Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa

4.65 from 17 votes
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Plant-based Mexican quinoa is made with pantry staples for an easy weeknight dinner. The slow cooker does all the work for this simple and flavorful vegan crockpot recipe!

Mexican quinoa in bowl with yogurt and sliced avocado
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This nourishing slow cooker sweet potato Mexican quinoa is one of our favorite slow cooker recipes. Naturally gluten free and vegan, this one-pot meal is made with protein-packed quinoa, beans, sweet potatoes, and spices. It sounds like a simple ingredient list, but let me tell you – the combination of everything is just so delicious!

It’s easy, too! Simply add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker, cover, and let the slow cooker do it’s thing. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Featured Comment

“Loved this recipe! Super easy, yet so satisfying. I threw an easy egg over it one morning for breakfast, also added tortilla strips one afternoon for a dipping snack. So versatile!” – Mollie

What You Need for Mexican Quinoa

Keep this recipe in your back pocket for when you need a “you don’t have anything to make for dinner” dinner. All you need are a few basic ingredients for this flavor packed meal:

Quinoa + sweet potatoes are the base of this recipe.

Canned black beans, whole kernel corn, crushed tomatoes, and green chiles add flavor, nutrients, and texture.

Broth keeps the quinoa moist.

Onion, taco seasoning, sriracha, and maple syrup add delightful flavor.

Mexican quinoa ingredients, uncooked, in slow cooker

Mexican Quinoa Substitutions

Slow cooker Mexican quinoa is totally adaptable to what you have on hand. Instead of:

  • White quinoa, use red, black, or tri-color quinoa
  • Black beans, use your favorite kind of beans
  • Canned whole kernel corn, use frozen corn
  • Veggie broth, use water or another kind of broth
  • Homemade taco seasoning, use a store bought spice mix
  • Sriracha, use your favorite hot sauce

And, instead of slow cooker Mexican quinoa, try our Mexican sweet potato quinoa casserole or Mexican quinoa salad.

Fully cooked Mexican quinoa in the slow cooker

FAQ

Is this quinoa gluten free?

Yes, quinoa is a naturally gluten free seed that cooks up with a hearty texture. It’s often a great gluten free substitute for rice or farro.

How do you know when the sweet potatoes are done?

The sweet potatoes are cooked through when the chunks are fork tender. You should be able to easily pierce the potatoes with a fork without any resistance.

Can you make Mexican quinoa less spicy?

Definitely. For a less spice version, omit the green chiles and sriracha.

Storage

Not only is Mexican quinoa great for a weeknight dinner, it’s wonderful to enjoy throughout the week. Once the quinoa has fully cooked in the slow cooker, let it cool, then transfer into airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 5 days for an easy grab-and-go meal.

Freeze this Quinoa

Mexican quinoa freezes beautifully! Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. And, here are all of our tips for preparing a vegetarian freezer meal.

Bowl of Mexican quinoa with yogurt, paprika, cilantro, and avocado on top

Serving Suggestions

This one-pot meal is just that – a meal made all in one pot with minimal prep and cleanup! Top each bowl of Mexican quinoa with guacamole or chopped avocado, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream or Greek yogurt (vegan if needed), a sprinkle of cheese (non-dairy works great), or fresh cilantro.

4.65 from 17 votes

Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa

Whip up this savory slow cooker Mexican quinoa for a pantry-staple meal that's also naturally vegan and gluten-free!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup uncooked white quinoa
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 15 oz. black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz. whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed
  • 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
  • 4 oz. green chiles
  • 2 cups vegetable broth, or any kind of broth
  • 1/2 large red onion, finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup

Optional Toppings

  • fresh cilantro
  • yogurt, dairy-free if necessary
  • sliced avocado
  • smoked paprika

Instructions 

  • Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and mix until combined.
    A slow cooker filled with ingredients for Mexican quinoa before cooking.
  • Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (or until the quinoa is fully cooked and the sweet potatoes are at desired texture).
  • Every hour, give the ingredients a stir.
  • When the quinoa is cooked and the sweet potatoes are soft, uncover the slow cooker.
    A slow cooker filled with Mexican quinoa after cooking.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Tips & Notes

  • Storage: Let the Mexican quinoa cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing Instructions: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Nutrition information does not include toppings.

Watch It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”rPV6tRO6″ upload-date=”2020-05-09T22:37:02.000Z” name=”Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa” description=”Throw all of the ingredients for this Healthy Slow Cooker NC Sweetpotato Mexican Quinoa into your slow cooker for an easy weeknight dinner that’s plant-based and made with pantry staples! “]

Nutrition

Serving: 1 /6 recipe, Calories: 342 kcal, Carbohydrates: 57 g, Protein: 16 g, Fat: 3 g, Fiber: 12 g, Sugar: 13 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Lee Funke

Lee is the founder of Fit Foodie Finds and based in Minneapolis, MN. She started this website in 2010 as a way to share her love for real food and wellness. The internet has changed so much since then and so has Fit Foodie Finds. Today we're a female-run recipe website publishing hundreds of tried and true recipes developed and tested by our team.

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Ali
Ali
November 17, 2023 10:46 am

Can you sub butternut squash for sweet potato?

Courtney
Courtney
February 6, 2023 10:14 pm

5 stars
I absolutely love this recipe and used to make it all the time when I lived by myself. My fiancé doesn’t like quinoa so I’m wondering if I could use rice instead. Do you think it would work the same?

Annie
Annie
August 29, 2020 12:35 pm
Recipe Rating :
     

4 stars
I’ve just made this. But added chicken. Absolutely delicious