This flavorful one pan southwest quinoa is a perfect batch cooking meal that takes barely any effort and is packed with flavor. It’s made in a single skillet and comes together in less than 30 minutes. If you’re using leftover previously-cooked quinoa, this is a 10 minute meal.
Check out my favorite method for perfectly cooked, fluffy quinoa. If you’re wondering about my quinoa brand, I love this sprouted quinoa. The process of sprouting allows the seeds to germinate, which allows for easier digestion and absorption of nutrients. For a gluten-free brand of quinoa, check out this one.
If you make this one pan southwest quinoa, leave a comment below, rate it, or tag me in your meal pics on Instagram @katiesconsciouskitchen. Or, join my free private facebook group to share your creations and inspire others! I love to see what you all are making out there.

Ingredients
Veggies
- 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño minced, seeds removed, or diced green pepper if you don't like heat
Protein
- 2/3 cup dry quinoa
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
Fat
- 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 fat serving
- 1/2 avocado, sliced per serving, 1.5 oz per serving
Seasonings
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- A couple of generous spoonfuls of salsa, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- Add onion and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
- Add garlic and jalapeño, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder and cumin.
- Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking.
- If it gets a little dry and the quinoa starts sticking towards the end, add a little broth or water.
- Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro. Portion into 4 servings.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- It might seem like there’s not enough liquid, but there is. It is important to cover this while it’s simmering, because the quinoa gets cooked more by steaming than by boiling.
- If you are batch cooking this and saving it for later, don’t add the avocado until serving time or it will brown.
- To make this dish gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free quinoa.
This recipe was inspired by and adapted from this one over at Damn Delicious.
Made the weight loss version last night. So good!
Thank you Katie.
Looks and sounds like a yummy recipe, love the colors!
I’m reading this and thinking… savoury breakfast? If you leave out the fat, count the quinoa as your grain, the beans as protein and instead of a fruit portion you use veg.
Absolutely!
Hi Katie! As I was making this I noticed you mentioned beans, but nothing in the recipe… can you clarify??
It was delicious though!
Right, so if you are on the weight loss plan, you count the quinoa as your protein and you don’t get any beans. But if you are on maintenance, you can count the quinoa as your grain and have beans as your protein. Does that make sense?
Soooo delicious! Thanks for the recipe!!! I just wish I could add cheese. 🙂
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