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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 have never thought of using quinoa in a casserole before. Great idea, Davida.
You should see me behind the scenes. I’m a messy cook, I’m usually in slobs (or my pjs), my hair scragged up. My man always says I make great food but I always make a mess. I say that’s the sign of a good cook and good food. Haha!
Nice! I love the pairing of mushroom and quinoa! Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂
Hope your week is great!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Hi Davida! I’m always looking for great new ways to use quinoa and this sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party!
Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.
This looks filling, delicious, and easy, Davida! Great seasonal comfort food.
UM I secretly love casserroles (Despite the fact that one of my ballet teachers/a friend’s mother used to call me Cassarole as a nickname). A friend of mine growing up’s mother made the BEST chicken noodle cassarole, topped with Ritz crackers. (Forgive my spelling i’m drinking away a delay at the airport). Of course it’s something I would never eat now but I can remember it fondly and try to skinny it up.
The food at my school was mainly terrible. I never ate it. My friends from home that went to my school were all older so I would cook at their places or go out to eat or my mom would make me food and I would microwave it. EXCEPT we had a sandwich bar and they made the second most amazing sandwiches (the cafe at my office makes the best). Also we had soup from Panera at one place so that was legit.
Casseroles, or “hot dishes”, are completely normal in MN, so I am very used to eating them. Growing up, I’m pretty sure we had one a week during the fall/winter months!
When I started as a freshman, I had bad stomach issues with the Dining Center food, so I decided to avoid it. The Food Court had okay food options, but it wasn’t healthy. Within the last year, our campus hired a new director of our dining services, and we’ve seen changes like a salad bar and Sushi Tuesdays as well. The Dining Center is also making changes to become more ‘accommodating’ to students who are gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan!
A I love hearing people call them “hot dishes”! Remind me of Minnesota…one of my favourite places to visit 🙂
Glad things turned around in the caf!
Wow! This is terrific and everyone in my family can eat it. It would be great for Thanksgiving in the US. I assume you had this at yours. But I might have assumed wrong.
My son is vegan and when he went to college they advertised that they accommodate vegan diets. Turned out to be a salad bar. LOL!
That’s awful! I hate false advertising 🙁
Sounds super healthy and SUPER delicious – such a hearty looking meal 🙂
Thanks Aimee!
i absolutely LOVE casserole, it’s such a comforting dish! but i’ve never thought of adding quinoa, what a fantastic idea. can’t wait to give this a go, thanks davida!
the hobbit kitchen x
Thanks Holly! They are so comforting…when not made in your uni dining hall!
It’s hard to find casserole recipes without cheese. But as you pointed out so vividly, cheese does automatically not turn random ingredients into an appetizing dish. This casserole, by contrast, definitely looks like a keeper! Can’t wait to try it!
Girllll layer the cheese on this bad boy, I bet it would be amazing!