One pot Mexican-spiced vegetable quinoa loaded with bold flavors and healthy ingredients. Protein, fiber, and vegetables in each delicious spoonful.
Are you a big fan of the robust flavors of Mexican cuisine? If so, you are in for a treat! This Mexican-spiced vegetable quinoa is everything you want in one big hearty bowl. I’m always on the search for new ways to spice up healthy meals.
I cook quinoa at least twice a week and usually keep it simple. I wanted to make it the star of this dish by adding bold flavors and vegetables with each spoonful. Just chop, simmer, cover, and boom, you’ve got a delicious meal just waiting to be devoured. Ready?
This recipe makes for extra servings, so you can feed a crowd or have leftovers for the next day. I added some to my breakfast scramble the next morning, and it was so good!
So many gorgeous vegetables in one pan! As they simmer and cook down, they just melt in your mouth. I’ve added bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, and jalapenos for a bit of heat. Black beans add extra protein and fiber to the quinoa to make it a complete meal. Quinoa is a unique super grain that is a complete source of protein, providing a whopping 8 grams in one cup!
Look at that bowl of quinoa perfection! I just want to dive in with the biggest spoon I can find. The grains soak up the broth, juice from the tomatoes, cumin and chili powder for an earthy flavor.
Grab a plate and dig in! This is an excellent vegetarian meal, or you can serve it as a savory side dish. My family and I enjoyed some blackened chicken tacos with this Mexican spiced quinoa. Fiesta for the taste buds!
This Mexican-spiced vegetable quinoa is loaded with healthy ingredients. Each bite gets you a mix of protein, fiber, and vegetables. A rainbow in a bowl means a nutritional boost, so you feel good on the inside and out. This quinoa recipe requires minimal effort and provides tons of flavor. Just what you need after a long day! What other flavors do you like to add to quinoa?
More quinoa recipes
Why should you rinse quinoa grains before cooking?
Always rinse quinoa before cooking. If you don’t wash the quinoa, you may notice a bitter note from a natural coating on the grain called saponin. All you need to do is place the quinoa grains in a fine-meshed strainer and rinse for about 30 seconds under cool water. Shake off the excess water and transfer the grains to your cooking pot. Adding the spices, salt, and broth really helps to balance out any lingering bitterness.
Mexican-Spiced Vegetable Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup red onion, diced, ¼ inch dice
- 1 ½ cups quinoa, uncooked, rinsed with cold water and drained
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- 1 cup bell pepper, ¼-inch dice, red or green
- 1 cup zucchini, ¼-inch dice
- 1 cup black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounces tomatoes, diced, 1 can with juice
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth, or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add garlic and red onion, stir and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.
- Add quinoa, jalapeno, bell pepper, zucchini, black beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt, broth, and stir together.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is cooked and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. You do not need to stir the quinoa as it's cooking.
- Turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes.
- Season with additional salt and pepper as needed, fluff quinoa and sprinkle with green onions.
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Skillet
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Tried this recipe?
Tag @jessica_gavin on Instagram. I'd love to see how it turns out!
Kerry Crellin says
I enjoyed this recipe but found it much improved with more chilli (1tsp) and the juice of a small lime.
Vinita says
Very simple yet delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Rachel Alderson says
I had been feeling in a bit of an uninspired vegan funk & this delicious, flavoursome dish has pulled me right out of it!
So simple to make & as a bonus I have enough left over for lunch tomorrow.
100% will make again and feed it to friends! 🙂
Angie says
Wow I can’t stop making this dish! It’s been weekly in my house and we use it to make enchiladas as well. I had to sub poblano pepper for jalapeno and water for broth but increased spices, garlic and onion. Great find THANK YOU!!!
Aarti says
This recipe was so simple but delicious! Everyone loved it and will definitely be making it again. It also makes a decent sized portion so there was plenty for lunch the next day. Thankful to my friend for recommending and can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback! Leftovers are the best. So happy that you found me!
Amber says
All I have is kidney beans is that okay. You think it will be similar?
Jessica Gavin says
I think it would be okay to use all kidney beans.
Doris says
This was delicious and easy to make. I haven’t had quinoa in years so this was really nice reintroduction, my kids also enjoyed it.
Tara says
This is delicious, especially with some Cholula. Another home run!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you, Tara!
Robert says
This has become my lunch for the week…I don’t eat zucchini so I sub celery and carrots as well as sweet onions instead of purple. I also love spicy so I use tomatoes and peppers and add hatch chiles. I also increase the amount a bit as I am having about a cup and a quarter to a half for each day at lunch…super filling and satisfies my spicy tooth. Not sure how to calculate the calories but 162 seems a little low especially for my alterations but is still way better than what I normally have and is helping me lose weight which I need BIG time as I am a really big guy. Sooo good…thank you so much for the recipe. Need to check out more of your recipes.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for sharing your recipe modifications, Robert! Happy to hear that you are enjoying the recipe.