Cheesy Quinoa Vegetable Bake

Cheesy Quinoa Vegetable Bake

This would also make an excellent side dish in place of rice or macaroni and cheese. It really reminds me of a cheesy broccoli casserole, but without the yucky canned soups.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 517kcal

Author Karly Campbell

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup carrot coins
1 cup zucchini or yellow squash chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese see notes
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese divided
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add the quinoa, broth, onion powder, and garlic powder to a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Place quinoa in a large mixing bowl.
While the quinoa is cooking, steam the vegetables for 5 minutes or until tender crisp. Don't overcook as they'll be going in the oven as well. Add to the bowl with the quinoa.
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and continue cooking and whisking for 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly, and continue cooking until thickened, about 3 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the Gruyere and 2 ounces of the cheddar. Whisk until smooth and melted.
Pour the cheese sauce over the quinoa and vegetables and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheddar. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Notes

We love this recipe with quinoa, but it works great with white rice as well.

Feel free to use any variety of vegetables here. They should be mostly cooked before going into the oven, so adjust timing accordingly.

We love the flavor of Gruyere cheese, but you can sub in all cheddar or a mix of whatever cheese you like. This is great with Parmesan for a bit of an Alfredo vibe and we also like it with smoked gouda.

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