Did you know that cheddar cheese isn’t actually orange? It’s really white, and they add orange coloring to make it orange. We’ve been duped all along. I know.
I opted for cheddar without coloring, so this broccoli cheddar casserole may not look like the kind you grew up eating. It’s also more redeeming than typical Midwestern broccoli cheddar casseroles, while still being gloriously cheesy and creamy.
You won’t find mayonnaise, cream of mushroom soup, or annoying Béchamel sauce to make in this healthy broccoli casserole recipe. You don’t need it!
Casseroles aren’t my typical fare, but they do hit the spot on cold, gray winter days. Plus, they make for great leftovers. Hooray for meals that keep on giving!
Watch How to Make Broccoli Casserole
The Best Broccoli Casserole
- My broccoli cheddar version here features tons of caramelized roasted broccoli for extra flavor, plus some milk and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Nutritious quinoa magically blends into creamy oblivion while it’s in the oven.
- Top all of that with some garlicky breadcrumbs and you have one amazing dish that makes for great leftovers.
You can be fancy and call it a “grah-tahnnnn” in your best French accent, or announce it as a “hot dish” in your finest Minnesotan. Either way, it’s a stellar broccoli casserole.
Please let me know how this broccoli casserole recipe turns out for you in the comments! I always love to hear from you.
Craving more lightened-up comfort foods? Here are a few of my favorites:
- Real Stovetop Mac and Cheese
- Spaghetti Squash “Pizza” Bowls
- Best Vegetable Lasagna
- Roasted Veggie Enchilada Casserole
For even more hearty dinner recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook!
PrintBetter Broccoli Casserole
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Cooked and baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Broccoli casserole made better with roasted fresh broccoli, cheddar cheese, creamy quinoa and irresistible, garlicky whole grain bread crumbs. This healthy casserole is easy to make and tastes amazing! Recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup quinoa (any color), rinsed under running water in a mesh sieve for a minute and drained
- 16 ounces broccoli florets, either pre-packaged or sliced from 2 large bunches of broccoli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit if sensitive to spice
- 8 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) freshly grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup low-fat milk (cow’s milk tastes best but unsweetened plain almond milk works, too)
- ½ tablespoon butter or 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 slice whole wheat bread (substitute gluten-free bread for a gluten-free casserole)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- To cook the quinoa: Bring the vegetable broth or water to boil in a heavy-bottomed, medium-sized pot. Add the quinoa, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 17 to 20 minutes, or until all of the liquid is absorbed. Cover and set aside to steam for 10 minutes.
- To roast the broccoli: Slice any large broccoli florets in half to make bite-sized pieces. Transfer the broccoli to your prepared baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, until lightly coated on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and arrange in a single layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the broccoli is tender and starting to caramelize on the edges.
- To make the breadcrumbs: Tear your piece of bread into bite-sized pieces and toss them into a food processor or blender. Process until the bread has broken into small crumbs. In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, stirring often. Add the bread crumbs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly browned and crisp. Set aside to cool. (If you cooked your bread crumbs in a cast iron skillet, transfer them to a bowl to prevent them from burning.)
- Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees. Add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the pot of quinoa, and stir to combine. Set aside ¾ cup of the cheese for later, then add the rest of the cheese to the pot. Pour in the milk and stir until the cheese and milk are evenly incorporated in the quinoa.
- Pour the cheesy quinoa into a 9-inch square baking dish and top with the roasted broccoli. Stir until the broccoli is evenly mixed in with the quinoa. Sprinkle the surface of the casserole with the reserved ¾ cup cheese, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, until the top is golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my creamy roasted Brussels sprout and quinoa gratin, which was originally adapted from The High-Protein Vegetarian Cookbook by Katie Parker of Veggie and the Beast.
Storage suggestions: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days. Gently reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
▸ Nutrition Information
Janet Hadley
need nutrition breakdown for this reachpe please.
Saffy
I have seen my daughter fight with quinoa and finally get to grips with it. Having come across your recipe and pretty much, fool proof way of cooking it I decided to give it a go.
