A melty, cheesy, comforting vegetarian meal with plenty of protein. Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake is an easy all-in-one dinner.
Enchiladas are delicious. This is just fact. One of my very first published recipes was for Chicken Tomatillo Enchiladas.
Sometimes enchiladas feel like a lot of work.
I know! Objectively, they really aren’t! But my brain doesn’t always do great with executive function when it’s overwhelmed. Enter the the one-pot meal.*
It’s sort of a brain trick, and it’s also suited to where my patience lies. I can knock out chopping really quickly, and without a lot of thinking. Just put on a YouTube video and I can zone out, then throw everything in a pot. No meat to worry about, no rolling tortillas, etc, etc.
Melty, cheesy, savory and a little smoky. Warming, comforting and nourishing. Any questions?
It’s definitely not authentic (it’s not even enchiladas—just enchilada reminiscent), but you will want seconds anyway. Also, do try a more authentic recipe when you have the spoons.
How healthy can a cheesy enchilada bake really be?
I love that this dish is a full meal. I try to have a vegetable side with every dinner, but no need here. You’ve got zucchini, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and corn right in there with the cheese.
Yeah, I know technically tomatoes and corn are fruit and peppers (capiscums) are berries. They still have vitamins and fiber. Don’t @ me.
It’s also a great source of protein. Most vegetarian protein sources on their own aren’t complete—that means they don’t have all the nine essential amino acids humans need. Eating a varied diet can solve that.
That’s why you’ll usually see black beans with rice. Together they make a complete protein. Quinoa is pretty close to being complete too. Here you’re getting those, plus protein from the cheese and vegetables.
If you already used the handy-dandy jump to recipe button, you may have noticed this recipe make a lot. Uh. Yeah.
Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake is perfect for meal prep, or for a meal to bring to somebody. Friend having a baby? Ringer. Busy week? Ringer. If you just want it for dinner? Ringer—it freezes beautifully.
Ways to spice up your leftovers
You can easily customize Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada bake, and I love a customizable meal. I really encourage you to use what you have. Mushrooms, yellow squash, different peppers (I add jalapeños most of the time).
I also know some people just aren’t leftover people. I personally love them, but I also usually don’t eat them the exact same way every time. Here are a few ways you can spice things up:
- Serve with fun hot sauces and toppings. I love adding avocado and cilantro as a base, but you could add different cheeses, mexican crema or sour cream, tabasco, cholula—endless options, really.
- I know I said you don’t need a side, but what if this was the side? I’ve eaten it alongside chicken and it’s a great accompaniment.
- Bake it into muffin cups with eggs on top.
- Fry some hash browns and toss it with this right before taking it out of the pan.
- Roll it up with some eggs for a breakfast burrito. I haven’t done this, but I just thought of it and I’m going to try it immediately!
- Did you miss the tortilla part? Welllll good news. You could also roll your leftovers in some and top with enchilada sauce and more cheese! A beautiful solution.
Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A melty, cheesy, comforting vegetarian meal with plenty of protein. Cheesy Vegetarian Quinoa Enchilada Bake is an easy all-in-one dinner.
Ingredients
- 5 cups quinoa cooked according to package instructions in vegetable or chicken broth (1 2/3 cups dried quinoa, 3 1/2 cups broth)
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers (I use green, red and orange), diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes in juice
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 8 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 4 oz full fat cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups Mexican blend cheese
- 2 cups cooked corn
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Optional: Serve with avocado and cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Warm a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it shimmers, add the onions, peppers, and zucchini, and cook until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.
- Drain the tomatoes, setting aside the juice for later. Add the tomatoes to the mixture and allow to come to a simmer.
- Add the cooked quinoa and stir in the cumin, chili powder, and enchilada sauce.
- Cut the creamed cheese into cubes and stir into the mixture until well-mixed and creamy. Stir in 1 1/2 cup of the Mexican blend cheese, the corn and the black beans. Add some of the tomato juice if the mixture is too dry.
- Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Cover with foil (or an oven-proof lid) and bake for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and continue to bake 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve with avocado and/or cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
- If I want a little more heat (and I usually do) I’ll add a diced jalapeno or two when I add the bell peppers. Feel free to experiment with different peppers!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
Keywords: cheesy vegetarian quinoa enchilada bake, cheesy quinoa enchilada bake, quinoa bake, enchilada bake
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