Go Back
+ servings
Mexican Quinoa in a bowl from the top
Print

Best Quinoa Recipes: Mexican Quinoa

This Mexican Quinoa recipe is one of the most popular quinoa recipes on the blog. It is a versatile dish that you can serve for breakfast with an egg on top or turn it into a 30-minute weeknight dinner with a plant-protein packed nutritious meal.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Vegan
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 346kcal

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

A few notes for the best results:
  • 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 (like I did in the how-to video), 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

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 388mg | Potassium: 845mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 778IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg