WW Recipe of the Day: Southwest Quinoa and Black Bean Skillet
Looking for a simple, one-dish, vegetarian, gluten-free meal with all the flavors of the Southwest? This low fat Southwestern Quinoa and Black Beans Skillet is ready in 30 minutes and may just fit the bill.
No fancy ingredients. Minimal chopping. Easily control the heat level with your favorite salsa. What could be easier?
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Southwestern Quinoa Skillet?
According to my calculations, each generous serving has 285 calories and:
9 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
1 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
7 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
How to Make Southwest Black Bean and Quinoa Skillet Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: Add quinoa, cumin, salt, water and ½ cup salsa to large skillet (affiliate link).
Cooking quinoa with salsa
Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
Step 3: Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until most (but not all) of the liquid is absorbed, stirring once or twice while simmering.
Quinoa cooked with salsa
Step 4: Add the beans, corn, green onions and stir to combine.
Stirring together Southwestern Quinoa Skillet ingredients
Step 5: Cover and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes (without stirring), or until liquid is absorbed.
Step 6: Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped cilantro and the remaining salsa and mix well before serving.
Adding remaining salsa and chopped cilantro to quinoa skillet
Step 7: This quinoa salad can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature.
Southwestern Quinoa and Black Bean Salad
Recipe Notes
Be sure to read the label carefully for your quinoa as most brands recommend rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer (affiliate link) prior to cooking. This helps remove the bitter-tasting natural saponin coating from the quinoa.
I really like Costco's Kirkland brand organic quinoa, which according to the package has been pre-rinsed. However, it only takes a minute, so there's no harm in giving it another quick rinse prior to cooking.
How to Make Quinoa on the Stovetop
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with baked tortilla chips, low-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend, guacamole and more salsa for make-your-own taco salad night.
- Turn this into a hearty salad by adding your favorite cooked lean protein (chicken, turkey, pork, beef).
- Serve as a salad alongside your favorite grilled protein.
Ways to Use Leftovers
- Add southwestern quinoa skillet leftovers as a yummy omelet-stuffing or even easier, mixed in with scrambled eggs.
- Heat up leftovers and serve with whole wheat tortillas for Vegetarian Taco Tuesday!
- Add to a bed of mixed greens, and top with shredded lean chicken and avocado slices for a filling main course salad.
Are You Ready To Firmly Plant Yourself
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Southwest Quinoa and Black Bean Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups water
- 1-¼ cups chipotle salsa, divided (or your favorite salsa)
- 1 can (about 14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- ½ cup chopped green onions
- ¼ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Add quinoa, cumin, salt, water and ½ cup salsa to large skillet. Over high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until most (but not all) of the liquid is absorbed, stirring once or twice while simmering.
- Add the beans, corn, green onions and stir to combine.
- Cover and continue simmering for 8 to 10 minutes (without stirring), or until liquid is absorbed.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped cilantro and the remaining salsa before serving.
Equipment
Recipe Notes
Recipe source: 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking: 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness (affiliate link) by Camilla V. Saulsbury
*PersonalPoints® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
If you like this one-dish vegetarian southwestern quinoa, you might also like:
- Southwestern Stoplight Quinoa Salad
- Cumin-Scented Black Beans with Quinoa
- Corn and Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- Vegetarian Greek Quinoa Salad
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Cody
I can’t wait to try this. My wife and I have been searching for recipes for our weight loss plan we recently started. We’re decent cooks but we’re lost in the kitchen when it comes to eating healthy. If you’re looking to lose weight I definitely recommend joining the journey with us.