This Enchilada Casserole is one of my family’s very favorite meals! It is so easy to whip together, taste delicious and is super kid-friendly. The quinoa and black beans provide plenty of protein making it a very nutritional vegetarian dish, plus the avocado for healthy fats if you choose! You could easily add chicken to it if desired but it is so tasty on its’ own.

A few years ago when we started our real food journey there were no clean options for things like store-bought enchilada sauce without the icky preservatives so I have always made my own. With that being said, recently I have found some clean store-bought options on the shelves with clean ingredients and certified organic that I don’t mind using to save a little time. I still attached my homemade version below because it is so fresh and tasty and incredibly easy! We love serving this meal with clean tortilla chips (our favorite linked below). I hope your family enjoys this meal as much as mine does!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 10 oz can mild enchilada sauce
  • 1 4.5 oz can diced green chilies, drained
  • 1/2 frozen corn kernels
  • 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed well.
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp pink salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup raw monterary jack cheese
  • 1/2 raw cheddar cheese –  **(alternatively you could use 1 full cup Mexican cheese blend but I always opt for raw cheeses and grate them myself!) 
  • Optional toppings : cilantro(highly rec), avocado(highly rec), roma tomato.

Directions:

  1. Take quinoa and properly rinse (I always rinse my grains in a strainer before cooking). Heat a large saucepan on medium-high heat, add quinoa, 2 cups broth (or water but cooking grains in broth adds so much flavor and extra nutrition!), a dash of salt.
  2. Cook covered for roughly 15-20 minutes until all liquid is absorbed, turn stove top off, and set quinoa aside for 10 minutes to finish (still covered).
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, Lightly spray an 8×8 size baking dish with a little avocado oil.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together quinoa, sauce, chilies, corn, beans, seasonings and most of the cheese , saving a little extra to sprinkle on top. Spread quinoa mixture into baking dish evenly. Top with the last of the cheese.
  5. Bake in oven about 15-20 minutes until bubbly and cheese has melted. Serve with desired toppings (highly recommend!) and tortilla chips.

*Alternatively you can bake this at a much lower temperature covered with foil, about 300 for an hour or so. I did this when Lily had practice one night and it worked out perfectly. It was ready to eat as soon as we got home!

 

***Homemade Enchilada Sauce***

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil or avocado oil
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour (whole wheat works fine)
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp pink salt
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1  cup broth (or water but broth is more flavorful) *add 1-2 tbsp more if needed

Directions- Two Ways :

  1. Place all ingredients into high powder blender and blend for 30 seconds until all combined. Use immediately.
  2. Heat sauce pan on medium heat and pour olive oil, flour, and chili powder in. Stir all together for about 1 minute and then add in all the additional ingredients. Cook on low for 10- 15 minutes until bubbly.

*I have done this both ways and either way works perfectly and tastes delicious! 

 

 

 

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