Quinoa Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

efEgg-FreegfGluten-FreevVegetarian

By Lee Funke

4.48 from 17 votes

Published 1/3/2025

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Our Quinoa Broccoli and Cheese Casserole is a vegetarian fan favorite! It’s made with simple ingredients and has 35g of protein per serving (no meat involved!). Serve up this quinoa casserole recipe when you’re looking for something easy and healthy to make for dinner — it’s one of our go-tos!

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Today, we present to you a healthier spin on the classic broccoli and cheese casserole, but fully equipped with quinoa and a hemp hearts bread crumb topping for added protein! In my opinion, this casserole is even better than the OG broccoli and cheese casserole because it has 35g of protein per serving without compromising any flavor.

If you’re thinking the addition of quinoa is going to make this broccoli casserole take forever to prep, you’re wrong! You actually bake this casserole with uncooked quinoa right in the casserole dish, and things are ready in 60 minutes. And you betcha it’s just as good warmed up throughout the week as leftovers 😃

Easy Swaps We Love

• Vegan Version: vegetable stock, vegan cheddar cheese, non-dairy milk. You could even add tofu or tempeh for a little vegan protein!
• Animal Protein Boost: If you want to add even more protein inside the casserole, toss in some Instant Pot shredded chicken!
• More Veggies: Feel free to toss in extra veggies like mushrooms, carrots, or anything else you enjoy.
• Grains: Quinoa is a great source of protein and fiber, but if you don’t have any on hand or aren’t a fan, there are a few alternatives you can try. Brown rice or chopped cauliflower rice would both work well as a base for the casserole. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time based on your chosen substitute.

What do I do if my casserole is too liquidy?

If the casserole has too much liquid in it at the end of the cooking time, bake for 10-15 more minutes. If you have already added the top layer of cheese, place tin foil over the top so it does not burn. Alternatively, allowing the casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving will allow the quinoa to absorb a little more liquid. 

How do I store leftover casserole?

This casserole will last in the fridge for around 4 days aka perfect for meal prep for the week. When I have enough leftover, I just store it covered in the casserole dish itself.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You sure can! This casserole is a great option for meal-prepping or feeding a crowd. Simply assemble the casserole according to the recipe instructions, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking as usual.

You can also bake the casserole a day before and reheat using the oven reheating method below.

How do I reheat leftover casserole?

​Here are a couple of reheating options:

1. Oven: Preheat to 350°F. Reheat right in the casserole in a dish, covered (foil or lid), for 20-25 minutes. You may need to add a bit of broth to the casserole dish before reheating if it’s too dried out.
2. Microwave: Reheat single servings, uncovered, on medium power for 1-2 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

You could totally eat this casserole on its own, but adding a little extra to the side never hurt anyone! If you want to add a boost of animal protein, pair your quinoa broccoli casserole with some juicy baked chicken breast, spatchcock chicken, or rotisserie chicken. Want even more veg? Pair your casserole with an arugula salad or a spring mix salad.

4.48 from 17 votes

Quinoa Broccoli and Cheese Casserole

Packed with protein and made with just simple ingredients, this quinoa broccoli and cheese casserole is the perfect vegetarian dish for busy weeknights. 

By: Lee Funke

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1.5 cups quinoa, uncooked
• ▢ 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• ▢ 6 cups chopped broccoli florets
• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 cup vegetable broth
• ▢ 1.5 cups 2% milk, or any kind of milk
• ▢ 6 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Topping

• ▢ ¼ cup hemp hearts
• ▢ 3 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• ▢ 2 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese freshly grated
• ▢ 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375ºF and spray a casserole dish with olive oil.
• Place quinoa, onion, and broccoli florets on the bottom of your casserole dish. Set aside.
  
• Heat a saucepan over medium/high heat. Add olive oil and garlic. When the garlic is fragrant, add the milk, broth, and salt into a medium saucepan. Gently whisk until the liquid is hot.
  
• Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add 6 oz. of grated cheese and whisk until the cheese dissolves into the mixture.
  
• Pour liquid on top of the ingredients in a casserole dish and stir to combine.
  
• Cover the casserole dish and place it in the oven at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Remove and stir.
• Bake for an additional 20 minutes, uncovered.
  
• While baking, add all of the ingredients for the topping to a bowl and mix until a crumble forms.
• Spread the topping over the top of the casserole and broil until the topping turns golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  

Tips & Notes

• This recipe was updated in January 2025. Find the original recipe HERE.
• Any color of quinoa will work for this recipe. 
• We used 2% dairy milk, but you can use any unflavored milk. 
• If you make any changes to this recipe, it will turn out differently.

Watch It

Nutrition

Calories: 685 kcal, Carbohydrates: 65 g, Protein: 35 g, Fat: 33 g, Fiber: 9 g, Sugar: 8 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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