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Healthy broccoli quinoa casserole recipe! A delicious soufflé which is vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, easy to make and ready in less than 45 minutes. This broccoli bake contains many vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Ready to up your dinner game?!
Quinoa Casserole
I thought it was time to publish a recipe with quinoa on my blog. Until today, I’ve created some tasty vegan recipes with rice, potatoes, and pasta. However, in my opinion, quinoa deserves to be used more often. This pseudo-grain is very healthy, delicious and protein-rich, furthermore, it’s not a real grain.
Quinoa is also gluten-free and can, therefore, be eaten by people suffering from celiac disease. I also love the fact that quinoa contains plenty of healthy, plant-based protein. Read more about the health benefits of quinoa in this amazing article.
Since I adore casseroles, I decided to make a broccoli quinoa casserole with vegan cheese. This savory broccoli soufflé can be prepared in less than 45 minutes and it tastes amazing. Especially in the evening, when you want to enjoy a hearty comfort meal, there is nothing better than a cheesy broccoli casserole. Don’t you think so?
Quinoa Or Rice?
Of course, you can also prepare this easy broccoli casserole with rice instead of quinoa. So if you don’t have quinoa in your pantry or doesn’t like the taste of it, no problem! You can just cook rice and use it instead of quinoa in the recipe.
I am sure a broccoli rice casserole will taste delicious as well! Another alternative would be to use potatoes to enjoy a delicious broccoli potato gratin!
Ingredients Of This Healthy Broccoli Casserole
Instead of cheddar, I used my easy vegan cheese sauce because it only takes 3 minutes to prepare it. Of course, you can also use store-bought cheese from the supermarket. You can make this quinoa broccoli casserole with any kind of plant-based milk.
For example, you could use almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, etc., depending on your taste. The higher the fat content of the milk, the better the casserole will taste!
In addition, I also added chickpeas, because they are another great source of plant-based protein and taste very delicious!
I topped the broccoli quinoa bake with homemade “breadcrumbs“. The ingredients are oats, nutritional yeast flakes, and a few spices. In my opinion, breadcrumbs make a gratin even more delicious.
How To Make A Broccoli Quinoa Casserole?
It really isn’t complicated to make this cheesy broccoli casserole. First, prepare the quinoa by rinsing it under running water for about a minute. Then cook the quinoa in salted water or vegetable broth for about 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, you can already roast the broccoli in the oven.
Once both quinoa and broccoli are done, mix the quinoa with plant-based milk, chickpeas, vegan cheese, and spices. Pour the quinoa mixture into a greased casserole dish, add the roasted broccoli. Finally, put vegan cheese and breadcrumbs on top of the broccoli, and bake the gratin in the oven for about 20 minutes.
How To Store Leftovers?
This broccoli bake tastes best when it’s still warm. You can put leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy them either cold the next day, or reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
It is also possible to freeze leftovers in zip-lock bags. Simply defrost at room temperature or in the fridge and reheat either in the oven or in the microwave.
This Quinoa Broccoli Cheese Casserole Is:
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- Gluten-Free
- Grain-Free
- Flavorful
- Hearty
- Comforting
- Healthy
- Easy to make
- A delicious dinner
Should you recreate this creamy broccoli quinoa casserole, please leave a comment below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I love to see how your broccoli gratin turned out!
If you want to try out more vegan casseroles, definitely also check out the following recipes:
Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa
- 2 cups (480 ml) salted water or vegetable broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) dairy-free milk
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- Spice mix: 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp ground oregano, 3/4 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste
Broccoli
- 1 medium-sized head of broccoli
- 1 tbsp oil
- A pinch of salt
Homemade "breadcrumbs":
- 3 tbsp oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, a pinch of turmeric, 1 tsp soy sauce (gluten-free if needed), a pinch of smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp oil
Cheese
- 1 batch vegan cheese sauce or 7 oz (200 g) of store-bought cheese
Instructions
Prepare quinoa
- Bring a pot with 2 cups of salt water or vegetable broth to a boil and preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
- Rinse quinoa thoroughly under running water and put it into the water/broth as soon as it boils. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until no water is left and the quinoa is cooked.
Prepare broccoli
- Cut the broccoli into florets, spread on a baking tray (lined with parchment paper) and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and a little salt. Toss with your hands and bake the broccoli in the oven for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegan cheese sauce according to this recipe (CLICK). Skip this step if you use store-bought cheese).
"Breadcrumbs"
- Put all ingredients for the "breadcrumbs" (except the oil) into a small bowl and stir with a spoon.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add "breadcrumbs" and fry on low/medium heat for about 30-60 seconds.
Assemble Casserole
- Add 1 cup of dairy-free milk, the spice mixture, the chickpeas and half of the cheese sauce (or store-bought cheese) to the quinoa and stir.
- Transfer the quinoa mixture into a lightly greased casserole dish, add the broccoli florets and spread the rest of the cheese on top. Sprinkle with the "breadcrumbs".
- Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and bake the casserole for about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
Tasty…
💕
This was delicious, a really warming & comforting meal. I substituted wild rice for quinoa as I had none left and it was delicious. Just shows how adaptable this meal is!!
Sounds lovely! Thanks for your feedback, Jeannette! 🙂
Are the chickpeas that you added in the recipe already cooked?
Yes! The recipe says one 15 oz can.
