Last Updated on March 28, 2025
A one pot Vegan Mexican Quinoa Dish that is loaded with flavor and ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
It makes for a wonderful side dish, a main dish, or is great as a filling for those burritos and tacos.
How to prepare your quinoa for the dish
The most important part of making this dish taste spectacular is making sure you prep the quinoa before you cook it.
You must rinse the quinoa long enough to remove the bitter protective coating of the seed.
If you do not, you will notice a bitter taste to your quinoa.
I personally like to soak my quinoa for about an hour in warm water before rinsing.
It will help the seeds open just a bit before rinsing.
After soaking, I rinse in a mesh strainer for almost 10 minutes, you will notice the water starts to become clear the longer you rinse.
This may be a little longer than is really needed, but I want to make sure that bitterness is gone.
Once done rinsing, put into a sauce pan.
This dish is simple, filling, and easy to throw all together in just one pot.
Ingredients needed for this dish
- Quinoa – Quinoa is a perfect replacement for pasta or rice. These seeds are rich in protein, fiber, B vitamins, minerals, magnesium, and is naturally gluten free.
- Tomatoes – I used a can of diced tomatoes in this dish.
- Bell Peppers – I like to use a blend of different colored sweet bell peppers in the dish.
- Corn – You can use fresh corn, canned corn, or frozen corn in the dish.
- Beans – I used black beans in the dish for added color and protein.
- Olives – I used black olives in this dish. You can substitute with green olives, or you can add both to the dish.
- Oil – I have used olive or avocado oil in this dish. The oil is used to saute the vegetables.
- Onion – Fresh onion or onion powder can be used for the dish.
- Garlic – Minced, fresh, or garlic powder can be used in the dish.
- Salt and Pepper – To taste.
Garnish
- Vegan Cheese
- Sliced Avocado
- Fresh Cilantro
- Vegan Sour Cream
How to make a Vegan Mexican Quinoa Dish
Clean and dice a multi color mix of sweet bell peppers of your choice. I used a mix of orange, yellow, and red peppers.
If using fresh onion, clean and dice.
Saute the diced peppers and onions (if using fresh onion) in a medium sized sauce pan with oil for about 5 minutes.
Drain and rinse the black beans, then add to the sauteed vegetables.
Add the corn to the sauteed vegetables (If using canned corn, drain before adding).
Next add the quinoa, water, canned tomatoes, onion powder (if not using fresh onion), garlic, olives, salt and pepper.
Place the sauce pan on medium high heat and bring to boil.
Once it is at a boil, turn down heat to medium low and cover.
Let simmer for about a 30 minutes.
You will notice the liquid has evaporated and the dish should be nice and thick, if there is still too much liquid, continue cooking.
Remove from heat and serve hot.
Compliment the dish, by serving with some sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, a dollop of aioli or vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese and tortilla chips!
Vegan Mexican Quinoa Dish
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Quinoa Cleaned
- 1 1/2 Cup Water
- 1 28oz. Can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Cup Mixed color Bell Peppers Diced.
- 1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder Or 1/2 of a fresh onion.
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 15oz. Can Black Beans
- 1 Cup Corn Fresh, frozen, or 1- 15oz. can of corn, drained.
- 1/3 Cup Olives Black or green olives, sliced.
- 1 Tbsp Oil I have used either olive or avocado oil.
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
Garnish
- Fresh Cilantro
- Sliced Avocado
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Vegan Shredded Cheese
Instructions
- Clean and dice a multi color mix of sweet bell peppers of your choice. I used a mix of orange, yellow, and red peppers.
- If using fresh onion, clean and dice.
- Saute the diced peppers and onions (if using fresh onion) in a medium sized sauce pan with oil for about 5 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the black beans, then add to the sauteed vegetables.
- Add the corn to the sauteed vegetables (If using canned corn, drain before adding).
- Next add the quinoa, water, canned tomatoes, onion powder (if not using fresh onion), garlic, olives, salt and pepper.
- Place the sauce pan on medium high heat and bring to boil.
- Once it is at a boil, turn down heat to medium low and cover.
- Let simmer for about a 30 minutes.
- You will notice the liquid has evaporated and the dish should be nice and thick, if there is still too much liquid, continue cooking.
- Remove from heat and serve hot.
- Compliment the dish, by serving with some sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, a dollop of aioli or vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese and tortilla chips!
