Quinoa Casserole

I had some quinoa in the fridge, leftover from a tofu katsu dinner I’d enjoyed a few nights ago. (Man, that was good!) So when I woke up wanting something hot and substantial for breakfast, I thought – why not stir up an individual quinoa bake to munch on while plotting the rest of the day? I was already planning to roast winter squash, so I wouldn’t be heating the whole oven merely for my wee casserole.

This is perfect for one and can hold you til a late lunch. Or pair with a green salad and some crusty bread for dinner.

Quinoa Casserole Recipe

1 C. cooked quinoa

1/3 C. milk*

1 egg

2 oz. cheese*

1 small jalapeno, minced (optional)

salt and pepper

* A few notes: 

I used whole milk, you could sub in half-and-half, evaporated, or heavy cream. I’m guessing that other “milks” such as soy, almond, or oat would work just fine. Do make sure you’ve got plenty of fat in there, though.

As for cheese, I used a mix of mozzarella and cheddar, simply because I had them and wanted to use them up. Queso blanco and/or queso fresco would be great, of course, as would monterey jack, farmer’s, even “american.”

If I’d been even I tiny bit ambitious, I would have sauteed some onion in the pan in which I baked the casserole. I might have added chopped sweet pepper, minced parsley or cilantro, scallions,… But I was too lazy in the moment. I happen to have oodles of jalapenos these days, so I minced a bit of one and mixed that into the combo.

Preparation

Heat the oven to around 350. Mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into an oiled skillet or other baking dish. Bake until the center doesn’t jiggle anymore. Mine took 25 minutes in a tiny cast iron skillet.

Or Skip the Recipe Altogether

This recipe is simply a record of what I did. You can get by (as I did) without a recipe. Just figure about 3:1 of starch:liquid and an egg for every cup of starch; then go crazy with the rest! Bake it at a reasonable baking temp (325-375), and start checking it after 20 mins. Do remember that some vegetables, such as mushrooms and tomatoes (okay, technically a fruit) release measurable liquid when cooked. So plan accordingly. Or serve with a spoon.

Yum!