This easy recipe for One Pot Mexican Quinoa is a healthy oil-free vegan dish. Perfect for tacos night or as a simple lunch, you’ll be making this on repeat.
I love bringing a hearty quinoa salad like this to parties…it’s my security blanket when I’m not sure what other vegan offerings might be available. If you like this, you’ll also love: Plant-Based Crunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Dressing, Jennifer Aniston Quinoa Chickpea Salad, Quinoa Tabbouleh, and Smoky Broccoli Quinoa Sunflower Crunch.
Mexican Quinoa Replaces Spanish Rice
Boxed Spanish rice is a common side dish to many taco dinners. It’s easy to cook and packs flavorful spices. However, that boxed rice is often loaded with extra salt and lacks the nutritious fiber and protein of a whole grain. This Mexican Quinoa is a simple and healthy alternative!
This Easy One Pot Mexican Quinoa comes together in under 20 minutes. White quinoa is combined with Mexican spices (like cumin and paprika) and pantry staples (like onion, garlic, tomato sauce) to create a flavorful, healthy side dish. This makes the perfect kid-friendly recipe to serve with Smoky Tofu Black Bean Tacos, Vegan Green Chili Potato Tacos, or Easy Vegan Lentil Tacos.
Whole Grain Tip: Swap Out White Rice For Quinoa
White rice is a common staple in many Mexican, Spanish, and Asian cuisines. What’s not to love? It’s light, fluffy, and cooks under 15 minutes. However, white rice has been stripped of its outer bran layer, stripping it of fiber, protein, and essential nutrients. While brown rice is a healthy, whole grain substitute, it can take up to 40 minutes to cook and won’t achieve that same light texture.
Quinoa makes the perfect swap for white rice. Just like white rice, white quinoa has a neutral flavor and color. It is a blank canvas for adding spices, herbs, and flavorful broths. It’s cooked and ready to eat in under 15 minutes. Plus, kids love the small, easy-to-eat shape of quinoa.
Make it a Meal: Add Beans, Chilis, and Fire-Roasted Tomatoes
Transforming this simple side dish into a hearty meal is as easy as raiding your pantry. Add a can of black beans or pinto beans during the cooking. Kick it up a spice level by adding chopped serrano chili, jalapeno, or a dash of dried chipotle flakes. For extra smokiness, swap out 1 cup of the water for a 15-ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes. Or, serve it over roasted potato wedges or a baked sweet potato.
I also love turning leftovers into a salad. Use shredded Romaine lettuce or crunchy iceberg as your base. Then, add handful of canned kidney beans, spoon over a good helping of this quinoa, and top it with Tomatillo Serrano Crema or diced avocado. Talk about satisfying — it hits all of those smoky, spicy flavors!
Cooking Quinoa in Plant-Based Recipes
Quinoa is a gluten-free whole grain used often in plant-based recipes. Full of healthy vegan protein and fiber, it is satisfying and delicious. Quinoa comes in four color options: white, red, black, and tri-color (a mix of the three). You can use it in breakfast porridge, salad and grain bowls, soups, stews, and even cookies. For this recipe, I like using plain white quinoa. It cooks in 12 minutes and has a light, fluffy texture.
For more Quinoa Tips and Recipes: QUINOA COOKING: RINSING, OIL-FREE TOASTING, AND HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT’S DONE
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips:
Oil-Free: I’m on a mission to get rid of empty calories, like those found in refined oils. This recipe skips oil and uses parchment paper to keep the bars from sticking to the pan. This makes a healthy, low-calorie recipe.
Print Recipe
Easy One Pot Mexican Quinoa — Oil-Free Vegan
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup white quinoa
- 1/4 cup diced white onion
- 1 small carrot diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Dash of ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
Instructions
- To make the Mexican Quinoa: Combine all ingredients, in a small pot. Stir to combine.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Cook 15 minutes, or until the quinoa “pops” open.
- Remove the lid, fluff with a fork and let sit a couple of minutes.
- Taste to adjust seasoning and enjoy!
Nutrition Info:
Servings: 4
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings 4.0 | |
| Amount Per Serving | |
| calories 107 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 2 g | 3 % |
| Saturated Fat 0 g | 2 % |
| Monounsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g | |
| Trans Fat 0 g | |
| Cholesterol 1 mg | 0 % |
| Sodium 340 mg | 14 % |
| Potassium 322 mg | 9 % |
| Total Carbohydrate 19 g | 6 % |
| Dietary Fiber 4 g | 15 % |
| Sugars 6 g | |
| Protein 4 g | 8 % |
| Vitamin A | 145 % |
| Vitamin C | 11 % |
| Calcium | 3 % |
| Iron | 8 % |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA. | |
Shopping List:
- Terrasoul Superfoods Organic White Quinoa
- Frontier Co-op Organic Ground Cumin Seed
- Simply Organic, Paprika Ground Certified Organic
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