Baked Quinoa with Veggies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup dry black beans
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups tri-colored quinoa
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch cumin
• 1 ½ cups frozen grilled corn (such as Trader Joe's®)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided
• ¾ cup spicy green salsa, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¾ cup hot water
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Step 1

Cook the black beans in your pressure cooker. Add enough water to cover them by a few inches, seal the lid, and set it to high pressure for about 20 minutes. It’ll take around 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build up. Once done, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes before opening the lid. Drain the beans and give the pot a quick rinse.

Step 2

Put 4 cups of water and the quinoa into the pot. Lock the lid again and use the Brown Rice setting for 8 minutes. The pressure will take about 5 to 10 minutes to build this time. When the timer goes off, release the pressure quickly, open the lid carefully, and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Let it cool a bit.

Step 3

While the quinoa is cooling, heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and cumin, cooking until everything softens and smells amazing—about 5 minutes. Toss in the corn and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until warmed through. Take the skillet off the heat, stir in a quarter cup of chopped cilantro, and season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Now, mix the black beans, veggie mixture, about a cup of Colby Jack cheese, and some green salsa into the quinoa. Spread this all out evenly in a large baking dish. In a small bowl, dissolve tomato paste in 3/4 cup of hot water and drizzle it over the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Step 5

Pop the dish into a 375°F oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, around 25 minutes. When it’s done, sprinkle the remaining cilantro and some sliced scallions on top for a fresh finish.