Think of this broccoli quinoa casserole as a healthy version of Broccoli Cheddar Casserole. It eliminates the traditional cream soup and Ritz crackers. And for added protein for a vegetarian main dish, it includes quinoa!
If you already have cooked quinoa on hand, this weeknight dinner takes only about 15 minutes of prep before it slides into the oven. Make it in a casserole dish or as a tart for a fancy touch.
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Many of us grew up on some version of broccoli cheese casserole. My own childhood version used cheddar cheese and a can of Campbell-cream-of-something-soup. Sometimes mom used mayonnaise instead of the Campbell's soup. But it was always topped with Ritz crackers. I loved it.
When Chobani reached out and sent me a case of plain Greek yogurt (large cartons!) I decided to make my own version of this broccoli casserole with yogurt.
After all, I add yogurt to a lot of things. This yogurt soup, Persian Yogurt Soup and long-time favorite, Pan-Fried Chickpea Salad with Curried Yogurt are two examples. And since I cook at high altitudes, I am particularly fond of adding it to baked items for extra moisture, like this Farmhouse Strawberry Cake and Blueberry Coffee Cake.
👩🍳 Tart or Casserole?
Whether you make this cheesy broccoli quinoa casserole in the form of a tart, or in a traditional casserole dish, is completely up to you. And the amount of time you have.
The tart version, of course, will have more carbs. And I par-bake the tart shell before adding the filling, so that adds some time. But it's prettier. So, I recommend the tart version for a brunch dish for the wow factor. And make the casserole version for a casual family dinner at home.
As a note, the bake time for the filling is the same, whichever version you make.
🧅 Ingredients
- Fresh broccoli
- Cooked quinoa
- Eggs
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Plain Greek yogurt, low-fat
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Curry powder (optional)
- Tart shell (optional, if you plan to do this as a tart)
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🔪 Equipment
- Chef's knife
- Steamer basket
- Medium size pot
- Cheese grater
- Mixing bowl
- 8" X 8" baking dish or 9" pie plate (optional if making this as a tart)
⏰ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
Broccoli
To make quick work of prepping broccoli for this recipe, start with the stalk. Using a sharp chef's knife, slice off the bottom of the stalk, including parts that are split and browned. Discard.
Slice the remaining stalk into ½" thick disks. Next slice the head of broccoli into quarters. Chop each quarter into bite sized pieces.
Quinoa
I often have either a jar of quinoa I've already cooked up or have a package of frozen quinoa in the freezer. This allows me to add quinoa to salads, soups, and casseroles very easily for some additional protein. If you make your own, here's a post on the best way to cook up a pot of quinoa.
Cheddar Cheese
To save time, you can purchase cheese pre-grated, but I think it’s well worth the extra 3 – 4 minutes to grate your own. Pre-grated cheese typically is coated with cellulose to keep it from sticking together, which dulls the flavor.
To grate it, use the largest holes on a flat or box grater.
💡Ideas for Possible Variations
- If you prefer cooked brown rice in place of quinoa, to make more of a broccoli rice casserole, you'll lose some protein, but it will work fine. Be sure to cook the rice before adding it to the casserole.
- For a crunchy top, add breadcrumbs sautéed in butter, garlic and lemon zest, that I call Panko gremolata breadcrumbs.
- Swap out the curry powder for Worcestershire sauce (Annie's makes a vegan version).
- Eliminate the breadcrumbs or use gluten free breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten free.
🥩 For the Meat Eaters at the Table
Add 1 cup chopped cooked chicken to the casserole. You may need to increase other ingredients for the sauce, depending on the amount of sauce you like.
🍽 Side Dish Ideas
Tomatoes and broccoli are a great combination, so either balsamic roasted tomatoes or small bowls of Roasted Tomato Soup served on the side works great. Or keep it simple with sliced tomatoes, drizzled with a little olive oil, and lightly salt and pepperd.
Air Fryer Potatoes are a great side for so many main dishes, and are a favorite in our house. If you don't have an air fryer, just roast in a 400˚F oven until tender.
Freshly baked bread is always a hit. If you're interested in making a yeasted bread, these Parmesan and Garlic Rolls are irresistible, as is this Aglio e Olio Pizza Bread.
Citrus Roasted Carrots are easy to make and can either roast in the oven with the casserole, or be pan roasted on the stovetop.
📇 More Casseroles You Might Like
Butternut Squash Casserole with Apples
Curried Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Creamy Feta and Asparagus Casserole
Healthy Mexican Casserole with Quinoa
Cauliflower Tetrazzini with Poblanos
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Broccoli Cheddar Casserole with Quinoa (Recipe)
Equipment
- medium pot
- Large mixing bowl
- 9" X 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 5 cups chopped broccoli, stalk and florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cooked quinoa, freshly made or store-bought frozen
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Rub the inside of a 9" X 13" casserole dish, bottom and sides, with butter.
- Steam the broccoli in a medium pot until it just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
- Stir the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl until it looks like a smooth batter. Stir in the broccoli and quinoa. Pour everything into the prepared casserole dish.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes, or until it's set in the middle.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
apuginthekitchen
Really nice tart, delicious. I like Fage Greek yogurt. Chobani is good but I like the consistency of Fage better.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks Suzanne! I like Fage too. I like the tartness of Chobani, but Fage is another great Greek yogurt.
Rita
Yumm Susan! I will definitely try your tart, thought I'll use Angostura bitters instead of Worcestershire :o)
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Oh what a great idea, Rita. I now have Angostura bitters on hand, thanks to your motivation, and I think I'll this casserole with Angostura next time! Thanks!!
Erika
I agree with ^ I love the consistency of Fage. But Chobani is definitely a solid love of mine. Other than that, I haven't really found any Greek yogurts that really stand out in a good way.
Your broccoli casserole looks so tasty!!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Thanks so much Erika!! I tried Brown Cow's last week but I think Chobani still has the edge for me.
cheri
Does the quinoa change the texture a bit, maybe a little more chewy? Love this combination.
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Exactly. It gives the texture a little heft to balance out the creaminess of the cheese and yogurt. It really made a difference for me. Brown rice works too, but it give quite a bit more heft, but not nearly as a nice a protein boost. Thanks so much!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes
This looks so good!! I might add chicken!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Chicken would go great in it!
Rebecca
One of my teacher friends and I have been trying new recipes and then bringing them to share for lunch. I forwarded this recipe to her (She's vegetarian; I just don't particularly like meat.) and said MAKE THIS NEXT WEEK! We had it for lunch yesterday, and it was scrumptious!
She added some leeks. Oh, my. 🙂 And the curry really makes the dish POP.
This one is going on my home "rotation" immediately. 🙂
The Wimpy Vegetarian
I'm so happy!!! This is the kind of comment that just makes my day. I made it last night for dinner and made it as a casserole in a casserole baking dish instead of in a tart shell. I ended up adding an extra cup of broccoli because it looked like it could handle it. Adding some leeks is a great idea too!! It's such a malleable dish 🙂
Oui, Chef
Love the idea of adding the quinoa here, never would have thought of it, but it makes so much sense.
cj
Nice ~ Would love to see this submitted at FoodFotoGallery.com so I can share with all my foodie friends 🙂