Quinoa Enchilada Crockpot: seasoned ground turkey, quinoa, fire-roasted tomatoes, salsa, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and plenty of cheese. Top with cilantro, lime, guacamole, or your favorite enchilada toppings.
Pair this healthy meal with a simple salad like this Italian Salad or this Mandarin Orange Salad.
Quinoa Enchilada Crock-Pot
This meal is one of our favorites! It’s so easy to assemble and the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting! It’s such a great all-purpose meal — it can be eaten as is, layered in tortillas or lettuce wraps, cooked into actual enchiladas, or eaten as a dip with chips!
How To Make Enchilada Quinoa In The Crock-Pot
- Sauté onion and bell pepper in olive oil in a large skillet, then add ground turkey.
- Mix in spices and garlic, sauté briefly, and transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add uncooked quinoa, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, salsa, enchilada sauce, and chicken broth (or water and bouillon).
- Stir everything together until evenly combined.
- Cook on high for 2.5 to 5 hours, stirring once midway if possible, until quinoa is cooked and liquid absorbed.
- Stir in freshly grated cheese until melted, then serve with your favorite enchilada toppings.
Quinoa Enchilada Crock-Pot Tips
- Use freshly grated cheese. Pre-grated cheese has a cellulose coating that keeps it from melting as nicely. While it can be used in this recipe, it will get a little greasy and won’t melt as smoothly.
- Cook on high. Unfortunately, this recipe doesn’t cook well at low temperatures; the quinoa absorbs liquid too slowly and cooks unevenly.
- Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for more flavor.
- Don’t forget the toppings. They add so much flavor and texture to this dish. Use whatever you like on top of enchiladas; our favorite toppings for this dish are ripe sliced avocados, fresh cilantro, fresh lime, and fresh cherry tomatoes. Other options include sour cream, additional cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, thinly sliced radishes, and green onions.
- Crock-Pot® is a trademarked brand of slow cooker that is often used generically. You can use any type of slow cooker you prefer.
Variations
- Add heat: A tablespoon or two of diced jalapeños, hot sauce, and/or fire-roasted diced green chilies are all additions that add in some heat. A spicier salsa and/or enchilada sauce can also be used.
- Reduce heat: By using mild salsa and mild enchilada sauce, I’d say this is a very mild dish. To further reduce heat, use only 1-2 teaspoons chili powder. (Use a non spicy chili powder like McCormick® (not sponsored)).
- Make a homemade enchilada sauce: If you prefer, make your own!
- Replace ground turkey with lean ground beef.
- Make it vegetarian: Leave out the ground turkey; no other changes are needed.
Alternate Cooking Methods
- Oven: Try this Quinoa Enchilada Bake; it’s very similar to this recipe but baked instead of slow cooked.
- Stove top: Follow steps 1-4 using a large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa has “popped.” Stir mixture every 5-7 minutes and reduce heat if the quinoa is sticking or increase if the liquid isn’t being absorbed.
- Pressure cooker: I haven’t personally tested this recipe in the pressure cooker, but a reader commented that it worked well: “Made this yesterday in my electric pressure cooker: 9 minutes on high setting (added about 1/2 cup more water).” (Thanks Lisa!)
More Healthy Quinoa Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Quinoa Soup Italian inspired
- Quinoa Chili with sweet potatoes
- Spring Quinoa Salad with a lemon vinaigrette
- Greek Quinoa Salad with a Greek-inspired vinaigrette
- Quinoa Fried Rice with a delicious stir-fry sauce
Quinoa Enchilada Crockpot
This Quinoa Enchilada Crockpot meal is loaded with seasoned ground turkey, quinoa, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and lots of cheese. Top with cilantro, lime, guac, or your favorite toppings!
Equipment
- Large pan
- Crock-Pot 6-quart
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
- 1/2 cup diced sweet bell pepper I use red
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1-1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1 (14-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup chicken stock or chicken broth or water
- 1 (19-ounce) can red enchilada sauce see note 1
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese; I use 1 cup extra sharp cheese and 1 cup Monterrey jack cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro finely chopped
- Toppings as desired see note 2
Instructions
- Line a slow cooker or generously spray with cooking spray. In a large pan, add olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat and add diced onion and diced red pepper. Sauté 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground turkey. Cook and crumble until browned through. (Drain any grease if needed.) Add minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper (or to taste). Cook until fragrant, another 1–2 minutes.
