Quinoa With Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Caramelized onions and mushrooms smothered over a bed of  quinoa make this casserole-like side dish both delicious and filling.  It can be made in advance and heated for dinner or made for an upcoming party. It assembles easily, reheats quickly, and serves a crowd.

I actually made it for the vegetarians/vegans/ and gluten free guests at my holiday( Passover) Seder. Since I'm a gluten free vegetarian myself,  I  offered a diverse spread of my favorite vegan recipes including my Moroccan carrots ( big hit), string bean almondine, eggplant and tomato ratatouille, and this newcomer- the quinoa and caramelized onions. I also served a tomato and cucumber salad with fresh lemon cumin dressing, along with my vegan mock chopped liver.   
and broccoli rabe. 

To save time, I sautéed the onions and mushrooms the day before and kept them in the refrigerator
 ( However, my friend Laura , co-author of the cookbook Food No Matter What , says you can actually freeze sautéed onions and mushrooms to use when needed in any recipe).

I made my quinoa the day of my dinner party, and I then simply assembled the warm quinoa and my refrigerated sautéed onions and mushrooms in a large rectangular Pyrex (11 X 9 X 2)

Before the dinner, I baked it in the oven until it was piping hot. The mushrooms and onions ooze some liquid which imparts a delicious flavor into the quinoa.

I was so busy preparing for the Seder, that I forgot to take pictures. I only have the pictures of the leftovers.. Sorry.

Author; Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Heating Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 
3 large onions, peeled and cut into half moons
3 eight ounces packages of sliced white mushrooms , rinsed and dried
1/4 cup olive oil ( or use olive oil spray and 2 Tablespoons olive oil)
1 and 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa - cooked according to package directions

Directions: 

To cook quinoa: Follow directions on package

To Sautee onions and mushrooms: 
Add the olive oil to an electric frypan or a very large skillet. Sauté the onions very slowly ( caramelize them) until they begin to turn slightly reddish. Add your mushrooms to the onions( make sure they are dry of any water) and stir until they are cooked ( about 5 minutes) .  Remove from heat and set aside.

Cover the bottom of a large rectangular Pyrex with the quinoa. Cover with the mushrooms and onions. Serve immediately or save for later. If you serve it later. Bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until nice and hot. Some of the juice from the vegetables will soak into the quinoa making it very delicious.

Quick Summary: 
Step One: Prepare the quinoa according to package directions
Step Two: While the quinoa is cooking, sauté onions and mushrooms
Step Three: Assemble the cooked quinoa and mushrooms and onions in the Pyrex pam
Step Four : Serve immediately OR save in the refrigerator for later
Quinoa is not a technically a grain. It is considered a seed. Therefore it is gluten free. Interestingly it is higher in protein than most grains, so it is a healthy vegan choice.

I used this size pyrex pan ( 11 by 9 by 2 ) 

I cut my onions in half moons and used large cut mushrooms
( this is only part of the quantity) 

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Good food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.

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