Creamy, cheesy and delicious, this healthy quinoa bake is pure comfort food! Vegetarian and kid-friendly, it makes the perfect weeknight dinner, side dish or lunch. It’s packed with fresh vegetables, loaded with flavour and is so easy to make.
I’m all for recipes for simple family dinners that save time on busy weeknights and also taste good! Quick, easy and utterly delicious (like, seriously, it is SO good!), this healthy baked quinoa is sure to become a new family favourite.
It is creamy, cheesy and packed with veggies (broccoli, carrot, zucchini and more!) And it is made with mostly fridge and pantry staples, so it’s the perfect thing to make when you are short on time or your fridge is almost empty. #win!
Quinoa with vegetables is a healthy, vegetarian comfort food that can be customised with any seasonal veggies you have in your fridge or freezer.
And it totally works as a main dish, side dish or a meal-prep, ready-made for easy grab-and-go lunches. Healthy and filling, with a generous amount of irresistible, melty and golden cheese for just the right amount of indulgence!
If you need some more vegetarian inspiration, check out this pumpkin and spinach lasagne or caramelised onion, feta and roasted pumpkin tart.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – only 10 minutes of hands-on time. The oven does the rest!
- Healthy & vegetarian – this quinoa bake is packed with protein and loads of nutritious veggies.
- Adaptable – add any veggies you have on hand, even add some black beans or red kidney beans for extra fibre and protein. Although this is a vegetarian dish, it also tastes great with some grilled chicken or meat served on the side.
- Versatile - serve quinoa bake as a flavour-packed main meal on its own, as a side dish, or meal portion it to pack for easy lunches ahead.
- Kid-friendly – children usually love baked cheese dishes, so it’s a great way to get them to eat their veggies!
- Meal-prep friendly – bake it ahead and keep it in the fridge or freezer to reheat as needed. It’s perfect to reheat on busy nights when you can’t be bothered cooking.
- Conventional and Thermomix - this recipe can be made conventionally or in a Thermomix. You will find both the conventional and Thermomix methods in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
What You Need
This quinoa bake is such an easy and convenient dinner to make, because you only need some basic fridge and pantry staples and you can adapt the veggies to suit what you have available!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- Quinoa – white, tri-colour or any colour quinoa will work. You will end up with three times the amount of quinoa when cooked which is a healthy way to 'bulk out' a meal. Note, quinoa flakes are not suitable for this recipe.
- Vegetables – a mix of broccoli, carrot, zucchini, capsicum and corn. But any type of fresh or frozen veggies can be added here. Try some baby spinach, beans, peas, cherry tomatoes or even leftover roast vegetables. Just make sure that they are either grated or very finely chopped, so that they cook through properly.
- Cheese – for a nice, golden cheesy topping. Regular tasty (cheddar) cheese can be used, or a mix of tasty, mozzarella, parmesan, Monterey Jack, Colby or whatever you have handy. Mozzarella will make the cheese topping gorgeously stretchy and gooey.
- Vegetable stock powder – is used for seasoning and flavour. If preferred, you can swap the water and vegetable stock powder for liquid vegetable stock.
- Butter/milk/flour – to make a simple, creamy cheese sauce for the base.
Equipment Required
There's no need for any fancy equipment here. A saucepan, spoon, baking dish and an oven are all that you will need. This dish can also be made in a Thermomix.
Step by Step Instructions
Quinoa is cooked until tender and then stirred through a creamy and cheesy sauce with a selection of mixed vegetables. It is then topped with cheese and baked to perfection!
Note: Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Cook The Quinoa
Once the quinoa has been rinsed well in cold water, add it to a pot of vegetable stock and simmer until the water is absorbed.
Remove from heat, cover with a lid and allow to rest for 5 minutes, and then fluff up the cooked quinoa with a fork.
Place the quinoa in a greased baking dish.
Step 2 - Add The Vegetables
Squeeze any excess liquid from the grated vegetables and then add all of the mixed vegetables to the baking dish, including the corn kernels.
Step 3 - Make The Creamy Cheese Sauce
Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the plain flour and continue mixing for 2 minutes. While continuing to whisk, slowly add the milk. Whisk while cooking for approximately 2-3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add half of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine until smooth.
Step 4 - Mix And Bake
Pour the cheese sauce over the quinoa and vegetables and gently stir until everything is combined.
Top with the remaining melted cheese and bake until golden and cooked through.
*To be cooked through, the quinoa should be tender and the vegetables soft.
Expert Tips
- Rinse your quinoa in a strainer under a cold tap before cooking. Quinoa can often be coated in a bitter and unpleasant tasting substance and if you don’t rinse it off, the dish may have a bitter taste.
- If you have some older, sad looking veggies in your fridge that you want to add, you can! This recipe can be customised to suit whatever you have handy.
- Add a can of black beans or kidney beans for extra flavour and protein.
- Try adding any of your favourite fresh or dried herbs, like basil, rosemary or thyme.
