Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

This Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Quinoa Casserole is a hearty and stick-to-your-ribs good meal! It has all of the flavors you love in traditional Mexican food, but is much healthier with the addition of quinoa and plenty of veggies! Even quinoa haters will become quinoa lovers with this casserole!

Up until I made this Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Quinoa Casserole a few months ago, my family has not been on the quinoa bandwagon. The sheer mention of quinoa in my house, would bring moans and groans. I didn't give up though ..... we've tried several quinoa dishes since our very first one, but this is the one that converted my family from quinoa haters to quinoa lovers!

As a family who loves Mexican-inspired food, this casserole hits all of the right spots for us. This Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Casserole is full of flavor and it's a dish you can feel good about serving to your family! It's pretty healthy compared to a lot of Mexican dishes! It's full of quinoa, black beans, corn, peppers, Mexican spices, enchilada sauce and don't forget, the cheese! Talk about serious yum factor!

Serve this Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Quinoa Casserole with a simple side salad for a meal the entire family will love ... even the quinoa haters! :)

Black Bean & Corn Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

by Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes

Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well
2 cups water
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced
1 bag (12 oz.) frozen corn
1 lime, juiced
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (20 oz.) red enchilada sauce (you can use two 10 oz. cans or homemade)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Mexican or Cheddar cheese
Garnish: additional cilantro, sliced green onion, avocado, chopped tomatoes or sour cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large 5 Qt. Jumbo Cooker or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, garlic and jalapeno until softened. Stir in the peppers and corn. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the lime juice, chili powder, cumin and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce, black beans and cooked quinoa. Add ½ cup of the cheese. Stir to combine.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese. Spray one side of foil with cooking spray and place the sprayed side down over the casserole, crimping the edges and covering the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbly.

5. Serve immediately. Garnish, if desired.