Cheese and Broccoli Quinoa Casserole

Who doesn’t love food with cheese and broccoli? I mean, I know I do. Growing up, it was a HUGE treat when my mom would get the boxes of rice from Uncle Ben’s that were cheese and broccoli flavored.

Fast forward 10-15 years, and I am still craving anything cheese and broccoli and mixing up my grain choice. Adapted from the Novice Chef to accommodate making it a little healthier and my aversion to mustard (insert Old Bay!), here is the cheese and broccoli quinoa casserole.

It’s the perfect combo of cheese, broccoli, quinoa, and crunch on top. It could be a side, but Austin and I ate it for dinner!

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs cornstarch
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don't like too much spice)
1/2 tsp Old Bay
1 1/4 cup skim milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (low-fat)
1/2 cup shredded mozarella cheese (low-fat)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups broccoli (cooked by boiling & draining)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian seasoning breadcrumbs

Servings: 4 as main dish, 6 as side dish
Difficulty: easy

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook quinoa according to package instructions and set aside.

Meanwhile, in large saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in cornstarch, cook for 30 seconds. Add onion and garlic, saute for 5 minutes - stirring as needed. Stir in seasonings (Old Bay and cayenne pepper), and cook for a bit more.

Slowly whisk in milk. Simmer for 7-9 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, stirring until completely melted.

Toss in cooked quinoa and steamed broccoli together. Transfer to prepared baking dish and top with grated parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

Tagged: broccoli, cheese, quinoa, vegetarian