I know you love them, so I am back with another healthy, easy family weekday meal! This time a Mexican inspired one-bake-tray meal. This quinoa butternut squash enchilada bake has everything going for it; easy to make, super nutritious, and the oven will do most of the work for you, so there is hardly any (prep) work.
Don’t like butternut squash or pumpkin? Replace it with sweet potato or even carrot. This vegan tray bake is easily adjustable. This way you can customize this quinoa enchilada bake to your family’s liking. You can even add shredded chicken to it if you’d like. Let’s get started!
How to make this quinoa butternut squash enchilada bake?
First bake
This is a tray bake. That means that it is made entirely in the oven. I start by roasting the butternut squash in the oven. I evenly divide the cubes of butternut squash over the baking tray and toss it with a tablespoon of olive oil and half of all the condiments; salt, ground chipotle, ground cumin and garlic powder. Then I slide the tray in the preheated oven and roast the butternut squash for 15 minutes.
Second bake
I take the baking tray out of the oven to add the chopped onion, bell pepper, the remaining condiments and olive oil to the butternut squash. The reason to add these veggies later is because the butternut squash needs more time to soften. I place the tray back in the oven to bake the veggies for another 15 minutes.
Third bake
Now that all the veggies are roasted for this quinoa butternut squash enchilada bake, I remove the baking tray from the oven again and add the cooked quinoa, broth, enchilada sauce, black beans and corn. All of this just needs to heat up, that is why I add these ingredients last. I mix it all on the baking tray and place it back in the oven to bake for another 15 minutes.
Last bake
Lastly I add the grated cheese. The cheese just has to melt, so once I place the tray back in the oven, it only needs to be in there for 5-7 minutes. To create a few crusty edges, I sometime turn on the broiler for another 2 minutes at the end. And that’s it, this enchilada tray bake is ready to take out of the oven to serve.
Garnishing
My bake tray meal is ready! I garnish it with sliced avocado and jalapeño, halved cherry tomatoes, freshly chopped coriander leaves and a dollop of (vegan) sour cream or yogurt.
You can keep it simple and use a can of enchilada sauce or you can make it yourself. This is my quick and easy enchilada sauce recipe for this tray bake:
Homemade enchilada sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp flour (any kind, all purpose flour, spelt flour etc)
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Heat up the olive oil and add the flour, all the condiments and tomato paste. Stir well and leave it to simmer for 5 minutes until thickened slightly. Remove it from the heat and stir in the vinegar. That’s it!
I have time to spend with the kids after they come home from school while this vegan enchilada bake is getting ready in the oven. SWOON!
We all love this family weekday meal! We hope you do too! It is
easy to make – a 1 tray meal so less dishes – easily adjustable – wholesome – and SO DELICIOUS!
Do you love easy, healthy family weekday meals like I do? Check out these family favorites: rosemary white bean tomato stew, mediterranean fish stew with herb crumble, sweet and sour shrimp, vegan green spaghetti alfredo with all the green veggies, and orange ginger chicken and broccoli.
Quinoa butternut squash enchilada bake
Equipment
- 1 13×9 inch baking tray
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash (or sub pumpkin or even sweet potato)(cubed)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½-1 tsp ground chipotle (or sub chili powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 2 large bell pepper (red, orange or yellow)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1½ cup cooked quinoa
- ¼ cup vegetable broth (homemade* or store bought. Or sub chicken broth)
- 15 oz. enchilada sauce (homemade** or from a can/jar)
- 1 can black beans (15 oz. or make beans from scratch***)(drained and rinsed)
- 12 oz. corn (=½ can, ¾cup or 210gr)
- 1 cup grated (vegan) cheese (of choice)
Garnishing (optional)
- ½ avocado (sliced)
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 1 handful fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
- a dollop (vegan) greek yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Place the cubed butternut squash on the baking tray and toss with half of all the condiments and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven, add the onion and bell peppers and the remaining condiments and olive oil. Now place the tray back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven again and add the cooked quinoa, broth, enchilada sauce, black beans and corn. Mix it all and place the baking tray back into the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven a third time to sprinkle with cheese. Place it back into the oven for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is melted. Optionally you can turn on the broiler for 2 minutes for get a few crispy edges.
- Optionally: garnish with toppings of your liking. Cut, scoop and serve!
Notes
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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