by Lindsay 61 Comments
This Cheesy Mexican Quinoa recipe is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Make it vegetarian or add some leftover chicken and customize with your favorite vegetables!
**Photo and recipe updated 8/2016**
Hi Friends!
I have a quick recipe to share with you guys today. I wasn’t planning to blog about it. It was just something I threw together the other night for dinner…but as soon as I posted it on Instagram and saw how many of you wanted the recipe, I wrote down the ingredients I used so I could share it with you!
This dish is, surprise surprise, Mexican inspired. Have you noticed we eat a lot of Mexican around here? Several times a week….but neither of us seem to get tired of it so it works for us.
So here’s what was in it:
Cheesy Mexican Quinoa
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 1 review
This Cheesy Mexican Quinoa recipe is perfect for a quick, healthy dinner. Make it vegetarian or add some leftover chicken and customize with your favorite vegetables!
- Author: Author: Lindsay L
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
Scale
- ⅔ cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 ⅓ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 bell pepper, diced (any color is fine)
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 ½ cup chicken, cooked (optional)
- ⅔ cup corn kernals
- 6 oz shredded Colby Jack or Mexican cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- Avocado & salsa for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine quinoa and broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 13-15 minutes.
- In a large saute pan, heat oil and saute peppers, onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
- Add beans, spices, chicken and corn and saute another 5 minutes.
- Add cooked quinoa, milk and cheese and stir until well combined.
- Serve warm and top with avocado and salsa if desired.
You can easily make this a vegetarian dinner but I love tossing in some leftover chicken. It’s a great way to transform chicken from my food prep into a completely new dish!
[Tweet “Try this Cheesy Mexican Quinoa from @leangrnbeanblog for a quick, protein-packed dinner.”]
Enjoy!
–Lindsay–
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About Lindsay
Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!
Reader Interactions
Comments
Miz saysI adore you because your photos still be fancy 🙂
xoReply
Mmmmm, cheese + quinoa has gotta be good.
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- Lindsay says
i know, right?! can’t go wrong there!
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- Linz @ Itz Linz says
I love Mexican food so I’m loving all your Mexican inspired dishes! 🙂
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- Lindsay says
i’m glad…because i seem to be on a kick!
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Yay!! Another quinoa recipe for me!! 🙂
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- Lindsay says
you know it! add it to the rotation!
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this looks fantastic! the instructions are similar to the ones for the lentil veggie mac n cheese, which I made again this past weekend too and my husband loves it!
- Lindsay says
yep! super similar 🙂 so glad you guys are liking the mac and cheese 🙂
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A healthy Mexican mac n’ cheese! I love it 🙂 Definitely trying this out soon!
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- Lindsay says
yes!! enjoy, my friend 🙂
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This looks great! I’ve had a can of black beans in my pantry for AGES and I keep forgetting about them. May just have to use them to make this!
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- Lindsay says
use them up girl!!! bean power 🙂
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We eat a lot of Mexican themed dinners too! This would be a big hit in our house.
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- Lindsay says
let me know if you try it out!!
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I am always so impressed with your quick, easy, and delicious dinners, Lindsay! This one looks like another winner 🙂
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- Lindsay says
thanks friend!!! quick and easy could be my middle name….or not…that might be awkward!
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- Lisa @ RunWiki says
As usual your a culinary skills are unreal! This sounds delicious and easy to make. I read a lot of blogs Linds, but actually make more recipes from your site than any other; it’s food my family and I enjoy and eat time and time again. xo
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- Lindsay says
thank you so much Lisa…that means a lot 🙂 xoxo
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This looks delicious! I’m always in the market for tasty new comfort food recipes and this one looks like it just might get to the top of the list – Quick, easy & yummy – Three of my favorite things! 🙂
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- Lindsay says
yay! mine too! let me know if you try it out!
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Oh my! Sounds and looks delicious. I love your recipes because they are easy for someone like me who doesn’t cook. Can’t wait to try this.
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- Lindsay says
thank you!! i like to keep things simple around here 🙂
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I could eat Mexican food everyday for the rest of my life. This looks fabulous!
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- Lindsay says
uh, me too 🙂 easily.
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- purelymichelle says
love cheezy quinoa dishes!
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See AlsoFood & Drink- Top Inspired I love how quick & easy your recipes are! Perfect for when I get cooking-lazy (which is often).
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- Lindsay says
thank you!!! i’m quite lazy myself 🙂
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- Lisa says
I need more Mexican foods in my life, this looks super simple and delicious! My kind of meals!
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- Lindsay says
yes you do, my friend!!! so easy and delish!
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- Alexis @ Hummusapien says
This looks so delish! Almost like mac and cheese but with quinoa!
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- Lindsay says
exactly!! more protein…for the win!
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Thanks for the recipe girl, this looks amazing! I haven’t had quinoa in awhile and I kinda miss it!!
xxoo
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- Lindsay says
woohoo!!! get it back in the rotation! quinoa for the win!
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Sounds delicious! I do love me some quinoa.
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- Lindsay says
isn’t it great! i’ve been putting it in EVERYTHING lately!
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- [emailprotected] says
yummmm pinned!
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That looks SO good! I am going to have to try this for dinner within the next couple of days! Thanks 🙂
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- Lindsay says
wheeeeeee!!!! enjoy it girl 🙂
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Yum yum yum!! I’m totally making this for the potluck I’m going to on Wednesday. Admittedly, when I saw the picture of this in your WIAW post I was hoping that you’s share the recipe 🙂
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- Lindsay says
hope it turned out well!!
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- Alysia @ Slim Sanity says
heck yea! Mexican anyday and everyday! 🙂
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- Lindsay says
exactly, girl! always
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This looks amazing! and I love the idea of using chips – my husband is obsessed with all things mexican so I will definitely have to make this soon. Thanks for the recipe!
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- Lindsay says
you’re welcome! enjoy! ps…i use chips to scoop up pretty much everything!
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looks delicious!!
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AGHH! This is already bookmarked! My hubby is 1/2 Mexican and I feel terrible that I don’t make more mexican food!! Definitely going to try this!! It looks SO yummy! =) xoxo
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- Pavement Runner says
All these fancy quinoa recipes mean I should try this stuff…. never had ti before. (gasp)
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- Lindsay says
you should def try! but put it in something…don’t just try it by itself. gag!
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Mexican inspired + cheese = Winner in my book!
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- Lindsay says
hehe mine too 🙂 can’t go wrong with that combo!
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- Karla @ myhighonlife says
Oh yes please! This looks fantastic 😀
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- Lindsay says
thank you so much 🙂
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- Brad says
This looks awesome! Thanks Lindsay
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- Kim F says
Yum, yum, yum! My husband and I just had this for lunch. I used 2 cans of black beans, no corn, and for the cheese…pepper jack. Awesome with chips (baked Tostito scoops) just like you said. Thanks so much.
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- Lindsay says
yay!!! so glad you liked it!
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- Aggie says
Ok, I’m totally drooling over this. You make the best good!! I had to forward to my quinoa/Mexican food loving friend. Can’t wait to make!
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- Kristi says
Family favorite! We have it at least twice a month (not including leftovers). Fresh, lite, tasty and easy to make!
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- Lindsay says
yay! love hearing that!
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- Pam says
Love this & so do my family. We add leftover homemade salsa instead of the tomato and I add hot sauce to mine for extra kick. So good!!! Thanks.
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- Lindsay says
so glad to hear it!
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