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: Cookie and Kate
- 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
Alanna
This is one of my all time favorite recipes now. I’ve made it three times in three weeks! My boyfriend loves it too. I actually use vegan cheese and almond milk and it’s still so creamy and delicious!
Kate
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Alanna.
Victoria Seim
I made this dish tonight for dinner and my entire family loved it! It was so delicious and I’ll definitely make this again soon.
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you, Victoria. I’m happy the entire family loved it.
Ann
Can u use something else than quinoa or just leave it out?
Lindsey Gensel
I made this tonight and was so pleased! I didn’t have bread on hand, so I crushed up a few everything crackers I had and threw those on top. It came out perfect! I did need to cook it a few more minutes to get the top golden. But it is now apart of my rotation! Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad it came out perfect! Music to my ears. Thanks for sharing, Lindsey.
Monica
I made this tonight and everyone of our family (kids 5-16) loved it! I was also glad it’s so easy to make! We’re huge mushroom fans so I’ll add some next time but it really is perfect as is!
Bree
Easy to love and make! The kids thought it tasted like Mac n cheese. Even my picky 7 yr old ate it. Thanks for sharing!
Kate
That’s amazing!! Parenting for the win. Thanks for sharing this was a hit with your whole family!
Ariel
Yummy!
Kate
Thank you, Ariel!
Eric Richard Duback
This is one of our regulars/favorites for the last year or so!! Made many times and will make many more
Kate
Great to hear, Eric! Thanks for your review.
Matt
I don’t normally comment on recipes I find online and make. But, I had to for this one. This is probabaly one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made! I didn’t follow the recipe exactly though. I used some panko breadcrumbs I had on hand instead of making them. I also added a whole yellow onion sautéed with about 6 cloves of garlic. What can I say, I adore garlic.
But seriously though, I can’t stop eating this stuff. It’s incredible (and pretty healthy to boot)!
Kate
I’m so glad you commented! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much. Garlic is delicious!
Amy
Yum and Yum! That is the only way to describe this dish, easy and full of flavor. What a great combination of ingredients!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Amy!
Madhusudhanan
Nice recipe. I made it for dinner and my wife loved it!!!
Kate
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing!
Danielle Siedlecki
Made this last night with a few adjustments. Added a red bell pepper with broccoli, used 1/3 Mexican blend cheese, 1/3 Parmesan and 1/3 nutrition yeast (it was a clean out the fridge kind of night), I also used store bought whole wheat bread crumbs mixed with Panko and onion flakes. It came out delicious, thank you! I’ll defintiely be making again!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Danielle! I’m really glad it worked for you.
Ishita Bhardwaj
This is a wonderful recipe! I added some sauteed mushrooms before putting this is in the oven. Tasted fantastic!
Kate
Thank you, Ishita! Really glad to hear it!
Janice
I couldn’t believe how good this was
I had broccoli that needed to be used up stat and was looking for something different and I found this
I’ve always wanted to cook more with quinoa but never really loved any recipe that I tried
My 14-year-old almost ate the whole thing herself and asked me to make it again
We’ll try it with different roasted vegetables as well
Thanks!
Kate
Fantastic, Janice! Thanks for sharing.
BJ
Made this tonight – yummy! I used panko out of laziness and only half the cheese and it was still utterly delicious. This will go in the rotation – thanks for posting it!
Kate
Thank you for your review, BJ!
Jill
My husband surprised me by making this one night and it was SO delicious! I needed that comfort this week, so I made it again! I just entered it in my Samsung health app and it said well done on your perfectly balanced meal! Lol
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jill!
Katie
My first time ever making any kind of casserole and my husband and I loved it! Thank you for helping me rock being a newlywed
Kate
Congratulations, Katie! I’m glad you both loved this one.
Amanda
I made this for dinner tonight and added sautéed mushrooms. It was delish! The garlicky breadcrumbs put it over the top. My 4 year old daughter had two helpings and asked if we could have it again sometime soon. Thank you!
Kate
Right! Those breadcrumbs are delicious. Thanks for the review, Amanda!
L Hall
Made this tonight for me and my family and have to say we have never enjoyed quinoa more.
Changes: 1/2 the cheese and replaced with about a cup of cubed tofu.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, L!
Donna Baldrian
My go-to recipe. I simply LOVE it!
Kate
And I love hearing that! Thanks, Donna!