My daughter offered to help, doubting my ability to get it right first time however, I was quietly confident in your recipe and so, went it alone.
I did have to add about a ladle full of water at the end since all the water evaporated around about the 14 minute mark – perhaps I didn’t adjust the heat enough – it still seemed a little crunchy.
I religiously removed it after 17 minutes and placed the lid on. After 10 minutes I took a bit from the top which still seemed a little undercooked (hard to really judge when you’re cooking it yourself for the first time) however when I checked underneath I was pleased – it seemed pretty fluffy to me and tasted great in your recipe which was really simple to do.
Thank you for sharing your experience – I am pretty sure I would have landed in trouble had I not read your guidance.
Marge
Greetings! I wanted to make a healthy casserole for my sister-in-law who is about to have a baby – want for her to have plenty of healthy stuff in the freezer to heat up easily and quickly. Decided to try this one. Really great recipe. To boost the protein, I added cannellini beans (put dry beans in 3 inches water, brought to boil and simmered for 2 minutes, covered and sat for an hour, then drained and cooked the beans per this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cannellini-beans-with-garlic-and-sage-355216. I simply added a cup or two of beans to the quinoa/brocc mixture, topped with cheese and breadcrumbs. I ate part of it for dinner to make sure it tasted good and boy oh boy, it was really great!! Thank you for the inspiration!
Kate
Thank you, Marge! You’re a great sister-in-law. Love your cannellini bean addition; thank you for sharing!
Taylor
Just made this tonight, it was absolutely amazing!! Great recipe!!
Kate
Awesome! Thanks, Taylor.
Tanya
Really delicious! A great vegetarian dish. Nice to have another recipe to use Quinoa than the usual ones. Thanks Cookie and Kate.
Kristen
Hi! This looks delish! Could you recommend a grain other than quinoa that might work well in this recipe? Thanks so much!
Kat
Hi. This looks delicious. Strangely, I’m slightly allergic to quinoa. It’s in a lot of recipes and I’m not sure what grain is best to replace it. What would you suggest?
Kate
Hey Kat, that’s a bummer! I’m slightly allergic to chocolate and walnuts myself. Quinoa is unique, but I’d probably just replace it with rice in most recipes (long-grain brown rice is my favorite). You’ll just need to change the cooking method accordingly.
Kristin
Do you have a favorite vegetable stock recipe? I usually just substitute homemade chicken stock in recipes that call for vegetable stock, since chicken stock is in my freezer. I would like to make some veggie stock for this recipe and feeeze the rest.
Kate
Hi Kristin, I don’t, I’m sorry. I usually just buy organic vegetable broth at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but I’ve been meaning to try Laura’s recipe.
Kristin
Thanks! I try to make as many things as I can from scatch to avoid unwanted ingredients and save money. I ended up trying an online stock recipe lat night. It was nearly identical to the one you suggested, minus the leeks as I didn’t have any. My husband, daughter and I thought the quinoa dish was delicious. Alas, my other two daughters did not care for the quinoa. Next time I will serve them some plain broccoli breadcrumb mixture on the side.
Dianne
Delicious! Used Panko bread crumbs instead of bread, with tablespoon melted butter and garlic. Made recipe quicker but still awesome! Do you know nutritional breakdown for this recipe? Thanks!
John Longstaff
Hi Kate
I live in the U.K. and have just discovered your website. I have had a go at about a dozen recipes so far and I can honestly say that they have ALL been absolutely amazing! My wife, who is the beneficiary of my hard work in the kitchen(!!), is very grateful too! Thank you so much.
Amy
Hello Kate,
I love your creative and tasty recipes, some of my faves!
Any suggestion for a vegan alternative to the cheese (forgive me)?
Guidance is appreciated.
Happy October.
Gabrielle
Same here! I made this last fall as is and loved it, but am testing out a dairy sensitivity now. Short of hunting for non-dairy cheese, I’m wondering if nutritional yeast might work, or this vegan parm alternative from Dana @ Minimalist Baker: http://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/
Has anyone out there had success with a vegan version?
Kate
Hi Amy and Gabrielle! That’s a good question. The cheese acts as a binder and holds this casserole together, so I’m not sure you’ll be able to achieve the same cohesive, gooey texture without it. That said, it would probably still be pretty delicious with some vegan Parm or just nutritional yeast, to taste.
Gaetano
Hey Kate,
Wonderful recipe! I wanted to say that I made this vegan tonight and it came out perfect. Rather than using Store bought vegan cheese as the binder I made a vegan “cheeze” sauce with cashews I soaked and then blended mixed with a nutrional Yeast and margarine (Earth Balance) rue. I substituted coconut milk, which normally I don’t like but works well here. I mixed in the quinoa and broccoli into a large cast iron where I made the sauce, sprinkled a little daiya cheese and put that directly in the oven. Next time I’ll probably try some mushrooms and red wine in the base! Thanks again!
Sarah Robertson
Oh my goodness – made this last night, and it was fabulous! My vegetarian college daughter says it’s even better than her very-most-favorite zucchini casserole recipe (which she adores mightily), so… high praise, indeed!
The only thing I changed was substituting gluten-free Panko for the scratch-made bread crumbs; we were out of gluten-free bread and the Panko toasted up beautifully.
Our entire family loved it – thanks again for another winning recipe!
Kate
Hip hip! I’m so glad you all loved it. Thanks for letting me know, Sarah! You might enjoy the Brussels sprout version as well.
Lisa McInnis
Hi Kate (and Cookie!)
This broccoli casserole sounds great! And great timing as fall is definitely here. Looking forward to trying it. Thank you for re-posting it and for the cooking inspiration.
Lisa
Kate
Hi Lisa! I hope you love this one. Thank you for your note!
Laura
I made this last night and it was wonderful! I followed the recipe to a T. Thanks for a meal that satisfied the vegetarians and meat-eaters in our house!
Kate
Awesome! Thank you for letting me know, Laura!
Jeri
I made the Better Broccoli Casserole tonight. It was absolutely delicious! This is all I ate for dinner! Shared it on FB for all my friends to try.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jeri! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. :)
Dea
Oh my, this smells amazing. I just took it out of the oven – bringing this to a potluck. I used veggie broth and gluten free bread. This did take me longer than the hour that is listed for the total time. About 80 mins probably and that was non-stop working on this. I think it will totally be worth it though! I’ll let you know how it is received. And I am sure I’ll be checking out more of your recipes!
Kate
Hi Dea, I hope it was 100% worth the effort!
Dea
Definitely! Yum! And we just had some leftovers (though there weren’t many) with our late lunch. Thanks!
Allie
So I have terrible cooking history. And no practice does not make perfect. But I stumbled upon this recipe and it looked appetizing and so I decided to give it a try! It turned out perfectly! So good. Even family loved it! Thanks:)
Kate
High five!! Thank you for letting me know, Allie! I hope you find some more recipes here to love. :)
Katherine
Kate, can this dish be prepared ahead of time? Love the site!
Lauren
I would love to know as well. If prepared ahead of time, I suppose you could put in the fridge and pull out a few minutes before baking to get to room temp?
Kate
I think that would work, I just haven’t tried to be sure!
Kate
(I think it would take a while to warm back up to room temp. You might just need to bake it longer. Cover it if the top gets too browned.)
Byron
One of my favorites thank you for this wonderful dish!
Robin
This broccoli and cheese gratin was amazing. It was super easy to make and I can’t wait to try it again. I brought it to a veggie pot luck and it was the most popular dish! Several people said out loud as they were eating versions of “I don’t usually like quinoa but…”. Thank you for your great recipes!
Sarah
Have you tried this as a make-ahead recipe? I’m considering for Thanksgiving and wondering if it will hold up if I make it the day before.
Sarah
I just saw someone else had the same question. Let me know if anyone tries & it works! :)
Carolyn
Thank you, Kate! And kid approved! I also love that it is a great way to use leftover quinoa. Ohhh roasted broccoli…it will find its way to many dinner plates this fall on its own.
