Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Name: Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp chili powder, or to taste; ½ tsp dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano; ½ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp onion powder; 1 (14.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes; ¼ tsp salt, or to taste; ¼ tsp ground black pepper, to taste; 2 cups cooked quinoa; 3 tbsp chopped Anaheim or other mild chile (about ½ chile); 2 cups cooked beans or drained and rinsed canned beans, such as black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, or a combination; 8-9 sprigs cilantro, chopped; ½ tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp chili powder; ¼ tsp salt, or more as needed; ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste; 1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella; 1 avocado, diced, for garnish; 2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced, for garnish

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

This quinoa casserole recipe is from our newest book: ALWAYS DELICIOUS by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, and Dawn Ludwig.

This is one of our favorite recipes from our partnership with George Brown College! We have an on-going collaboration with the school to help train a new generation of chefs in the AH lifestyle. Culinary students John Loui Ricardo and Julius De Guia wowed us with this tasty casserole from their AH class project. This casserole is quick and easy because components can be made ahead and assembled in a matter of minutes . . . but it tastes like it came from a fine restaurant. Our son Benji says that he’ll eat anything that has this enchilada sauce on top!

This recipe doesn’t have a source of protein – but it’s easy to incorporate some crumbled tempeh, tofu, cottage cheese, or one of our Baked Tofu variations (Always Delicious pg. 175). If you’re not vegetarian, you could also serve this quinoa casserole with beef, shredded chicken, or a few poached eggs.

How Do You Like to Serve Your Quinoa Casserole?

Comment your ideas below or share a picture of your recipe on our Facebook Group – we always love to see what you’re cooking!

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

GBC Students John Loui Ricardo and Julius De Guia

Recipe from ALWAYS DELICIOUS by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, and Dawn Ludwig

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

Enchilada Sauce

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chili powder, or to taste
½ tsp dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1 (14.5 ounce can) diced tomatoes
¼ tsp salt, or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper, to taste

Casserole

2 cups cooked quinoa
3 tbsp chopped Anaheim or other mild chile (about ½ chile)
2 cups cooked beans or drained and rinsed canned beans, such as black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, or a combination
8-9 sprigs cilantro, chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp salt, or more as needed
¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
1 cup shredded cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella
1 avocado, diced, for garnish
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Make the Enchilada Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir together the chili powder, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl.
Add the spices to the hot oil all at once. Cook, stirring, for a few seconds to allow the spices to become fragrant and infuse the oil with flavor without burning. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree directly in the pot with an immersion blender. (If the sauce is not deep enough to fully immerse the blender and prevent splattering, carefully transfer the sauce to a deep bowl or jar to blend. Return to the pan after blending.)
Simmer for 5 minutes more to slightly reduce the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Set aside. (This sauce can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and reheated for quicker prep.)

Make the Casserole

In a 9‑inch square casserole dish, combine the quinoa, enchilada sauce, chile, beans, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Adjust the seasonings. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese evenly over the top.
Bake until bubbling and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.
Serve immediately, garnished with the avocado and fresh tomato.

Notes

Nutrition (Enchilada Casserole Only)

Fat: 21g

Carbohydrates: 54g

Protein: 20g

Calories: 478

Nutrition (Full Meal - Phase 1)

Substitute 1 pound extra-firm tofu (drained, pressed with an absorbent towel, crumbled, and seasoned with 3/4 teaspoon salt) or 2 cups cottage cheese for the quinoa. Garnish with 2 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt. For dessert, enjoy 1 Chocolate Truffle (Always Delicious pg. 314)

Fat: 49%

Carbohydrates: 28%

Protein: 23%

Calories: 636

Nutrition (Full Meal - Phase 2 or 3)

Serve with 1/2 serving Baked Tofu (Always Delicious page 175; Chimichurri Variation). For dessert, have 1 cup strawberries.

Fat: 41%

Carbohydrates: 39%

Protein: 20%

Calories: 668

Keyword Phase 2, Vegetarian

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

How Do You Like to Serve Your Quinoa Casserole?