Nicole
Hi! I just found your site via a ‘healthy broccoli main dish’ Google search and I can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing. :)
Kate
Welcome, Nicole! Let me know what you think of this one.
vikki
this is sooooo so fantastic ! I have made it so many times now. Every recipe I have tried on your blog is amazing (i have tried a lot!) but this is my favourite by far ! I love how comforting and cheesy it is but still pretty healthy at the same time. I used a red, white and black quinoa mixture and would highly recommend for the depth of flavor it adds.
Kate
Thanks, Viki!
Susan
Hey Kate, above the recipe it says 6 servings but the nutrition is for 8. Can you update? Thanks!
Kate
Hey Susan, the casserole yields 6 to 8 servings depending on size, and nutrition information is for 8 (since I have to pick one of the two). Hope that makes sense!
Jillian
This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! I saw you post it on instagram tonight and decided to make it (I actually had all of the ingredients on hand, which is rare). It is sooo good! Like others, I used some storebought breadcrumbs and I added extra garlic. The crunchy topping is a great touch! I’m looking forward to leftovers for the next few days. Thanks for the great recipe!
Kate
Hooray! I love it. Thanks for making it right away and reporting back, Jillian.
Amy W
So yummy! I’m hoping my vegetarian son will like it as he is very picky! I did sauté a small diced onion add a crushed clove of garlic in a bit of olive oil before adding the broth and quinoa. Otherwise, I followed it completely and it’s delicious!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Amy! I appreciate the review.
Lisa
Question – I have couscous in the pantry – would that work as a sub for the quinoa? Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it.
Kate
It could work, although I haven’t tried it. They are usually good substitutes for each other.
Susie Kimberly
Delicious on a drizzly cold evening! I had some butternut squash to use up so I threw that in to roast with the broccoli. I only had frozen broccoli but it was still really tasty, not mushy.
Kate
I’m happy the frozen still worked for you, Susie!
Diane
Thank you Kate!
This dish was delicious!
In fact everything I make of yours is A+!
Thanks again.
Kate
You’re welcome, Diane!
Maya
This recipe’s been in our weekly rotation for months now – such a comforting yet super healthy meal! I’m from Michigan originally so I love my casseroles. I’m so glad I found a recipe that’s meat free yet high in fiber/protein! I like to add red bell pepper for extra veggies and occasionally red onion if I have a bit on hand. I think next time I’ll use Monterey jack. My husband loves this too. Great job Kate!
Kate
I love that, Maya! Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Grace Karcher
I agree. This is a fantastic recipe. I was looking fo something without cream cheese, mushroom soup or sour cream. I had quinoa in the house as it is now a healthy alternative for me. I wanted to use up fried onions from Thanksgiving and it is moist and tasty. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
Thank you for your review, Grace!
K Armsby
I made your recipe today, and we love it…made a few modifications for our taste, used 1/2 sharp cheddar and 1/2 pepper jack cheeses; substituted half and half for the milk, fried 2 pieces of bacon cut into small pieces, drained the bacon, then sauteed a small onion in the bacon grease. The onion was added to the quinoa mixture. And the bacon was added on top with the extra cheese for baking. Really delicious!
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Lynda Wadland
Outstanding. Absolutely delicious. Simple to prepare. I am trying not to eat a serving for 4 at one time!
Once again, thank you Cookie and Kate.
Lynda
Kate
You’re welcome, Lynda!
Jaime
This is a Great recipe..I tossed in some Brie and cream cheese! Super creamy!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jaime!
Felicia
My husband and I enjoyed this quinoa recipe very much. Already a quinoa fan, I thought pairing this grain with broccoli florets made for a delicious match. The nuttiness and texture of the quinoa plays nicely with the the broccoli and cheese. And thank you, by the way, for your delicious, healthy recipes. I enjoy your charming writing, recipes and tips. One of my favorite recipes is from your book … your kale-quinoa salad with celery, cranberries and tasty lemon dressing. There is a spot on my cookbook shelf for your book, however it’s more often open on the counter overseeing a meal!
Kate
You’re so sweet, Felicia! Thank you.
Roberta
Thank you for the recipe. We made it last night and will make it again. I added onions sautéd in olive oil and white wine. For the croutons, I used rye sourdough bread with caraway seeds. In the future, I would add chopped nuts and cottage cheese for a little more heft.
