Packed with green veggies, green enchilada sauce, and veggie chorizo, this enchilada-inspired quinoa casserole is a dump & bake recipe that's jam-packed with flavor and nutrition!
I'll be the first to admit that coming up with another quinoa casserole that sets itself apart from the every popular Quinoa Black Bean Casserole and my favorite Quinoa Pizza Casserole is quite a task.
After a few months of thinking about this big green quinoa casserole, I'm really happy to say the results are fabulous!
Spicy vegetarian chorizo (storebought or homemade tofu chorizo) pairs with zucchini, peppers, and green enchilada sauce. It's all topped with cheese, making it easy to slice and even easier to freeze.
While not actually an enchilada casserole because the main grain is quinoa and not corn tortillas, it's uses many of the same ingredients!
Jump to:
Main ingredients
- Quinoa: Not a fan of quinoa? This recipe works with an equal amount of white rice. No other changes are needed. It does not work with brown rice without increasing liquid and cook time.
- Green enchilada sauce and salsa verde: While they appear very similar, these are two different ingredients! Salsa verde has a base of tomatillos, while green enchilada sauce uses green chiles. I love Siete Foods green enchilada sauce.
- Chorizo: I tested this recipe with Trader Joe's chorizo. I use just half of the package, and use leftovers in soyrizo burritos or vegan egg sandwiches. Sprouts and Whole Foods also have vegan chorzo options, but I have homemade tofu chorizo that would also work well here.
- Cheese: Mexican-blend cheese, Montery jack, or shredded cheddar work well here. To make it vegan, simply use an equal amount of vegan shredded cheese.
Make it a quicker recipe
- Make it a no-chop recipe: Use thawed frozen peppers and corn. Omit the zucchini, or buy pre-sliced zucchini.
- Cut down the cook time: Heat all of the liquids on the stove until boiling, then add to the other ingredients in a boil-safe casserole dish. Cut the covered cook time down to 20-25 minutes.
Step-by-step photos
- In a 9x13-inch baking dish, combine all ingredients except for the chorizo and cheese.
- Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked through. Meanwhile, cook the chorizo in a skillet until browned.
- Stir well. Stir in half of the cheese and all of the cooked chorizo. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Return to the oven to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
Storage notes
- Refrigerate the casserole for up to 3-4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave.
- To reheat the entire casserole, cover tightly with foil and bake at 325F for 20-25 minutes, until hot throughout.
- To freeze, let cool completely. Transfer individual portions into freezer safe containers or cover the casserole dish tightly with foil and a lid. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw completely in the fridge before reheating or add an extra 10-15 minutes to the reheating bake time.
See more about prepping ahead and thawing in my dump & bake casseroles post.
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Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
This quinoa casserole is a spin on an enchilada casserole, using many of the same ingredients. It's a dump & bake casserole, so minimal active time is needed.
Ingredients
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1 small jalapeno
- 2 ears corn or ½ cup thawed frozen corn
- ½ medium zucchini
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed well
- 10 ounce can (or 1 ¼ cup) green enchilada sauce see note #1
- ½ cup salsa verde
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro optional
- neutral cooking oil as needed
- 6 ounces soy chorizo see note #2
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- avocado for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Dice the bell pepper, mince the jalapeno, shuck the corn (slice kernels from the cob), and slice the zucchini into half moons.
- To a 9x13-inch baking dish, add the peppers, corn, zucchini, quinoa, enchilada sauce, salsa verde, vegetable broth, drained black beans, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and chopped cilantro.
- Stir well and cover tightly with foil, an oven-safe lid, or an upside down sheet pan. Bake at 375F for 30-35 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through.
- While the quinoa cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with enough oil to coat. Once hot, crumble in the chorizo. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Remove the quinoa from the oven. Stir well. Stir in half of the cheese and all of the cooked chorizo. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Return to the oven to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and enjoy topped with additional cilantro, sliced avocado, and salsa verde.
Video
Notes
- No chop version: Omit the zucchini and jalapeno and replace peppers with (thawed) frozen peppers and corn.
- Enchilada sauce: I tested this recipe with a standard can of enchilada sauce (10 ounces) and Siete Foods enchilada sauce, which comes in a 15 ounce jar. I measure out 10 ounces (1 ¼ cup) when using a non-standard can.
- Chorizo: This is optional. I use half a package of Trader Joe's soy chorizo. Sprouts and Whole Foods typically have vegan chorizos available. My homemade tofu chorizo is another option.
- Cheese: To make this recipe vegan, use an equal amount of shredded vegan cheese.
- Best within 3-4 days. Let cool completely before freezing as an entire casserole or individual slices. To reheat in the oven, cover tightly with foil and reheat at 325F for 20-25 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 486kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 32gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 1636mgPotassium: 820mgFiber: 14gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1408IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 546mgIron: 7mg
Did you make this?I love hearing how it went! Leave a review or tag me on Instagram @cozypeachkitchen so I can see your creations!
Trysten says
This recipe is amazing. I subbed enchilada sauce for salsa verde and after 30 minutes in the oven I added shredded roasted tofu for extra protein. So so good! Thank you! J love your recipes!
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Shredded roasted tofu, yumm!! Sounds great. Thank you for the review! 🙂
Sarah says
This recipe is so delicious! I left out the jalapeño since I have a 4 and 7 year old and it was still so good with so much flavor. Everyone ate a ton and asked to make it again. We ate with some tortilla chips and that was yummy add on.
Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD says
Thanks so much for the review! So happy it was a hit with the kids too 🙂