Judith
I just made the Broccoli Quinoa casserole for my sister the vegetarian of the starch/carb variety. It’s very good and passed muster with Sis. Yea, protein!
rach
I made this for dinner last night, and my very non-vegetarian “meat and potatoes” boyfriend loved it (and so did I)! He even asked to have the leftovers for lunch today. :) Thanks for all the delicious and healthy recipes!
Brittany
This is delicious! I love the crunch from the breadcrumbs and the subtle spicy kick from the red pepper flakes. The broccoli by itself is delicious and even more so when you combine it with all the other goodies. Thank you for coming up with this one.
Katherine
I made this yesterday for a dinner with friends using tenderstem broccoli – it turned out great! Thanks for yet another great vegetarian recipe!
Lori
Loved this recipe!! Thanks for making it so easy!!
Judy
I made this dish for my mother a couple of weeks ago and she loved it so much she went home with my copy of the recipe so I had to come back to print another one since I’m making it for dinner tonight. This isn’t the only one of your recipes I’ve made (I’m a big fan of the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice too) and they’ve all been delicious, but this is the one I find myself coming back to again and again and again. I think this weekend since it’s going to finally feel like November, I’ll try one of your steel cut oatmeal recipes. But for now, it’s cheese broccoli goodness time. Thank you!
Amanda
I loved this quick and easy recipe. It was so flavorful and filling. I stumbled upon your blog while searching for vegetarian recipes and I’m so glad I did!
Deb Burns
This will be on my Thanksgiving table this year! Thank you!
Linda
We really loved this. I sautéed an onion, red pepper, and fresh thyme that needed to be used in olive oil, and then added a bit of flour (~2-3 tbs), whisked in plan almond milk (probably closer to two cups) then added the cheese, but somewhat less than called for. Stirred in the cooked quinoa and otherwise followed the recipe. I bought a lot of broccoli, and I still would have liked more because it was so good! I kept eating the roasted pieces from the pan. The homemade breadcrumbs, in our case made from whole wheat sourdough, really added to the dish. My husband and I both thought this was delicious and would make again! The only issue was that my quinoa still wasn’t right, even with the foolproof method. The broth failed to absorb completely, and even after steaming it was still heavy and not at all fluffy. Next time I’ll try the same approach with less broth. I’m not sure why I struggle with quinoa so much! Thanks for a great recipe Kate!
Nancy Kitchener
I was looking for a Thanksgiving side dish. I’m excited to try this one!
Kristan
Hi Cookie and Kate!
My family are big fans of your delicious recipes. I plan on making this dish for Thanksgiving using Diaya cheese (since we are dairy free) and was wondering if I could make this a day ahead and keep in the fridge. Would I make the recipe before baking it for 25 minutes at 350 degrees and then bake the next day?
Thanks so much!
Kate
Yes, I think that would work! It might need a little longer in the oven since it’ll be cold when it goes in. I would also suggest waiting to prepare the bread crumbs until you’re ready to bake, if possible.
Diana
Just got home from Thanksgiving dinner, where my vegetarian offering was this casserole. It was amazing! I am sitting on my couch eating the leftovers because it’s so good. Cooking the quinoa in vegetable broth adds so much flavor. The only change I made was using 1/2 cup panko instead of the breadcrumbs. A winner!
Sarah
This was delicious as my breakfast today. I intended it for dinner the other night and didn’t get to it. I saw it in the fridge this morning, heated it up and devoured it. Like oatmeal, but better! Thank you.
P.S. I love your new videos.
Jake
OH MY GOD HONEY this recipe is SO tasty. Made it for my Mom and I tonight, as its getting cold and rainy over here in Tucson, Arizona, so we wanted something quasi-healthy and organic, but comfort food. This was absolutely perfect and I’m so excited to eat the left-overs tomorrow!!! :) And as I saw in previous comments, yay cheese! :D Great job.
Paul Abey
Hi Kate, I have never been a massive fan of Quinoa but this recipe has converted me! Loved the combination of the different flavours and on a cold night in London this was just perfect. Thank you. Paul
Callen
WOW! This dish was so good! thank you!
