Quinoa and Butternut Squash Gratin

I was browsing around for more quinoa recipes and found this one, which sounded fairly similar to the Cheesy Butternut Bake I had made before.  I decided to give it a whirl, and the results were fantastic. Recipe taken and slightly modified from here.

Quinoa and Butternut Squash Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lb. butternut squash peeled and diced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. shallots
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
• 1 slice Italian bread
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Peel and cube the squash, then put in a ziploc plastic bag and seal. Then pierce a few times with a fork and microwave for 3-5 minutes, until soft.
3. Wash the quinoa in a fine sieve thoroughly until water runs clear. This is very important, as quinoa has a bitter protective coating that can linger even after processing.
4. Transfer squash and quinoa to a large (2 or 3-quart) pot. Add water and salt to pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the quinoa blooms into little spirals. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes.
5. Put quinoa and squash mixture in food processor or blender and pulse until blended.  Return to pot.
6. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat in a small frying pan. Add shallots and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute or two longer, being careful not to let garlic burn. Pour over quinoa and squash mixture, mixing thoroughly. Add eggs, 3/4 cup of the cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer to prepared baking or gratin dish. Pulse bread in a food processor or blender a few times until fine bread crumbs are formed. Sprinkle remaining cheese and bread crumbs over gratin. Drizzle remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil on top and bake for 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown. 

Serves 8.

Per serving: 224 calories, 10 g fat, 14 mg cholesterol, 394 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein, 153% Vitamin A, 26% Vitamin C, 20% calcium, 17% iron

Notes:
I turned the oven to broil for 2 minutes at the end to really get a nice crusty topping.  I think this would be really good with other cheeses too.  I'll probably try sharp cheddar next time I make it.  You don't need to add very much salt in step 6!

Comments

[Chris]

I think this could use a touch more flavor but it is pretty good. I made mine with sharp cheddar. I also recommend using a cooking dish that is less tall than the one pictured (maybe half as high) as then you get more bread crumbs and cheesey topping to enjoy with every bite. Also, the microwave time is 4-5 minutes for the squash (it was left off the original post).

[jkelber]

Oops! Thanks Chris, I've fixed the recipe to include the microwaving time.

[Mary]

This was a fun new use for the quinoa I'm only beginning to experiment with! Thanks to Sarah for sharing the link. I'd also agree that I should have used a sharper cheese (blended garlic cheddar with boring, unsharp cheddar/jack mix). I also used onion instead of shallot and may use even more onion next time. Thanks, Judah!