MAIN DISH RECIPES

Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guacamole

Updated

One-pot Mexican quinoa simmered with black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, garlic and jalapeño, served with a fast mash-and-stir guacamole. A meatless weeknight main for 4 to 6.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Yield
4 to 6 servings
Illustration of Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guacamole

Everything for this skillet-style supper goes into a single pot: quinoa, black beans, corn and canned tomatoes cook together in broth with garlic and jalapeño until the grains are tender and the liquid is gone. It is a meatless main from the KitchenSimplicity archive that leans on pantry staples, so it works on the busiest weeknights.

The lazy guacamole is exactly that: one avocado mashed with lime, garlic, salt and pepper in about two minutes. Spoon it on top along with salsa, sour cream, cheese and a handful of crushed tortilla chips for crunch, and set the toppings out so everyone can build their own bowl.

Tips

  • Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear to remove its bitter coating.
  • For a milder pot, use one jalapeño; for more heat, leave some of the seeds in.
  • Leftover quinoa keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and is good warmed or eaten cold as a salad with extra lime.
  • Make the guacamole just before serving, or press plastic wrap directly onto its surface to slow browning.

Mexican Quinoa with Lazy Guacamole

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Yield
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Mexican quinoa:
  • 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
  • 1 cup (170 g) uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans (about 1 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juice
  • 1 cup corn kernels (frozen, canned and drained, or fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • Juice of 1/4 lime
  • For the lazy guacamole:
  • 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
  • Juice of 1 small lime
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • To serve:
  • Salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips

Steps

  1. Warm the oil in a medium pot or deep skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeños and stir for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
  2. Add the rinsed quinoa, broth, black beans, diced tomatoes with their juice, corn and salt. Stir and bring to a boil.
  3. Lower the heat, cover and simmer gently for about 25 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Check once near the end and add a splash of broth if the pot looks dry before the quinoa is cooked.
  4. While the quinoa cooks, make the guacamole: mash the avocado in a small bowl with a fork until fairly smooth, then stir in the lime juice and garlic and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Take the quinoa off the heat, stir in the cilantro (if using) and the lime juice, and taste for salt.
  6. Spoon into bowls and top with the guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese and crushed tortilla chips.

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