Mexican Quinoa is a simple “dump it and forget about it” slow cooker meal. Add uncooked quinoa, vegetables, beans, and seasonings, then let it cook.
author’s note
No-Fuss Mexican Quinoa Dinner!
These Quinoa Tacos are super popular in my home. Honestly, meal prep doesn’t get much easier. Everything goes into the slow cooker (no prep!) and the result is a super flavorful, meatless taco filling that’s hearty and filling.
I wanted to take that same bold flavor and easy prep and turn it into another vegetarian meal. Enter: Mexican Quinoa. Just as simple, filling, and packed with good-for-you ingredients.
It does have a bit of spice, but nothing too crazy. You can tweak the seasonings, and toppings like cheese, sour cream, or avocado help mellow it out. Even my two-year-old loves it!
Mexican Quinoa Ingredients
The three main ingredients that impact the spiciness level of this dish are the enchilada sauce, taco seasoning packet, and jalapeño peppers.
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Butternut Squash | Chop into small, same sized pieces for even cooking. |
| Quinoa | Rinse to remove any bitterness. |
| Black Beans | Rinse canned beans before adding or use homemade beans. |
| Corn | I like frozen corn for its flavor and freshness but canned works great. |
| Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes | Include the juice for more sauce to cook everything in. |
| Enchilada Sauce & Taco Seasoning | Use mild if you want less heat. I love Old El Paso’s mild red enchilada sauce. Try making your own taco seasoning. |
| Veggie or Chicken Stock | Both work. Use veggie stock to keep it vegetarian. |
| Jalapeños | Add a light kick and are optional. For less heat, remove the seeds and ribs. |
Topping Suggestions
Mexican Quinoa is good by itself, but adding toppings makes it even better.
- Grated sharp (or extra-sharp) Cheddar cheese
- Chopped cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo
- Fresh chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onions
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- A large scoop of sour cream (fat-free is great); you can also use Greek yogurt.
- Sliced avocado or scoop of guacamole
- Pickled red onions
How To Make Mexican Quinoa (Tips)
- Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray or use a liner for easy cleanup.
- Chop squash small (about 1/2 inch) so it cooks evenly.
- Rinse quinoa, then add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.
- Cook on high for 3.5 to 4.5 hours until squash is soft and quinoa is cooked.
- Switch to low and let sit uncovered for 15–25 minutes so the liquid absorbs.
- Stir, season to taste, and load up with toppings like cheese, sour cream, avocado, and lime.
Featured Comment
“I have made you Mexican Quinoa at least a million times and thought I should rate it and let you know it has become my “go to meal” for any gathering.”
– Joanne
Shortcuts
Time-Saving Suggestions
- Use pre-cut or frozen squash (cut to 1/2-inch cubes) to save prep time.
- Grab pre-minced garlic or use a garlic press for quick prep.
- Choose pre-rinsed quinoa to skip washing.
Storage
- Store: Put leftover Mexican quinoa in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Place leftovers in an air tight freezer friendly container or gallon sized bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Simple Quinoa Recipes:
Mexican Quinoa
Mexican Quinoa is an easy slow cooker meal—just toss in quinoa, veggies, beans, and spices, then let it cook! Pile on your favorite toppings like cheese, sour cream, avocado, and lime for a hearty, delicious dish.
Equipment
- 6-quart Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1-1/4 pounds cubed butternut squash peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, about 4 cups
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15.25-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 finely diced jalapeño about 2 tablespoons, optional, see note 1
- 2 (19-ounce) cans mild red enchilada sauce see note 2
- 1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock, or broth; I love Swanson’s vegetable stock best
- 1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning see note 3 for homemade
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray generously or use a liner.
- Peel, seed, and cut butternut squash into small 1/2-inch cubes to ensure even cooking. Add to slow cooker.
- Combine corn, black beans, rinsed quinoa (I rinse in a fine-mesh sieve), minced garlic, tomatoes, optional jalapeño, enchilada sauce, stock/broth, and taco seasoning.
- Stir well, cover, and cook on high for 3.5–4.5 hours until quinoa pops and squash is tender. Uncover, stir, and set to low, letting it stand for 15–25 minutes until liquid absorbs, stirring occasionally. Prepare toppings and sides during this time.
- Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve Mexican Quinoa in bowls, topped with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Jalapeños add a nice kick but are optional. For less heat, remove the ribs and seeds before dicing, or use milder poblano peppers instead.
Note 2: Make sure you pick the right-sized can of enchilada sauce—these are the slightly larger cans. Taste the sauce before use; if too spicy, use 1 can and replace the other with chicken or vegetable broth.
Note 3: Taco seasoning packets differ in spice and flavor; McCormick’s Mild is a favorite. For homemade, whisk 1 tablespoon mild chili powder, 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, fine sea salt, and pepper.
Note 4: Optional toppings: freshly shredded sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, fresh lime juice, sour cream, chopped cilantro, and/or diced avocado, etc.
Storage: Keep leftover Mexican quinoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, store leftovers in an airtight freezer-friendly container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 43.5g | Protein: 9.8g | Fat: 2.2g | Cholesterol: 0.9mg | Sodium: 1198.1mg | Fiber: 8.7g | Sugar: 9.3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Dietary Concerns
- Vegan: This recipe is vegan. Skip cheese and sour cream or use vegan versions.
- Gluten Free: Check labels since some sauces and seasonings have gluten. Old El Paso is usually safe. Homemade seasoning is a good option.
- Dairy Free: Use dairy-free cheese or sour cream for toppings.
Made this the other night and it’s delicious! It made a TON, however. I was wondering if I can freeze the leftovers? Is this a freezable recipe?
So glad you liked it! I haven’t ever tried to freeze the leftovers so I can’t say for sure, but I do know others have successfully frozen some of my other quinoa slow cooker meals… sorry to not be of more help!
Hi Jessy,
I am wondering if you tried tout freeze it ans if so what was the result once it came out of the freezer?
Thanks!
What size slow cooker would you recommend? I have a 2, 4 and 6 quart cookers. Sounds like the 2 qt will be too small, but is the 6 qt too big?
I have the same question, wondering if I should just cut the recipe in half because it might make too much
I used a 6 quart slow cooker 🙂
Thx for the quick reply, I’m in trader joes buying stuff now
Awesome! Enjoy this!
Thank you for sharing a plant-based slow cooker recipe! One frustration I have is when these types of recipes do not indicate up front the size of slow cooker intended. It makes a difference and no one should have to guess or scroll through the comments to find this information. Wishing more recipes for the slow cooker published online/by food bloggers were intended for the 3-quart size. Thank you again!
You’re welcome! I’ve updated the recipe to state the size of the slow cooker 🙂
This is awesome! I need to try this out, it’s so refreshing to find a recipe without onions or garlic!
I know they can be omitted, but some recipes just don’t hold up without them.
Totally agree with you!! 🙂 I hope you love this dish!
Had this for dinner last night and it was hands-down the best thing I think I’ve ever eaten, by far the best quinoa dish. It was so easy, but you did say it would be! For the commenters that are saying it is too spicy, I didn’t think it was particularly spicy at all. If it helps, I used Old El Paso mild enchilada sauce and it was perfect. I can’t wait to try your other quinoa recipes. Thank you!
What size cans of enchilada sauce are considered large? I’ve only seen one size at my store so I’m wondering how many total ounces I need. Thanks!
Hey Liz they are 19 ounces each 🙂
I stumbled upon your website while searching for more recipes for my slow cooker. The food looks superbly amazing. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us!
I really appreciate your gratitude! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Hi, looks delicious. However, I have everything to make this today EXCEPT the quinoa. I used all I had to make quinoa pizza crust, which came out great. But I digress! Do you think I could use wheatberries in place of the quinoa?
I just came across you site and am bookmarking every recipe i read it seems! Thank you for all of these new crock pot recipes!! We love quinoa, so this makes it easy to eat it more! Keep it up please!
Thanks so much for your kind comment – it means a lot to me!
Do you think I could sub in a diced hearty potato instead of the squash? no one in this household eats squash but would love the flavor of this.
I believe something like sweet potatoes would be a great substitution for the squash!
I tried this last night and it was the BEST dinner we’ve ever had. It was so good and my whole family even the LO’s ate tons of it. I was hoping to have leftovers, but didn’t get any. Guess I’ll be making it again real soon. Thank you!
Oh so, so happy to hear this!! Thank you Caroline! 🙂