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Home By Meal Lunch and Dinner

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

★★★★★ 24 Reviews Recipe Print
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By: ErinPosted: 1/9/20Updated: 9/22/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

mexican quinoa casserole

This healthy Mexican quinoa casserole is the perfect weeknight meal. It’s protein packed with ground turkey, quinoa, and beans and makes great leftovers for the week! It’s naturally gluten free, and can easily be made dairy-free and vegetarian or vegan!

mexican quinoa casserole

If I’m being totally honest, growing up, I was NOT a fan of casseroles. They aren’t usually the … prettiest dishes. And … I didn’t love the pile of mixed up food on my plate.

THANKFULLY, as my taste buds have evolved, so have my views on casseroles.

There are so many reasons to love casseroles. They are economical, make for great meal prep (or feed a crowd), and the entire meal comes together in just one pan.

And let me tell you. I am casseroles #1 fan after making this Mexican quinoa casserole. It’s loaded with protein from the ground turkey, beans, and quinoa. It’s packed with flavor from the spices. And it’s ultra warming and comforting from the cheesy topping.

The best part? It’s ready in under an hour and that time is mostly hands-off!

Easy weeknight meal, check!

serving of quinoa casserole

Ingredients in Mexican quinoa casserole

This recipe is great because it is made with tons of healthy pantry staples. Aside from the ground turkey, you probably already have most of these ingredients on hand!

The base of this Mexican quinoa casserole is made from:

  • Ground turkey
  • Quinoa
  • Black beans
  • Corn
  • Canned tomatoes
  • Onion

The Mexican seasoning is made from a mix of traditional spices that you probably always have on hand if you make chili or tacos! The ingredients are:

  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Paprika
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Salt & pepper
quinoa casserole in a dish

How to customize Mexican quinoa casserole

Another reason why I love casseroles so much is because they are easily adaptable to taste preferences or ingredients you have on hand. This Mexican quinoa casserole is no exception!

I chose to use quinoa as the grain in this casserole because it’s higher in fiber and protein then other whole grains. But, feel free to substitute ricer or another whole grain of your choice if that’s what you happen to have on hand.

No corn? No problem! Feel free to leave it out, or substitute a vegetable of your choice. I think bell peppers would also be great here!

Love spice? Up the spice level by adding a bit more cayenne pepper.

Be sure to let me know in the comments any customizations you love!

cheese casserole with spoon

Can this recipe be made vegetarian or vegan?

Yes! This Mexican quinoa casserole can EASILY be made vegetarian or vegan.

If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, simply leave out the turkey and add an additional can of black (or your favorite) beans.

If you’d like to make this recipe vegan (or dairy-free), substitute the beans for the turkey as above, and just leave off the cheese at the end!

mexican quinoa casserole

How to serve Mexican quinoa casserole

The best part of this recipe? Serving it with all your favorite TOPPINGS!

I love to serve this casserole topped with a few chunks of avocado, Greek yogurt/sour cream, a squeeze of lime, and a bit of cilantro. Feel free to top with your favorites!

I also think leftovers would be great served in taco shells or made into a taco salad! The possibilities are really endless with this casserole.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

  • Healthy chicken lettuce wraps
  • Easy chicken tortilla soup
  • Healthy cashew chicken

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it was! Also tag @erinliveswhole on Instagram and use the hashtag #erinliveswhole so I can see it and feature you!

mexican quinoa casserole
serving of quinoa casserole
★★★★★ 5 from 24 reviews

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

This Mexican quinoa casserole is made with ground turkey, quinoa, and black beans. It’s the perfect healthy weeknight meal to make for meal prep or to feed a crowd! 

