Published 10/13/2023 • Updated 1/19/2024 Here at Fit Foodie, we love mac and cheese. There’s nothing better than a big bowl of warm, cheesy noodles, especially on chilly days. Our quinoa mac and cheese recipe is a twist on classic mac and cheese recipe and features quinoa instead of noodles. This quinoa mac and cheese comes together in about an hour on the stovetop with a from-scratch cheese sauce, cooked quinoa, and fresh kale. When testing this recipe, we loved the flavor punch that jalapeños and bacon added, but these are totally optional. It’s just as cheesy, creamy, and comforting as classic mac!
What You Need for Quinoa Mac and Cheese
There are 3 parts to homemade quinoa mac and cheese. You’ll need:
Quinoa
Rinsed, uncooked quinoa is the base of this recipe. Combine it with chicken broth (or veggie broth) and cook on the stovetop until all of the broth has absorbed.
Cheese Sauce
The creamy, cheesy sauce comes together with sautéed onion and jalapeños, garlic, flour, milk, plain Greek yogurt, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Add-Ins
Mix chopped fresh kale into the quinoa mac and cheese and we love adding a little chopped cooked bacon to each bowl before serving.
Quinoa Mac and Cheese Variations
Follow our recipe as written or try any of these swaps: Cheese: Instead of cheddar cheese, use your favorite kind of shredded cheese. Greens: Use spinach instead of kale. Spiciness: The spiciness is up to you! Remove the seeds from the jalapeños for mild spice or keep some of the seeds in with the peppers for more spice. For no heat, simply omit the jalapeños from the recipe (or use a can of diced green chiles for flavor without much spice). Vegetarian: Replace the chicken broth with the same amount of vegetable broth and omit the bacon topping. Gluten Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend in place of the white whole wheat flour.
Storage
Quinoa mac and cheese is a great recipe to make on the weekend and enjoy as leftovers all week long. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. We don’t recommend freezing quinoa mac and cheese – we find that recipes with a lot of dairy tend to become grainy when frozen, thawed, and reheated.
Quinoa Recipes
Chicken Quinoa Soup Pizza Quinoa Casserole White Chicken Quinoa Chili Mexican Quinoa Salad Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers Sun Dried Tomato Quinoa Mac and Cheese
Reheating Quinoa Mac and Cheese
The quinoa will continue to absorb moisture even after it’s cooked, so the key is to add a little moisture (a splash of milk works great) and to reheat slowly on a low temperature. This prevents the cheese and yogurt from breaking down and changing texture. For best results, reheat quinoa mac and cheese in the oven. Mix in 1 tablespoon of milk at a time to the leftover quinoa until it thins out a bit. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish, cover with foil, and heat for 10-20 minutes at 350°F, or until warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
Creamy quinoa mac and cheese is delicious as a standalone meal or paired with a veggie and protein of choice. We love enjoying this quinoa mac with a side of roasted broccoli or garlic glazed carrots and grilled chicken or slow roasted pork shoulder.
