Servings
Font
Back
Mexican Quinoa Recipe
4.7 from 78 votes

Mexican Quinoa Recipe

Mexican Quinoa combines cooked quinoa with a colorful mix of sautéed celery, onions, multi-colored peppers, corn, and beans, seasoned with lemon pepper and taco spices. Finished with lime juice and fresh cilantro, it offers a lively blend of textures and flavors. This dish works well as a nutritious side or light main that highlights the fresh crunch of vegetables with the heartiness of beans and quinoa.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2
Calories: 354 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

From Pantry
  • 65 g quinoa ⅓ cup dry quinoa, cooked and fluffed
  • 60 g black beans ¼ cup dry beans boiled and drained you can use canned also
  • 60 g red kidney beans ¼ cup dry beans boiled and drained you can use canned also
  • 1 tbs neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
Produce
  • 100 g celery  2 stalks of chopped
  • 150 g onion Slices of half of medium sized
  • 400 g pepper 2 pepers total julienned - use mulptiple colors if you have them
  • 150 g carrot matchsticks style
  • 100 g corn Half a cup of frozen
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 15 g cilantro Handful of chopped
  • 3 g green chilies 3 chillies
Spices
  • 1 teaspoon lemon pepper spice mix
  • 2 teaspoon taco seasoning if you don't have theses seasonings you can add salt, red pepper flakes, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black pepper and ½ a teaspoon of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt As per taste

Instructions

Stove Top Version
    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat around 1 tbs of oil in a wok
  2. Add 2 stalks of chopped celery; sauté it on high for a minute.
  3. After that add slices of half of medium-sized onion, sauté it. Don't let it cook too much maintain the crunchiness of vegetables.
  4. Add half of each color julienned peppers( green, red, yellow and orange) you can use whatever color peppers you have in hand. Sauté all of them on high maintaining the crunchiness.
  5. Add around frozen corns and stir. 
  6. Add boiled and drained black beans ( you can use canned also). Give a good stir. 
  7. Add boiled and drained red kidney beans ( you can use canned also). Give a good stir.
  8. Add all the spices. I used 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper spice mix and 2 teaspoon of taco seasoning if you don't have theses seasonings you can add salt, red pepper flakes, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, black pepper and ½ a teaspoon of sugar stir everything.
  9. Add 1 cup of cooked and fluffed quinoa.
  10. At the end add lime juice of half lime and handful of chopped cilantro into quinoa and combined everything.
  11. Your Mexican quinoa is ready to serve with sliced avocado and enjoy.
Instant Pot Version
  1. Put Instant pot on high heat in saute mode.
  2. Heat around 1 tbs of oil in the pan.
  3. Add green chilies and chopped celery; saute it for a minute.
  4. Then add slices of half of medium-sized diced onion, saute it. Don’t let it cook too much maintain the crunchiness of vegetables.
  5. Add frozen fire roasted corn and match carrots. Add boiled & drained black beans and kidney beans (you can use canned also).
  6. Give a good stir. 
  7. Add washed and drained raw quinoa.
  8. Then add all the spices. I used 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper spice mix, 2 teaspoon of taco seasoning and salt. TIP: If you don’t have theses seasonings you can add salt, red pepper flakes, chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, blackpepper and ½ a teaspoon of sugar stir everything.
  9. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
  10. Add water equal to 1.25 times of quinoa volume.
  11. Close the Instant pot lid. Cancel the saute mode and set on pressure cook for one minute. Let the pressure release naturally.
  12. Open the lid, once the pressure is completely released.
  13. Then fluff the quinoa and incorporate the peppers at the same time.
  14. Close the lid again and let it sit for another 10 minutes. Peppers will be cooked using the existing heat and steam in the quinoa.
  15. Before serving add lime juice of half lime and handful of chopped cilantro into quinoa and combined everything. 
  16. Stir everything together and you Mexican Quinoa is ready to serve or pack.

Notes

  • Use white quinoa for a softer texture that complements crisp vegetables.
  • Canned beans can be used instead of dried boiled beans for convenience; drain well.
  • Include a variety of colored peppers for visual appeal and flavor diversity.
  • Adjust spice levels by modifying or substituting the taco seasoning blend as preferred.

Nutrition Information

Calories 354kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 10g (15%) Sodium 70mg (3%) Potassium 1268mg (27%) Fiber 13g (52%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 5015IU (100%) Vitamin C 191.2mg (212%) Calcium 113mg (11%) Iron 5.3mg (29%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 354

% Daily Value*

Calories 354kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 10g 15%
Sodium 70mg 3%
Potassium 1268mg 27%
Fiber 13g 52%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 5015IU 100%
Vitamin C 191.2mg 212%
Calcium 113mg 11%
Iron 5.3mg 29%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.