Cheesy Quinoa Bake for Passover

Miss Yunks is trying to keep meals interesting during Passover and is using quinoa in ways she’s never used it before. The thought of cheesy quinoa came to mind as a dish with many servings to make for the week’s lunches at work.

Based on the easy baked mac and cheese recipe I used here, I adapted the recipe for Passover. It may not be the most photogenic dish, but it’s cheesy, full of flavor, and high in protein – three things not usually associated with Passover!

Cheesy Quinoa Bake for Passover

1 cup quinoa
1 cup cottage cheese
2 cups milk
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 cups spinach, finely chopped in food processor
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in quarters
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly butter a medium sized baking dish. Cook quinoa according to directions on box (boil in twice as much water as quinoa, then simmer for about 15 minutes until all water is absorbed.) Blend cottage cheese in blender or food processor until creamy.

It looks so creamy, so unlike cottage cheese.

Mix cottage cheese, milk, and spices in medium sized bowl. Blend mixture in food processor in a few batches, then pour into prepared dish. Add cooked quinoa, chopped spinach, and grape tomatoes to dish. Stir to combine. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top and gently mix to evenly spread the cheese and distribute the quinoa. Bake for 25-30 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed and bubbly around the edges.