- If the cheese on top is browning too quickly, simply place a sheet of foil over the top and continue cooking.
FAQs
Quinoa (pronounced ‘keen-wa’), is a gluten-free alternative to starchy grains. Although used in cooking as a similar role to grains, quinoa is actually a seed from the same family as beets, chard and spinach. In recent years, quinoa has become an alternative to bulgur wheat, couscous and rice in cooking.
Quinoa is high in protein and an important plant source of all nine essential amino acids. Once upon a time, quinoa formed the staple diet of the Incas and their descendants - so it must be good!
Leftover quinoa bake can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Yes, you can! First, allow the quinoa bake to cool. Then, portion into individual serves, or leave it whole. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave portions in the fridge overnight, or sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours, until thawed. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through thoroughly.
Related Recipes
Quinoa Bake with Vegetables
Ingredients
- 170 g (1 cup) quinoa uncooked
- 500 g (2 cups) water
- 2 teaspoon vegetable stock powder
- 1 broccoli head small, chopped into florets
- 1 (120g) carrot grated (medium)
- 1 (200g) zucchini grated (medium)
- 1 (150g) red capsicum finely chopped
- 150 g (1 cup) corn kernels
- 250 g cheese grated (any combination of tasty cheddar, parmesan and mozzarella)
- 30 g butter
- 250 g (1 cup) milk
- 15 g (2 tbs) plain flour
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan forced).
- Grease a casserole dish and set aside.
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a sieve and then place into a saucepan along with the water and vegetable stock powder. Cook for 10-15 minutes (at a gentle simmer) until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place the lid on and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and place into the casserole dish.
- Squeeze any excess liquid out of the grated vegetables and add to the casserole dish. Add in the corn kernels.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Whisk in the plain flour and continue mixing for 2 minutes. While continuing to whisk, slowly add the milk. Whisk while cooking for approximately 2-3 minutes or until thickened.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add ½ of the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. Stir until smooth to combine.
- Pour the cheese ssauce over the quinoa and vegetables and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until golden on top and vegetables are cooked through.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 190 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease a casserole dish and set aside.
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a sieve and then place into a saucepan along with the water and vegetable stock powder. Cook for 10-15 minutes (at a gentle simmer) until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place the lid on and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork and place into the casserole dish.
- Meanwhile, place the roughly chopped vegetables into the Thermomix bowl and finely chop for 5-10 seconds on Speed 8 (using the spatula to assist). Remove the vegetables from the Thermomix bowl and strain any excess liquid away.
- Place the finely chopped vegetables into the casserole dish with the cooked quinoa and corn kernels.
- Place the cheese in to the Thermomix bowl and grate for 10 seconds on Speed 10. Set aside.
- In a clean Thermomix bowl, place the butter, milk, plain flour, salt, pepper and half of the grated cheese and cook for 7 minutes, 80 degrees, Speed 4.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables and quinoa and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden on top and vegetables are cooked through.
Notes
- Quinoa – white, tri-colour or any colour quinoa will work. You will end up with three times the amount of quinoa once cooked. Note, quinoa flakes are not suitable for this recipe.
- Vegetable stock powder – is used for seasoning and flavour. If preferred, you can swap the water and vegetable stock powder for liquid vegetable stock.
- Rinse your quinoa in a strainer under cold water before cooking. Quinoa is often coated in a bitter and unpleasant tasting substance and if you don’t rinse it off, the dish may have a bitter taste.
- If you have some olded, sad looking veggies in your fridge that you want to add, you can! This recipe can be customised to suit whatever you have handy. Try some baby spinach, beans, peas, cherry tomatoes or even leftover roast vegetables. Just make sure that they are grated or very finely chopped, so that they cook through.
- Add a can of black beans or kidney beans for extra flavour and protein.
- Try adding any of your favourite fresh or dried herbs, like basil, rosemary or thyme.
- If the cheese is browning too much, simply place a sheet of foil over the top and continue cooking.
- Storage - leftover quinoa bake can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freezing - first, allow the quinoa bake to cool. Then, portion into individual serves, or leave it whole. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave portions in the fridge overnight, or sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours, until thawed. Reheat in the oven or microwave until heated through thoroughly.
Alison Biddings says
Delicious, light, easy to make. I used mushroom stock instead of the water and added a few other spices for my taste (chili, paprika, cayenne pepper). This recipe is so versatile - it could be adapted to whatever you have to hand. 10/10 will make again!
Soni says
Just delicious
Alex says
Loved this recipe! I added some Dijon mustard to the sauce! I regret only making half the recipe. Nearly ate the whole tray!
Lucy says
Fantastic!
Steph says
This is great! My toddler loves it too. I ended up adding shredded chicken too.
Lucy says
Fantastic!
Lilly says
It looks like I could substitute the water and vegetable stock powder for store bought liquid vegetable. stock. Is this correct?
Lucy says
Absolutely!