Quinoa & Black Bean Casserole
We Indians love Mexican food! We greedily devour both traditional Mexican food we boost of eating on our trips aboard as well as the Indianized version springing up all over the country! After all we claim that Mexican beans and rice is the distant cousin of our ‘Punjabi Rajma-Chawal’ (kidney beans simmered in spices and served with rice). Beans and rice is considered classic comfort food in both India and Mexico.
Just when you think, it can’t get more comforting than beans and rice imagine creating a warm casserole of the combination toped with gooey cheese, fresh out of the oven. 
Since variety is the spice of life and ever so often it’s time to switch things up in the kitchen, this recipe replaces white rice with the super grain– Quinoa. This dish is flavored with ingredients widely found in both Indian and Mexican cooking – onions, garlic, chilies, and cumin. The medley of colored peppers adds another beautiful visual and textural dimension to the dish. Finally, warm and bubbly cheese (of your choice) ties everything together.
Since variety is the spice of life and ever so often it’s time to switch things up in the kitchen, this recipe replaces white rice with the super grain– Quinoa. This dish is flavored with ingredients widely found in both Indian and Mexican cooking – onions, garlic, chilies, and cumin. The medley of colored peppers adds another beautiful visual and textural dimension to the dish. Finally, warm and bubbly cheese (of your choice) ties everything together.
This is a delicious and extremely versatile casserole. It’s a delicious dinner item by itself, but can also be used as a salad topping, taco filling or a party dip with some tortilla chips.
Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole Recipe
Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum’s: Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole
Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 45 minutes
Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum’s: Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Casserole
Yield: 4-6 servings
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup red onion, peeled and diced
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, diced (See note)
1 ½ cup different colored bell peppers (diced)
2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (See note)
½ cup homemade or store bought vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked quinoa
½ -1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup shredded cheese (Use cheddar, Emmental, or Mexican cheese)
2 tablespoons sliced scallion (greens only)
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup red onion, peeled and diced
4-5 large cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, diced (See note)
1 ½ cup different colored bell peppers (diced)
2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained (See note)
½ cup homemade or store bought vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked quinoa
½ -1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup shredded cheese (Use cheddar, Emmental, or Mexican cheese)
2 tablespoons sliced scallion (greens only)
Notes:
- You can use a green chili in place of the jalapeno
- You can also use canned black beans. Rinse and drain them thoroughly. If you prefer you can use red kidney beans.
Method:
1. Please heat the oven to 180 C/350 F. Grease with cooking spray or olive oil and set aside a 7” * 11* or an 8” square glass baking dish.
2. In a large non-stick skillet heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bell peppers and cook until the onions are tender.
3. Now add the broth and bring it to a boil, add the black beans and reduce the heat to slow. Simmer stirring occasionally until almost all of the broth has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and use a vegetable masher or a wooden spoon to slightly mash the beans.
4. In other small dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, toss and toast the cooked quinoa with the chili powder, cumin, and salt for 1-2 minutes.
5. Assemble the casserole in the baking dish: First make an even bed of the quinoa mixture. On top of that spoon and even layer of the bean and pepper mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is golden and bubbly.
6. Sprinkle with green onions and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm as is, or with sour cream, tortilla chips, on tacos or on a salad!
1. Please heat the oven to 180 C/350 F. Grease with cooking spray or olive oil and set aside a 7” * 11* or an 8” square glass baking dish.
2. In a large non-stick skillet heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bell peppers and cook until the onions are tender.
3. Now add the broth and bring it to a boil, add the black beans and reduce the heat to slow. Simmer stirring occasionally until almost all of the broth has evaporated (about 5 minutes). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and use a vegetable masher or a wooden spoon to slightly mash the beans.
4. In other small dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, toss and toast the cooked quinoa with the chili powder, cumin, and salt for 1-2 minutes.
5. Assemble the casserole in the baking dish: First make an even bed of the quinoa mixture. On top of that spoon and even layer of the bean and pepper mixture. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is golden and bubbly.
6. Sprinkle with green onions and let cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm as is, or with sour cream, tortilla chips, on tacos or on a salad!
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