Eggplant Parmesan Quinoa Casserole

I was inspired by a post by Princesses and the Peas and I just had to try this recipe. I love quinoa right now (but seriously, who doesn’t) and eggplant is still abundant in my garden. This was a delicious recipe that’s super filling and healthy. I added some zucchini and tomatoes from my fridge. I loved the big bursts of sweet cherry tomatoes in between bites of quinoa. You could easily use regular diced tomatoes or even a can of tomatoes if that’s what you have.

This was perfect with my coconut milk cheese, especially blended into the mixture-I kept finding big chunks of cheesy goodness as I was eating. It was even better the next day, as most casseroles are.

Ingredients:
• 1 small eggplant, sliced into rounds, then quartered
• 1/2 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
• 4 ounces cherry tomatoes
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 jar marinara sauce,  or 28 ounces homemade
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked quinoa, from 1 cup dry
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/2 batch coconut milk cheese, shredded or 4 ounces favorite vegan shreds, 1/2 cup reserved

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 ˚ F and oil a 9×9 casserole dish. Salt eggplant and leave in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to directions.
2. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook for 10 minutes until beginning to soften. Add cherry tomatoes and zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. When vegetables are soft, add marinara sauce and stir cooked quinoa in.

4. Stir in nutritional yeast and some of the shredded cheese. Pour into 9×9 dish and top with reserved cheese and a little more nutritional yeast.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until top is bubbling and cheese is melted. Broil for a few extra minutes if you want the cheese to brown.

6. Serve.

Tags: casserole, cheese, dinner, food, marinara, plant-based, quinoa, recipe, vegan, vegetarian