinoa Bowl:
If you have leftovers you can place them in an airtight container. It should keep fresh up to 3 days in the fridge.
Other Mexican Recipes You Might Like
- Mexican Street Corn Salad
- Mexican Egg Bake
- Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
- Cowboy Caviar
- Corn and Bean Salad
- Mexican Corn Recipe
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- How to Make Corn Tortillas
- Mexican Corn Pasta Salad
- Need more inspiration? Check out all our side dishes and Mexican inspired recipes.
Mexican Quinoa Recipe
Ingredients
For The Mexican Quinoa:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium-sized onion, chopped
- 2 small bell peppers, chopped (or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with all their juices (15 oz.)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped – plus more as garnish
As Garnish:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 stalks of scallions, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Handful of pumpkin seeds, optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a 12-inch pan with a lid over medium heat. Add in the onion, peppers, cumin, and coriander. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, 7-8 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the quinoa, black beans, corn kernels, tomatoes, and salt and pepper. Give it a large stir.
- Pour in the liquid, put the lid on, and bring it to a boil. Then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 20-23 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
- Let it sit for 5 minutes or so and fluff with a fork. Right before serving stir in the fresh cilantro.
- Spoon the Mexican quinoa into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, and scallions. Serve with wedges of lime.
Video
Notes
- Spices: Do not skip on sautéing ground cumin and coriander at the beginning. They are both oil-soluble spices, which means in order for them to release their flavors they need to interact with oil. If you want to make this recipe spicier, you can swap bell peppers with sliced jalapeños.
- Top it off with a dollop of sour cream or Mexican cotija cheese: I wanted to keep this recipe basic and vegan so I just garnished it with avocado slices and some fresh cilantro. However, if you don’t mind it being vegetarian, you can (in true Mexican fashion) top it off with some sour cream or cotija cheese as well.
- Want to make this in a pressure cooker instead? Try my Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa recipe.
- You can follow the recipe as written and cook your quinoa with the vegetables. Doing so takes about 20-25 minutes. However, if you are short on time and have some leftover cooked quinoa, you can add that in after the vegetables are cooked. This way you do not have to wait for the quinoa to cook. Once it is warmed throughly your meal will be ready.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in January 2019. It has been updated with additional information and no changes to the originally published recipe in August 2020.
Great recipe! One small note: I think you meant to say “if you don’t mind it NOT being vegetarian”
I have never tried quinoa before but bought a packet and had a look online for a recipe.I had all the ingredients for this recipe in my cupboard so I just made it.Delicious….especially with lime juice squeezed over it before serving.Thank you.I have now downloaded your book of salads.
Hi Allison,
So happy to hear that you liked this recipe. It is a favorite in our house too.
I hope you like the salads book as well.
Thanks so much for your lovely words.
Cheers!
Just made this tonight for dinner. First off it was super easy and second the most important part is, it was so good. I topped mine with some leftover tofu, guacamole and salsa. I will say, my kids didn’t eat it but lets be honest, kids pallets can not be trusted they don’t know what ‘real’ food is.
Hi Stacey,
I am so glad to hear that you liked this. I agree with you. It is super easy yet SO delicious. I love the addition of tofu. I need to try next time.
Thanks for coming back and leaving a review. I really appreciate it.
Thank you so much for The recipe! It is easy to make and so flavorful.
YAY! So happy to hear that you liked it. Thanks for coming by Nancy.
Trying out this recipe and wondering if I missed something? In the ingredients you say 2 small bell peppers, but nowhere in the directions are the bell peppers to be cooked. Instead, in step 1 you say jalapeno, but that’s not listed as an ingredient. Were the bell peppers supposed to go in step 1 (mine didn’t), or was it supposed to be a jalapeno? Thanks!
Hi SK,
You can use both bell peppers or jalapeno peppers for this recipe. I meant to mention that but it seems like I missed it. The recipe has been updated.
I hope you like this dish as much as we do.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Cheers!
My boyfriend made this recipe and it turned out fantastic! We had been looking for a good recipe for quinoa because of its being a very nutrient dense food but were struggling to find something with flavor. I don’t normally like corn but i found it was still good in the dish. Well this recipe surely delivered on that! Thank you so much, I’m printing this recipe right now so we can make it again next week.
Hi Christy,
I am so happy to hear that you guys liked the recipe. I make it often in my own kitchen as well.
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it.
Cheers!
Lovely recipe and i cant wait to try this. Quick question – in step 3 inthe instructions, do you add cooked quinoa or raw? I am confused if quinoa needs to be cooked separately as per package instructions or within this stir fry pan? Thanks!
Hi Divya,
So glad you liked the recipe.
It is uncooked quinoa. Quinoa cooks with the veggies.
You can read more about how to make the recipe in detail within the blog post. Still, if you have further questions do not hesitate to ask.
Cheers!
Thanks for the clarification. Have never cooked Quinoa before.. yes late to the party ?♀️?♀️ Will try tonight.
No worries. I hope you’ll like it. Cheers!
The video also says to use “cooked quinoa,” so I got a bit confused as well. I’ll try raw tonight. Thank you.
You can do either or. I use cooked leftover quinoa if I am short on time. However, the recipe is written in a way that it assumes you do not have cooked quinoa on hand.
So cooking raw quinoa with vegetables should work.
I hope this helps.
I have been experimenting with different ways of cooking quinoa lately. I will definitely try your recipe!
Thanks again for a great and informative article
Quinoa makes the best dinners. So glad you found my recipe. Hope you like it as much as we do.
This is a meal I could eat every day, and it looks so divinely simple! I can’t wait to give it a try. Pinned! <3
You are such a sweetheart. So happy to hear that you liked it.
Thanks my friend.
Love the idea of serving it with an egg for breakfast! Thanks for the quinoa love, Ayse.
So glad you liked it Liren. An egg on top never disappoints. 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Everyone loved this delicious quinoa.. still plenty of yummy leftovers to look forward too.
yay! So happy that you guys liked it Janet. We are having it for dinner as well and I cannot wait to dig in.
Thanks for coming by. Cheers!