Lauren Gaskill

Encouraging women to live in faith and joy

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake

• 25 Comments

There are all kinds of comfort foods out there: ice cream, chocolate, mac and cheese, pizza, mashed potatoes.

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake

But in my opinion, the best kinds of comfort foods are healthy comfort foods. It’s one thing to feel good while eating something, but it’s another thing to feel good even hours after you eat something. There was a time when Taco Bell was my comfort food. In high school, I’d order the Crunchwrap Supreme pretty much once a week and devour it after swim practice. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I think I even dreamed about the Crunchwrap Supreme. That’s how much I loved it.

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake

These days, as my health and tastes have changed and I’ve become educated about food and its effect on the body, I don’t dream about Crunchwrap Supremes (unless they are homemade ones). I dream about things like roasted sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, beans, ancient whole grains and avocado.

I know it’s close to Christmas and as a food blogger I should be posting holiday-related dishes, but sometimes you just have to mix things up during this time of year. This Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake includes many of my favorite comforting ingredients. It’s a delicious, lightened-up twist on a classic Mexican dish and requires less than a half an hour to make. So if comfort’s what you’re looking for and time is what you’re short on, this dish is definitely for you! 

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake

I recently developed this recipe for SNAP Fitness. You can head over to their blog here, or access the recipe below. Bon appetit!

Black Bean Quinoa Enchilada Verde Bake
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup dry)
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups salsa verde
  • 2/3 cup cheddar cheese (or dairy-free cheese to make it vegan)
  • 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese (or dairy-free cheese to make it vegan)
  • Sliced avocado for serving
Instructions
  1. INSTRUCTIONS
  2. Preheat oven to 375° F and spray a 2.5-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
  3. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté the green bell pepper and onion until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the cheese and avocado and stir well.
  5. Pour mixture into baking dish and top evenly with cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
  6. Bake until cheese is melted and quinoa is heated through, about 15 minutes.
  7. Top with avocado and serve with chips and salsa.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julia says

    Yuuuuuuhs! I’m all about a cheesy casserole/bake and this super healthy quinoa enchilada situation is making my mouth water! Bravo, m’dear!

    Reply

  4. annie says

    This looks so easy! I love me some enchiladas, but sometimes they can be a process. With these, you get to just dump everything in the pan, dust off your hands, and be done! Just right for a midweek meal.

    Reply

  9. Emily says

    This is ABSOLUTELY comfort food! It is like a fancy version of what we named Amazing Bake in our house. It was basically a layer of rice, beans, and cheese. It was the only thing both parents and all 4 kids would eat so we had to name it. We have made many embellishments over the years but I will definitely try this one!

    Reply

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