Butternut Quinotto
As a long-term mac and cheese lover, this is one of my favorites! Anything warm, cheesy, and carb-filled is sure to be a hit, but this dish is especially lovely because it uses a lot of squash (vegetables), and quinoa is highly nutritious.
Quinoa makes a great base for a risotto because it develops a deliciously creamy texture as you cook it with a bit of broth—you don’t even need cream for it to taste amazing, which makes it perfect for dairy-free folks! This nutritious meal is also a hit with children. It pairs easily with roast chicken or turkey and some roasted broccoli (which you can make at the same time as roasting the squash!).
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do—it’s definitely my go-to when I’m looking for a comforting, cozy meal.
Butternut Quinotto
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 butternut squash
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth, kept warm
2 tbsp olive oil or butter
½ cup grated parmesan (or nutritional yeast for vegan)
A few fresh sage or thyme leaves (optional)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Roast the squash at 400°F for 45–60 minutes. Cut in half, scoop out seeds, season lightly with oil, salt, and pepper, and place face down on a baking sheet until very soft. Scoop out the flesh and mash into a purée. You can do this while cooking the quinoa, or roast ahead of time and refrigerate until needed.
Make the quinotto base. In a large pan, heat olive oil or butter and cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minute. Stir in the quinoa, coat well, and add 1 cup warm broth. Continue adding broth ½–1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.
Mix together the roasted squash purée into the quinoa, then mix in parmesan (or nutritional yeast), herbs if using, salt, and pepper.
Serve warm, topped with extra parmesan, herbs, or toasted pumpkin seeds.