A confetti of colorful veggies, hearty black beans, and whole grain quinoa, with zesty Tex-Mex spices and a zing of lime, this 30-minute Mexican Quinoa takes the odds and ends in your pantry and turns them into a one-pan vegetarian feast!
With the exception of a bell pepper (which you can add one, two, or none of), this easy recipe is made nearly entirely of pantry staples.
If the word “pantry staples” makes you quiver by this point, please stay with me.
This recipe is going to taste fresh and lively and not at all like you made it by doing a deep dive into your cabinet, grabbing cans of this and that, stirring them together, and praying for the best (even though shhhh that is exactly what we are going to do, and it’s going to be FANTASTIC).
As written, this recipe is vegan, and if you choose to leave it as such, it will be plenty satisfying (just like these addictive Tempeh Tacos). You could pile it into a bowl with avocado for a filling Mexican quinoa bowl.
Or you could eat it the way we do—topped off with a generous handful of cheese and a crispy fried egg for a yummy Mexican quinoa breakfast bowl that I am equally likely to eat for easy lunches and dinners.
I have even more serving ideas for this quick, versatile, and healthy recipe for you below too!
This zesty Mexican quinoa skillet takes about 30 minutes to make. Don’t be surprised when you come back to it over and over, until you’ve tried all the variations.
How to Make Mexican Quinoa
A bag of grains. Some cans of this and that. Spices you already keep around. This recipe takes them all, then turns them into a nutritious pan of Mexican delight.
The Ingredients
- Bell Pepper. I love adding bell peppers to Tex-Mex style dishes because of their natural sweetness and texture. Plus, they add beautiful color to the dish. Any color of bell pepper will work famously.
- Spices. A combination of chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and salt turns simple ingredients like quinoa into a flavor maker and shaker.
- Quinoa. A fluffy and slightly nutty grain that soaks up all the flavors you cook along with it. Quinoa is considered a complete protein and is packed with iron and fiber, helping to make this a filling vegetarian quinoa recipe.
- Black Beans. One of my favorite ingredients to add to vegetarian recipes to make them satisfying. Black beans are rich in fiber, potassium, and folate.
- Tomatoes. Both fire-roasted diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes in green chiles (a.k.a. Rotel) serve as most of the cooking “liquid” and give this recipe panache.
- Fiesta Corn. A scrumptious blend of sweet corn and diced peppers. It’s a little bit zesty and a little bit sweet. Frozen corn would also work here. You also can use plain corn, then add a few pinches of extra spices to taste.
- Cilantro. A little cilantro brings freshness.
- Lime. This recipe uses both the zest and juice for flavor and brightness.
The Directions
- Sauté the onion and bell pepper.
- Add the spices and quinoa, stirring to coat.
- Stir in the beans, both cans of tomatoes, corn, and water.
- Simmer it all together until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Top with the cilantro, lime zest, and juice, stirring until incorporated. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Place leftover Mexican quinoa in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Gently rewarm leftovers in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave. I like to add a splash of broth or water or stir in a spoonful of salsa to keep it from drying out.
- To Freeze. Store in an airtight freezer-safe storage container up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Ways to Serve One Pan Mexican Quinoa
- Vegetarian Breakfast Bowl. Take a note from my Whole30 Vegetarian Power Bowls and top it with a fried or hard boiled egg. Add leftover roasted sweet potatoes or other roasted veggies (if you have them on hand).
- Burrito Filling. Wrap it up with melted cheese.
- Quesadillas. Layer it between tortillas, then toast in a skillet until golden.
- Casserole-Style. Take a note from my 5-star rated Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole, top it with cheese and tuck it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp the top.
- Mexican Quinoa Side Dish. Pair it alongside Crockpot Mexican Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos.
More Mexican Recipe Favorites
- Crock Pot Mexican Casserole
- Mexican Street Corn Quinoa Salad
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Mexican Salad
- Mexican Shrimp
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
- Cast Iron Skillet. An essential kitchen tool that will last you a lifetime. This large skillet with a lid is also great for this recipe.
- Measuring Spoons. These are double-sided, so you have less dishes to wash.
