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Casseroles remind me of old people. I feel like I’m not allowed to cook one unless I’m over the age of 80, decked out in a floral apron circa 1950. For the most part I love eating casseroles (more on that later), but I just feel like a sham when I’m cooking one. I’ve always wanted to do a behind the scenes of what food bloggers actually look like when they’re cooking. But sadly I think you would all be immensely disappointed by mine. I generally look like a train wreck when I’m cooking and that’s exactly how I like it. And I don’t do aprons. I just pretend that getting flour all over yourself is part of “the art”. Sacrifices people.
My Mom makes a killer mushroom barley casserole. It’s normal for a kid to beg their Mom to make mushroom barley casserole for Friday night dinner right? But then I went to university and the casserole was officially killed for me. When I was picking my residence for university I opted for a single room with a shitty cafeteria versus a shared room in a converted hotel with a chef. I know, a momentary lapse of foodie judgment. The food was by far the worst I have ever tasted with a new level of awful reached on Fridays.
Fridays were “casserole days” aka everything from the week that they didn’t want going to waste mixed together and baked. I genuinely had no idea a TVP, pea, cous cous and mac and cheese casserole could even be considered a meal . Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for strange combinations, but they have to taste good. Let’s just say I experienced what I like to call the freshmen “negative 15”. So I was a bit weary to start tapping into the world of casseroles once more. But this Mushroom Quinoa Casserole definitely redeemed them for me. Now who’s going to help me recover from my casserole PTSD?
Mushroom Quinoa Casserole
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups of water
- 2 tsp of olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 lb (or 16 oz) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp tried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
- 3 T tapioca starch (any type of starch will work)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer, and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- Add quinoa and 2 cups of water to a pot and bring to a boil.
- Cover and turn heat down to the lowest setting. Cook for 15 mins.
- After 15 mins,remove pot from heat and let stand for 5 mins, covered.
- Remove the lid, fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and set aside.
- Add olive oil and onions to a large pot and cook over medium heat for 5 mins.
- Add chopped mushrooms to pot and cook for another 10 mins.
- Meanwhile, heat almond milk in microwave for 1 min (or on stove until warm but not hot). Stir in tapioca starch.
- Reduce heat to low and add almond milk-tapioca mixture to onions and mushrooms.
- Stir until mixture has thickened.
- Turn off heat and add quinoa to mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Add mixture to a casserole dish and cover. If you don’t have a casserole dish, use a large oven safe dish and cover tightly with tinfoil.
- Bake for 35 mins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
I grew up on casseroles and after having babies I realized why they were so great – mix them up and throw them in the oven and free time!!!
Definitely understand the convenience!
What is it with casseroles getting a bad rep in general? I understand your antipathy after reading this post but for me casseroles/bakes have always been the epithome of comfort food and sit-down family meals. Unsurprisingly I’m still eating a lot of them even now that I’m living on my own.
About your recipe: you know I don’t like quinoa, right? Yet vfor some this sound so good to me. Maybe because mushrooms make everything better? Well, I don’t have any quinoa on hand anymore in anyway right now … hm …
Oh and don’t ask about the food at our cafeteria …It’d break every foodie’s heart.
Hahahaha I have NO idea why some people have to ruin the casserole for everyone. Sometimes they can be so good and are super convenient.
Did not know you didn’t like quinoa! Too bad 🙁 Might work with another grain though!
I LOVE casseroles! My mom makes a killer tuna casserole…I always ask for it when I go home.
Ah my Mom makes an amazing tuna noodle casserole!
I agree– not a fan of casserole things either but this one sounds great!!! Maybe for Thanksgivukkah! I’m doing a whole day of cooking and eating!
Thanksgivukkah!!! I have already begun the preparations!
I 100% feel you on the whole casserole thing! My grandma used to shove weird casserole concoctions down my throat when I was younger and I thought I was scarred ever since lol but lately I’ve been playing around with different recipes and this looks right up my alley! I’m on a huge quinoa kick so this is definitely going to be made soon! 🙂
I’m so happy I’m not alone on this!!! Hope you enjoy Selena! Missed seeing you around here 🙂
I wish I liked mushrooms because this looks so good! Maybe I can sub the mushrooms for another vegetable!
For sure! Get creative 🙂
I am the messiest cook I know! As far as I’m concerned, it’s all a part of the process. 😉
My dad makes a wonderful mushroom quinoa pilaf; this reminds me of that. Casseroles scream comfort to me – this looks absolutely delicious and like it’d make an awesome dinner to come home to and have reheated as lunch the next day. 🙂
yummmm I love pilaff!!! Leftovers are the key to life!
My mum always made casseroles as a kid- so much so I got so sick of them! I find like its been yonks since I’ve had one- this is such a unique twist on it- no boring carrots and chopped beef here!
No wayyyy. Casseroles can be so good but then some people ruin it for everyone! Lame.
haha! This is the most interesting casserole story I have ever read! I can’t say I’m a big casserole fan but maybe I haven’t given it a fair shot.
I am actually honored you find me interesting!
I grew up on green bean casseroles (topped with those lovely potato wedges), right? When I moved to MN for a few years I could NOT get over the fact that everyone calls them “hot dishes”. Yes, a hot dish. It still makes me giggle thinking about it!
I know!!! I laugh everytime I’m in MN!!! It makes no sense to me!