Cheesy Quinoa with Asparagus and Tomato

This recipe came to me in a dream. Er, I mean, from a Pinterest post. Like so many of the others that I make! The original title for this recipe is quinoa mac and cheese, which is a great name because you immediately know what to expect – a cheesy, baked casserole-type dish. I appreciate that, but I absolutely had to change the name because there is no mac to be found in this recipe, and I don’t want to confuse y’all.

I also added some veg (stuff that was on the verge of going bad) and increased the amount of cheese because cheese is the bee’s knees. Always trust a rhymer. 

Lemme be honest with you guys. This schtuff is deeelicious. And it’s even better reheated the next day. Plus it makes a TON, so you get to eat it all week – hooray!

Here are some things you need to get started:

Box ‘O Quinoa

A big bunch of asparagus, washed and chopped

One very lovely Roma tomato, diced

Cook your quinoa according to the directions on the box. While it’s cooking, saute your asparagus in a medium saute pan. I just do this with a little olive oil and salt, but cook it any way you prefer. Then, whisk together some eggs, milk and seasonings. I used garlic and season salt. I found out later that I should have used WAAAAAAAAY more salt. Quinoa is like rice or pasta – it craves salt, so don’t skimp here. The healthiness of the quinoa counteracts the fat in the cheese and the salt, so it’s all ok. 😉

When the quinoa is finished, fold it in to the egg and milk mixture and add the cheese and veggies. Stir until well combined and dump in a greased 9×13 pan.

SEE HOW MUCH FOOD?! So exciting.

Next, sprinkle some more cheese (I know) and top with about a cup of breadcrumbs. I used Panko, and it was perfectly crunchy. Place dish in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until breadcrumbs are nice and toasty.

It was about 7 p.m. at this point, and I was hangry, so I took mine out a little early. Not quite as brown as it should’ve been, but still crunchy, which is what really matters.

Let the dish cool for a few minutes, unless you like to lose the top layer of skin on your tongue. Then serve it up! I topped mine with some Frank’s hot sauce, but you can do as you wish.

Before Frank came to the party

Extreme close up (whoaaaaaa!)

This dish was excellent. It’s also really versatile, as you could add any combination of spices or veggies. I might try to make this into a Mexican-style dish soon.

Enjoy your weekend!

Cheesy Quinoa with Asparagus and Tomato
Adapted from Around the Table

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 bunch of asparagus, washed, chopped and sautéed in olive oil and salt
1 large Roma tomato, washed and diced
At least 1 Tbs of season salt or regular salt, but probably more (sorry, bad recipe blogger over here)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Rinse the quinoa and cook according to package directions (takes about 18 minutes)
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13×9 inch dish with cooking spray and set aside.
3. Whisk together eggs, milk, garlic and salt in large bowl. Fold in cooked quinoa, veggies, cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Stir until well combined.
4.  Transfer mixture to the baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and the breadcrumbs.
5.  Bake 35 mins or until breadcrumbs are browned. 

Top with anything you choose, but hot sauce and sour cream would be delicious!