quinoa caprese

 Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 cup of your favorite pasta sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella, divided
  • 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  •  handful fresh basil, cut into ribbons
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Heat tomato sauce and tomato paste over low heat in a large saucepan and add your tomato paste.
  • Add some leaves of basil to add in some taste ( if you haven’t done so when you haven’t added some when you made your sauce).
  • OStir in heavy cream, and parmesan
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the quinoa (already cooked) and mix well to incorporate the sauce into the quinoa.
  • Fold in half of the mozzarella and half of the tomatoes, then chop 6 fresh basil leaves and add them in too.
  • Pour the entire quinoa mixture into a baking dish (already buttered ).
  • Top withmozzarella and the remaining tomatoes.
  • Bake for 10 to 15 minutes and then turn the broiler on and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
  • Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil ribbons. Allow to sit five minutes and then serve.

Nanou’s Notes:

  1.  I suggest to gradually add the quinoa to the sauce to make sure that the sauce is sufficient for the quinoa. Sometimes, the kind of quinoa or sauce make the sauce absorb more. Becarful.
  2. If you prepare this ahead of time, I suggest  to prepare everything but do not mix them. Let everything sit until ready to put in the oven and then mix. This will make sure your quinoa will stay even more creammy!!