Delicious and with a big protein punch, this vegetarian quinoa bake is going to get scooped up so quickly!
Do you do Meatless Monday? I don’t, really. But I do try to eat at least one vegetarian dinner per week.
At my house, we’re really used to a lot of protein so when I do make a meatless dinner, I try to make sure it’s really hearty and satisfying in the protein department. I love this recipe because it’s gluten-free and high in that needed protein because of the quinoa.
Here’s A Video Showing How To Make This Quinoa Meal:
Getting Plenty of Protein
One of the tricks to satisfying this protein need is to include at least two protein sources per meal. That’s why my Gallo Pinto recipe, a Nicaraguan dish that has beans and rice topped with a fried egg, is one of our go-to vegetarian dishes too.
Today’s recipe for Italian Cauliflower and Quinoa Bake is similar. It has both high-protein quinoa and cheese. Combined with the meaty texture of roasted cauliflower, it’s satisfying from the first mouthful.
I hope you love it as much as I do, – Christine xo
If you like the idea behind this cauliflower dinner, I bet you’ll also like this Italian Roasted Cauliflower side dish. It’s one of my most popular recipes on Pinterest and I’m excited that so many people are loving it.
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Italian Cauliflower and Quinoa Bake
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
DESCRIPTION
You’ll wish every day is Meatless Monday with this bake. Cauliflower offers a meaty texture. Quinoa adds protein.
Ingredients
- 30 oz. cauliflower florets
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. dry oregano
- ½ tsp. dry basil
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 30 oz. tomato sauce (no sodium, add salt to taste)
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a 13 x 9-inch pan combine cauliflower, olive oil, salt, oregano, basil, and black pepper. Toss and roast until cauliflower is lightly browned in spots, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions (will yield about 3 cups cooked). Drain if needed and fluff with a fork. Transfer it to a medium bowl and add the tomato sauce, 4 ounces of the cheese and salt to taste (if desired).
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven and add the quinoa mixture to it. Stir. Top with remaining cheese.
- Bake until cheese is melted and tomato sauce is bubbly, 15-20 minutes.
Video by Leigh Olson. Article and recipe by Christine Pittman.
This post originally appeared in August 2015 and was revised and republished in October 2018.
Meredith W says
Really good wholesome meal.
I was looking for something to do with quinoa, cauliflower and my leftover rotisserie chicken.
The recipe fit the bill. I did everything it said to do except adding the chicken and 15 oz of jar marinara sauce because I didn’t have another 15 oz can. I also had red and white quinoa so I did a mix for extra color.
It takes so good and filling. My kids loved it. This recipe is a real keeper!
Thank you so much
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
You’re welcome, Meredith! Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
KC says
I know there’s no pasta in this dish but it TOTALLY satisfies my saucy-cheesy- lasagna cravings! And I love that it’s meatless. The simply, tasty dishes are the best!
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Yes! So happy it satisfied those cravings for you, KC!
Angela says
I made this recipe a long time ago with quinoa and it was delicious. I decided to make it again tonight and used brown rice because I couldn’t find quinoa at the store. It was just as delicious and helped quell the craving for pizza and instead eat a healthier alternative.
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Yum! So happy you enjoyed, Angela!
Saloni says
Love roasted cauliflower. Cannot wait to try this recipe! Don’t have tomato sauce, have some fresh tomatoes and also passata. How can I make tomato sauce out of it?
emma says
so delicious! I threw in a few frozen peas for a little color and roasted the cauliflower until very light brown. Also I made a tomato sauce by simmering some crushed canned tomatoes with garlic and oregano for twenty minutes and then using a hand blender to mix it :). Great recipe, I definitely will make again! Lol I got impatient at the end so I just baked the casserole (?) for ten minutes at 450 and then broiled for three min to get the mozzarella/provolone mixture nice and golden!
Rebecca Olvera says
Any idea what the nutritional value is for this dish? It is delish and would love to make/eat more often but I need to track my calorie intake (weight loss goals) and especially the carbs intake (diabetic and need to manage my intake). Any input would be greatly appreciated.
carol jaan says
Added some frozen spinach and a splash of wing sauce when combining tomato sauce with Quinoa! a hit!
Christine Pittman says
Carol, Fantastic! Love your adaptations!
Gail says
What an awesome dish..and fast.Okay as with all things, I changed it up a bit. Didn’t have mozzarella cheese, so substituted, parmesan, feta and cheddar in equal amounts. I like spicy stuff, so when I cooked the quinoa,I added about 1 tablespoon of a spicy italian herb mix I have. When I put the quinoa and the cauliflower together , I added in about 4 cups of fresh spinach, then added the cheese topping. Cooked it an extra 5 minutes. This is an absolute keeper.. THANK YOU. you made my night, I love to experiment, and this dish was easy and fast for a weeknight dish.
Christine Pittman says
Gail, So happy you liked it. Your changes sound fantastic!
Kicki says
This looks amazing! Do you know if this will freeze well?
Thanks!
Christine Pittman says
Kicki, I think it should freeze well. You might want to use less sauce if freezing so it doesn’t end up liquidy.
Susan Vazoulas says
I made this for dinner and it was delicious! It tasted just like parmagian. We are thinking of adding other veggies to the mix next time. Thanks for a delicious way to eat cauliflower!!!
Christine Pittman says
Susan, So happy you liked it! I bet all kinds of veggies would work in there. Broccoli and carrots for sure.
Genevieve says
Just had this for supper. We all loved it, including my 8 month old and 3 year old! I didn’t cook the cauliflower as long as stated so as to keep some crunch to the dish. YUMMY!
Christine Pittman says
Fantastic! Thanks for letting me know.
Susie says
Yum! I used mama jess bean good organic pasta sauce and Kerry Gold Dubliner cheese as that is what was on hand, otherwise followed directions. It is delicious! Next time I may add broccoli and maybe carrots. Thanks for the great idea.
Christine Pittman says
Susie, That sounds delicious. So happy you liked it!
Roxana says
I love baked cauliflower! <3
Carrie says
This may be a dumb question, but do you use frozen or fresh cauliflower?
Christine Pittman says
Carrie, not dumb at all. I used fresh, which is why you need to roast it on its own to soften it a bit before adding the other ingredients. I’m not positive, but I’m betting that if you used frozen you could skip that first roasting step since frozen cauliflower, once defrosted, is softer than fresh. If you try it with frozen, please let me know how it turns out. I’d love to be able to add the info to the recipe. Have a great weekend!
Michaela McCarthy says
This is delicious. The entire family loved it!
Christine Pittman says
Michaela, Thanks for letting me know. I’m so glad you guys liked it!
Jessica says
Just came out of the oven! Looks great! Can’t wait to share it with the fam!
Carly says
Made this for my lunches this week. So yummy and filling!
Christine Pittman says
I am so so happy that you like it, Carly! Thanks for letting me know.
Aggie | Aggie's Kitchen says
This looks incredible Christine! My family would devour this.
Marly says
My hubby was resistant to giving up meat back in the day as well. He was for sure a meat and potatoes guy…and he was a super picky eater as a child (so I hear). But now? OMG! He’s vegan! He actually went vegan before me and inspired me to make the leap from vegetarian. I’m not saying your hubby will do the same, but it is interesting how your taste buds can change over time. And this Italian Cauliflower Bake? Looks amazing!! Can’t wait to give it a try!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
I love everything about this girl!!