Name: Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped; 1 cup quinoa, rinsed in cold water until the water runs clear; 2 cups of water; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 4 sage leaves, chopped — if you like sage, feel free to add a bit more; 6 ozs vegetable or chicken broth — vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian recipe!; 2 cups baby spinach; ¾ cup feta cheese; handful pumpkin seeds

Butternut Squash and Quinoa Casserole

butternut quinoa casserole served on a white plate

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★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Butternut squash baked with quinoa, spinach and feta cheese for a hearty cold weather casserole dish that can serve as a substantial side or vegetarian main course.

Author: Cooking Chat
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Casserole
Method: baking
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale

5 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed in cold water until the water runs clear
2 cups of water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 sage leaves, chopped — if you like sage, feel free to add a bit more
6 ozs vegetable or chicken broth — vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian recipe!
2 cups baby spinach
¾ cup feta cheese
handful pumpkin seeds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cook the squash: Boil a pot of water. Add the butternut squash, boil for 15 minutes or so, until the squash is tender.Drain the squash, and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
Cook quinoa: Heat the water to boiling, stir in the quinoa. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer covered for 16 to 20 minutes until the water is absorbed.
Sauté onions and garlic: As the quinoa cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium. Add the onion, sauté until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for another minutes.
Add the cooked squash to the skillet along with the chicken broth and sage. Bring the broth to a simmer, stir occasionally with a sturdy spoon. As you stir, gradually break up the squash.
Simmer squash with onions: Let the squash simmer for about 10 minutes, and it will gradually break up into a creamy consistency.
Add the spinach into the butternut mixture toward the end of its 10 minute cooking time. Remove the squash mixture from heat and cover while the quinoa finishes cooking.
Finish the quinoa: When the water in the quinoa has been absorbed after the 16 to 20 minute simmer time, remove cover and stir the quinoa with a fork.
Combine the quinoa with the skillet of butternut squash mixture. Stir in the feta cheese.
Prep the casserole: Scoop the butternut squash and quinoa mixture into a casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with pumpkin seeds.
Bake the casserole: Cover the casserole dish, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove cover after 10 minutes, and bake uncovered for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Equipment

Baking Dish

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Notes

A couple of people who tried the recipe commented they added more sage and liked it that way. Give that a try if you are a sage fan!
Deborah mentioned that she roasted the butternut squash instead of boiling it. Great idea! I love roasted veggies. If you want to try that, toss the chopped squash with a tablespoon of olive oil in a baking dish. It will take about 30 to 35 minutes to get the squash nice and tender at the 400 degree temperature.

Keywords: casserole, quinoa, butternut squash casserole

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