An easy, flavorful and healthy dish to serve for dinner!
After recent polls on my Instagram Stories, you all asked for more healthy recipes and I am here to deliver.
Quinoa is a staple in our home. It has been so helpful in my postpartum weight loss journey and used in so many of our dinners. Quinoa is filling, healthy and so versatile.
When I am craving something Italian, but don’t want to go all in with pasta, this is the meal I make.
It has a kick from the red pepper flakes, and tons of protein from the Greek Yogurt, Spinach and Quinoa. For added protein, I typically serve this dish with turkey meatballs. This dish can be served as a side dish or a main course.
I love how easily this recipe comes together. I usually cook quinoa in bulk at the start of the week and use it in different dishes for dinner. Having the quinoa prepped ahead of time saves time on making this Caprese Quinoa Casserole.
Another reason why I love this recipe so much is how creamy it is. Not just from the cheeses, but because of the Greek Yogurt. It makes this recipe extra guilt-free! It’s a healthier, high-protein swap for heavy cream. If you decide to use heavy cream instead of Greek yogurt, you can swap it for about 1/3 cup. I have made it both ways and you cannot taste the difference!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 oz sauteed spinach
- 1 cup red pasta sauce of your choice
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 5 oz plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 tsp basil seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese, divided
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked
- 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 11x7 or 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray, then set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over low heat, then sauté spinach. Set aside
- In a large saucepan, heat pasta sauce and tomato paste. Stir in yogurt until well combined. Then stir in parmesan, basil seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Fold in half of shredded cheese blend, then remove from heat once melted and well combined.
- Stir in spinach, 2/3 of the tomatoes and quinoa.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining tomatoes and remaining cheese, then sprinkle chopped basil.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
* 1/3 cup heavy cream can be used in place of the Greek yogurt
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