Kelsey
Wow! What an easy recipe to make and so yummy too! It’s the perfect throw together meal for a weeknight.
Kristi
I made this tonight – broccoli cheddar quinoa gratin. It filled the comfort food cravings – perfectly. Terrific flavors – easy recipe – another hit with cookieandkate! Thanks for creating and sharing your recipes !!!
Cecilia
I made this for lunch and it was excellent! I used almond milk and it turned out great and Panko to go faster. Will make it again and again!
Sonia
Hi Kate!
I tried to try your recipe, but due to some “problems” of mine I ended up getting only inspired by it. Anyway, it was delicious! Thank you so much for the great idea. Here’s my version http://inglouriousbananas.blogspot.com/2016/12/roasted-broccoli-and-quinoa-bowl.html and hopefully I’ll manage to make the recipe for its entirety.
Shirleen
The casserole is delicious. My bf is not a big broccoli fan and he really enjoyed it (the only way to serve broccoli is with cheese…) And so easy to make!
Audrey
Can you use brown rice instead of quinoa in this? If so, how?
Marta Vaughn
I made this recipe for a warm December lunch – the leftovers will go to work as my lunch and my husbands. I added lemon zest, skipped the bread crumbs, and added 1/2 c more cheese to the whole dish.
Loved it. I feel nourished and warm
LJL
I want to make this for a company dinner? Any chance I could make it ahead of time? anyone try this?
Sara
I’ve made this three times now and I think I love it more each time I make it! Thank you for such an awesome recipe – this delicious casserole has become a regular dinner at my house. And I love the picture of Cookie eating the broccoli stem – my dog loves it too! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Alicia
Would this with using cashew cheese to make it vegan? Thx!
Susan
This looks so good. Some of my family are vegetarians so I would love to serve this for a Christmas Day buffet but I was wondering if it could be put together ahead of time and baked just before serving. I am not familiar with quinoa and don’t want it to be mushy if it’s made ahead.
Kate
Hi Susan, I think you could! You might wait to make the bread crumbs until you’re ready to bake it, just to be sure they don’t get soggy.
Jacqui
I would like to make this recipe ahead of time. Would you recommend baking casserole first and then freezing, or freezing, thawing and baking it? Thanks, it looks delish!
Allison
I made this recipe today and will make it again. I just ate 3 bowls of it…Yep, stuffed. My two year old ingulfed a whole plate. Great recipe. I doubled it to make an 11x 9 dish. Note to all, if you use regular chicken broth don’t add salt. It is way too salty but I know that’s probably my fault. I am a terrible cook and I didn’t even think about it.
AS
This recipe is outstanding! It was perfect for a cold winter night – creamy, cheesy, satisfying, and filling! I added a minced shallot to the garlic when toasting my breadcrumbs and used a Skellig Kerrygold cheddar. Next time I may swap cheddar for a different cheese to try and reduce the amount of cheese needed. Also can’t wait to try this with cauliflower! Either way, I’ll definitely be bringing this to my next holiday meal. Yet another total home run from you and Cookie!
Jellypop
Hello. This looks delicious! This recipe calls for 16 ounces of broccoli, but I have only 12 ounces… Do you think I could replace the other 4 ounces with something else? In my refrigerator, I have tomatoes, mushrooms, snap peas, carrots, celery…
Thanks
Jenn
I’m wondering if you have compiled the calorie count for this recipe before I do it myself. It is in the oven and we’re looking forward to trying it shortly!
Kate
Hi, Jenn – right now, I don’t have the nutritional info available for my recipes. But I’m working on a solution, and will post about it once I settle on one. Let me know how the dish works out!
Diana
I made this tonight. It was hard not to eat half! Any idea of the nutritional and calorie info?
Kate
Hi, Diana-glad you enjoyed it :) Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. Thanks!
Kaitlin
This has quickly become one of my favorite recipes that I’ve found EVER. Thank you for posting! It’s become a weekly fixture in my house.
Kate
Awesome! Always so nice to hear when a recipe become part of the regular rotation!
