Whether you’re relying on pantry staples or you’re looking to add more plant-based recipes into your life, this quinoa bake has you covered!

You can spruce it up with common ingredients you may have on hand, but it relies on a handful of foods you may already have in your kitchen. It’s packed with plant protein goodness from quinoa and gets an extra boost from flaxseed!

This recipe is naturally vegan, but you can stir in cooked ground beef or chicken or top your serving with cheese if you prefer. You can customize your spice level though which salsa you use and you can top the bake with chopped jalapeños if you want an extra kick.

We know there is a strong debate over flavors like cilantro, so this is the perfect recipe to turn “build your own.” Consider serving it up with toppings like chopped tomatoes, avocado, shredded cheese, cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges — then everyone gets their bowl exactly the way they like it!

Serve this bake in bowls by itself or with tortilla chips on the side as a new take on nachos! If you try this out, we would love to hear about it — tag us @manitobamilling!

Print Pin

Table of Contents

Toggle

Spicy Slow Cooker Quinoa Bake

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Equipment

• Slow Cooker or Instant Pot

Ingredients

Stage 1

• 2 cups dry quinoa
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 1 jalapeño seeds removed, small dice (optional)
• 1, 16 oz jar salsa
• 1, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup Manitoba Milling Co. Smooth Whole Milled Flaxseed
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1 ½ Tablespoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Stage 2

• 1 , 15 oz can corn no salt added, drained
• 1 , 15 oz can black beans no salt added, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro optional
• Juice of 1-2 limes to taste

Toppings (Optional)

• diced tomatoes
• cheese shredded
• sour cream
• cilantro chopped
• avocado diced or wedges
• lime wedges

Instructions

• In a slow cooker, add the ingredients from Stage 1 (quinoa, diced bell pepper, jalapeño, salsa, tomatoes, flaxseed, broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder). Stir ingredients together until combined.
• Cover and cook on High for 2-2½ hours.
• Once quinoa is ready, stir in drained corn and black beans. Let warm for 10-15 minutes. When ready to serve, stir in chopped cilantro and lime juice, if desired.
• Serve with your favorite toppings such as diced tomato, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and lime wedges.

Notes

Slow cook times can vary, so check the quinoa while cooking to see if you need to add or subtract cook time. You will know the quinoa is ready when the seeds are fluffy and tender and some of the yellow rings have “sprung” from their seeds. Seeds should no longer be crunchy.