Bruschetta Quinoa Casserole

Bruschetta Quinoa Casserole

Ingredients

Serves 5

2 ½ cups cooked quinoa (you’ll need about 1 cup / 6 oz / 170 gr of uncooked quinoa)

1 can (8 oz / 225 gr) tomato sauce (I used Muir Glen)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, one minced and one halved

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, divided

Ground black pepper to taste

Handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and place a rack in the middle.

Rub a 8x8 baking dish with the halved garlic pieces and coat with one tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute’ for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and garlic and saute’ for one further minute, until everything is fragrant.

Stir in tomato sauce and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully take a taste, and adjust with seasoning.

Stir in Parmesan cheese and set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan over medium-high heat, toast quinoa with red pepper flakes, oregano and a pinch of black pepper for 2 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine toasted quinoa, tomato sauce, half of the mozzarella, half of the cherry tomatoes, half of the basil leaves and ½ teaspoon of salt.

Transfer quinoa mixtures to the baking dish, top with remaining cherry tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes and then turn on the broiler and broil for 2 minutes until cheese is bubbly.

Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes, sprinkle with remaining basil, lightly drizzle with balsamic vinegar (if you’re using it) and serve.