This crispy quinoa bake is actual healthy comfort food! It's a vegetarian casserole that's full of vegetables and irresistibly crispy!
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. All opinions are my own.
Really good vegetarian casseroles can be hard to come by, but this one has stood the test of time.
I've been making this recipe for years for my family and it always get rave reviews when I deliver it to friends or potlucks. It's loaded with interesting textures and flavors, and is one of those rare unicorns where the leftovers taste even better than the original!
Thousands of you have tried it, loved it, and made it your own. There's nothing I love better than when people send me photos of one of my recipes on their dinner table, waiting to be devoured.
Ingredients
- Quinoa
- Olive oil
- Vegetable stock
- Onion
- Green pepper
- Garlic
- Zucchini
- Black beans
- Diced green chiles
- Diced tomatoes
- Corn
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Chili powder
- Lime
- Salt
- Monterey jack cheese
- Cilantro
How to make crispy quinoa bake
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse throughly with cool water for at least two minutes. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The quinoa should begin to dry out and pop a bit.
- Add the chicken stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic and zucchini and cook 5-10 more minutes, until the zucchini is soft and beginning to brown.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork and place it in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Bake 30 minutes, top with cheese, and bake 10 minutes more or until melted and just beginning to brown. Top with cilantro if desired.
Top tips
How to cook quinoa
Quinoa is easy to cook on the stovetop or in the instant pot. If you're unfamiliar with quinoa, be sure to check out the post I wrote on how to cook quinoa or how to cook quinoa in the instant pot to get quinoa that is perfect and fluffy every time!
How to store
Leftovers can be kept covered in the refigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the casserole, baked or unbaked, covered tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months.
How to reheat leftovers
My absolute favorite thing to do is reheat leftovers in a frying pan with a little olive oil. Make sure you stir/flip it frequently to prevent sticking and burning. The quinoa gets even crispier, and so does the cheese!
If you're cooking it after freezing, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Everything in here is safe to eat as-is, but you may want to cook it a few extra minutes to ensure it is hot all the way through.
Tips for customizing crispy quinoa bake
- Make a few simple swaps to change this from Mexican inspired to Italian Quinoa Casserole, Quinoa Enchilada Casserole, Butternut Squash Casserole, or Broccoli Quinoa Casserole!
- Lightly spray a large, rimmed baking sheet (affiliate link) with cooking spray and spread the mixture thin before continuing to bake as directed for super crispiness all over
- Leave off the cheese for a vegan version
- Use whatever favorite veggies you have on hand such as broccoli, mushrooms, or spinach
- Increase the spice level by adding a minced jalapeño and using pepper jack cheese
- Fry leftovers in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat - this is basically a requirement and even better and crispier than the original - being sure to break up and flip the mixture frequently, adding even more cheese if desired!
FAQ
This is a canned item commonly found in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store. It is not the same as a pepper you would find in the produce section, but you could leave it out or substitute it with a regular pepper of your choice if you prefer.
More quinoa recipes
- Broccoli Pesto Quinoa Casserole
- Italian Quinoa Casserole
- Quinoa Salad with Balsamic Tofu
- Quinoa Taco Salad
- Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers
- Vegetarian White Quinoa Chili
- Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Crispy Quinoa Bake
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced (about 1 medium)
- 1//2 green pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, cubed (about 2 small)
- 15 ounces canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ lime, juiced
- Salt
- 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse throughly with cool water for at least two minutes. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The quinoa should begin to dry out and pop a bit. Add the vegetable stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 7 minutes. Add garlic and zucchini and cook 5-10 more minutes, until the zucchini is soft and beginning to brown.
- Fluff the quinoa with a fork and place it in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, beans, green chiles, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, chili powder, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly and transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Bake 30 minutes, top with cheese, and bake 10 minutes more or until melted and just beginning to brown.
Donna Pulsifer says
Absolutely delicious!
Elizabeth says
I’ve made this many times ,it’s delicious and so easy . We love it !
Jac says
Used different veg but this was totally delicious made mine vegan with vegan cheese. Will definitely be making again thank u so much for the idea.
Lindsay Moe says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It is so easy to customize to taste and make vegan.
Cecelia Watley says
Has anyone tried this without the cheese?
Lindsay Moe says
I have had it without cheese, it doesn't get those great crispy edges but its still really good! You technically wouldn't need to bake it, but still could if you want everything nice and warm.
Naquelle says
Anyone ever modify this to a slow cooker? Love this recipe but am entering such a busy work season that the hour bake won’t cut it. Trying to make as many freezer meals ahead of time as I can!
isabelle margat says
This was SO GOOD. Thank you! You saved me when I thought I couldn't make a meal with what I had in! I didn't have absolutely everything, so it was a bit of a riff on it, but it was a success with all 4 of us (including difficult 6 and 8 year olds), so I felt like I had to comment, first time ever commenting on a recipe! Oh, and we're not a vegetarian family, but like to go meat/fish free
as often as we can, for the planet and for our pockets 🙂
Lindsay Moe says
Thank you for taking the time to leave this great review! I'm so glad you all enjoyed it, it's definitely a favorite of mine as well.
Nancy says
I made this with soup veggies. With the weather that’s what I had t home. It is amazing! I made some cashew cheese to put on top. Thank you!
Lauren says
Do you think this would be freezer-friendly? This looks awesome and I'd love to meal prep something like this for a new mom!
Lindsay Moe says
Yes! It is definitely freezer friendly, either before or after cooking. Just let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake a few extra minutes to make sure its warm throughout. Everything is safe to eat before baking, so its really just a personal preference to warm it up.