Mac and cheese without macaroni sounds like a contradiction, but cooked quinoa can take over the pasta’s job in a cheesy baked casserole. Here, two cups of quinoa get mixed with cheddar, mozzarella, almond milk, eggs, garlic, leeks, and tomato before heading into the oven.
The result keeps the cheese at the center while changing the base of the dish. Quinoa absorbs the egg-and-milk mixture as it bakes, while melted cheese binds the grains and vegetables together into a casserole that can be sliced or spooned from the baking dish.
Cook the Vegetables Before Adding the Quinoa
Heat olive oil in a saucepan, then add minced garlic, sliced leek, and diced tomato. Cook them for about five minutes, until the vegetables soften, before stirring in the cooked quinoa.
Keep the mixture over the heat for another three to four minutes, season with salt and seasoning salt, then remove the pan and let it rest for five minutes. Bell pepper or other vegetables can replace the tomato if that’s what you have on hand.
Eggs and Almond Milk Bind the Quinoa
Whisk two eggs with one cup of unsweetened almond milk in a large bowl. Fold in the quinoa mixture along with one and a half cups of grated cheese.
A combination of part-skim mozzarella and cheddar gives the casserole both melt and sharper cheese flavor. At this point, the mixture can look much wetter than expected, but the quinoa absorbs part of that liquid during baking while the eggs help hold everything together.
Spread It Into a Baking Dish
Coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and transfer the quinoa mixture into the pan. Extra grated cheese can go across the top for a more pronounced cheese layer.
Breadcrumbs are another optional topping. Leave them off to keep the original quinoa-based casserole gluten-free, or scatter them over the surface before baking if you want a crisp top.
Bake Until the Edges Begin to Brown
Bake the quinoa mac and cheese at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes. Look for browning around the edges rather than judging the casserole by how loose the mixture appeared before it went into the oven.
Once baked, the cheese, eggs, and almond milk turn the separate quinoa grains into a cohesive casserole. Salsa, scallions, or sour cream can go on top when serving, but the core idea stays simple: macaroni never enters the pan, and quinoa takes its place from the first bite to the last.
Leave a Reply