Looking for an easy, healthy, and vegan meal that the entire family will enjoy? This Healthy Vegan Southwestern Quinoa is perfect for lunch, dinner, or as a Taco Tuesday side dish!
Spice Up Your Life
I definitely have the taste buds for spicy foods. If you are like me, you will rejoice when you see the chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper on the recipe list. If you are a little hesitant at the southwestern description of this dish, have no fear! The cayenne pepper (and any spice or ingredient for that matter) is 100% optional. The cumin will give the quinoa more of a smokey flavor. However, the chili powder and cayenne pepper will give it the kick! I would definitely not recommend omitting all of the chili powder, as it provides a lot of the southwestern flavor. If you really do not do well with spices, I would cut the amount of chili powder in half and omit the cayenne pepper. Worst case scenario, you can lighten up the flavor with some dairy-free yogurt and fresh avocados!
One Pot Wonder
To be honest, one of the worst parts of being a food blogger is the copious amount of dishes that I produce in a day. I rarely find myself using only one pot or pan when I test out a recipe. It’s super overwhelming to clean up, and I don’t even have kids! It showed me how important one pot meals are, especially for families with children. Other than the tools used to prepare the produce, this is a super easy meal that requires very few dishes. I’m starting to get on board with the one-pot meal train and I look forward to creating similar recipes for you!
This post may contain affiliate links, though all items are 100% recommended and used by myself personally. This means that at no extra cost to you, minimal compensation may be earned from any items purchased while visiting this site. This is to provide the ability for me to maintain the blog at no extra cost to you!
Healthy Vegan Southwestern Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup quinoa uncooked
- 3 Roma tomatoes diced
- 15 oz black beans canned and drained
- 1 cup corn canned
- 1 Tbs garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbs chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbs cilantro chopped
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 1 lime juiced
Toppings
- cilantro
- almond yogurt
- avocado
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat for 1 minute
- Add all ingredients (minus lime juice and toppings) to the pan and mix to combine
- Leave the heat on medium-high until the water starts to bubble, then decrease to medium-low heat and cover for 15 minutes, stir halfway
- After timer has gone off and quinoa has popped, stir in the lime juice
- Serve with optional toppings and enjoy!
Nutrition
All images and text ©Alexis Stambaugh for Passport Flavor™
I'm a 20-something foodie with a passion for travel. As a self taught chef, I believe food is what brings us together. When I'm not in my kitchen creating recipes, I love connecting with people as I experience cuisines from other cultures. Come join me on my culinary and travel adventures!