Kate
You’re welcome, Roberta! Thanks for sharing your take on this recipe.
Jo
My third time making this, a teeny different each time, So delish! Added roasted peppers to one; used tri color quinoa on another, and tonight’s version features toasted garlic bread mixed in for the breadcrumbs. So yummy! Love your site, thank you Cookie and Kate :)
Katie
Katie can this be prepared the day before and baked the next day?
Kate
Hi Katie, I haven’t tried it. But it could work. Or, make it all the way and reheat the day you need it. This makes great leftovers!
Katie
Great idea I’ll reheat it the next day! Thanks for getting back to me!
Chris
This looks great! We were hoping to make a larger version of this for Easter – does it double well or does it need some adjustments? Thanks!
Kate
You can double this just fine, but make sure you have a large enough dish to bake. Or bake in two dishes. Enjoy!
Erin
If one wanted to substitute the quinoa with rice, would it be the same amount cup for cup in the ingredients?
Kate
Hi Erin! I think that for rice, you typically need to use more liquid. I’d follow the ratio and instructions provided on the package, but use 2 cups vegetable broth instead of water (just add more water if you need more liquid to meet their guidelines). For example, if the recipe calls for 3 cups water, use 2 cups broth and 1 cup water. Hope that makes sense!
Lana
Just a quick question – does this freeze well? I really want to make it (and eat some) today but I’d like to portion out and freeze the leftovers for a couple daycare lunches for my daughter next week. Thanks!
Kate
Hi Lana! I haven’t tried freezing this casserole. I’m a little hesitant to suggest it since the recipe contains dairy milk, and that doesn’t always freeze well. It will keep well in the fridge for up to four days.
Kait
Would this keep well as is over night to be baked the next day?
Colleen
Similar question – could I assemble in AM and bake later?
Kate
I think this makes great leftovers. I haven’t tried baking it the next day. I’m hesitant as it may get a little watery, but you could try it!
Sheila
I made the quinoa/broccoli casserole. It was too dry and fell apart when serving instead of sticking together like most casseroles. It really wasn’t very good.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it! Did you by chance may have missed the milk? It’s key here to help with moisture. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Sheila
I put one cup of milk. The bread crumbs on top were fab. Any rate, no worries and I will try another recipe.
Joanna
This was SO tasty! I added onion and mushrooms, and used garlic croutons instead of the white bread. You have such great recipes, thank you for sharing them!
Kate
You’re welcome, Joanna! I’m glad you are enjoying them.
CMK
Made this for Easter dinner and it was a huge hit! Trying it tonight with steamed broccoli because we are a little crunched on time.
Kate
Wonderful to hear, CMK! Thanks for your review.
Bhavni
Oh. Em. Gee. I’ve just made this and it is divine! So impressed!!!! Added some leek, onion and mushroom too. This will definitely be a go to from now on!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your take, Bhavni.
Morgan
I didn’t not grow up eating casseroles and don’t normally cook them.
This.
This is the exception.
You have outdone yourself with this casserole. The roasted broccoli and garlic breadcrumbs are game changers! I have added different veggies to the broccoli such as summer squash, zucchini, bell pepper, and cauliflower. All are welcome additions. I recently made a batch and froze individual portions and they reheated beautifully in the microwave. Another wonderful recipe. Thank you, Kate.
Kate
I’m so happy you loved it. I like that you have changed up the vegetables too! Thanks for sharing, Morgan.
Erin
I was kind of skeptical I was going to like this because not a huge fan of quinoa but tried it anyway bc of all the positive reviews! Glad I did because this was amazing and I’ll be making again and again. So tasty. Love the crunch of the crust and how it doesn’t sit heavy like other casseroles. Highly recommend using the fresh cheese too. Hate the anti caking agent they use in preshredded which makes reheating the cheese less pleasurable.
Kate
I’m happy you tried it and liked it, Erin! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Amber
Wow this was soooo good. My family loved this meal. Thanks for sharing
Kate
You’re welcome, Amber!
johanna
This was absolutely delicious! My husband and I loved it and will be making it again. As an aside, I keep seeing people commenting (not necessarily here) that you can’t roast broccoli and I very much disagree! It works so well in this dish. I’m also definitely going to try it with the Brussels sprouts.
Kate
I bet Brussels sprouts would be nice in it too! Thanks for your review, Johanna.
