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Caprese Quinoa Casserole Recipe

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Today I’m bringing you a simple, cheesy Caprese Quinoa Casserole Recipe loaded with turkey, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. You are going to love this healthy and easy dinner!

Caprese Quinoa Casserole - This turkey casserole is warm, cheesy, and healthy!

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Last week I made one of our old favorites, salmon with bok choy over rice, except I didn’t have any rice. That’s one of those things I think we always have and forget to buy at the store. After panicking for a moment, I realized that we had quinoa, which was a perfectly good substitute. I love how it’s a whole grain like brown rice but only takes 20 minutes to cook!

Caprese Quinoa Casserole - This turkey casserole is warm, cheesy, and healthy!

Quinoa seems to go a long way because I made one cup dry like I usually do with rice, and we had a lot leftover. I dug through the freezer brainstormed for ideas of what I could make with two cups of leftover quinoa, and this tasty Caprese casserole was the result. This would be a great make-ahead or freezer meal if you just add the topping ingredients before baking. We loved it for dinner and for lunch the next day too. I think this easy quinoa casserole recipe will be a hit at your house too!

Caprese Quinoa Casserole - This turkey casserole is warm, cheesy, and healthy!

Watch This How-To Recipe Video!

Caprese Quinoa Casserole
You'll love this healthy, cheesy, easy turkey casserole!
© The Weary Chef 2013-2018
Author: Andi Gleeson
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Caprese Quinoa Casserole
Caprese Quinoa Casserole
You'll love this healthy, cheesy, easy turkey casserole!
© The Weary Chef 2013-2018
Author: Andi Gleeson
Add to Meal Plan →
Add to Meal Plan
SAVED! Click here to customize your meal plan!
Print Recipe
Print Recipe
Click here to see your meal plan and grocery list!
Caprese Quinoa Casserole
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings: Units:
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings: Units:
Ingredients:
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 16 ounces ground turkey
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • red pepper flakes, to taste, optional
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
  • 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup white wine, you can substitute chicken broth
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed (use 2% milk cheese to lighten it up)
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • handful basil leaves, sliced thin or minced (I used freeze-dried basil this time)
Instructions:
  1. If you don't have leftover quinoa, cook 3/4 c. dry quinoa with 1 1/2 c. water according to package directions. Continue with the rest of the recipe while this cooks.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onion, salt, and red pepper flakes. Sauté and crumble meat until turkey is cooked through.
  4. Add garlic, spinach, and wine or broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in cooked quinoa and 1/4 c. parmesan. Reduce heat to medium and cook until heated through.
  5. Transfer quinoa mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange slices or cubes of mozzarella over the top, and place tomato slices in an even layer over the cheese. Sprinkle basil over the tomatoes. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the tomatoes, and sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. parmesan over the top.
  6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and tomatoes are thoroughly cooked.

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Comments

  1. Hi, I want to make this for my girlfriend who just had a baby. If I make it 1 day in advance, should I bake it in the oven to get the cheese to melt and tomatoes to cook? Or should I just store in the fridge and have her bake?

    From refrigerated (overnight), how long will she have to bake and at what temperature?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Hi! I bet she will appreciate that! I would leave the tomatoes off until the day you are going to take it over there. Then add those and the basil and let her bake it. 350 degrees for about 40 minutes should do the trick! That will still be easy for her since she can just pop it in the oven and forget about it while it bakes. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  2. I found this last summer, and I have made it several times. I lost the printed recipe and almost freaked out because it is so good. Just googled it and found it easily just now. Making it again tonight, and my friends at work like it as well; now, I have to make a double batch when I cook because my friends will see me eating it at work and want a bite, so I just bring in left overs for them, too.

    Reply

  3. I tried this recipe last night and it was a hit! I added some jalapeno (we love spicy food!) and it was sooo yummy! Thanks for sharing this!

    Reply

    • Any sort of bacon is always welcome :) I’m so happy to hear you liked it, Glenn. Thanks for taking the time to come back to let me know!

      Reply

  8. Hi Andie, I love the chicken and spinach enchiladas recipe. One of my favorite restaurant enchiladas is spinach and poblano peppers w onion. This would be an awesome addition to the chicken or you can go veggie with it! Thanks so much!

    Reply

  9. Tried this dish for me and my boyfriend last night and we LOVED it! This will be one of our regular dinner meals from now on. Fairly easy to make, different, and delicious.

    Thanks for the idea!

    Reply

  11. I found this recipe yesterday and made it last night. It smells amazing while cooking and tasted equally as delicious! I love that it is incredibly easy to put together, while the presentation is pretty pro-looking, IMO.
    I did substitute the fresh mozzarella with string cheese, though. (My store only sold packages of 16oz and I had no idea what I would use the rest of it for!) Plus, already having string cheese at home made it feel like a decent $ saver. I’m sure this casserole would be even better with the fresh mozzarella.

    Thanks so much for this great dish!

    Reply

    • Hi, Allie. Thank you so much for your sweet comment! I love your string cheese idea. It’s still mozzarella, and I love when I can use ingredients I already have on hand. If you’re looking for a way to use fresh mozzarella, I love it on pizza or in grilled cheese sandwiches with tomatoes and pesto. Lots of people love it in caprese salads and things too, but I love it the best melted! Thanks again. I hope you are having a good weekend :)

      Reply

  12. I also thought it sounded great to pair all of these flavors so I actually made this for dinner tonight! I did add some Italian Seasoning to the meat mixture
    but otherwise followed the recipe as written using garden tomatoes and basil!! How did it taste you ask? DELICIOUS!! Satisfying and good tasting.

    Reply

    • Thank you, Anne! I’m so happy you liked it! I love that you had fresh ingredients from your garden to add. That must have made it even better!

      Reply

  15. Substituted kale for spinach because it was what I had on hand. Used “Italian sausage” turkey and it came out delicious. Caprese anything would be at the top of my last meal list. Thanks for sharing! Found via pinterest.

    Reply

  18. I just stumbled across your site, and this is in the oven as we speak! I didn’t have any frozen spinach, so I threw in some fresh leaves along with some extra fresh diced tomatoes. It smells amazing! Can’t wait to dive in!

    Reply

    • I hope you liked it, Cara! I’m sure it was at least as good with the fresh spinach. Thanks for trying my recipe :)

      Reply

  21. This is calling my name! I have more tomatoes than I know what to do with! I know most quinoa recipes are cold, like a salad but I think I prefer it in casserole form. Warm and gooey and covered with cheese!

    Reply

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© The Weary Chef 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Do not copy and publish a recipe in full elsewhere. The Weary Chef is a production of Tasteful Robot LLC, owned and operated by Andi Gleeson.

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