Quinoa Enchilada Bake

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Quinoa Enchilada Bake is a perfect vegetarian main dish that is filling and delicious. Filled with quinoa, black beans, corn and melted cheese. 

I know what you’re thinking…Quinoa???  Didn’t you just post Quinoa Banana Bread?  I’ll admit it, I’m now obsessed with Quinoa.  It’s been in my pantry for a while and I have made it in several different dishes, but none have been very good.

We’ve just tolerated the dish and have never had any repeats.  All of the sudden, I’ve figured out how to incorporate it into dishes and they have been delicious and now I’m figuring out ways to add it to everything!

My sister made Quinoa Enchilada Casserole at Christmas time.  I was skeptical, but pleasantly surprised.  It has taken me till mid-March to give it a try.  As much as my family loved this as a main dish, we decided it was also excellent as a dip!

I brought out the tortilla chips, and the kids each ate a huge amount of Quinoa Enchilada Bake!  We had it for a snack, we had it in our lunches and since we still had leftovers, we added some to our burritos.

While my husband still claims he’s not a fan, my kids love it!  I’m thinking if I didn’t tell Rod what he was actually eating, he would gobble it up!  Anything labeled as a super nutritious health food item is suspicious in his mind!

How do I cook quinoa?

When cooking quinoa, you want to first rinse it thoroughly in water. There is an outer coating that can taste bitter if you don’t rinse it off first.

Measure  desired amount of quinoa and pour it into a bowl. Fill the bowl with water and rub the grains with fingers. Then pour it into a fine sieve and rinse under the water again.  Follow directions for cooking on your package.

Most usually have 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. Boil water, add quinoa, simmer with lid for 10-15 minutes until all water is absorbed. Quinoa can be eaten hot or cold and takes on the flavor of whatever dish it’s in. Check out this recipe for additional steps on how to cook quinoa.

I use my homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe, but in a pinch, you can use store bought sauce.  I also use black beans in this casserole. Again, you can use my Instant Pot black bean recipe or buy a can of beans.

How should I serve this enchilada casserole?

• Serve as a main dish along with tortillas
• Wrap in a tortilla burrito style
• Eat with chips as a dip
• Serve as a side dish with any main meal

Can I make ahead of time and freeze?

Yes, this dish is freezer friendly.  

• Mix quinoa, enchilada sauce, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin, cheeses and peppers together
• Place in a sprayed glass baking dish
• Sprinkle remaining cheese on top
• Cover with foil and freeze
• Thaw before baking

Other Great Recipes with Quinoa:

• Quinoa Waffles
• Quinoa Banana Bread
• Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa and Farro Salad
• Black Beans and Rice

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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below or snap a picture and tag me on Instagram #beyondthechickencoop

You can find all my recipes here.

Recipe adapted from Damn Delicious