This Healthy Mexican Casserole is full of good for you ingredients like ground turkey, quinoa, black beans & bell peppers! Healthy Mexican food? Yes please!
This Healthy Mexican Casserole is one of our most popular recipes (originally posted October 27, 2015), so I’ve updated it to include a how-to video! Enjoy!
If you love this healthy Mexican inspired recipe, you’d also love: crockpot salsa chicken, turkey tacos, and instant pot carnitas.
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret….I love Mexican food! Oh wait. I’ve probably told you that like 1,000,000 times, but for those of you just joining us… I LOVE Mexican food.
Every Friday night, while Trevor and I were living in Seattle, you could find Trevor and I sitting in the same Mexican restaurant (we miss you Plaza Garibaldi)… at the same table…eating the same thing.
Exciting right? 🙂
I can’t help it. It was like clockwork.
Friday night rolls around and I’m majorly craving my favorite chips and salsa, margarita, and Pollo Macho <– literally to die for.
Now that we’re in Madison, and trust me, I’ve done my research, I can’t for the life of me find Mexican food that I’m craaaaazy about. Any Madison readers out there?
HELP. ME.
But maybe it’s for the best, because Trevor and I are actually going to Cancun (eeeeek!!!!) in December, so maybe I should lay off the chips and salsa for a bit?
Maybe.
To get my Mexican food fix in a much healthier way, enter: Healthy Mexican Casserole.
This Healthy Mexican Casserole came to be, because it was Friday and naturally, I was craving Mexican food. But like I said, Trevor and I are heading to Cancun in December.
But how can I make Mexican food healthier while still tasting totally drool worthy?
Ingredients in ground turkey healthy mexican casserole
- Quinoa
- Chicken broth
- Olive oil
- Turkey
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Salt and pepper
- Jalapeno
- Onion
- Bell peppers – I use 1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red, and 1 orange
- Garlic
- Black beans
- Corn
- Enchilada sauce
- Cheese
How do i make the best mexican casserole?
- Cook the quinoa according to package directions, but use chicken broth instead of water. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a very large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add in turkey and spices and cook, breaking up the meat as you go, until the turkey is no longer pink.
- Stir in the jalapeno, onion, peppers, and garlic, and cook until they’re tender crisp.
- Then stir in some black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, your cooked quinoa, and a bit of cheese.
- Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13 in baking dish, top with a bit more cheese, and bake in the oven until it’s hot and bubbly!
You guys. That’s only TWO dirty dishes and it makes a ton, so you won’t have to cook again for days….DAYYYYS 🙂
This Healthy Mexican Casserole will come of the oven and I promise you, you’ll just die from the amazing smell.
And the texture of this Healthy Mexican Casserole? It’s crazy good. I love the combo of the grainy quinoa, with tender ground turkey, and the crunchy veggies. Just. Yum!!
Oh and the flavor? Yeah. Ah-mazing. I <3 the combination of enchilada sauce with the spices: chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
I also have to say, these leftovers make really incredible nachos.
I couldn’t resist.
I layered some tortilla chips (um, they were organic 😉 ) on a baking sheet, topped them with a bunch of this Healthy Mexican Casserole, a bit more cheese, and broiled them until the cheese was melty.
Served with salsa and sour cream or non fat plain greek yogurt?
Um. Yes please!
– Jennifer
Healthy Mexican Casserole
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey
- ½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 jalapeño minced (seeds and ribs removed for a more mild flavor)
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 bell peppers sliced - I like using 1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 orange
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz) can corn drained
- 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
- 2 cups shredded Mexican style cheese divided*
Optional toppings
- Cilantro
- non fat plain greek yogurt or sour cream
- salsa
- crushed tortilla chips
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions, but instead of using water, use chicken broth (and cook it with 1/2 cup less liquid then package suggests). Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium - medium high heat. Add in meat and spices and cook until no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
- Add in veggies: jalapeno, onion, peppers, garlic, season with a touch of salt, and cook until crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, cooked quinoa, and 1 cup of Mexican-style cheese.
- Season with salt, if necessary.
- Transfer to the greased 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until mixture is hot and cheese is melty.
- Serve immediately with optional toppings!
- Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!
Notes
Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.
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