Instant Pot Quinoa Enchiladas

By Alexandra Caspero on December 27, 2017
If you like enchiladas, then you'll love this Instant Pot version.
Serves 6

Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, vegetarian and gluten-free! Cooked quinoa, beans, corn and corn tortillas in a homemade enchilada sauce. Delicious! 

Another weeknight dinner brought to you by the Instant Pot.

What do we call this? It’s got all the flavors of enchiladas, but it’s definitely not enchiladas. No rolling, no filling, no baking. Just throwing all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker and in 25 minutes, dinner is served.

This base is so incredibly delicious, you might decide to eat it straight from the pot. Or, you might decide that you do want enchiladas after all and will use the filling in corn tortillas. That’s the beauty of this meal, it’s completely customizable depending on how you want to eat it.

We did both. A cook once, eat twice approach. Enchilada bowls the first night, then I tucked the leftovers into corn tortillas and baked them with more sauce and cheese the second night. Enchiladas two nights in a row? What could be better?

Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

I’m including my recipe for a homemade enchilada sauce, which I feel really elevates the entire dish. If you’ve found a canned version of enchilada sauce that you like, tell me. I’ve tried so many only to be disappointed in the overall taste. They are either too tomato-y, too bland, or lacking any real flavor.

Mine includes a hefty dose of spices, including a little cinnamon for warmth and depth. I know it’s an extra step for a weeknight meal, but I think the additional ten minutes are worth it. Or, do what I do- triple the sauce recipe, then freeze for whenever you need extra enchilada sauce without the additional effort.

Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

Cook the quinoa in the sauce, then add in the rest of the ingredients after the pressure is released. Adding the beans and corn last will prevent them from turning to mush while pressure cooking.

Right before serving, stir in chopped corn tortillas (if using) and shredded cheddar cheese (if desired.) While I haven’t tried it, I think drizzling in my vegan cheese sauce would be an awesome dairy-free alternative.

That’s it! Super easy, super delicious, everything you could want in a weeknight dinner.

Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.comInstant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

More Instant Pot Recipes:

Instant Pot Tacos with Lentil Walnut Taco Meat
Easy Yellow Instant Pot Dal Recipe
Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Vegan Lentil Chili

 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

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Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

Instant Pot Quinoa Enchiladas

  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: instant pot, dinner, healthy, vegetarian
  • Method: instant pot, pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Instant pot, mexican inspired, american
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Instant Pot Quinoa Enchiladas! This casserole is a perfect, healthy weeknight meal. Filled with vegetables, beans and quinoa, this recipe has plant-based protein and easily gluten-free. Serve as is or as an enchilada filling. Instructions for slow-cooker in notes!


  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: instant pot, dinner, healthy, vegetarian
  • Method: instant pot, pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Instant pot, mexican inspired, american
  • Diet: Vegetarian
  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Total Time: 28 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: instant pot, dinner, healthy, vegetarian
  • Method: instant pot, pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: Instant pot, mexican inspired, american
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/2 batch Homemade Enchilada Sauce (or 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce)
  • 2 bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce (from above recipe)
  • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapenos
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
  • 4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Turn the Instant Pot on and hit the saute button. Add the bell peppers, onion, zucchini and a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft. Add in the uncooked quinoa and cook another minute or two until just toasted.
  2. Press the cancel button on the Instant Pot and add in the water and 1 cup of the enchilada sauce. Cover and cook at high pressure for 1 minute, then let the pressure come down naturally.
  3. Remove the lid and immediately once pressure has subsided (about 15 minutes) then stir in the black beans, corn, jalapeno, cheese, cilantro and corn tortillas. Serve hot, with extra enchilada sauce if desired.

Notes

  • I haven’t tried gluten-free flour in my sauce before, but it may work. If not, I suggest purchased gluten-free enchilada sauce instead.
  • I love this dish as a messy casserole, but you can also serve it as an enchilada filling. Cook as is, but don’t add in the corn tortillas. Spoon filling into tortillas, roll and cover with remaining enchilada sauce and shredded cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes until hot and cheese has melted at 400 degrees F.
  • Yes, you can make this in the slow-cooker. Saute onion, bell peppers, zucchini on stovetop with a bit of olive oil until vegetables are tender. Add to the base of the slow cooker along with 1 cup water, quinoa, 1 cup enchilada sauce, black beans, corn and diced jalapenos. Cook on low heat for 5-6 hours. Just before serving, stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and tortillas. Serve with extra enchilada sauce.

did you make this?

Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge

Instant Pot Enchilada Casserole. Yummy, Vegetarian And Gluten-Free! Cooked Quinoa, Beans, Corn And Corn Tortillas In A Homemade Enchilada Sauce. Delicious! #Mexican #Dinner #Recipe #Healthy #Glutenfree #Vegetarian #Quinoa #Weeknight | Www.delishknowledge.com

 

Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Chef, and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

(38 comments) leave a comment

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    1. Cheryl
      November 14, 2021 AT 2:49 pm

      Have you tried Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce?

      1. Alex
        November 15, 2021 AT 8:15 am

        No I haven’t– how is it?

    2. Mary
      December 28, 2019 AT 2:48 pm

      This is a fabulous recipe. Made it for our friend who’s vegan. We had leftovers and I added some chorizo and used it to make nachos. Wonderful versatility with the leftovers!






    3. Ed Fish
      August 24, 2019 AT 2:52 pm

      I’d love some clarification on the last step:

      Remove the lid and immediately once pressure has subsided (about 15 minutes) then stir in the black beans, corn, jalapeno, cheese, cilantro and corn tortillas. Serve hot, with extra enchilada sauce if desired.

      Once you remove the lid, isn’t the pressure already subsided? What takes 15 minutes?

      1. Alex
        August 26, 2019 AT 7:23 am

        Hi Ed. You are right! That last step is confusing. You’ll want to wait 15 minutes after the 1 minute at high pressure. Then, remove the lid and add in all of the other ingredients. I say “immediately” because you want the ingredients in the IP to still be hot so everything that’s added gets cooked from the steam.

    4. jordi
      July 22, 2019 AT 2:01 pm

      Despite taking precautions so that I didn’t get the burn message I still got it. I tried to make sure the liquids were on the bottom and I even transferred the sautéed food to a dish and rinsed out the pot before adding everything back before setting it to pressure cook. Now I am in the middle of trying to figure out how to get the quinoa cooked and the meal ready to eat with the extra liquid I had to add.

      I feel there is a solution but the recipe needs to be revisited/rewritten to deal with this burn issue.

    5. Rachel Patrick
      February 7, 2019 AT 3:25 pm

      how many servings does this make?

      1. Alex
        February 9, 2019 AT 7:48 am

        Hi Rachel, 6 servings. Thanks!

    6. Paige
      February 2, 2019 AT 8:35 pm

      No burn error. After reading the comments, I made extra sure to NOT let the tomato/enchilada sauce touch the bottom of the insert. Since my sauce was a bit cool by the time I added it, I was able to pour it on top of the water/veg/quinoa mixture and it stayed sitting on top. Didn’t stir, close, and everything came to pressure nicely. I’ve found this to be a cardinal rule of IP cooking, don’t let tomato sauces touch the bottom. Hope this helps others. Thx for the recipe! It made a lot so we have a ton left to eat throughout the week which I always appreciate.






      1. Alex
        February 4, 2019 AT 7:37 am

        Yes! That’s it! Thank you!

    7. Gaby
      January 28, 2019 AT 9:26 am

      This looks delicious! I would like to make it tonight, can it be made in the Insta pot using dried black beans? can this be done in the insta pot changing cooking times or should I cook the beans apart? thanks so much! It would be great if can be done all in the insta pot

      1. Alex
        January 29, 2019 AT 5:43 am

        I don’t know if dried beans would work; because of the tomato sauce, the recipe might burn if cooked too long. Black beans take about 25 minutes to cook and then 15-20 minutes natural release. If you try it, let us know!

    8. Cassandra
      December 26, 2018 AT 7:50 pm

      I made this tonight and it turned out great. Like the comments above my IP gave me the burn error twice and was never fully able to reach pressure. Not sure why it kept burning. I just kept adding more vegetable stock.

    9. Amber
      August 17, 2018 AT 7:43 am

      Does anyone know the macros for this recipe?

    10. Maria
      August 2, 2018 AT 6:51 pm

      I got the burn noticed twice! I’m making it as we speak and have given up on getting it through the cycle. I added 1 cup each time I got the burn notice with no luck. Since the quinoa is cooked now, I’m moving on to adding the rest of the ingredients.

      1. Alex
        August 3, 2018 AT 7:14 am

        Hm, sorry about that Maria- since the quinoa is already cooked, then I’d recommend just adding the rest of the ingredients and cook on “warming” until heated through. Should still taste great. Let me know how it turned out.

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