Jennifer Wyffels
I really liked this dish! I think next time I won’t add the pepper flakes or the salt so my son will eat it too, but other than that it was really great!
Kate
Yes, omit if anyone is sensitive to spice! Thanks for sharing, Jennifer.
Victoria
Amazing! I added feta and some left over bacon crumbles and it turned out really good
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Victoria!
Amber Lowe
I tried this recipe because I love vegetables and comfort food. Here I got the combination – with much less carbohydrate to worry about.
– I was short on broccoli so pulled a bit of zucchini. And I also added a small bit of red pepper (paprika) that was hanging about in the fridge. But the recipe is perfect on its own and I will plan better in
future :) Such a delicious, warming meal, oozing good veggies and healthy calcium. Highly recommended – thank you!
Kate
I’m happy it worked well with your combination, Amber!
Mel
I would like to make this as a freezer meal for myself (about to have a baby) and a friend who just had a baby. Any suggestions on how to freeze it. Do everything but baking or bake cook and wrap?
Kate
I haven’t tried freezing it, but I believe others have with luck! I would bake, let cool completely and then put in a freezer safe container with a a sealed lid.
Jessie
Good recipe but I like to salt to the water before cooking the quinoa (same day with any pasta, rice, potatoes etc) instead of salting afterwards for a better flavor
Kate
Thanks for sharing your take!
Pat
When my daughter spoke of making this recipe, I thought, ” Oh no, nobody’s gonna eat it”. When I tasted it, I WAS HOOKED. It’s So So good, I wanted to eat it every day. Another thing,. I’m so glad there is a very tasty recipe that makes use of quinoa. This is the best recipe ever.
Kate
I’m glad everyone loved it! Thanks for your review, Pat.
Chris
This was a truly delicious meal, didn’t tell hubby I was using quinoa as I know he wouldn’t have liked it, told him it was a surprise.
He absolutely loved it and asked for a second helping, fantastic.
Thank you Kathryn for a great recipe
Kate
You’re welcome, Chris! I appreciate your review.
Carmen Helps
I made the Broccoli Casserole because I had too much broccoli and did not have a lot of ideas on what to do with them. It was excellent! I am going to make it again! I also put quite a bit more broccoli and it worked anyway. Thank you!
Aimee
It is finally getting a little cooler here in the northeast so we made this. This recipe is the most delicious comfort food enjoyed by my whole family (which includes 9 and 5 year old boys). Love every recipe I have tried but this is definately a favorite of ours. Thanks for all the yumminess!
Priya
I made this dish and it was fabulous! My kids gobbled it up and one went for thirds, as did I. I’ll be adding this to my rotation. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Priya! I’m happy you loved them.
Heidi
Delicious! I followed exactly, except used crushed rice cereal instead of bread to make it gluten free.
Roo
I made this last night and it was a hit. Used Israeli cous cous (larger than quinoa) as I didn’t have quinoa and it went down to rave reviews. Big thanks for sharing.
Steph
Hi,
Can you use frozen broccoli florets?
Thanks!
Kate
Sure! You will want to thaw it before baking it.
Kendal
This is the 5th time I’ve made this recipe and I still absolutely love it! I made it for a few work potlucks and all my coworkers love it! Thank you for making this available to all of us!
Kate
I’m so happy to hear that!
Janis Piedra
We loved this gratin/casserole. I reduced the amount of cheese for health reasons using Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar which has a strong taste so a little went a long way. To increase veggies I roasted cauliflower with the broccoli and added a layer of carmelized onions on top of the quinoa veggie layer under the breadcrumbs. I chose tri color quinoa and the presentation when cut was lovely. My husband asked for a second serving so that says it all. Thank you for this recipe.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Janis!
Julia
gonna try this thanks :)
Carly
Yummy! Even my husband who really doesn’t care for quinoa got seconds of this. We’re very big on cheese so I will probably up the amount the next time I make this and maybe punch it up with a little more spice but other than these minor tweaks for our personal preference, this recipe is a winner. Thanks for a new dish to add to the rotation!
Kate
I love that! Thanks so much for your review, Carly.
Renee
I made this for company last night and everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Renee!
Renee
I made this for company last night and everyone loved it. Thanks for a great recipe. I used gluten free crackers for the garlicky topping. Yum.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Renee!
Christine
This was great! I added some mushrooms I had sauteed with a shallot and a little garlic, but otherwise followed the recipe. Seems like a great base to add in your favorite veggies. Will definitely make again!
