Quinoa Enchilada Bake with Black Beans and Butternut Squash

This quinoa enchilada bake with black beans and roasted butternut squash is a comforting vegetarian dinner recipe the whole family will love! 

Last night’s dinner was so good I just had to share it right away. Maria at Two Peas and Their Pod had mentioned somewhere on social media that their Quinoa Enchilada Bake was one of their most popular recipes. You know how I adore quinoa. I make a batch every week to add to my salads and wraps throughout the week. So a quinoa casserole sounded like the perfect Monday night dinner on a cool autumn night.

One of the most popular recipes here on Yummy Mummy Kitchen is my Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchiladas. One reader on Instagram said it’s the best recipe she’s ever made! Yippee!  I added roasted butternut squash to my quinoa bake and it added delicious sweetness. I wasn’t sure how my little girls were going to respond to this dinner, as one is not a huge fan of quinoa. But covered in gooey cheese, they both ate their dinners without any complaints.

How to Make a Quinoa Enchilada Bake

First, have cubed butternut squash and a batch of quinoa cooked. Meanwhile, saute an onion, bell pepper, garlic, and spices. Add some frozen corn if you like.

Combine the onion mixture with the cooked quinoa, black beans, butternut squash, a little cheese, and cilantro. Stir in red enchilada sauce. It’s yummy already!

Pour the quinoa mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with more Mexican cheese. Now we’re talking!

Try to resist grabbing a fork and sneaking some of this delicious quinoa enchilada bake immediately and burning your mouth. It will be a hard thing to resist.

The casserole will firm up a bit as it cools, so give it a few minutes, but serve warm. Toppings are necessary in my book. I added avocado to mine, and the kids added a big dollop of guacamole to theirs. Sour cream and green onions would also be yummy on top. I also served this with chips on the table for scooping up the quinoa insides, and it was great with a little crunch.

This quinoa enchilada bake is an excellent recipe to bring to a friend. You can assemble it up to a day ahead and refrigerate it and then bake. I can’t wait for lunch leftovers today!

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Yield: Serves 6

Quinoa Enchilada Bake with Black Beans and Butternut Squash

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

This delicious quinoa enchilada bake is an easy, comforting vegetarian dinner recipe the whole family will love.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 1 (12 oz.) jar red enchilada sauce (I used Trader Joe's) 
• 1 large avocado, sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion until softened. Add the bell pepper and and continue to saute until the pepper has softened. Add the garlic, lime juice, cumin, and chili powder. Cook, stirring, another minute. Remove from heat.
3. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl. Add cilantro, quinoa, black beans, butternut squash, and 1/2 cup of the cheese to the bowl and toss with the enchilada sauce to coat.
4. Smooth quinoa mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with a rubber spatula and cover the top with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes until bubbling.
6. Serve warm with avocado on top.

Notes

How to cook quinoa: Rinse 1 cup of quinoa in cold water. In a saucepan, bring quinoa to a simmer in 2 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the water has been absorbed and quinoa is cooked.

How to roast butternut squash: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cubed butternut squash in a baking pan and toss to coat with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast for 15 minutes or until tender.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 10gSugar: 5gProtein: 17g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.