Broccoli and Cheese Quinoa Casserole

What kid doesn't love macaroni and cheese?  Mine love it and when I throw broccoli into it, they never seem to complain.  But while we are not 100% gluten-free in this house, we have significantly reduced the amount of glutens we consume.   I thought this quinoa casserole would be a great substitute for classic macaroni and cheese.

I made it one week when Nico was traveling, and it was just me and the kids.   I wasn't sure if it was going to be a hit or not.   Instead of calling it "broccoli and cheese quinoa casserole", I told the kids we were having "cheese-y goodness" for dinner.   It was not a lie.  This was so delicious.  I had been worried it would not pass in our house.  Instead the night Nico came home from his trip, I made it again.

Evelyn and William were a little skeptical of it, but after some convincing, they did eat it.  I didn't get a good read on if they loved it or not, but I did.   And it'll be a keeper in our dinner repertoire.

One element of this recipe I loved was finally finding a good "cream of" recipe.  I don't like casseroles that call for a can of cream of anything soup.  I don't like buying processed anything, much less soups.  Soups are too easy for me to make myself.  The blog where I found this recipe included a quick and simple substitute for cream of soups.    Which made this side dish 100% gluten free.

Broccoli & Cheese Quinoa Casserole
recipe courtesy of Eating Well, Living Thin

For the "cream of" soup:
1 cup cold milk
1tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (or vegetable bouillon for vegetarian)
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, whisk milk and cornstarch until well blended.  Stir in butter, bouillon, salt and pepper.  Heat to a boil, stirring frequently.  Simmer for one minute, until thick.

At this point you can add whatever ingredient you want to make it whatever cream of you want it to be.  Such as sauteed, diced mushrooms (cream of mushroom), 1/2 cup cooked, diced chicken pieces (cream of chicken), 1/2 cup sauteed, minced celery (cream of celery), 1/2 cup steamed, diced broccoli (cream of broccoli).  I didn't add anything and used this as is since I was adding broccoli to the casserole.

For the casserole:
1 recipe "cream of" soup
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups steamed, chopped broccoli
3/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese

Rince the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan, combine quinoa, water and a dash of salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook 18-20 minutes until fluffy.  Fluff with a fork.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, and pepper.  Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.  Transfer to prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese and bake for 35-40 minutes (or 20-25 minutes if using individual ramekins) until golden and bubbling.

Pin It