Pizza Quinoa Casserole

Name: Pizza Quinoa Casserole
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings.
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed; 1 small red onion, sliced; 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup quinoa, rinsed; 2 cups pizza sauce; 1 package (6 ounces) sliced turkey pepperoni; 1 medium green pepper, chopped; 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese; 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese; Optional toppings: Minced fresh basil, sliced olives, drained sun-dried tomatoes, banana peppers and red pepper flakes

If you like pizza night, give this healthy quinoa casserole a try! It's a fun way to sneak in a healthy meal packed with protein and veggies. —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 small red onion, sliced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups pizza sauce
1 package (6 ounces) sliced turkey pepperoni
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Optional toppings: Minced fresh basil, sliced olives, drained sun-dried tomatoes, banana peppers and red pepper flakes

Directions

Select saute setting on a 6-qt. electric pressure cooker. Adjust for medium heat; add oil. When oil is hot, cook and stir sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink and onion is tender, 5-7 minutes, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Press cancel.
Stir in mushrooms and broth. Add quinoa (do not stir). Lock lid; close pressure-release valve. Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 2 minutes. Quick-release pressure. Press cancel.
Stir in pizza sauce, pepperoni and green pepper; cover and let stand until pepper softens slightly, 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle servings with cheeses. If desired, serve with optional toppings.
Slow cooker option: In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into large crumbles; drain.
Transfer sausage and onion to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in mushrooms, broth and quinoa. Cook, covered, 5 hours; stir in pizza sauce, pepperoni and green pepper. Cook, covered, 1 hour or until pepper is tender. If desired, serve with optional toppings.

Test Kitchen tips

If you don’t like an ingredient, you can easily leave it out or substitute something else. For instance, replace the sausage with ground beef, or omit it entirely and make a delicious vegetarian meal.

The natural coating on quinoa, called saponin, tastes bitter, so it's important to rinse it off. Most boxed quinoa comes already rinsed, but it won't hurt to give it an additional rinse.