Tired of the same old quinoa? Give your quinoa an upgrade with this VEGAN CHEESY QUINOA CASSEROLE and get ready to fall back in love!
This is quite an upgrade to the traditional quinoa side dish. And I can guarantee you everyone will love it!
It’s a great side dish with some crispy tofu or tempeh and some greens. But, it’s perfectly satisfying on it own. You can also switch it up by changing the veggies you put in it. I would recommend steaming cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower, and sautéing other vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms, etc. so they let out a lot of their moisture in your skillet.
You can also use other flavors of cheese, and shave some vegan parmesan on top.
The possibilities are endless!
Let’s get started!
VEGAN CHEESY QUINOA CASSEROLE
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
1 to 2 Cups broccoli florets
1/2 Cup bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp vegan butter
1 Cup non-dairy milk
2 Tbsp oat flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
1/4 Cup panko bread crumbs (optional)
HOW TO MAKE IT:
Cook your quinoa by bringing one cup of quinoa + 2 cups of water to a boil. Then, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Once done, remove from the heat without uncovering and let rest for 5 minutes.
While your quinoa is cooking, steam the broccoli for 5 minutes, or until bright green but still crisp.
Mix the cooked quinoa and broccoli in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Heat the butter in a medium pan. Add the diced onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl the milk, oat flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Set aside.
Once the onions and peppers are soft, pour in the milk mixture and bring to a simmer. Whisk continuously until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add only half a cup of the shredded vegan cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.
Pour the sauce into the mixing bowl and toss to mix well with the quinoa and broccoli.
Lightly grease an oven-safe casserole or pie baking dish (I used an 8” round dish).
Transfer the quinoa to the baking dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle the panko bread crumbs on top, if using.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted. You can switch the oven to the broil setting during the last couple of minutes to brown the top a bit.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from www.eatingbirdfood.com