Cheesy Black Bean Quinoa Bake
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, about 680 grams (see note)
- 2 (15-ounce each) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 12 ounces salsa verde, can sub your favorite tomato salsa, if desired
- Juice of 1 lime, about a tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups cooked chopped chicken, (rotisserie chicken works great here - you can easily leave the chicken out for a meatless dish as well)
- 2-3 cups shredded Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses
- Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the quinoa, black beans, tomato sauce, salsa verde, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and chicken (if using). Taste and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Spread half of the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Layer with the rest of the quinoa mixture followed by the remaining cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro (optional) and serve with tortilla chips, if desired.
Notes
Halving the Recipe: this recipe can easily be halved for a 9X9-inch baking dish.
Instant Pot: my go-to method for cooking quinoa these days is to combine equal parts quinoa and water in the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, quick release.
Stovetop: on the stovetop, combine 1 1/2 cups water or broth for every 1 cup of quinoa plus a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 14-15 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes off the heat.
Quinoa: one cup dry quinoa will yield about 2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked quinoa.