- Citrus Juicer. The easiest way to juice a lime or lemon.
I hope you love this recipe tonight, then again tomorrow in a whole new way. I can’t wait to hear which way you try it first and which one is your favorite!
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below to let me know how it goes. I adore hearing from you, and your comments and 5-star ratings are so important to my site and helpful to others too.
Mexican Quinoa
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 bell pepper red or green, cored and diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes in green chiles in their juices
- 1 11-ounce can fiesta corn drained (or 1 ½ cups fresh, frozen, or canned corn kernels)
- ½ cup water plus additional as needed
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 medium lime zest and juice
- For serving: shredded cheese sliced avocado, plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook 30 seconds until very fragrant, then stir in the quinoa, coating it in the spices and oil.
- Add the black beans, fire roasted diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes and green chiles, corn, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover the skillet with a lid and reduce heat to low. Let simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 20 minutes. Check on it once or twice as it cooks and give it a stir, adding additional water as needed if the mixture looks dry.
- Add the cilantro, then zest the lime directly over the top of the skillet. Squeeze in the lime juice. Stir to combine. Serve hot with any and all desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Place leftover quinoa in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Store quinoa in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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I wanted an easy, yummy quinoa recipe as my first time cooking quinoa.. and boy did this deliver!!! This recipe is SO good and so easy to make. I put a scoop of sour cream and avocado on top. I will for sure make this again!
Hi Emily! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
So delicious!! I added grilled swordfish (seasoned the same) and drizzled chimichurri sauce all over! My hubby who has never had quinoa before absolutely loved this recipe! Thank you!!!
Hi Monet! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was delicious! Do you have any idea how many cups per serving? or an approximate amount?
Hi Callie! I’m sorry I haven’t measured it out in cups. A serving is just 1/4 of the whole dish. Glad you enjoyed it!
I have leftover black beans and quinoa in the fridge. This seems like the perfect recipe to use it up. Going to add leftover shrimp and some ground chorizo 😁Yum!
Hope you enjoy it Erica!
So flavorful and easy! My kids ate this too- loved it!
Hi Meaghan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Great recipes. So happy to find such wonderful vegetarian (& some vegan) recipes at your site. Thank you very much!!!!
Hi Pat! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Honestly, this was SO good. I’m looking forward to leftovers tomorrow. So flavourful. We had it with meat (a small piece) but didn’t need it at all. We really loved this. Would make it again in a flash. :)
Amazing to hear, thank you!
I made this tonight for dinner and it was easy and delicious. First time I haven’t cooked quinoa separately and appreciated the time saved! I suspect this will end up in my dinner time rotation as I usually have all the needed ingredients on hand. Thanks for another good one, Erin. 😘
Great to hear, thank you Bonnie!
I have a recipe almost identical to this, but it’s a cold salad! And delicious!
Sounds tasty!
This was a great meal! I added ground beef-style tofu to it for extra protein, and it turned out well! Would recommend!
Thank you Zoe!
The whole family enjoyed this — a rarity!
Great to hear, thank you Cristina!
I made this for supper tonight and it was so delicious.😋 This will be one of my midweek meals.
Great to hear, thank you Charmaine!
This recipe is nothing short of outstanding!! Way better than I even imagined. The melding of all of the flavors is unique and delicious. I topped mine with avocado slices and Kraft Shedded Taco Cheese. Try it, you won’t be disappointed. Fortunately, my spouse does not like anything beyond meat and potatoes (some exaggeration) so there are 3 more servings for me…yea!! I froze two and kept one in the refrigerator. The only departure I would make from the recipe and will try next time is, toasting the quinoa before introducing it to the mixture. I think doing that will allow it to absorb more of the liquid…we will see. I will post another review after trying it.
Thank you so much for the recipe, Erin! You have a new fan.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Tim! Thank you!
LOVED this recipe. Cut chile powder and cumin amounts by half. Used diced tomatoes (without chiles) and added 1/2 can of hatch diced green chiles (what I could find). Tri-colored quinoa added even more color to the dish. Did not even need garnishes, but will try them on the leftovers.
Great to hear, thank you Aguilar!