Baked Quinoa with Spinach & Cheese

May 11, 2010

20100511quinoa Baked Quinoa with Spinach & Cheese

I’m not a fan of quinoa; I just don’t like its herbal, grassy flavor. It’s edible, sure, but after making it many different ways over many years, I’ve decided it’s not a grain (or grass) I want to cook with. But yet, there always seems to be just one more recipe to try to see if I *really* dislike it or not. Recently, Doug at Hungry Travels tweeted that he thought this Baked Quinoa with Spinach & Cheese might change my opinion. My sister, a vegetarian and quinoa lover, was in town so I thought I’d give this grass one more go.

My parents and sister loved this dish. It is very homey while packing a good nutritional punch — fresh spinach, qunioa, a moderate amount of cheese. It’s got melted Gruyere in it, so how bad could it be? The spinach goes a long way towards masking the grassiness I don’t like. But sorry, Doug, I’m not a convert. I still tasted an off flavor, and I packed up the leftovers for my sister to take home. I’m breaking up with quinoa for good. (Or at least until another recipe catches my eye…)

pixel Baked Quinoa with Spinach & Cheese

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Filed under: Pasta,Veggie Mains,Veggie Sides

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5 Comments

  • 1. Doug  |  May 12, 2010 at 9:08 am

    That’s a bummer. I thought maybe all the other flavorful ingredients and the fact that it’s baked would change your opinion. Oh well — at least you know for certain now that quinoa’s not your thing.

  • 2. Ranee @ Arabian Knits  |  May 13, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    I have had quinoa served to me in ways that were palatable, but it never really appeals to me either. There seems to be too much work to make it not taste bitter, for one, and it isn’t either a local grain or one that has any history either with my American or Arab culinary life.

  • 3. Jen @ follow my bliss  |  May 16, 2010 at 11:33 am

    I have to agree with you here. I always think it tastes and smells too much like broccoli. And I kinda like broccoli, but I don’t want my grains smells like vegetables – if that makes sense. Anyway, you did what you could! ;) The recipe looks potentially yummy.

  • 4. chickinthekitchen.com &ra&hellip  |  May 17, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    [...] week I learned I still don’t care for quinoa. This week I want to make Momofuku Milk Bar’s Compost Cookies so I can stop thinking about [...]

  • 5. Margie  |  May 19, 2010 at 8:45 pm

    I have never eaten quinoa, but I did buy some recently to try. I’ve been looking for a good recipe, and I will bookmark this recipe for future use. I’m not a fan of broccoli, so I hope it doesn’t taste like it! :)

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DaraI'm Dara, the Chick in the Kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two school-aged boys and husband. Feeding my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Read more about me and CITK, and keep in touch:

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