Gemma
Yesterday my children (boy aged 6 and girl aged 2) made your banana bread – it is delicious! Today I made the quinoa amd broccoli gratin, delicious and turned out perfectly. Thankyou, I will be checking out your other recipes for sure
Kate
Happy the whole family enjoyed it, Gemma! Let me know which others you try.
Tiffany Cardenas
I made this tonight and it was so good! I’m adding it to our rotation. Thanks!
Kate
YES I love hearing this! Thanks, Tiffany.
louise
i made this toady for my fussy vegetarian teenager and she loved it.
thank you
Kate
Teenager-approved is an honor I do not take lightly. Thanks, Louise!
Tina
This is a crowd pleaser and delicious go-to. I use panko bread crumbs (because I love the crunch). I always use unflavored cashew milk instead of cow’s milk, plus sharp cheddar. I’ve also made a vegan version with a pea protein-based cheese and it was wonderful, as well. So glad to have found this recipe! Thank you!
Kate
Happy you found it, too, Tina!
Amanda
If I were to assemble the casserole, refrigerate it overnight, to enjoy tomorrow for dinner should I still bake it at 350 for 25 minutes?
Kate
Hi Amanda, I think that will work. Check it at 25 minutes; you might need to add some extra time since it’s starting out cold.
Cindy
On Superbowl Sunday I am always relied upon to bring the healthy option/vegetables. We have a couple family members that are gluten intolerant, so that makes it a bit more challenging. I wanted to bring something different and I was stumped until I came upon your site and this recipe. I have it all prepared ahead to bake it for 25 minutes. Brilliant idea and fabulous dish!
I am looking forward to visiting your website and trying more of your recipes. Thank you for your work.
Kate
I hope it worked out well, Cindy!
Sherry
It turned out delicious! We’re not huge quinoa fans but enjoyed this recipe.
Kate
Awesome! Glad this version was satisfying :)
Franziska Müller
Dear Kate,
we had this awesome gratin for lunch today and we loved it!
I replaced the cheddar with parmesan cheese – very, very nice!
I love your website and since I found it, I quite often look through it to get some inspiration (I hardly ever cook like the recipe tells me…).
Thank you very much, I’m looking forward to even more inspiration!
Franzi
Kate
Whatever way my recipes work for you, I’m happy! Love to hear that you take your own creative path in the cooking process :)
Rev. Cindy Frado
FABULOUS! This is outstanding. Can’t wait to make this for family and friends.
Mar Sweeney
So far, this and your west African peanut soup recipe are helping me and my boyfriend stay on track with eating vegetarian, since it’s february in the northeast and we’re dreaming about meat and cheese. This recipe is something I could whip up again without too much thought or maybe even without a trip to the grocery store, which I appreciate! My cat got to enjoy her vegetables, too, as she swatted, carried and chased around a broccoli floret for an hour.
Pepper de Callier
Made this last night, Kate, and it was a winner! Your recipes are great! Keep up the good work!
Kate
Thank you, Pepper!
Sarah
This was delicious. Such wonderful comfort food that didn’t leave me feely gross afterward!
Kate
Perfect! That’s what I was aiming for.
Kimberly
One cupped cooked quinoa, or one cup uncooked?
Kate
As listed, this calls for one cup of uncooked quinoa.
Emily
Just made this and it was delicious. Roasting the broccoli is such a good idea and I can see making this with other roasted veggies. Good way to use stuff up. My husband claims to hate quinoa and wolfed it down. I don’t think he even noticed it was in there. HAH! Super yummy!
Kayla
I literally make this once a week and I’m so obsessed. Sometimes I try and use minimal cheese to make it healthy, but it’s so much better with all the cheese.
Kate
I’d have to agree, all the cheese is definitely the way to go. :) So happy you like it so much, Kayla!
Elizabeth
Really glad I came across your site. LOVED this recipe as did my bf, so quick and easy – will definitely be making it again. I used almond milk on this one and it turned out perfectly. THANK YOU!
Kate
You’re welcome, Elizabeth!
Julie
Could eat every day.
Kate
YES! Thanks, Julie.
Susan A
Delicious and not too difficult or time-consuming.
Kate
Perfect.
