Summer Quinoa Casserole with Mediterranean Flavors
Makes one 9 x 13 casserole
Ingredients
4 cups cooked quinoa
6 large eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped herbs (fresh parsley & fresh oregano)
4 cups roasted veggies, bite-size or small dice
(eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, red onion)
8 cups baby spinach (about ½ lb), wilted in olive oil, salt, & garlic (garlic optional) - can substitute with other greens, like kale or chard; just chop into bite-sized pieces
1 jar roasted peppers, drained and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 jar or can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 cup kalamata olives, drained, pitted, and chopped (optional)
⅓-½ lb fresh feta, crumbled
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Generously grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish, preferably metal if you want crispier edges.
If starting the recipe from scratch, begin by cooking your quinoa so that it has ample time to cool before being combined with the rest of the ingredients (especially the eggs!).
Chop your veggies - your desired mix of eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, red onion - into bite-size pieces, which will result in more surface area and therefore more flavor in your dish. Drizzle with olive oil, salt generously, and spread out onto two roasting pans with ample room for the heat to circulate. Roast 20-25 minutes or until well-browned. Allow to cool before adding to the rest of the ingredients.
Chop your herbs, then drain and chop the peppers and artichokes, and olives if using.
In a large bowl, add the eggs and whisk, then add the rest of the ingredients, saving the feta for assembly. Stir well until all ingredients are combined and coated in egg, then spread half the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with ½ - ⅔ of the feta, then spread the remaining quinoa mixture evenly into the baking dish. Press the ingredients into the dish to condense the casserole. Sprinkle the remaining feta on top.
Casserole can be covered and stored for up to a day before baking. If baking it straight from the fridge, adjust cooking time to 45-55 minutes. If baking immediately, place into 425 degree oven, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, or until hot and crispy along the sides.
Casserole will keep 2-3 days in the fridge, and can be reheated too.
Accompaniments to Summer Quinoa Casserole:
Tomato & Cucumber Salad & Herbed Yogurt Sauce
There are endless variations of these side dishes, so we’ll start with the basic and let you reimagine them as desired!
Cherry Tomato & Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
4 medium cucumbers, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces
salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste
fresh herbs: parsley, dill, mint, or a combination (optional)
fresh feta (optional, but great here if you’re not using in the casserole)
Combine tomatoes and cucumbers in a bowl with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and stir well. Add any fresh herbs you have on hand, and cheese if you like.
This side can also be reimagined as a “stack” if you have larger tomatoes and cucumbers. Slice tomatoes thinly, salt well, and layer with thin slices of cucumber. Top each stack with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs, if desired.
Herbed Yogurt Sauce
2 cups whole milk yogurt, regular or Greek-style (your preference)
¼ cup chopped herbs (mint and dill)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and grated (optional)
salt, pepper, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice to taste
Mix all the ingredients together, taste and adjust for seasoning, and serve with the Summer Quinoa Casserole.
Summer Ratatouille Casserole with Goat Cheese & Bread Crumb Topping
Makes one 9 x 13 or one large oval casserole
Ingredients:
for the ratatouille -
1 small onion, finely diced
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1½ cups tomato puree
¼ cup basil, chopped, divided
4 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stem, divided
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 small eggplant
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow summer squash (or you can use 2 zucchinis)
1 red or orange bell pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
for the topping -
1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
3-4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 finely minced garlic clove (optional)
8-10 ounces soft goat cheese/chevre
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Pour the tomato puree into the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish, or a large oval baking dish. Add the chopped onion, sliced garlic, ½ of the chopped basil, ½ of the thyme, and the oregano to the tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper.
Using a mandoline or very sharp knife, slice the eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and bell pepper into thin slices (approx. 1/16-inch thick). Make sure each vegetable is sliced the same level of thinness; this will ensure that the vegetables cook evenly.
Arrange the slices of vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the baking dish, slightly overlapping each vegetable so that part of it is visible. Alternatively, you can arrange the vegetables in overlapping rows as opposed to a concentric circle. If you have leftover veggies, reserve and use later. If you do not have time to slice and arrange, you can also chop the vegetables into even chunks and throw them into the casserole for a more rustic dish.
Liberally drizzle olive oil over the vegetables. Add the remaining chopped basil and fresh thyme. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste.
Cover the dish with a piece of parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper to fit the dish, and loosely lay it over the vegetables. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the vegetables are almost completely tender.
While the vegetables are baking, make the breadcrumb topping. To a sauté pan add the butter on medium heat. When the butter has just melted, add the panko breadcrumbs, parsley, and minced garlic (if you are using). Sauté the breadcrumb mixture until it is well coated in butter and is just starting to brown, about 2-3 minutes.
After 30-35 minutes, or when the veggies are just tender, remove the casserole from the oven. Remove the parchment paper and top the vegetables with evenly spaced dollops of goat cheese. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the casserole. Return the dish to the oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the top of the casserole is golden brown, the vegetables are fully cooked, and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve alongside your favorite protein, or with a side of pasta, rice, or potato or even a good hunk of crusty bread.
To make ahead -
This casserole can be made ahead by cooking the dish for 30-35 minutes without the breadcrumb/goat cheese topping. Once the vegetables have almost fully cooked, you can cool the dish, and refrigerate or freeze. When you are ready to serve the dish, you can reheat the vegetables for 10 minutes in a 375°F oven, and then add the goat cheese and breadcrumbs and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Cheesy Baked Polenta with Greens & Summer Herbs
Makes one 9x13 casserole; we prefer to use glass (Pyrex) or porcelain rather than metal for this recipe.
Ingredients
2 cups cornmeal, grits, or polenta2 tsp. kosher salt
11 cups water
½ pound of greens (kale, chard, spinach, collards, any mix you prefer)
olive oil for sauteeing greens
1-4 cloves garlic, sliced (optional)
large pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups melty cheese (sharp cheddar, fontina, milder provolone, pepper jack, or similar)
4 T butter + additional for coating the bottom of the casserole
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
chopped fresh herbs for garnish (parsley & chive)
salt & pepper to taste
Cook polenta:
Bring 11 cups of water and 2 tsp salt to a rolling boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, stirring constantly for 2 - 3 minutes to achieve a smooth porridge. Mixture will begin to thicken. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 45 additional minutes, stirring occasionally. If you prefer a creamier, looser polenta, feel free to add a bit more butter and/or milk at the end of cooking. Add slowly and gradually, as you don’t want it to turn soupy!
Prepare casserole: Meanwhile, saute your greens. Coat the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil, add greens and begin to wilt, then add the slices of garlic and/or red pepper flakes if using. Cook until most of the water has evaporated, season liberally with salt and pepper, and set aside until the polenta has finished cooking.
Generously butter your casserole dish. Ladle about half of the hot polenta mixture into the prepared dish, then sprinkle with about half the cheese. Spoon in the greens and distribute as evenly as possible, then cover with the remaining cheese. Swirl the greens and cheese into the polenta to distribute more evenly, then cover with the remaining polenta.
At this point, the casserole can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for another day or two.
When you’re ready to cook the casserole, preheat oven to 425 degrees and cook, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes. Check to make sure the middle is hot. If you’re cooking straight from the refrigerator, the cooking time may be slightly longer.
Meanwhile, melt the 4 T butter and then mix in panko breadcrumbs. Remove casserole from oven and turn on broiler; top with breadcrumb mixture then return to oven, keeping a close eye to make sure the breadcrumbs don’t burn. Remove from oven when golden and bubbly.
Allow casserole to sit for 10 minutes before serving.