This Simple Pesto Asparagus Quinoa Recipe is a contemporary, vibrant dish full of creamy pesto, tender asparagus, fluffy quinoa, and melty cheese — all baked to bubbly perfection. It’s a healthful, one-pan surprise that’s bursting with taste and prepared very quickly!
This one skillet pesto asparagus quinoa recipe is one in every of our favourite wholesome dinners that takes hardly any work in your half. Vibrant basil pesto is the proper addition to take easy quinoa to spectacularly scrumptious! We’re utilizing vegetable broth to cook dinner the quinoa too which makes this a delicious vegetarian recipe!
Casseroles have at all times achieved nicely right here at Oh Candy Basil! They’re household pleasant and often straightforward on the price range. We’ll perpetually loooove our teriyaki chicken casserole and naturally, my mom’s busy day casserole. However this asparagus pesto quinoa casserole might be our most wholesome casserole, so everybody must attempt it!
What’s Quinoa?
Quinoa is a flowering plant with edible seeds. Quinoa is gluten-free, excessive in protein and one of many few plant meals that comprise all 9 important amino acids.
It’s also excessive in fiber, magnesium, B nutritional vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and numerous helpful antioxidants.
Quinoa is usually used as a substitute for grains similar to rice. The truth is, we reworked our well-liked cilantro lime rice into cilantro lime quinoa. It’s fabulous!
What’s Wanted to Make Pesto Quinoa with Asparagus?
You solely want one skillet and a few easy substances to make this straightforward weeknight dinner recipe! Right here is every thing you’ll want:
- Olive Oil: Helps cook dinner the asparagus and tomatoes.
- Asparagus: Trim the spears and chop them into 1-2″ items.
- Sea Salt: Amplifies the flavour of the dish.
- Grape Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes additionally work nice.
- Solar-Dried Tomatoes: Provides additional taste to the dish.
- Quinoa: Any sort of quinoa works nice on this recipe. We used white quinoa this time.
- Vegetable Broth: Provides extra taste than simply utilizing water. It may be substituted with rooster broth if desired.
- Pesto: You may make your personal from scratch or purchase a bottle on the grocery retailer.
- Mozzarella Cheese: I want to purchase a block and grate it myself so the perfect gooey meltiness.
- Basil Leaves: Provides a pop of freshness.
- Lemon: Provides acidity.
The measurements wanted of every ingredient may be discovered within the recipe card on the finish of the publish.
Is Asparagus a Weed?
Asparagus is a perennial flowering plant. Its younger shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It’s typically discovered rising wild alongside ditch banks. So I assume it may very well be thought of a weed, but it surely’s the perfect dang weed I’ve ever eaten. Okay, this simply bought bizarre! I simply LOVE asparagus!
Is Asparagus Good For You?
Asparagus is loaded with vitamins. It’s a good supply of fiber, folate, nutritional vitamins A, C, E and Ok.
It additionally comprises a mineral that helps management blood sugar.
Tips on how to Make Asparagus Pesto Quinoa
There are two major steps for making this straightforward quinoa casserole…a little bit sauteing on the stovetop after which some baking time within the oven. From begin to end, you’ll have dinner on the desk in beneath an hour! Listed here are the steps:
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Warmth a tablespoon of olive oil in a forged iron skillet over medium-high warmth.
- Sauté: Add the asparagus to the pan and cook dinner till tender. Season with sea salt then take away to a plate. Add a little bit extra olive oil and add the grape tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Mix: Add the quinoa and stir to mix then add the vegetable broth and pesto and blend every thing collectively. Deliver every thing to a boil then add a lid and place within the oven.
- Bake: Permit the casserole to bake for half-hour. Change the oven to broil.
- Broil: Take away the lid, sprinkle with cheese and let it broil for a couple of minutes to soften the cheese.
- Garnish: Add the basil leaves to the highest and squeeze some contemporary lime juice excessive and serve instantly.
The whole recipe card may be discovered on the finish of this publish the place the recipe may also be printed or saved.
Substitutions and Variations
Relying on the time of yr, you’ll be able to add seasonal greens like zucchini, cauliflower, peas, corn, bell peppers, and so on. Add them in with the asparagus and sauté till tender.
In case you are searching for much more protein, add a grilled chicken breast, some salmon, shrimp or steak.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Taste: Between the pesto, tomatoes, and asparagus, this casserole is loaded with daring taste.
Texture: Cooked quinoa is gentle, fluffy and barely chewy mixed with the crispy asparagus and melty cheese, you contact on all of the textures.
Wholesome: One serving of this quinoa recipe provides you with 9 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, simply 31 grams of carbohydrates and lots of different vital nutritional vitamins and vitamins.
Simple: I discussed this earlier however all you want is a little bit little bit of sauteing time and the remainder of the work is finished within the oven.
Meal Prep: This recipe shops extraordinarily nicely and reheats even higher. The flavors simply get higher with time so this recipe is ideal for meal prepping wholesome meals all through the week.
Meatless: I wish to attempt to have a minimum of one meal per week be meatless, and this vegetarian recipe is one in every of our favorites! It’s so hearty and satisfying.
Storing and Reheating
Casserole leftovers ought to be saved within the fridge in an hermetic container. They are going to maintain for 3-5 days. Leftovers may be reheated within the microwave or within the oven. I want reheating within the oven if I’ve the time. Place in an oven-safe dish and reheat in an oven preheated to 350 levels F. It should take round quarter-hour to warmth by.
This one skillet pesto asparagus quinoa dish is a scrumptious and straightforward vegetarian meal that may be whipped up very quickly. With protein-packed quinoa and flavorful pesto sauce, it’s a wholesome and filling choice for any day of the week.
Extra Wholesome Quinoa Recipes:
Watch How This Asparagus Pesto Quinoa is Made…
Description
This Simple Pesto Asparagus Quinoa Recipe is a contemporary, vibrant dish full of creamy pesto, tender asparagus, fluffy quinoa, and melty cheese — all baked to bubbly perfection. It’s a healthful, one-pan surprise that’s bursting with taste and prepared very quickly!
-
Preheat the oven to 375℉.
-
Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a forged iron skillet (with a lid) over medium-high warmth.
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
-
Add the asparagus and sauté till tender. Season to style with sea salt. Then take away to a plate.
2 Cups Asparagus, Sea Salt
-
Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, when shimmering, add the grape tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes and sauté for a couple of minutes.
1 ½ Cups Grape Tomatoes, ½ Cup Solar-Dried Tomatoes
-
Add the quinoa and stir every thing collectively.
1 Cup Quinoa
-
Add the vegetable broth and pesto and stir to mix. Deliver to a boil then add the lid.
2 Cups Vegetable Broth, 1 Cup Pesto
-
Place the skillet into the oven for half-hour.
-
Take away the lid, sprinkle the cheese excessive. Change the oven to broil and place the skillet into the oven for a couple of minutes to soften the cheese.
Mozzarella Cheese
-
Take away from the oven, add the contemporary basil leaves excessive and squeeze a little bit lemon juice excessive and serve instantly!
½ Lemon, Basil Leaves
Refrigerate left overs for 3-5 days.
Energy: 349kcal