MacFadden
This was well received and I will make it again, though maybe without the garlic in the topping, because its flavor seemed to dominate more than it should. The quinoa mixture looked like it would be too liquid-y with the milk, but it all baked up perfectly.
Lacey
Excited to try this tonight or tomorrow as I have all the ingredients! Unless you think I shouldn’t use frozen broccoli?
Thanks!
Lacey
Frozen broccoli worked out just fine; this was delicious! I used about 3/4 of all the ingredient amounts since I knew my cheese-hating husband wouldn’t want any. I got 4 meals out of it and the leftovers warmed up just fine. Thanks so much Kate!
Natalija
Hello Kate,
We just ate the Broccoli, Cheddar & Quinoa Gratin (with some alterations) and it was delishes! I used 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast instead of cheese and almond meal instead of bread crumbs. I fried them up in chunks like bread crumbs would be, and it worked.
Thank you for your recipe!
Kate
Sounds delicious, Natalija! Thanks for commenting. :)
Caroline (Brooklyn)
This was great—a hit with both my 17 year old 6 day a week vegetarian son and my meat lover husband. It was particularly high praise since they both love the old school mushroom soup, etc. broccoli casserole I make on Thanksgiving. I followed the recipe pretty closely, other than adding some garlic powder and some Italian style breadcrumbs on top from the pantry as I was too lazy to make the topping…I cooked the quinoa in the broth in my rice cooker, which has changed my life for things like rice, oatmeal, quinoa. Anyway, a true hit and your site has been great for us (It was recommended by Euphebe.com). Thank you!
Kate
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed this, Caroline! I tried to replicate those old-school homey flavors.
Deidre
I love the flavors of this recipe. I’ve had a bag of quinoa for awhile and this was a great way to use up some of that. However, it came out very soupy! I used 1 cup of skim milk. Should I have used 2%? I actually tipped the casserole a bit over the sink and at least 1/4 – 1/2 cup of liquid came out. The next time I’ll try it with 3/4 cup milk and see if that helps. No one else seemed to have that problem so not sure what I did wrong! But as I said, great flavors! Definitely a keeper!
Kate
Oh no! Sorry this didn’t work out as well for you, Deidre. Maybe cook the quinoa a tad bit less, too– keeping it just al dente will help it soak up more of the milk.
Lisa
I made this Broccoli Casserole for my family tonight – they usually just ‘tolerate’ any recipes I make with quinoa…but this one got the thumbs up! So easy, so quick – and yummy! I topped it with sliced cherry tomatoes when I served it. This is going into my rotation! Thanks!
Kate
Great! I hope this changed their minds about quinoa, if just for one meal. :) Thanks, Lisa!
Marilyn
could I substitute mozzarella cheese for the cheddar?
Kate
I don’t see why not, Marilyn! Might be more stringy in texture, and may release more moisture, but it should work just fine. Let me know how it goes!
Danielle
Yum! Made this last night along with your crispy baked tofu recipe. Was extremely filling, and enough to be a main course for at least three meals (I tend to eat a lot, so this is probably 4 for most people). Only changes I made was using panko breadcrumbs, accidentaly forgetting the garlic, and adding probably twice as much chili pepper.
Kate
Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Danielle.
Olivia
I love this recipe. What would you pair it with? A salad and a vegetable, I am thinking, but would love your advice. Thanks!
Kate
Thanks, Olivia! I think my Little Green Salad would work great with this– it’s light and fresh, which will cut through the heartiness of the gratin. Let me know how it goes!
Kelly
So delicious,it might even usurp Mac and cheese as my favourite comfort food.
Kate
Yes! And that’s some tough competition, too!
Natalie
I made this last night, I used brown rice because I didnt have any quinoa, and substitured mozzarella for cheddar cheese. It was delicious, the mozz added some more protein for me, however I think next time I’ll use the quinoa for a less calorie/carb option. Thanks for the great recipe! I cant wait to try others from you.
Kate
I’m so glad this turned out great, Natalie, even with substitutions. Thanks!