Prep: 30Cook: 20Total: 50 minutes
Yield 8–10 servings 1x
Print Pin it Rate

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1lb ground turkey
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
  • 1 cup water
  • juice of one small lime
  • 1.5 cups cheddar cheese

Topping

  • lime wedges, avocado, greek yogurt, cilantro

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Cook your quinoa by bringing 1 cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover with lid. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat, let sit for a few minutes and then fluff with work.
  3. While quinoa is cooking, heat olive oil in large sauce pan or dutch oven.
  4. Add diced onion and cook until just soft.
  5. Add in ground turkey and garlic, breaking up with spoon.
  6. Once turkey is all the way cooked through, reduce heat and add in tomatoes, beans and corn.
  7. Next, stir in all spices and water.
  8. Stir to combine, and then add in lime juice. Let simmer for 15 minutes on low.
  9. Turn off heat and stir in cooked quinoa.
  10. Pour turkey quinoa mixture into a baking dish (I used an 8×11 dish) and top with cheddar cheese.
  11. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F. Let cool a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Author: ErinCategory: gluten-free, dinner, meal prepMethod: oven
serving of quinoa casserole

Did you make this?

Leave a comment below and tag @erinliveswhole on social media!

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There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂

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Have a question? Use the form below to submit your question or comment. I love seeing what you made!

  1. gayle grady says

    Posted on 1/13 at 7:51 pm

    This was easy and delicious!! I had some shredded chicken that I needed to use up and I didn’t have the tomatoes so I used a salsa. So very good! Thank you Erin!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/14 at 3:47 pm

      I saw it on IG and it looked amazing! So glad you’re enjoying it.

      Reply
  2. Jenna says

    Posted on 1/14 at 9:24 am

    I had this for dinner last night with my husband and MIL. Everyone really enjoyed it, even my MIL who doesn’t typically care for quinoa. Loved how quick it was to put together!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/14 at 3:46 pm

      Aw, YAY! So glad that you liked it! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
  3. Carissa says

    Posted on 1/19 at 8:37 am

    Simple and easy! I did a decent portion of it without cheese on top for myself and the rest with for my husband. He ate more than half the pan in one night ? It was so good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/20 at 3:17 pm

      I love hearing that – thank you for sharing!!

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/11 at 9:31 am

      Hi Carissa, thanks for your kind words and so happy you both enjoyed it so much!! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Emily says

    Posted on 1/19 at 2:02 pm

    This is such a delicious and easy recipe!!! I made this for my family last weekend and they are already asking for me to make it again. Everything came together very nicely and it makes for some delicious leftovers! I am dairy free, so I used vegan cheese for my portion of the casserole and it turned out lovely. Highly recommend making this dish!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/20 at 3:17 pm

      YAY! That sounds amazing, so glad that you liked it!

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/11 at 8:59 am

      Hi Emily, thanks for your kind words! I am so glad your family enjoyed it so much!!

      Reply
  5. Rachel Fehr says

    Posted on 1/19 at 2:49 pm

    Delicious! The whole family enjoyed it. Used ground beef and white beans as substitute. I like how the small white beans blended in more than black beans for some picky kids. Made a double batch and froze one casserole. Had the leftovers in a quesadilla for lunch the next day. Would be a great meal to bring over to a family as well!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/20 at 3:17 pm

      Leftovers in quesadillas sound amazing!

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    Posted on 1/20 at 12:29 pm

    This was by far one of the best casseroles I have made! My husband also really loved it and it kept us happy for a entire week! Thanks Erin for all your hard work and AMAZING RECIPES!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/20 at 3:18 pm

      Thank you Amanda!!! You are so sweet.

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/11 at 8:19 am

      Hi Amanda, thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy you both liked it and thanks for your support!!

      Reply
  7. Janell P says

    Posted on 1/21 at 5:11 pm

    This was delicious! It’s a great way to hide some extra veggies for a toddler and the leftovers were great for breakfast/lunch/or dinner! I added it to our go to recipes!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/5 at 5:23 pm

      I love that your toddler loved it! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/11 at 7:48 am

      Hi Janell, thanks for your kind words!! I am so happy everyone enjoyed it!

