Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole (Vegan)
This healthy Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole takes only 15 minutes of prep, then add it all into the slow cooker! It’s filling, serves lots of leftover and is bursting with flavour!
Am I the only one ready to jump on a permanent blanket, with a glass of apple cider, and to eat all the comfort foods for this season?! Even though it’s been a steady 86 degree F weather, I’ll still be getting on board and eating all the comfort food. Making this Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole truly brought back some amazing memories from past holiday seasons that we’ve made it. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it here before, but it would be criminal to let another holiday season pass and not let you indulge in this divine dish.
Get ready for comfort heaven, friends.
When I first became vegetarian, I delved a bit directly into everything slow cooker/crockpot. It’s kind of funny that I never used it before becoming vegetarian, since it has served me so well. I quickly learned that pretty much everything tastes better once it’s been cooking away for hours, and this Quinoa Enchilada Casserole is no exception.
Like I mentioned, we’ve been making this for years. It is so many things, but mainly:
- healthy
- so filling
- perfect for cooking for crowds in general, especially during this holiday season
- comfort food heaven
- loaded with protein, fibre, and lots of wholesome vegetables
The mix of Mexican-esque flavours really create the perfect meal that’ll make your whole house smell amazing too. I switched it up from how we usually make this to include some enchilada sauce and lime to pump up the flavours. If you haven’t noticed, I am a lime OBSESSED girl. It brings up all the hidden flavours in dishes. Trust me when I say it is a necessity to use here.
My favourite ingredient in this quinoa enchilada casserole/bake is definitely the quinoa. It adds so much fibre, and really brings the whole dish literally together. As if things couldn’t get better, some vegan sour cream is like a dollop of heaven on top of this. If you’re not vegan, you can use regular cheese and sour cream, so this recipe suits everyone.
Get ready for your family, kids, and friends “casually passing by” to ask for seconds of this. By the way, you can freeze this too! Get comfy, eat up, and enjoy friends.
Slow Cooker Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth, (540ml)
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa, (270g)
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed, (425g)
- 15 oz can corn kernels, drained and rinsed, (418g)
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, about 2 cups (do not drain), (411g)
- 1 cup enchilada sauce, (150ml)
- ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper, (roughly 100g)
- ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper, (roughly 100g)
- 1 medium onion, chopped OR ½ large red onion (100g)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder or chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
- juice of 1 large lime, about 1 ½ tablespoons
- 1 ¼ cups vegan mozzarella cheese shreds, or a mix if you like
- TO GARNISH: chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, vegan sour cream
Instructions
- Add the veggie broth, and then all the ingredients EXCEPT the cheese and the lime into the slow cooker. Stir a few times to completely combine.
- Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 2 to 2 ½ hours. I've made it both ways, and it just depends on your individual slow cooker.
- When there are about 10 minutes left, open the slow cooker and add the lime juice and ½ the cheese. Stir it in as best as you can, then smooth the mix back flat again. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Place the lid back on and let it cook for the last 10 minutes.
- When the casserole is ready, serve with your favourite toppings (avocado, chopped green onions, parsley, tomato and sour cream). Enjoy!!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
This recipe is absolutely delicious! Works perfectly in the instant pot with 1 minute in high pressure and a 15 minute natural release! It’s perfect for a night that you’re craving comfort food with a Mexican spin and don’t want to spend a ton of time prepping dinner. Another roommate fave that we’re going to put into regular rotation!
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Ellen! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!
I tried this in the Instant Pot as well, but had to go back and cook for an additional 2 minutes on high pressure, and then use the saute function to get some of the remaining liquid to evaporate. Maybe for the IP, using less liquid is the key. It was delicious once we got it to be less like a soup!
This is by far one of my most favorite recipes!! I used miyoko for the cheese at the end. Omg if you haven’t tried it, TRY IT!!
Thank you so much Heidi! We really appreciate the kind words.
I was looking through the comments to see if anyone had tried using Miyokos for the cheese! I’m excited to try this for dinner tonight! I’m so glad you posted this comment!
Wow! Absolutely love this recipe. I made some substitutions to use up what I had on hand, and did a stovetop version instead of crockpot due to lack of time. Came out amazing… will definitely be making this again!!
Thanks so much Kayleigh! We’re happy that you enjoyed it!
Can you do this on low for longer time period?
Hi Jennifer thanks for reading. Yes you can!
Hi, this looks great but what can I use instead of enchilada sauce, please? It’s not easy to find this where I live.
Hi Claire! Thanks so much You can definitely use pizza sauce or tomato sauce.
Hands down my favorite recipe!!! I make this as often as I can. Love it!
Loved it. I’ve been looking for more vegan crockpot recipes for my fall/winter rotation. I too am a lover of limes. Used key limes for the tang. Thanks Jessica and look forward to your crockin’ your chili recipe.
Awesome Tom! We’re so happy that you like our recipe!
Nutritional information is based on what portion size? Or the entire crockpot?
Thanks. It’s delicious, we make it all the time.
Hi Kathryn! So happy to hear you make this all the time! It’s the entire crockpot divided by 6 (so 1 of 6). I hope this helps!
I’m making this tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Sounds great and so easy!
I’m very curious about making this recipe, but I’ve had bad experiences with quiona when it’s not washed thoroughly before being cooked. I find it has a very soapy taste. Is that something that needs to be done for this recipe too? Thanks!
Hi Aly you should definitely wash your quinoa before using it in the recipe.