Slow Cooker Enchilada Quinoa
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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……
More Recipes to Try
- Enchilada Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Boats – a fresh, vibrant twist on classic comfort food baked to bubbling, saucy perfection.
- One Pan Greek Sun Dried Tomato Chicken and Lentils – the ultimate effortless weeknight dinner that delivers big, sun-drenched flavors with minimal cleanup.
- Quinoa Chicken Nuggets – crispy, golden, bite-sized perfection baked for ultimate guilt-free crunch.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
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.
Easy! Pretty much zero prep and came out great. I cooked on high for 4 hrs 30 min, but next time would only do 4 hours.It will be my lunch, but would also be a great appetizer with tortilla chips. Only thing I’ll mention is my version is not nearly as pretty as these pictures!
Thanks for your input, Kat!
Can you make this in a rice cooker?
I haven’t ever done that, I can’t say for sure! I don’t have enough experience with using a rice cooker to say.
We love this recipe and make it almost Once a month! I add 1/2 a yellow onion chopped, a small orange bell pepper chopped, cut the water to 1/3 cup and add 1/3 cup quinoa. The whole family loves it! Thank you for this delicious recipe!:)
Your additions sounds delicious!
I made it all today for a potluck dinner tomorrow. It looks very liquidy in the crock pot. Hope it turns out well. Seems like 2 cans of 15 oz. enchilada sauce seems quite a bit for just 1 cup of quinoa (since tomatoes have liquid in it as well). Plus extra water is added. Fingers crossed.
Love this recipe- can it be adjusted to make in an instapot?
I haven’t tried that with this recipe but I’m sure it’s possible!
This is a favourite in our house! I make it at least once a month if not more! I add chili powder, cumin, garlic salt, and garlic powder to ours. I DONT MEASURE I JUST SHAKE IT IN AND STIR. So good!!
Yummy!
LOVE MAKING THIS!!
I was thinking of adding another protein, i.e., chicken, to this recipe. Would i be able to just add it and forget it?
I think so! I haven’t tried this so I can’t guarantee results but I think it could work.
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!