Healthy Mexican Casserole with Quinoa Recipe
With the holiday weekend upon us, ushering in summer BBQs, get-togethers with family and friends, picnics, and trips to the beach, this is an easy casserole you need in your hip pocket for a great side dish or vegetarian entree. It comes together quickly and is a crowd pleaser for adults and kids of any age.
Every summer, our stepson, his lovely wife and a bunch of our grandkids come visit us at Lake Tahoe. There’s a ton of activities always going on between the beaches, pool, kayaking, hiking, and a nearby zip-line park, and it’s a great place to kick back and relax. I’m always on the hunt for dishes that I think everyone will like, and are quickly assembled. Bonus points if it’s a dish the grandkids can help with.
Mexican food is a big favorite in our family, and when I’m trying to make 9 of us happy at the table, I’m grateful there’s a common type of food we all gravitate towards. It’s our comfort food.
This casserole is super-flexible, like all casseroles. If you want to spice it up a bit, add a Serano or poblano pepper. Want more corn? Just pile a little more in. Switch out black beans for pintos if that’s your preference. It’s all good. Just be sure to hold back a little of the cheese when mixing it all together, so you’ll have a little to sprinkle on top at the end. There’s nothing better than digging into a little cheese.
This week on the Food Network’s blog, FN Dish, we’re celebrating side dishes for Memorial Day Weekend. So if you’re looking for more ideas for a party your hosting or attending, go check out the below links and be sure to visit our Pinterest Board where we’re got oodles of side dish ideas for you.
HEALTHY MEXICAN CASSEROLE WITH QUINOA
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 cups black beans (cooked)
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup chopped red onion
- 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice (1 lime)
- 1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Fresca Oaxaca Mexican cheese
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. Combine all of the ingredients together, except 1/4 cup of EACH cheese, in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with a large spoon. Pour it all into a 9″ X 11″ casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Spread the remaining cheese on the top of the casserole, and bake for another 5 minutes.
Serve warm.
Now check out some more side dish ideas for the holiday weekend!
SIDE DISHES FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
The Lemon Bowl: Greek Pasta Salad
Creative Culinary: French Potato Salad with Mustard and Fines Herbes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Three Spring Vegetable Bruschetta Recipes For A Memorial Day Feast
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Pulled Pork & Cabbage Salad
Feed Me Phoebe: Herb Marinated Steak Gyros Plates with Tomato-Onion Salad and Green Tahini Sauce
Devour: Red, White and Blue Sides for a Patriotic Memorial Day Picnic
Healthy Eats: 6 Veggie-Packed Sides for a Lighter Memorial Day Feast
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Pineapple and Shrimp Fried Rice
Taste with the Eyes: Holiday Weekend Brunch: Shakshuka with Avocado, Epazote, Pinot Beans
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Healthy Mexican Casserole
FN Dish: 6 Memorial Day Sides That’ll Get More Attention Than the Mains
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