- Transfer ground turkey mixture into the Crock-Pot (6-quart). Add uncooked quinoa (make sure to rinse first in a fine-mesh sieve), drained and rinsed black beans, frozen corn, salsa, undrained diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and enchilada sauce.
- Stir well. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 2 and 1/2 to 3 and 1/2 hours or until all the liquid is absorbed into the mixture. Once absorbed, remove lid and stir together everything again. Add diced cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice (if using), and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.
- Add your favorite enchilada toppings to individual plates: any additional cilantro or lime juice, sour cream, pico de gallo or diced cherry tomatoes, fresh avocado or guacamole.
- To make these more traditional enchiladas: Warm up the tortillas, spread some cheese on one side, a large spoonful of the mixture on top of the cheese, and more cheese on top of the mixture. Roll it up, cook until crisp in a pan over medium-high heat, and top with more salsa or enchilada sauce. Add sour cream, green onions, and cilantro if desired.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: For the enchilada sauce, I use Old El Paso® mild enchilada sauce, which I don’t find overly spicy. Some enchilada sauces can be very hot, so taste the sauce before adding to the slow cooker.
Note 2: Toppings: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, sour cream, cilantro, etc. (whatever toppings you typically would like on enchiladas).
Storage: Let the meal cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For freezing, portion into airtight containers for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of stock or water, and add fresh toppings right before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.2g | Protein: 27.4g | Fat: 19.3g | Cholesterol: 72.7mg | Sodium: 919.4mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 5.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.
Can you tell me what sized slow cooker you used? Mine is a 4 quart. I’m pretty bad at halfing measurements sometimes so I am hoping I don’t have to. 😐
I use a 6 quart 🙂
Thanks 😊
This recipe is the best darn recipe. I made this on a Thursday night, meal-prep style. It made 8 meals. I went to a wedding out of state that weekend, came back, then had lunch and dinner ready for the next 4 to 5 days. I never got tired of it. It tasted like I was on a cheat day! SO GOOD! Thank you for this recipe!
This seriously made my day! I’m sooo glad you enjoyed it! Isn’t it the best when you find a recipe that is healthy and tastes better than anything unhealthy?! Haha! Thanks Emery!
It truly is! …I’m not actually ashamed to admit this, but…I’ve made this recipe THREE TIMES this month! lol. I gotta slow down.
I tried this in the instant pot and it turned out awesome! I sautéed the onions and peppers with the meat. Then I set it to multigrain for 12 minutes and let naturally release. Thanks for the recipe!!
Even though this was posted years ago I had to come make a comment. I’m a graduate student with little time/inclination to cook every night. Recently I’ve been looking for healthy recipes that I can make on the weekend and eat the entire week. I made this recipe last night (first time I’ve ever cooked quinoa) and I loved it. I just got done eating some leftovers tonight and I’m hooked. If I were the type of person who invited people over and cooked for them, this is what I would make. Amazing!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed this and are hooked now! 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
This recipe is amazing!! When cooking the ground turkey I added taco seasoning for a little extra touch! It does make A LOT! I’m new to quinoa, Can you freeze the left overs??
So glad to hear that!! Thanks Stephanie 🙂 I haven’t tried freezing the leftovers for this dish, but others have reported success with freezing!
I’m looking for make ahead freezer meals. Is this something I can combine in a freezer safe bag and dump it when I’m ready to use it, or freeze everything but meat and brown that prior to putting in the slow cooker? Either way, it looks great. Can’t wait to try it!
I’m sorry I’ve never tried this as a freezer meal. If you did I would brown the meat prior to freezing it with everything 🙂
Hi, I’m looking to make this soon, and I’m wondering if I can freeze this after I make it into portions?
I’ve never tried it, but I believe some other readers have with success. Wish I could be of more help!
Do you know what the nutritional info is for this dish??
Hi. I’m so excited to try this recipe! Do I need to make any adjustments if I increase the bell pepper amount from 1/2 cup to 2 cups?
Nope that should be fine 🙂
Why would U cook/brown the turkey? That defeats the purpose of the crockpot.
Food safety 🙂