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Looking for an easy, yet tasty casserole to cook this week? You’re going to love this black bean quinoa casserole. It’s packed with veggies including butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers so it really delivers on flavor!

completed Easy Black Bean Quinoa Casserole in a baking dish against a white surface with a serving on a plate

Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food! They’re a hearty and satisfying dish that’s easy to prepare and cooks up in one pan! This quinoa casserole made with quinoa and beans is protein-packed making it perfect for vegan and vegetarian diets! 

If you enjoy the ease of casseroles, you might also love this sweet potato and cauliflower casserole and easy spinach polenta pie.

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Why This Recipe Works

  • An easy way to use up the veggies in the fridge. 
  • Doubles as a side or main dish!
  • A delightful southwest quinoa casserole that tastes amazing and even your non-vegan eaters will enjoy it.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Here are the basics of what’s needed to make quinoa casserole. Check the recipe card below for the detailed ingredient list.

ingredients for Easy Black Bean Quinoa Casserole measured out against a white surface
  • Quinoa: This healthy grain is packed with protein making it perfect for a vegan main dish.
  • Vegetables: Butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato, and garlic are steamed and blended to make the sauce for this quinoa casserole. Use fresh butternut squash or frozen to save some prep time.
  • Nutritional yeast and miso paste: Both of these ingredients add tons of flavor to this dish. Miso brings a salty, umami flavor while the nutritional yeast adds some ‘cheesiness’. Learn more about cooking with nutritional yeast here
  • Veggie broth: Swap with veggie bouillon if you prefer. 
  • Stone-ground mustard: Another layer of flavor in the dish. You can also use dijon mustard.
  • Onion powder: A handy pantry staple for adding onion flavor to any dish quickly and easily.
  • Jalapeño: Adds a little heat to the casserole.
  • Red pepper: For color and sweetness.
  • Black beans: A great way to use canned black beans or you can make this even more budget-friendly by buying dry black beans in bulk and cooking them from scratch.
  • Corn: Use canned corn or frozen corn for convenience.

How To Make Vegan Quinoa Casserole

This vegan quinoa bake goes together in just a few steps. Here’s an overview of what you need to do. See the recipe card for detailed instructions.

  • 1) Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. When it’s ready, set it aside.
  • 2) Steam the butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato, and three garlic cloves in a steamer basket (or however you steam) until tender.
process shot of butternut squash steaming in a pan
  • 3) When the veggies are cooked, add all the steamed veggies to a blender or food processor along with the remaining garlic clove, miso paste, veggie broth, nutritional yeast, ground mustard, onion powder, and salt. Blend until smooth.
  • 4) Mix together the sauce, cooked quinoa, jalapeño, red pepper, beans, and corn.
  • 5) Transfer it to an oven-safe dish and bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.
process of adding quinoa casserole to baking dish

Expert Tips and FAQs

  • Use shortcuts such as frozen butternut squash and canned beans to save time when making this dish!
  • Don’t want it spicy? Swap the jalapeno for green chilies or simply leave them out!
What squash can I use instead of butternut squash with quinoa casserole?

For a similar ingredient, you can swap it with any winter squash such as pumpkin, acorn squash, delicata squash, and buttercup squash. They all have a similar texture and flavor. 

What’s the best quinoa to use for quinoa casserole?

I suggest sticking with white or a tri-colored blend. Red and black quinoa retain more crunchiness when cooked and don’t work so great on their own in this dish.

completed Easy Black Bean Quinoa Casserole in a baking dish against a white surface with a serving on a plate

Variations

  • Swap out the beans for pinto beans, kidney beans, or a mixture of beans.
  • Add more veggies: Swap out any of the veggies with ingredients you have on hand. Cooked broccoli, spinach, zucchini, and cauliflower all blend up nicely!
  • Have leftover brown rice? Use it in place of half the quinoa! 

How to Store

  • Refrigerator: After cooling, store it in a well-sealed container in the fridge for up to five days.
  • Freezer: Butternut squash quinoa casserole freezes great! Allow it to cool completely and then store it in an airtight container for up to three months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before heating up again.
  • Reheat: Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish and heat at 350° F for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. You can also heat it in the microwave in a microwave-safe container. 

How to Serve

  • Main dish: Since it’s mostly a one-bowl meal, pair it with a simple kale salad, vegan coleslaw, or quesadilla.
  • Side dish: It goes great with savory tofu dishes or your favorite vegan patty!
  • Toppings: Want to jazz it up even more? Add some yummy toppings such as vegan sour cream, vegan nacho cheese, salsa, or even pepitas!
  • Repurpose leftovers: Use them as a filling for vegan burritos, tacos, or quesadillas. 

More Quinoa Recipes

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Easy Black Bean Quinoa Casserole

5 from 58 votes
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Looking for an easy, yet tasty casserole to cook this week? You’re going to love this black bean quinoa casserole. It’s packed with veggies including butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers so it really delivers on flavor!

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup of uncooked quinoa
  • 12 ounces of ½-inch cubed butternut squash
  • 3 small carrots sliced
  • 1 small sweet potato cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 4 garlic cloves divided
  • 1 Tablespoon of miso paste
  • 2 Tablespoons of veggie broth
  • 2 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon of stone-ground mustard
  • ½ teaspoon of onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 large jalapeño diced
  • ¾ medium red pepper diced
  • 15 ounces of black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounces of canned corn drained and rinsed

Instructions 

  • Cook quinoa according to package directions, and set aside.
  • Steam butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato, and 3 garlic cloves in a steamer basket (or however you steam).
  • When cooked, add all steamed veggies to a blender or food processor along with remaining garlic clove, miso paste, veggie broth, nutritional yeast, ground mustard, onion powder, and salt. Blend until smooth.
  • Mix the sauce into the quinoa along with jalapeño, red pepper, beans, and corn and put into an oven-safe dish.
  • Bake at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.

Notes

  • Use shortcuts such as frozen butternut squash and canned beans to save time when making this dish!
  • Don’t want it spicy? Swap the jalapeno for green chilies or simply leave them out!

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 10gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 490mgPotassium: 688mgFiber: 8gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 10342IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 3mg

Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
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Stephanie Lundstrom

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