Spinach has never tasted so good! Our Spinach Pie is sauteed with garlic, onions and nutmeg and combined with plenty of ricotta and Parmesan cheese then nestled into a crunchy quinoa crust. It's a cheesy gluten-free side dish that even your non gluten-free friends will love!
I began experimenting with some gluten-free vegetable dishes prior to Easter dinner so I would have a delicious side dish to bring to our friends for the big day. One of our friends has celiac disease and I wanted to make sure to help provide a dish she could enjoy.
Having the other Cookin' Mama, Christina, with the same problem, gluten-free recipes are always something that I am on the lookout for. After perusing the internet (what would we do without this wonderful tool) I found a quinoa crust I thought might be delicious with some minor changes in the spices. Add that to my old standby of spinach pie and I think we have a winner.
The quinoa crust is so easy to make, comes out nice and crunchy, and even better, holds its shape very well. Just look at that beautiful crust! I am definitely using this same crust for the next quiche I make! And quinoa is so good for you - none of those high fats and non-nutritious white flours to destroy your good intentions.
How to make
To make quinoa crust
- In a medium bowl, combine cooked quinoa and 1 egg. Press into the bottom of a greased pie plate, bake and let cool.
- Make spinach mixture while crust is cooling by heating olive oil in a large skillet, adding onions and garlic and sautéing for 3-5 minutes.
- To finish, squeeze water from spinach, add cheese and pour into crust and bake.
The spinach pie has ricotta cheese to make it moist, Pecorino Romano for a little bite, and fresh spinach that is only slightly wilted to provide plenty of vitamins and minerals to the meal. My husband tried it the other night and gave it a thumbs up. Yay! And it's so delicious it will go with just about any meal or make it a meal by itself for a nutritious meatless dinner!
What to serve with this pie
Pina Colada Grilled Pork Chops
Love quick & easy recipes? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest & Twitter for all the latest recipe inspiration! Plus join my email list here and receive a free e-book.
Spinach Pie with Quinoa Crsut
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 egg
Spinach Pie
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup onions, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 18- oz fresh spinach
- salt & pepper, to taste
- 2 eggs
- 8- oz ricotta cheese
- 3- oz Pecorino Romano, grated (Parmesan can also be used)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons breadcrumbs, gluten-free if needed
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a deep dish pie plate with nonstick spray.
- In a medium saucepan, place 2 cups water, salt and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Add 1 cup quinoa and cook, covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool at least 15 minutes. You can also cook the quinoa the day before and have it ready to go.
- Add 1 egg to quinoa, stir, then press into bottom and up sides of pie plate. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly
- While crust is cooking prepare spinach mixture.
- Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Remove half of onion garlic mixture and set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium and place half the spinach in skillet with onion and garlic mixture, season with salt & pepper. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over spinach. Let spinach steam, stirring often, until it wilts, about 3-5 minutes. Place spinach in colander to drain and cool.
- Place remaining onion-garlic mixture back into skillet with remaining half of spinach. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over spinach and steam until wilted. Add to colander. Let cool slightly.
- Take cooled spinach and squeeze out excess moisture. Place on cutting board and chop.
- Place in medium bowl and mix with remaining ingredients.
- Pour into cooled quinoa pie shell.
- Lower temperature of oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting.
Leave a Reply