Crockpot Quinoa Recipe

Taylor Kiser | Food. Faith. Fitness.

Crockpot Quinoa adds a little Mexican flavor in with your quinoa. Effortless and tasty.

You know that saying “a dog is a man’s best friend?”

Well, I think that’s false.

After much ponder-age, I have decided that a slow cooker really is a man’s best friend.

Crockpot Quinoa Photo

Let’s look at the facts shall we?

1. It makes dinner FOR YOU. You just need to throw some random things into it, press a button and VOILA! Somehow a delicious meal is magically ready when you get home.

When was the last time you came home to a big batch of pulled pork made by your furry friend?

2. It makes your house smell REALLY amazing while it does its thang.

Crockpot Quinoa Picture

“WOW, your house smells so good! What kind of dog do you have?” Said no one ever.

Now, I’m sure there are many other comparisons to make in the dog vs slow cooker debate but, let’s be real, those are PRETTY compelling

ESPECIALLY when we’re talking about spicy, Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa that is topped with ooey-gooey cheesy goodness.

The only way to get some Mexi-goodness out of your dog is to put a sombrero on its head.

Crockpot Quinoa Image

And, that’s just not the same.

Now, this quinoa. It’s almost embarrassingly easy. As in you just have to make a FEW chops, open some cans, and then the slow cooker does the rest for you.

How awesome is that right? Spending all night slaving in the kitchen < working for 5 minutes and then using your saved time to binge-watch “The Millionaire Matchmaker”

Crockpot Quinoa Pic

Not that I know anything about that.

Anyway.

File 1 - Crockpot Quinoa

Crockpot Quinoa Ingredients

Besides being easy-peasy, this Mexican quinoa is loaded with ALL the healthy goodness: chickpeas, black beans, corn, peppers, AND tomatoes.

It’s a veggie fiesta up in here folks.

And, you’re on the VIP invite list.

To make it you will need the following ingredients:

  • Quinoa - Rinsed, uncooked quinoa will fluff up nicely in the slow cooker.
  • Frozen corn - Frozen corn is always best, but canned will also work.
  • Chickpeas - Canned peas, rinsed and drained well are a great addition to this dish.
  • Black beans - Use drained and rinsed canned beans or rehydrated dried beans.
  • Red bell pepper - Crisp bell pepper, diced, adds color and so much flavor.
  • Roma tomato - The firmness of roma tomatoes is perfect here, but any tomatoes will work.
  • Onion - We suggest red or yellow onion for this slow cooker quinoa recipe.
  • Cumin - No Mexican fare is complete without the addition of cumin.
  • Garlic - Fresh, minced garlic is so so good with this quinoa.
  • Salt - Season to taste with salt, remembering all broths have different sodium levels.
  • Black pepper - Black pepper rounds out the seasoning of this flavorful dish.
  • Adobo sauce - Here we're talking about the adobo sauce that comes in a can of chipotle peppers with adobo.
  • Veggie broth - If you're not worried about this dish being vegetarian, you could also use chicken broth.
  • Cheddar cheese - Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top of your quinoa when you're ready to eat - so good!
  • Cilantro - Finish everything off with a big pinch of chopped fresh cilantro.
File 2 - Crockpot Quinoa

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get crock-in’.

Sorry, had to.

How to Make Crockpot Quinoa

  1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker crock with non-stick cooking spray to avoid sticking
  2. Add quinoa, corn, chickpeas, black beans, red bell pepper, tomato, onion, cumin, garlic, salt, black pepper and adobe sauce
  3. Stir well to combine
  4. Pour in vegetable broth and stir well again
  5. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours
  6. Check around 3 hours for doneness so the quinoa doesn't burn - the water should be absorbed and the quinoa should be fluffy when done
  7. Serve with shredded cheddar and chopped cilantro on top

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Crockpot Quinoa Recipe Photo

What to Serve with Crockpot Quinoa

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Crockpot Quinoa Recipe

    4 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Quinoa, Uncooked
  • 1 cup Frozen Corn
  • 2/3 cup Reduced Sodium Chickpeas, Drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup Black Beans, Drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup Red Pepper, Chopped, about 1 large pepper
  • 1 cup Roma Tomato, Chopped, about 2 tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup Onion, Roughly chopped, about 1/2 large onion
  • 1/2 tablespoon Cumin
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic, Minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • pinch of Black Pepper
  • 1-1 1/2 tablespoons sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 cups Reduced Sodium Vegetable Broth
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese, For garnish
  • Fresh Cilantro, For garnish

Directions

  1. Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray and place the uncooked quinoa, corn, chickpeas, black beans, red pepper, tomato, onion cumin powder, garlic, salt, pepper and adobe sauce inside, stirring until well combined.
  2. Pour in in the vegetable broth, stir well, and cover the pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Mine was perfect at 3 hours, so check it and make sure the quinoa isn’t burning.
  3. Once cooked, season to taste with additional salt and pepper and garnish with cheese and cilantro.

Notes

  • I preferred the quinoa with 1 ½ tablespoons of adobo sauce, because I like a little bit of kick. If you’re very sensitive to spice, I would go with one tablespoon.

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Published:
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Cooking Method:
Slow Cooker
Cuisine:
Mexican
Category:
Healthy Eating
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Related Recipes:
Healthy Eating Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Quinoa Recipes, Slow Cooked Recipes, Slow Cooker Recipes, Easy Recipes, Mexican Recipes, Tex Mex Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Tomato Recipes, Pepper Recipes
Recipe Yields:
4 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Taylor Kiser
Recipe Yields: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 180 minutes
Total Time: 185 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 28
Calories 316

% Daily Value*
5%
Total Fat 3g
1%
  Saturated Fat 0g
17%
Sodium 396mg
19%
Total Carbohydrate 58g
10%
  Dietary Fiber 8g
  Sugars 5g
22%
Protein 11g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Taylor Kiser

About Taylor

Taylor keeps food, faith and fitness close to the heart on her blog of the same name. We're excited to have her as a Healthy Eating fanatic.

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