Slow Cooker Cheesy Mexican Quinoa Casserole
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Published Feb 27, 2019, Updated Apr 24, 2024
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A vegetarian Mexican quinoa casserole made entirely in the slow cooker. Packed with sweet potatoes, black beans and taco seasoning, this is sure to be a family favorite! Vegetarian and gluten-free.
You’re in for a treat with this slow cooker meal! Cheesy casserole goodness with verrrrry little effort. In case you didn’t know, you can throw dry, uncooked quinoa directly into your slow cooker with liquid (in this case, water or broth) and it will cook right up! For this particular dish, just add in the quinoa, liquid, veggies and spices and turn your slow cooker on. When it finishes cooking, stir in the cheese and top with some more for good measure and voila! A healthy, cheesy casserole is ready to eat.
This recipe is inspired by my Quinoa Fiesta Bake, which is delicious BTW, but I have to say that I might like the slow cooker version even better than the original. I think it has to do with the cheese being melty and gooey with the slow cooker version. The cheese tends to get hard and crispy on top. I know some people love that crispy cheesy layer, but the melty and gooey cheese speaks to me with this dish.
So let’s talk about quinoa for a minute, because it is the powerhouse ingredient behind this recipe!
What is Quinoa?
Although it’s grain-like, quinoa is not technically a grain (like wheat or rice) but a seed more closely related to spinach and amaranth. Weird, I know! Having said that, it’s basically a grain! You prep it the same, eat it the same and it tastes really similar to other grains.
Quinoa is considered a superfood. It’s classified as a carbohydrate but it’s also high in protein and fiber and a good source of antioxidants and minerals. It’s naturally gluten-free, so perfect for anyone with gluten sensitivities or allergies.
How Do You Cook Quinoa in a Slow Cooker?
I had to check this before recipe testing! It was my first time making quinoa in a slow cooker and I honestly didn’t know if I should put it in uncooked or cooked. I wasn’t sure if the slow cooker would get hot enough to cook the quinoa but turns out it does!
Through my research, I also found that you can cook plain quinoa in your slow cooker too. Here’s how:
- Add 1 cup of quinoa, 1 3/4 cups of water or broth into your slow cooker. You can also add any seasonings you want, like sea salt and pepper.
- Cook the quinoa on low for about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. The time will vary based on the brand and size of your slow cooker. The first time you try this method of cooking quinoa, make sure you’re nearby so you can watch the slow cooker and figure out the appropriate cooking time. The quinoa is done when it’s fluffy and cooked through.
How to make this Mexican Quinoa Slow Cooker Meal:
This is a set-it-and-forget-it kind of slow cooker meal. Hooray! Simply add the liquid, uncooked quinoa, sweet potato, black beans, salsa, bell pepper, onions, cilantro and seasoning to your slow cooker. Seriously, dump it all in there! Give it a good stir to combine all of the ingredients and then cover. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 6 hours.
To decide which cooking time to choose, look at your schedule! If you’re starting this in the afternoon and need a quick turnaround, cook on high. If you’re starting this in the morning and have the flexibility of it going all day (or won’t be home), cook it on low.
It’s ready when the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. You’ll remove the lid and give everything another stir at this point. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and then top with another cup. Cover and cook a little longer, just until cheese melts. You don’t need to turn your slow cooker back on – if it’s still on the “warm” setting, it should be giving off enough heat to melt the cheese.
When the cheese is nice and melted, scoop out portions, top with desired toppings and serve!
This might just be one of my favorite slow cooker meals to date. The combo of sweet potatoes and black beans with the taco seasonings and cheese is so good and so comforting. One thing to note: the dish does tend to get a little mushy if you let it cook for too long. I don’t mind this at all and honestly, think it makes a great dip this way BUT if you want more texture with the sweet potatoes and quinoa, just be sure not to overcook the dish.
More Quinoa Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Quinoa Salad with Kale and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
- Southwestern Quinoa Salad
- Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Meal Prep Bowls
More Slow Cooker Options
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Fajita Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken
Be sure to check out the full collection of healthy Mexican recipes on EBF!
Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup water or veggie broth
- ½ cup dry quinoa
- 3 cups diced sweet potato, about 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups prepared salsa, mild, medium or hot
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ small yellow onion, chopped
- ¼ cup sliced green onion + more for topping
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons taco or fajita seasoning
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- Toppings: Greek yogurt or cashew sour cream, avocado, green onion, cilantro
- Tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add water, quinoa, chopped sweet potato, black beans, salsa, bell pepper, yellow onion, green onion, cilantro and taco seasoning in your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours, or until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked.
- Remove the lid and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and sprinkle 1 cup on top. Put the lid back on and cook until the cheese melts, about 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings and tortilla chips if using.
Notes
- This quinoa dish can get a little mushy if you let it cook for too long. I don’t mind this at all and honestly think it makes a great dip for tortilla chips this way, but if you want more texture with the sweet potatoes and quinoa, just be sure not to overcook.
- Make this dish in the oven by following this recipe: Sweet Potato Quinoa Fiesta Bake.
- This recipe can is part of my vegetarian freezer meal prep series. <– Check out the post to learn how to prep and freeze it in advance.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We Love this recipe! Even my picky kids devour it. It’s the perfect meal and the leftovers store/freeze well.
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Imsen. Thanks for coming back to leave a review and star rating. It means the world to me!
Super easy to throw together, and so tasty! I would definitely make this again.
So glad you loved this recipe, Kim!! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
This is probably my favorite dinner recipe I’ve ever found online. I just love it!!
I realize the point is that it’s vegetarian, but I usually throw in some chicken breasts (as my hubby refuses to eat a main meal without a meat). I also add frozen corn, and sometimes shredded carrots. He doesn’t prefer cilantro, so I save that and just add it to my own bowl in the end. I skip mixing in the cheese and just heap it on at the end. I also don’t peel the sweet potato and just dice it – the skin has so many nutrients, and it’s not noticeable when it’s all cooked up and mixed together. And for ease, I buy a container of fresh salsa and use the whole thing, rather than measure out 1.5 cups of it.
I also love to freeze individual portions of this after it’s cooked to grab for weekday lunches.
Any idea what the portion size is for the servings?
I would love to see these recipes using a pressure cooker.
I haven’t tested this recipe using a pressure cooker yet, but I would imagine it would turn out just fine! Let me know if you try it.
My new favorite crockpot recipe!! I love that it’s so easy to throw together, it’s packed with nutritious ingredients and it tastes so so yummy!!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Erica. I’m so glad you loved this recipe. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Hi Brittany! This is my boyfriend and I’s favorite weekly dinner to make! However, I didn’t use our crockpot and instead use our pressure cooker on high for 13-14 minutes. I substitute peach salsa instead of regular salsa and oh my it’s so good! I will be making this when we have a dinner party in the future. Thank you!
Ahh yay!! So glad this recipe is a hit. Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment + star rating and for sharing how you made it in the pressure cooker. I so appreciate it, Monika!
Planning on making this recipe, this weekend! I am not too much of a chef but can you explain the sweet potato process. Do I need to cook the sweet potato before I put it in the crockpot?
Hey Stephanie – Nope, you can just throw your diced sweet potato straight into the slow cooker uncooked. 🙂 Let me know how it turns out for you!!
Made this last night and it was delicious and so filling. Immediately sent the recipe to my mum who’s going to make it and see if she can trick my stepdad into eating quinoa…
Haha! Definitely keep me posted how your mom succeeds! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Eleanor. Thanks so much for trying it and for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it!
I don’t own a slow cooker. How would I do this on the stove top? Should I cook quinoa, sweet potatoes separately then cook all the rest on a stove top and mix?
Hey Leyla – I would cook the quinoa separately, but you can probably add the sweet potatoes raw and cook everything together from there. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!!
It was great! I just cooked it at very low temperature for a couple hours. But I believe the taste was there even though the consistency wasn’t the same. But I added some tortilla chips and sour cream and nobody noticed the texture 😉
Oh good!! I’m glad it turned out for you. Thanks for letting me know!!