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beef green chile one pan dinner in cast iron skillet
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5 from 4 votes

Beef Green-Chile Quinoa Skillet

For an easy one-pot dinner, look no further than this Beef Green-Chile Quinoa Skillet. Use leftover cooked quinoa and black beans, or cook them from dried, for a savory and naturally gluten-free meal. 
Course Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican-American
Keyword beef green chile recipe, beef quinoa recipe, Cast iron skillet dinner, one-pan dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8

Equipment

  • Cast Iron Skillet
  • Wooden Spoons
  • Cutting Board
  • Knives, Grater

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa ½ cup dry
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • ⅓ cup onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • ½ cup medium green chile salsa such as Safeway
  • 1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 ½ cups cooked black beans or 1 can, rinsed and drained
  • 1 8.75 oz. can yellow whole kernel corn
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon. salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded mixed Mexican cheeses
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh cilantro finely chopped for garnish if desired
  • ½ cup chopped fresh tomatoes for garnish
  • Optional garnish: sour cream or plain yogurt
  • Optional: corn chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (I usually turn the oven on once I’ve combined all the ingredients in step # 4). Assemble ingredients.
  • Rinse quinoa if it is not pre-rinsed. Stir quinoa in a small pot with 1 cup water and cook according to package directions. Set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook for 6-8 minutes until they are softened and slightly golden. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add ground beef and stir, crumbling beef until no longer pink. Drain fat if desired (see note).
  • Add quinoa, green chile salsa, tomatoes, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, coriander, salt and pepper and stir until mixed. Cook over medium-low heat until heated through, about 15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with cheese.
  • Place in the preheated oven until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Remove carefully and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and chopped tomatoes and serve with optional corn chips.
    Beef Quinoa skillet mixture in cast iron skillet with garnishes
  • Optional garnish: sour cream

Notes

Adapted from this recipe, with thanks for the inspiration.
We use pastured ground beef, which is leaner than grain fed and is also higher in omega-3 fatty acids. We typically don't have enough fat to drain off after this step and prefer to keep the high-quality fats in the meal.