Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Healthy, easy Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa. Just set it and forget it for a cheesy, protein-packed crock pot meal the whole family will love!
Slow cooking minimizes your time in the kitchen while maximizing dinner compliments! Try Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Beef Brisket, Slow Cooker Spicy Cashew Chicken, and Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef to be sure 😉
This may very well be my new favorite dish of all time. And if not all time, certainly the past 93 hours. That means it’s competing with Mom’s Christmas ham – shh! don’t tell.
Sometimes (read: pretty much every day of my life) I need an easy, practically zero-work recipe that I know I can count on to be absolutely 100% delicious to feed my Mexican food obsession. Slow cooker enchilada quinoa, you are heaven sent. Literally five minutes of prep means I can forget it for a few hours and come back when it’s ready to be devoured.
See that picture up there? ^^^ There’s a lot of yum happening in that crock pot and it lasted us several days since there’s just two of us in this here humble abode, which means leftovers for dayzzz and I could not be more happy about that. If there’s one thing I love more than freshly made cheesy quinoa smothered in enchilada sauce and stuffed with corn and black beans, it’s one or two day old cheesy quinoa smothered in enchilada sauce and stuffed with corn and black beans.
I ate this stuff for breakfast. Yes. Cheesy enchilada quinoa for breakfast. It’s a thing that will be happening again friends.
Now who wants the first bite??
Too late! That’ll be miiine……
What people are saying about this Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa
“I threw this together last night and put it in the fridge. I started it in the morning around 7:00 and turned it off at 2:30- it was a fantastic dinner tonight! I added pieces of avocado, some sliced black olives, and a dollop of light sour cream. I’ve already passed this on to two friends and will definitely make this again!” – Bettina
“I’ve been in love with this recipe since I saw the picture. It’s almost dinner time and I snuck a taste…..YUMMY! Serving with tortilla rolls and chips for those that don’t want to eat it like a chili. Amazing post. THANK YOU!” – Anilise
“Made this over spring break for some of my friends since we were all taking classes and needed a little cheering up. I was worried cause it was me cooking for three guys, but they didn’t even question the lack of meat. They used it as burrito filling and they all got thirds, and then they knocked on my door the next morning and invited themselves in for leftovers. Great recipe, really really yummy, easy to make, and great flavors. It’s a crowd pleaser for sure.” – Elisa
“Made this last night and it was sooo good! I browned some ground turkey and dumped that in, too, and it turned out amazingly well! You weren’t kidding when you said leftovers for daysssss because I have enough for me to eat for the next 5 meals (and I could not be happier about that!)!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!” – Lauren
Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can yellow corn, drained and rinsed
- 2 15-ounce cans mild or medium red enchilada sauce, divided
- 1 15-ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ cup water
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- salt and pepper to taste , (I used about 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper)
- 1 cup shredded Mexican style cheese
- optional: chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream
Instructions
- Add beans, corn, 1 can of enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and chiles, quinoa, water, cream cheese, and salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.
- Pour remaining can of enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and cook 4-5 hours on high or 5-7 hours on low.
- Uncover, top with tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, and chopped cilantro and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have made this many times, now, and love it more each time!!
I have omitted the cream cheese from day one, and it is fantastic!!!! I also make the homemade enchilada sauce for it!!! Very easy, smells amazing and is that much healthier!!
Happy to hear you enjoy this recipe so much!
What color quinoa?? White,tri color?? Or?
I used white?
Great recipe. Super simple. I added half a head of cauliflower (since vegetables, and they were on sale). The cauliflower came out so good! Would highly recommend the addition!
yummm!! I bet that addition was delicious!
I make this every 2 weeks, if not more often. I love it. 3 yEar old loves it. Grandma loves it. So good. Thank you for this recipe!
Happy to hear that this recipe is enjoyed by so many! Thanks, Hope!
I’ve been cHarged with making a vegetarian option for a potlucK; I’d love to make this due to all the great reviews. The only question i have is is it freEzable? And if so, for how lOng? Thanks!
I think that would be fine. I suggest not freezing any toppings like avocado/tomato etc with it though!
For those of you wondering, you can double this for a 6 quart slow cooker. I did this last night and it’s very good! I cooked it 4.5 hours on high. I didn’t add the corn because i didn’t want to add the SWEETENess to it. I served it with tortilla chips.
Thank you for sharing!
This has become a signature dish of mine. Tried it for the first time at a house warming party, and now everyone asks me to bring it for future events! THank you!!!
Fantastic job, Alyssa! I’m so excited to hear that this recipe has been quite the crowd pleaser for you!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Has any made this in the inst pot? I did once buand got luCky by guessing times, etc. wondering if any has ip recipe handy.
You should the the cumin and garilc in the RECIPE part and then put optional i was silly anD DIDN’T read the notes (i did the frist Time and added it In) but i just made this recipe for the SECOND time and forgot and i COULDN’T figure out why i DIDN’T taSte good like the first time i just stired it in at the end Hoping It will make it better
Im thinking of making rhis for mothers day. Have u ever added frozen corn instead od the canned corn?
I actually haven’t done this with this particular recipe before, but I’m sure it’s fine. If anything, maybe let it thaw a bit before adding it just in case some extra liquid comes off of it.