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) vegetable broth or water (with salt)
- 1 cup (240 ml) dairy-free milk
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
Homemade "breadcrumbs":
- 3 tbsp oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp 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 black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp oil
Vegan Cheese
- 1 batch (200 g) vegan cheese sauce or 7 oz (200 g) of store-bought vegan cheese
Instructions
Prepare quinoa
- Bring a pot with 2 cups of 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 roast the broccoli in the oven for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegan cheese sauce according to the recipe (click on the link). Skip this step if you use store-bought vegan 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, all spices, 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
- If you love casseroles, you might also enjoy my vegan Rice And Bean Casserole my Vegan Scalloped Potatoes, and my Vegan Green Bean Casserole.
- Recipe serves 4. Nutrition facts are for one serving.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Erin
Seriously, everything I make from your site turns out to perfection and is sooooo full of tasty flavour! Thank you for all you do.
Ela
That makes me seriously so happy! Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Erin. 🙂
Rachel
I can’t figure out what size casserole dish this should be baked in. Could you let me know an approximate? Thank you so much
Ela
Hi Rachel, I think my dish was 9×6 inches, however, 8×8 inches or a similar size should be fine. 🙂
Nuria
Hi, loved this recipe, for the breadcrumbs i find this in Spain that have improved my vegan gf meals in many occasions, in case you want to know, Dani preparado para rebozados ajo y perejil sin gluten. Look in dani dot es and i am not related to the company, they dont pay me, i pay them 😀
Ela
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Nuria. 🙂
Mariana
This is super good! I make this at least once a week! Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Ela
You are very welcome! I am so happy you like it, Mariana. 🙂
Sarah
SOOOOOO GOOD!! I am currently devouring this! I love your cheese sauce too – so easy and I love the flavor. This is a fantastic recipe and I look forward to making it again.
Thank you!
Ela
Awesome! I am so glad you loved this recipe and my vegan cheese sauce. 🙂
Thanks for your feedback, Sarah. 🙂
April
If I cheat and buy a package of pre-cut broccoli, about how many cups/ounces would be the equivalent of a medium-sized head of broccoli? This looks so good! I can’t wait to try it.
Ela
Hi April, it would be about 15-17 ounces. Hope this helps. 🙂
Jamie
I could cry….. this recipe was so good, but best of all there wasn’t much complaints, even one of my children grabbed seconds!!! This is a keeper for sure!!! Thank you so much….. I made your cheese sauce for the cheesy parts!!!!
Ela
Aww, that’s wonderful! Your comment made my day, Jamie! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
Tracey
I just made this tonight with your cheese sauce recipe and it is amazing! Thank you!!
Ela
I am glad you enjoyed the recipe, Tracey! 🙂
Kathie
How would you adapt this recipe to a slow cooker?
Ela
Hi Kathie, unfortunately, I can’t answer your question because I never tried making this recipe in a slow cooker.
Karen
Great recipe, I made it last night and my husband loved it, and he is not a huge fan of quinoa!
Ela
That’s awesome, Karen! Thanks so much for your great feedback! 🙂
Anya from France
Hi!
I do all your recipes and my little vegan family love it!
Thank you for all your ideas!!
Ela
Aww, that’s awesome, Anya. Thanks so much for your kind comment! 🙂
Dona
Forgot the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
~Dona
Dona
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
Ela
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. 🙂
Kathy M
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!
Ela
Yay! Sounds like a great idea, Kathy! 🙂
Dawn
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.
Ela
Thanks so much for your awesome feedback, Dawn! I am sure it’s helpful for other readers!
So glad you liked the recipe. 🙂
Catherine
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 ?
Ela
That should be fine, Catherine! 🙂
Erin
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?
Ela
Yes, that should be fine. 🙂
Rachel
I just made this tonight and it is outstanding!!! I had a little trouble with the cheese sauce but it worked out in the end. Thank you!!!
Ela
Happy it turned out yummy, Rachel! 🙂
Ana
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 🙂
Ela
Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
Tracy McDaniel
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!!!!
Ela
That’s wonderful, Tracy! Thanks so much for your lovely comment! 🙂