      Reply
  8. Kelly Angelosante says

    Posted on 1/21 at 10:33 pm

    Omg this recipe is so freaking good!! Even missing a couple of the spices it’s one of my new favorites / will be a regular around here! Even my picky husband liked it. 🙂 so so good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/5 at 5:24 pm

      LOVE THAT! Yay for feeding picky husbands 🙂

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/11 at 7:48 am

      Hi Kelly, I ma thrilled you enjoyed it and make it part of your cooking routine!

      Reply
  9. Rachel says

    Posted on 1/23 at 2:31 pm

    This was a wonderful weeknight meal – for both my husband and my toddler. Super tasty, filling & nutritious.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/5 at 5:24 pm

      Its always great when the whole family loves it! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/10 at 10:06 pm

      Hi Rachel, thank you for your kind words! I am so happy your whole family enjoyed it!!

      Reply
  10. Emily Meador says

    Posted on 1/25 at 2:40 pm

    I made this meatless by using 1.5 c quinoa. I cooked my quinoa in chicken broth, added sautéed red pepper, subbed Rotel w/ green chilies, and added 1/2 c more black beans. Loved it so much!!!!

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/5 at 5:24 pm

      Okay that sounds AMAZING! I need to try! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  11. Rachael says

    Posted on 1/30 at 12:32 pm

    oh my gosh, Erin…this one is DELICIOUS. It’s so quick and easy but the flavor is awesome. This recipe also makes a ton! enough to pack for lunches all week.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/5 at 5:25 pm

      This comment made me smile. So glad you’re enjoying it!!

      Reply
  12. Jessica says

    Posted on 2/10 at 6:08 pm

    Erin teaches me how to cook every Sunday afternoon via her website! Her recipes are delicious, easy, and last so long! I doubled the amount of Turkey for this recipe and it made the perfect amount of lunches for 2 for the week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 2/13 at 2:01 pm

      this comment almost made me tear up! So glad you’re liking it.

      Reply
  13. Stephanie says

    Posted on 2/25 at 11:02 pm

    This was my first go at your recipes, and this casserole is AMAZING!! Topped it with plain Greek yogurt, and avocados. My whole family loved it! It makes so much that we have lots of leftovers which is perfect for meal planning. Thanks so much for the recipe and can’t wait to try more of them✨

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/9 at 8:20 pm

      Hi Stephanie, thank you for your kind words! I am so happy you and your family enjoyed it so much!! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Danielle says

    Posted on 3/31 at 12:44 pm

    This is so flipping good! This is a really easy recipe, too! Lots of shelf-stable ingredients which makes it a great quarantine meal.

    Some changes I made: I didn’t have canned tomatoes, but I did have red bell pepers, so I added those, along with some chilis in adobe.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/6 at 9:13 pm

      Hi Danielle, thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy you enjoyed it and made it your own!

      Reply
  15. Bridget says

    Posted on 4/6 at 1:05 pm

    This recipe was AMAZING. I knew I would like it 1) because I always like Mexican food/flavors and 2) because Erin has never failed me before and even then, it blew my expectations out of the water. It was super simple to make (I bought pre-chopped onions so I loved that the only prep I had to do was chopping the garlic). It was so filling and also made so much that now I have plenty of leftovers. I substituted the ground turkey for the beef-less ground beef from Trader Joe’s and it was perfect. Looking forward to making this again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  16. Elise says

    Posted on 4/10 at 11:54 pm

    Made this for dinner today! It was so good, filling and great for meal prep! I made a couple substitutions because my grocery store was out of fire roasted tomatoes:
    I diced two Roma tomatoes, added 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and an extra cup of water. I also added a bit more of the spices to enhance the flavor. It was perfect!! I loved it with avocado on top. Now I have a tasty quarantine meal for a few days.