Kema
OMG!! MADE THIS WITH RAW MILK CHEDDAR AND IT WAS A HIT. EVEN WITH MY 8 YEAR OLD. THIS IS DEFINITELY GOING IN THE FAMILY BOOK! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING.
Kate
Great! Thanks, Kema!
Nadia
This came out delicious. I made it with roasted zucchini and bell peppers instead of broccoli. I roasted them with garlic powder salt and pepper.
Kate
Yum! Sounds great, Nadia.
Megan Ho
Hi Kate!
I was searching around trying to find an easy and great tasting vegetarian dish. Now, I’m not one myself but I thought it would cool to try out this recipe seeing as I had most of the ingredients already :) Turned out great! Thanks for posting it!
Kate
Glad to hear this, Megan! Thanks.
Luciana
I made this recipe yesterday and it was a big hit. My 5 yo daughter loved it. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Luciana
Do you have the nutritional facts of this recipe?
Kate
Unfortunately, I don’t have nutritional info available for my recipes just yet. I’m looking for a solution, and will update about it once I find one. In the meantime, here’s a nutrition calculator that might come in handy.
Beth
This was great! Will definitely make it again thank you
Kate
Perfect! Thanks, Beth.
First, Last
This recipe came out great! I didn’t have any milk or unsweetened almond milk so I used half of the already sweetened almond milk I had and the other half water. I probably could have just used water and it still would have came out fine. I also just used regular Italian bread to make the breadcrumbs and they came out fine as well. Don’t worry if you don’t have some of the ingredients, modifications will work. I also left out the red pepper flakes since I didn’t have any. I would recommend trying out this recipe!!
Kate
Thank you! Sounds like your modifications worked out great.
Monica
Finally made this after looking at it many times and it did not disappoint! The garlic bread crumbs definitely take it up a notch. I couldn’t stop eating it!
Kate
I’m glad you finally tried it, Monica!
Chloe
This was so so delicious! I ended up not having cheddar at the last minute so I substituted it with a smaller amount of asiago and I really enjoyed it! I loved that the broccoli was roasted first which gave the dish so much more flavour, I have found in the past that each bite of a casserole tastes more or less the same but broccoli and the homemade breadcrumbs gave it a lot more variety! Using quinoa as the base also made it much more interesting (and healthier- score!) Will definitely be cooking it again to say the least :)
Kate
Awesome! Thanks for the glowing review, Chloe.
Melisa
Hi Kate! I loved the broccoli dish. Thank you for these recipes. I can’t wait to try more. So happy I discovered your site! I also forwarded your site to my sister and my mom. Keep those recipes coming!
~Melisa
PS – I’m sorry Ruth was so critical. While I know you want honest feedback, she sounded bitter and the whole “Twinkle Little Star / 80’s flavor profile” was totally unnecessary.
Sarah
My son and I love this recipe! Thank you. So delicious. And a great way to get broccoli into him. ;)
Kate
Haha! I’m glad I could help you sneak some veggies in.
Sarah
He is a good eater and likes most veggies but has been a little picky with broccoli and spinach lately.
Chanel
i seriously make this recipe at least once a week. it’s a staple in our house and my husband and all my friends absolutely LOVE it. i even use almond milk instead of cows milk and no one even notices the difference. thanks for sharing the recipe with all of us, Kate!
Brandi
I have made several of your recipes and they have been delicious! My Westie “McDougal” says hello to Cookie!
Kate
Thank you, Brandi! And hey, McDougal! Cookie says hello right back. :)
Erin Goss
The flavor of this was very good. I just wish the consistency was creamier. Any suggestions?
Melissa
Omg I love this! I love broccoli cheese casseroles any form, but I love that this one has all the taste without all of the fat and extra calories! It is absolutely crave worthy! Adding some shredded chicken would be good too! ( I’m not vegetarian but eat meatless often) also so glad I didn’t skip the breadcrumbs! They add amazing flavour and texture!
Kate
YES the breadcrumbs are so necessary! Happy to hear this was a hit, Melissa.
Melissa
I just ordered your book! Cant wait! I’ve been trying to eat more whole foods! I read the sample and am so excited to read the rest!