Made this last night! So easy! So good! This will definitely become a regular staple in our home! Keep the yummy recipes coming!
Amazing! So glad you loved the recipe, Erin. Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
This looks delicious! I was wondering if it’s possinle to substitute the quinoa for rice? Some people in my house aren’t quinoa fans lol.
Just kidding! Just saw what you wrote in about rice.
Haha, no worries! 🙂
what a great way to use quinoa! Your casserole looks so delicious Ela!
Thanks so much, Anna! 🙂
Is it 1 cup cooked or uncooked quinoa?
It’s uncooked quinoa! 🙂
This looks amazing!! If I used real cheese, do you recommend a block or shredded?
Shredded! 🙂
Saw this recipe and since I had all the ingredients at home I just HAD to try it right away. Super easy to make and so so so very delicious!
Yay, that’s awesome, Melanie! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂
This was delicious! Thanks for sharing
I am so happy you liked the recipe, Jen! Thanks for leaving feedback. 🙂
This looks so delicious!
The perfect dinner!😋
Lots of love,
Bianca ❤️
Thank you, Bianca! ❤️
Very good taste!👍😊 Tasty,. Simle,. Easy Delisious,. All in One 👍👍😊😊😍
Fantastic! Thanks so much for your feedback, Ana. 🙂
This dish is beautiful well executed bold flavor packed with protein. Also kid friendly my entire family loved this dish 100% will be making this beauty again thanks so much!!
That’s wonderful, Marissa! I am so happy your entire family loved the recipe. 🙂
It looks amazing Ela! Such a great combo 🙂 I think I’ll have to try another recipe with quinoa soon.
Have a wonderful day, Melanie
Thank you, Melanie! Have a great day too. 🙂
Ela! Oh my gosh, I love quinoa and this recipe is brilliant and looks fantastic! You are so clever with what you create, take care, Dee xx
Thank you very much, Dee! 🙂
Broccoli and quinoa is such a great combo together!
Yes, I agree! Thank you, Jess. 🙂
Is there any ingrediants to replace the chickpeas.. Thank you
You can use cannellini beans or other beans instead or leave them out! 🙂
Husband and I loved this dish, however, mine did not have as much cheese as your pic displays. Since I’m on WW and need to watch my points, I used light coconut milk and would leave off the oat/oil topping. I don’t think it added much and would have cut the points down for me.Otherwise, as my husband said, “it’s a keeper”.
That’s wonderful, Donna! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
My partner tells me this is her new favourite dish, and that is before we try the gumbo tomorrow!
That’s great! Thanks for your feedback, Paul. 🙂
Ela, I am about to make this and am puzzled as to whether to drain the chickpeas or not.
Yes, Robin! Just the chickpeas, drain them.
What is the nutrition info on this?
I have updated the post! Please check it again. 🙂
I can’t tell you how much we enjoyed it. My husband was speechless. I am still in awe of how delicious it was. The breadcrumbs and cheese sauce are game changers. I can’t wait to use them in other dishes. Thank you!!!!
That’s wonderful, Tracy! Thanks so much for your lovely comment! 🙂
This recipe was so easy, and it was my first time cooking quinoa, it came out grate. I added shrimp because I am not fully vegetarian, but mainly they discovered all these new allergies I now have and I am working with substitutes to get my carbs in every day. Thanks so much for all the cool ideas 🙂
Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
I’m sooo excited to try this!! Do you think it would work okay to prep and assemble everything and then leave it in the fridge for a few hours before popping it in the oven?
Yes, that should be fine. 🙂
Is it possible to assemble it ahead of time and simply heat it in the oven a little bit longer because it will be cold ?
That should be fine, Catherine! 🙂
I made this last night and it was very delicious. However, my roasted broccoli turned out quite chewy, so next time I’ll just lightly steam it instead of roasting. The cheesy sauce was quite thick so I’ll probably use almond milk next time, and add a little Soy Sauce or Liquid Aminos to help achieve a deeper cheesy flavor.
This recipe is so versatile! I can see changing up the grain and the legume or bean type used, the spices and the veggie(s). For example, use cooked brown rice & black or pinto beans with fresh chopped greens/tomato/red onion (all staples in my kitchen), southwestern spices, maybe topped with some crushed tortilla chips and finished off with fresh cilantro after baking…. Yum!! Thank you, Michaela.
Thanks so much for your awesome feedback, Dawn! I am sure it’s helpful for other readers!
So glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Made this tonight and loved it! But next time I will make a double batch of the cheese sauce. The “breadcrumbs” are delicious! I think I will make a double batch of those also and sprinkle on the quinoa before adding the broccoli and also on top of all. Great recipe!
Yay! Sounds like a great idea, Kathy! 🙂
I wanted to ask if your nutritional info was based on using coconut milk in the vegan cheese sauce recipe and also in the additional cup added to the cooked quinoa?
Made this today for Sunday dinner and both dh and I loved it! I used oat milk as my choice for a non-dairy ingredient as we always have a jar of that in the fridge!
I appreciate your generosity of sharing all these delicious and healthy recipes!
ThankYou!~Dona
Hi Dona! I am so glad you both loved the recipe! 🙂
I calculated the recipe with canned coconut milk (in the vegan cheese sauce) and almond milk (in the additional cup).
Hope this helps. 🙂
Forgot the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dona