Karianne Melquist
This recipe is amazing! I just finished the last of the leftovers. My whole family loves it, we are planning on replacing the unhealthy traditional casserole with this yummy healthy one at Thanksgiving. Totally two thumbs up!
Anna
This recipe was easy and delicious! Will make again for sure!
Jess T
Was feeling in the mood for a casserole and had somehow missed this recipe before. I made this tonight and it was fantastic! I almost used store bought bread crumbs because I am lazy about taking out, and subsequently having to clean, my food processor. But I’m so glad I did! Homemade bread crumbs are the bomb as was the entire recipe. Thanks, again, Kate!
Kate
I’m happy you discovered it, Jess! Thank you for your review.
Nicole
Has anyone tried making this a day or two ahead?
Kate
This is great leftover! The bread crumbs might loose some of their crunch, but still delicious.
Justine
My husband and I both LOVED this recipe! We will definitely make it again!
Kate
Great to hear, Justine! Thanks for your review.
Kari
This is wonderful. I didn’t have time to roast the broccoli, so I just chopped it pretty fine and put it into the cooked quinoa before the bake. Delish!!
Priya
This is a new favourite in my family! It’s absolutely delicious. Thanks you!
Emily
Thank you! My daughter decided to try being vegetarian, and we eat dinner as a family, so we are all trying new things. I just thought of broccoli casserole as an option, and was sifting though recipes full of mayonnaise, cream of “something” soup, and butter when I saw a recipe from your site. I knew it would be the one I wanted. Your website is making it easy to support my teenager-with-a-big-heart while keeping my picky younger children well fed.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Gaby
Omg that was so amazing!!! I make a similar dish with rice and cream of mushroom soup and this was so much better and much healthier!!! I added chicken for my husband and it was So delicious! Sesame eziekle bread for the bread crumbs for the win!!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Gaby!
Dawn
Hello! Can this be prepped the day before (minus the breadcrumbs) and baked the next day? Can’t wait to try it, and thanks!
Kate
This is great as leftovers! I think that could be fine, although your quinoa may soak up more of the moisture prior to cooking. Let me know if you try it!
Deanna
I made this dish last night and it was delicious! Easy to make and the ingredients were all things that we normally have in the fridge/pantry. Next time, I might add in bell peppers + onion – a few other veggies would make it even better!
Wondering if there is a vegan option for this dish?
Kate
Hi Deanna! I don’t think this dish would be great vegan. Although, you could try my vegan sour cream or possibly queso instead of the cheese and let me know your thoughts.
shan Bee
I love this dish, it’s easy and yummy, healthy too. This recipe is exactly what I was looking for, thank you. I didn’t have to change a thing. Although I did make 2 layers, instead of tossing it. Proud of my homemade breadcrumbs, tasty.
Kate
You’re welcome, Shan! I’m happy you loved it. Thanks so much for your comment and review.
M. Scott
Big hit with my British boyfriend who doesn’t know enough about casseroles. I personally have never really liked quinoa which my fella loves. So we both branched out for this one and it’s been added to the ‘what should we have for dinner’ list since we always have the ingredients in the kitchen. Cheers!
Kate
Hooray! I love you can both enjoy this one.
Suz
Hi Cookie and Kate! Just made this because I needed to use up broccoli asap. Used Panko because we didn’t have bread…. can you tell we need to visit the market tomorrow? LOL It was delish! BTW I’m putting together our Thanksgiving menu and all recipes are yours!
Kate
A C+K Thanksgiving, I love that!
Katie
How would you recommend making this ahead of time? Do everything except the last oven part ahead of time or cook everything through and then just reheat in oven?
Kate
This is great as left overs! You may be able to let it sit for a few hours before baking it, but I haven’t tried that.
Sandra Espinosa
Made this for lunch to try out as a potential Thanksgiving side and it turned out delicious! thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome!
Ana
Can I use premade seasoned bread crumbs instead of making my own?
Kate
Hi Ana, sure you could do that. I just can’t guarantee they will be as delicious as these garlic ones. I highly recommend them :)
Sandra L Irick
Our new macaroni and cheese. This recipe is so good. Love everything about it, delicious, consistency, nutritious. Next time I might try adding some vegan sausage.
Mary
Perfect for a cold MN winter day.
Kate
A great dish for a cold day! Thanks for sharing, Mary.
