Southwest Vegetarian Bake Weight Watchers Friendly

Elevate your weeknight meals with this Southwest Vegetarian Bake, a Weight Watchers-friendly dish bursting with bold flavors and wholesome ingredients. Packed with protein-rich black beans, fiber-filled quinoa, and a colorful mix of sautéed veggies like zucchini, red bell peppers, and onions, this hearty bake is both nourishing and satisfying. Enhanced by the zesty kick of diced tomatoes with green chilies and seasoned with aromatic cumin, chili powder, and paprika, every bite brings a vibrant taste of the Southwest. Topped with a melted layer of reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese and garnished with fresh cilantro, this one-pan wonder is perfect for busy nights. Ready in under an hour, this recipe makes six servings, is low in points, and delivers comfort without compromise.

Nutriscore Rating: 85/100

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:45 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 15 oz (1 can, rinsed and drained) Black beans
• 1 cup (frozen or canned, drained) Corn kernels
• 14.5 oz (1 can) Diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 cup Cooked quinoa
• 1 medium (diced) Red bell pepper
• 1 medium (diced) Zucchini
• 1 medium (diced) Yellow onion
• 3 cloves (minced) Garlic
• 2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 0.5 tsp (adjust to taste) Salt
• 0.25 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 cup Reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 0.25 cup (chopped, plus extra for garnish) Fresh cilantro
• 1 to coat pan Olive oil spray

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray to lightly coat it.

Step 2

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and lightly spray it with olive oil. Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and zucchini. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened.

Step 3

Add the minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well to combine and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.

Step 4

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sautéed vegetables, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, cooked quinoa, and chopped cilantro. Stir until evenly mixed.

Step 5

Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer.

Step 6

Sprinkle the reduced-fat shredded Mexican cheese blend evenly over the top of the mixture.

Step 7

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Step 8

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Step 9

Remove from the oven and allow the bake to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Step 10

Garnish with extra chopped cilantro, if desired. Serve warm and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(13046.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	7394.0

Total Fat 86.3g	0%
Saturated Fat 13.1g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Cholesterol 60mg	0%
Sodium 34152.2mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 1269.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 451.0g	0%
Total Sugars 216.7g
Protein 438.7g	0%

Vitamin D 0IU	0%
Calcium 4777.8mg	0%
Iron 119.7mg	0%
Potassium 10725.6mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 10.2%

Protein: 23.1%

Carbs: 66.7%