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The Best Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

As soon as the weather turns cooler, I love pulling out my comfort food recipes. This is one of our favorites. The toppings that you can dress it up with are endless.
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa -rinsed
  • 2 cups water I add Better Than Bouillon organic vegetable or mushroom base to the cooking water
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 red pepper, chopped (remove seeds)
  • 1 yellow or orange pepper, chopped. (seeds removed
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 juice from one lime
  • 1 ½ cups frozen organic corn
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped. Use more or less based on your preference
  • 2 cans organic black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups red enchilada sauce I use Trader Joe's Enchilada Sauce
  • 2 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese or Sharp Cheddar Use vegan cheese if you wish
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • toppings: cilantro, shredded cheese, sliced green onion, sour cream, avocado cubes, black olives, chopped tomatoes jalapeno slices. Put toppings in small bowls and allow individuals to top their own serving
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Skip if you or your guests are not a fan of a little heat.

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F and grease a 9x13 baking dish or two smaller dishes if you want to leave cheese off of one
  2. Cook quinoa following directions on the bag and add a teaspoon of Better Than Bouillon vegetable or mushroom base to water if desired. Once quinoa is cooked and water is absorbed, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Set aside.
  3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until soft. Add in peppers and corn and cook for about 4 minutes. Add in the cumin, chili powder, lime juice, and cilantro. Stir well and add salt and pepper.
  4. Add to the skillet the cooked quinoa, black beans, enchilada sauce, and 1/2 cup of the cheese (to make the dish vegan, you can skip the cheese or use vegan cheese) and combine well.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish or dishes. Top with remaining cheese if desired. Cover casserole with foil.
  6. Bake for 25 minutes and then remove the foil. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  7. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

As soon as the weather turns cooler, I start to pull out my comfort food recipes. There is something magical about a dish baking in the oven. The whole house smells delicious and it gets everyone eagerly anticipating dinner time. This is one of my favorite recipes! 
I do serve this dish with multiple topping options to keep everyone happy. You can try all of my suggestions, a few of your own, or simply serve it plain. 
I like a little kick to mine so I add the cayenne pepper and pile on all of the toppings listed except for the black olives. (I am not an olive fan but I know they are a big hit with many so I always offer them as a topping)
This dish reheats and freezes well.