Ilja
Great dish. Kids liked it too.
Kate
Great to hear! Thanks for sharing.
Louise D. Jewell
My daughter-in-Law made this dish during one of my visits and oh-my-goodness! It is delicious. So much so, that I asked her for the recipe.
And she very kindly sent me the link to this recipe and your website. :)
I plan to bookmark this recipe and visit your website for other yummy recipes!
Thanks so much!
Oh, and if I am not mistaken, she substituted regular breadcrumbs with gluten free (with my allergy in mind). It’s a keeper recipe for sure.
Forest
I am sadly allergic to quinoa :( would this work well with another grain such as farro or barley? Maybe brown rice?
Kate
Hi Forest, brown rice might work. I haven’t tried it.
marti
Mine was not creamy, the milk stayed on the bottom of the pan and it felt very much like stuff thrown together and baked. Which it is but it didn’t come together like a casserole normally would.
Kate
Hi Marti, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you mix it all together? What type of milk did you use?
marti
I used whole! And I did, I actually mixed veg and quinoa and cheese and milk in another bowl before placing in baking pan. I used a 4 cheese mixture but didn’t think it would have much effect on the recipe apart from flavor…
Kate
It may have been the different type of cheese, but I can’t say for certain. Interesting. Sorry it didn’t work out perfect!
heidi hill
I made this yesterday for dinner – just thinking about how tasty it was is making my mouth water – so yummy! I found I needed to cook the quinoa for an additional 5 mins and 1/2 cup more liquid until it was cooked fully. I didn’t have enough broccoli so added cauliflower instead – i think it added to the flavours. I also found the portion sizes to be small. Your 6-8 yielded 4-5 portions for me. Its fine I will just make more next time. :) This will be made regularly in our home from now on. Thank you!
Kate
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Heidi! Did you let it simmer or boil? That can impact how much water at the end.
Heidi Hill
Hello Lovely Kate, thanks for your reply – I boiled but then simmered when the water was getting low and stirring often – for fear it might burn.. Have a wonderful Christmas.. PS Made your Quinoa Salad today – perfect for a Sunny Dubai Christmas Eve.
Pat
Looks yummy without the fat and calories. Going to try the broccoli casserole for a brunch for 17 people. I also subscribed. Looks like my kind of cooking. Thanks.
Maya
Can you make this ahead of time and reheat?
Kate
Sure! This makes great leftovers, Maya.
Norma Whitaker
I made your Better Broccoli Casserole to take to a Christmas Dinner potluck. It was really tasty! However …..it makes way more than 6-8 servings, and the only way it would fit in a 9-inch square baking dish is if the dish were unusually deep. I baked it in a 9X12 pan, and it really filled the pan. (I did NOT double the recipe.)
But, the finished result was good, and I will make this again sometime.
Kate
Hi Norma! It worked well in my pan, but I do know pans can really vary. Thanks for your comment!
Jila
I was wondering if you know simple receipts not too many ingredients and not to many steps. For people who are not much enthusiastic about cooking but they only want a simple healthy food to eat.
For example right now I am cooking some quinoa the way you mentioned and I am going to eat it with some boiled Eggs ( organic of course ) .
Thanks
Kate
Hi Jila, Here are some quick dinner ideas! Hopefully this helps some.
Kayla
Made this today for myself and my 10 month old. We added some leftover turkey and some nutmeg and instead of breadcrumbs we sprinkled yesterday’s cornbread on top. Delicious.
Sarah
Can this be made with frozen broccoli florets? If so, what adjustments need to be made?
Looking forward to making it.
Daniela
I’ve made this with frozen broccoli multiple times, and I just cut down the roasting time a little, to 13-15 minutes. It’s delicious!
Colleen
My father in law surprised us with a visit when I just happened to be making this. Made me look like a good cook who often makes homemade meals ;-) he was not familiar with quinoa and loved it.
Kate
Hooray! I’m happy he enjoyed it and now knows what quinoa is. :)
Susan
Love this recipe. It’s a regular in our household. No leftovers and the dogs are disappointed
French Margarita
Sooooooo good! It’s going straight into my regular rotation. I’ve made some quinoa bakes where you can actually bake the quinoa right in the casserole dish without first cooking it on the stovetop, so I might try something like that with this next time.
Kate
Hi! I like cooking it first so you can really get the cheesy and milk mixed in.