Vegetarian Black Bean Quinoa Casserole (Dump and Bake!)

This black bean quinoa bake is a dump and bake casserole that uses dry quinoa, canned tomatoes, and black beans. No chopping is required in this recipe, just a casserole dish and pantry staples.

I first made this black bean quinoa bake a few years ago for an assignment during my dietetic internship at a hospital. It was such a hit among the patients that it got added to the regular menu at the hospital!

Fast forward a few years and all I want is an easy meal with minimal prep. That's when I remembered this quinoa casserole. It doesn't require any dicing or chopping and odds are you already have most of the ingredients on hand.

If you like my vegetarian black bean enchiladas, Southwest quinoa taco salad or rice and beans, then you'll probably want to make this recipe too. Like most of the recipes on the blog, this recipe is easy to customize.

Jump to:

• Recipe features
• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Customization ideas
• Storage
• Similar vegetarian meal ideas
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Recipe features

• Dump and bake: No boiling required, just add the dry quinoa directly to the baking dish with the other ingredients. The only chopping/dicing needed is for the garnishes. The result is a sliceable casserole!
• Quick & easy: You only need 5 minutes to prepare the recipe. It bakes for 45 minutes and needs to be stirred once during that time.
• Easy to customize: This recipe uses mostly pantry staples, but can easily be modified to include more fresh vegetables etc.
• Seasonings: This quinoa bake uses pretty simple Tex-Mex style taco seasonings like the kind you would find in a packet of taco seasoning.
• Dietary features: vegetarian, vegan-optional, nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free

Ingredients

The ingredient list is super flexible. You can add veggies, swap cheeses, etc. See more customization ideas below.

• Quinoa: I used white quinoa in this recipe. Red or a blend of quinoa colors will work. Frozen or pre-cooked quinoa does not work.
• Black beans: You can use canned black beans or cook them from dry. I usually cook beans in the Instant pot to use in recipes like this. One 15 ounce can of black beans = 1.5 cups black beans.
• Canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles: The green chiles add a little extra heat. I use Rotel brand, but any kind works. A can of diced tomatoes with green chiles that isn't fire roasted also works.
• Corn: Frozen corn, fresh corn, or canned corn work. If using frozen corn you do not need to thaw it first.
• Enchilada sauce: Use red enchilada sauce and choose a heat that meets your spice preferences. Green enchilada sauce does work but is even better in these sweet potato enchiladas.
• Mexican blend cheese: This usually includes cheddar, colby and Monterey jack cheeses. 
• Spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. Alternatively, use a tablespoon of taco seasoning.
• Rice: Several people have tried this recipe with an equal amount of white rice in place of quinoa and reported that it works well. Another option is to try my rice and bean casserole.

Instructions

Most of this recipe is inactive time spent waiting for the quinoa to cook in the oven. It takes about 30 minutes to cook and 15 minutes to firm up the casserole.

Make sure to use very hot, almost boiling vegetable broth to speed the process along. I just heat the broth in the microwave, but you can also heat it on the stove until simmering.

Before you begin: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve for 30 seconds. This will cut down on any bitterness that the quinoa may have.

1. Combine all ingredients, except for the cheese, in the baking dish. Stir to combine.
2. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and stir. The quinoa should be cooked through but it will still be liquidy.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is firm and the excess liquid evaporates.
4. Top with the shredded cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Let the casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Customization ideas

• Protein: For extra protein, add in two cans of beans (any type of bean works), vegan tempeh taco meat, or tofu chorizo.
• Extra veggies: Diced bell pepper, diced zucchini, and diced tomato are all good options. You can add them directly to the casserole dish or saute them first for extra flavor. You can also just add extra veggies without removing the corn.
• Toppings: Avocado, cilantro, and salsa are all great additions.
• Beans: Kidney beans, pinto beans, or red beans work well in place of black beans.
• Dairy-free option: Use your favorite vegan shredded cheese to make this recipe dairy-free. So Delicious has a Mexican blend, but I haven't tried it out yet.

Storage

• Leftovers: Let the casserole cool to room temp, then cover with foil or a lid. Keep refrigerated for 3-4 days for best quality.
• Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave. Reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 325 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through. Cover with foil if the casserole starts to dry out too much.
• Freezing: This freezes well as a full casserole or as individual slices. Cover the casserole in plastic wrap and foil or plastic wrap and a lid before freezing. If reheating in the oven, add an extra 10-15 minutes of cook time. The casserole can also thaw overnight in the fridge.

Similar vegetarian meal ideas

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📖 Recipe

Author's note: This recipe was originally shared February 2020 and was updated August 2022. The original recipe used cooked quinoa (one cup dry cooked in two cups vegetable broth) and no vegetable broth in the actual casserole. The updated version is more streamlined.