This Cheesy Quinoa contains a whole head of cauliflower blended into the sauce; perfect for getting our kids to eat more vegetables.
Cheesy Quinoa Ingredients (With Alternative Suggestions)
- Quinoa: In this recipe, white quinoa is used. It has the most delicate flavour and cooks up fluffier than other varieties of quinoa. You could replace with tri-colour quinoa if you prefer.
- Butter, Flour, Milk: Used to make the bechamel sauce. The flour is used to thicken the sauce but if you want the dish to be gluten-free you could skip it (as the cauliflower adds thickness).
- Cheese: The cheese you use can make a big difference to the overall flavour of this dish. I recommend using a strong tasting mature cheddar. This provides the most flavour and you can, therefore, use less of it in the sauce. However, any good melting cheese will work (e.g Colby, Tasty, Montery Jack). You can also mix with freshly grated Parmesan if more flavour is needed
- Dijon Mustard: Used for flavour, can be skipped.
- Cauliflower Puree: Adding cauliflower puree is great for kids who like the flavour of vegetables but struggle with texture. Although visually it goes undetected the flavour of cauliflower is quite prominent. If you have a fussy eater you may wish to start with 1/4 head of cauliflower and slowly add more as your child’s’ taste buds adapt. Alternatively, you can blend only half the cauliflower into the sauce and add the remaining pieces of cauliflower to add texture to the dish. Another great alternative would be to replace the cauliflower puree with butternut squash puree (like in this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese)
- Peas: Just throwing in a visible vegetable, they can be left out replaced with a different veggie.
Making the Cheese Sauce
- ROUX: When making the roux, (mixing the flour with the butter), stir it for 2 minutes before you start adding the milk. This prevents your sauce from having a taste of raw flour.
- CONTINUALLY STIR: Add the milk gradually. Continuous stirring /whisking and adding the milk slowly is the secret to a good sauce.
- ADD CHEESE: Add the cheese and mustard and stir until melted into the sauce.
Assembling the Cheesy Quinoa Bake
- Stir the cauliflower puree into the cheese sauce
- Add the quinoa and stir through
- Add the peas and stir.
- Add mixture to a baking dish and top with cheese.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerating: Refrigerate leftovers, for up to 2 days, in an airtight container. To reheat leftovers you can use a microwave to warm, add a little more cheese on top and then place under the grill (broiler) until topping is bubbly. Alternatively, you can place in the oven (covered in foil) at 190C/375F until hot throughout. You may wish to add more cheese before reheating.
- Freezing: Freeze in a covered freezer and ovenproof dish (or dishes) for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as per the recipe.
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Cheesy Quinoa
Ingredients
Cauliflower Puree
- 1 Small Cauliflower (550g (1.2lb) once trimmed and chopped)
Quinoa
- 175g (1 cup) Quinoa
Cheese Sauce
- 28g (2 tbsp) Butter
- 9g (1 tbsp) Flour
- 250ml (1 cup) Milk
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 115g (1 cup) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese Grated
Assembly
- 135g (1 cup) Peas
- 50g (1/2 cup) Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese Grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200c/400f.
Cauliflower Puree
- Remove the base and outer leaves from the cauliflower and wash. Chop into small 1.5cm (1/2 inch) pieces. Don't worry about keeping florets intact
- In a large pot, bring 3/4 cup (180ml) of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower; bring back to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and steam for 15-1 8 minutes, or until cauliflower is very tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Blend until smooth adding some of the cooking liquid if needed.
Quinoa
- Cook the quinoa as per pack instructions and set aside.
Cheese Sauce
- Melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour to form a roux, stir continuously for about 2 minutes.
- Add milk a little at a time, keep stirring/whisking continuously between each pour. Stir out any lumps before adding more milk. Continue adding the milk little by little until all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Take off the heat and stir in the mustard and the cheese.
Assembly
- Add the cauliflower puree to the cheese sauce and stir to combine. Stir through the quinoa and peas until combined.
- Transfer to one large baking dish (or several small dishes) Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake in the oven, for approx. 20 mins, until the top is golden and bubbly.
Recipe Notes
- Refrigerating: Refrigerate leftovers, for up to 2 days. To reheat leftovers you can use a microwave to warm, add a little more cheese on top and then place under the grill (broiler) until topping is bubbly. Alternatively, you can place in the oven (covered in foil) at 190C/375F until hot throughout. You may wish to add more cheese before reheating.
- Freezing: Freeze in a covered freezer and ovenproof dish (or dishes) for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as per the recipe.
*This recipe was first published in Nov 2015, it has been updated with new photos, process shots and with a new recipe. If you would like to be sent the original recipe then please e-mail me, leave a comment below or contact me via social media.
Kylie says
Can you use a milk substitute with this, like coconut, almond, oat milk etc.
Amy says
Hi Kylie, I haven’t tried substitutes but think it should work 🙂
Sarah says
How many people does this serve?
Amy says
Hi Sarah, sorry I didn’t detail this information in my old recipes (I make sure to do this in my new recipes and I am slowly going through all the old recipes to update with this information). I haven’t actually made this is a long time and can’t remember. I’d say 6 as a dish served with veggies etc.
Josie says
Loved this! Chose this recipe to convince my quinoa-hating partner that it’s actually amazing and it worked! Put a little white wine and some herbs in with the cheese sauce to make a grown-ups’ version and it went down a treat =)
Amy says
Yeah to converting a quinoa hater! I’m loving the sound of your more grown-up version, thanks for letting me know it was a success 🙂
HKS24 says
Are you able to tell me what 1 cup of uncooked quinoa equates to in grams please? Thank you. I can’t wait to try some of the recipes on your website – they look wonderful
Amy says
Hi, thanks for your kind comment! I’ve just measured it and 1 cup is 175g. Enjoy!
Abigail / Cuddles and Crumbs says
Perfect! I’ve been looking for ways to incorporate and introduce quinoa to my kids
Amy says
Thanks Abigail, I hope they enjoy 🙂
Kate, Meals and makes says
This is a great idea. I only really use Quinoa for salads so its nice to have a way to use it in the winter. I will definitely give it a go- it looks delicious!
Amy says
Thanks Kate! Love quinoa salads!
Katerina says
It is so smart to hide quinoa under cheese! I am sure the kids will love it!
Amy says
Most kids love anything covered in cheese 🙂
Nomita | Ebabee says
What a fab idea. I resisted trying quinoa as I thought I wouldn’t like it but I loved it. So I am always looking for new recipes with quinoa and this cheesy quinoa sounds perfect for a mid-week meal for all. Thanks for sharing.