    I would love to see more quinoa meals in the future. I can’t seem to find rice anywhere and I have a gigantic bag of quinoa from Costco.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/5 at 9:17 pm

      Hi Elise, I am so happy you enjoyed the casserole and made it your own!! Thanks for your kind words!! 🙂

      Reply
  17. Julie says

    Posted on 5/5 at 5:21 pm

    Hi Erin,

    First- I love your blog! Was stoked when I came across this recipe and wanted to try it out for Cinco de Mayo today!! It came out awesome and my family and I loved it! I also wanted to share that I also added a Anaheim chili to the mix for some spice. Thank you for sharing 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/4 at 11:23 pm

      Hi Julie, thank you so much for your kind words!! I am so happy you enjoyed it on Cinco de Mayo!! 🙂

      Reply
  18. Megan says

    Posted on 5/17 at 4:29 pm

    This recipe is absolutely amazing! So versatile when you add toppings such as avocado and tortilla chips. I’ve made this recipe a few times and reheats well! Super quick and easy to make. Love that it uses quinoa!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/4 at 10:01 pm

      Hi Megan! thank you so much for your kind words!! I am so happy you enjoy it and make it your own! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Marissa says

    Posted on 5/25 at 6:34 pm

    Made this for dinner for my family and everyone LOVED it!! They didn’t even realize there was quinoa in it. Will definitely be making it again soon!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/4 at 9:17 pm

      Hi Marissa, I am thrilled you and your family enjoyed it!!

      Reply
  20. Taylor says

    Posted on 6/4 at 11:20 am

    Such an easy and delicious recipe! Gave us leftovers for multiple days and was just as tasty every time we ate it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/4 at 12:00 am

      Hi Taylor! Thanks for your kind words and glad you got to enjoy it more than once!!

      Reply
  21. Annie says

    Posted on 6/24 at 4:45 pm

    This recipe is a favorite in my house! We’ve made it with lots of substitutes/changes- sub either ground beef or ground beyond meat for the turkey, sub salsa for the tomatoes, sub rice for the quinoa- all works amazingly well! Turns out great every time and makes for some awesome leftovers, too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/3 at 9:36 pm

      Hi Annie! I am so happy everyone likes the casserole and you’ve made it your own! 🙂

      Reply
  22. Kate says

    Posted on 7/17 at 12:38 pm

    This recipe is so easy and so delicious!! It’s also very versatile so eating leftovers everyday can be new and exciting. I love to put over spinach/spring mix with a poached egg on top!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 8/2 at 9:28 pm

      Hi Kate, thank you so much for the kind words. I am so happy you enjoy the casserole and make it your own! 🙂

      Reply
  23. Alexa Kingsmith says

    Posted on 9/29 at 3:17 pm

    Leftovers were just as good as the first night we had it. A crowd-pleaser for my girlfriends and spouse alike – will definitely be making this again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 10/1 at 8:04 am

      Hi Alexa, thank you so much for sharing. Glad everyone enjoyed it!!

      Reply
  24. Kaitlyn says

    Posted on 10/18 at 5:06 pm

    I made this for my neighbor who has 3 Littles and brand new baby that just arrived. Lots of picky palates and they gobbled it ALL up! I went home and prepped a batch for my meal preps this week and it’s AMAZING! I do not like quinoa but TRUST. This is incredible and comes together so well 😍

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 10/19 at 2:02 pm

      Hi Kaitlyn, I am so happy everyone enjoyed them!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
  25. Neel says

    Posted on 1/4 at 10:01 am

    Quick and easy recipe! Delicious and great to make double and freeze a batch for a quick dinner in the future as well.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/4 at 3:45 pm

      Hi Neel, thank you for sharing!! 🙂

      Reply
  26. Alana says

    Posted on 1/5 at 8:50 pm

    SO GOOD!! I made this for my family and we’ve been eating leftovers for two days still. We love it. I topped it with some plain Greek yogurt as a healthier sour cream. So good & SO HEALTHY! Literally keeps me full for HOURS.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/6 at 4:18 pm

      Hi Alana, I am so happy you liked it and great addition!

      Reply
  27. Brenda says

    Posted on 1/17 at 5:36 pm

    Can I freeze this?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      Posted on 1/18 at 3:45 pm

      Hi Brenda, yes!

      Reply

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