Description
This Mexican Quinoa is a flavorful, protein-packed one-pot dish bursting with southwestern flavors from cumin, cayenne, fresh cilantro, and lime. It combines healthy quinoa, black beans, corn, and tomatoes to create a hearty, nutritious meal perfect as a side dish or a vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 whole onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
- ¾ cup dry quinoa (rinsed and drained very well to remove as much liquid as possible)
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels
- 15 oz black beans (from can, rinsed and drained well)
- 1 medium tomato (chopped)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- lime wedges (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare Quinoa: Rinse the uncooked quinoa thoroughly using a fine wire mesh and drain well to remove all excess water for optimal texture.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook just until tender and fragrant.
- Add Quinoa and Broth: Stir in the rinsed quinoa, then add just under 1 ½ cups of chicken or vegetable broth (between 1 ⅓ and 1 ½ cups).
- Season and Simmer: Stir in ground cumin, cayenne, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook covered without lifting the lid for 22 minutes or until the broth is fully absorbed.
- Add Corn and Beans: Stir in the sweet corn kernels and rinsed black beans. Cover again and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes to heat through and blend flavors.
- Finish with Fresh Ingredients: Remove from heat and stir in chopped fresh cilantro and tomatoes.
- Serve: Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lime juice to taste and serve warm.
Notes
- Rinsing quinoa is crucial to remove bitterness and achieve fluffy texture.
- You can substitute vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
- For extra heat, increase the cayenne pepper according to your preference.
- This dish works well as a side or a standalone meal for vegetarians.
- Leftovers store well in the fridge for up to 3 days and can be reheated easily.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 179 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 744 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 1 mg
