Broccoli & Cheddar Millet Casserole
Warm, cozy, comforting. This meal is all that, plus it’s a breeze to whip up! I haven’t made a broccoli cheddar casserole since my early days of farming over 13 years ago. I used to make a version of this meal with cauliflower and brown rice too. However, I love this broccoli and cheddar version with millet instead of rice. Millet has been a fun grain (technically a seed) to incorporate into our diet. It cooks up quickly, has a lot of health benefits, and is easy to use in recipes because of its mild flavor. This casserole gets a little added protein from chickpeas and the result is a yummy, comforting, good old fashioned casserole. This is a great family meal and our little babe gobbled it up. And as a mom (who grew the broccoli she devoured!) I couldn’t help but be so happy our little girl was happily eating something green. Of course the cheese helped!! As always, look for good quality cheddar. It really makes a difference!
Broccoli Cheddar Millet Casserole
Prep Time: overnight Cook Time: 45 minutes Serves: 6
- 1 cup millet, soaked overnight in 2 cups water
- 2 1/2 cups veggie stock (or water)
- 6 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 3 heads of broccoli)
- 4 tablespoons melted ghee or butter (divided)
- salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (if from the can rinsed and drained)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- fat pinch of salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Drain and thoroughly rinse the millet. Add the millet to a medium sized pot and pour in 2 1/2 cups veggie stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and cook until the millet has absorbed the liquid, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep covered.
- Spread the broccoli onto one or two baking sheets and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons melted ghee or butter. Place in the preheated oven and cook until lightly golden. About 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and reduce the oven temperature to 400F.
- Heat the remaining ghee or butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to soften and become fragrant. About 7 minutes. Pour in the milk and bring to a simmer. Add 1 1/2 cups of the shredded cheese and heat through until the cheese is melted, stirring often. If need be crank the heat a bit to get the cheese to melt, being careful not to scald the milk.
- Pour the cooked millet into a medium sized casserole dish and top with the broccoli and chickpeas. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is warmed through.
Notes
*This recipe is adapted from A Couple Cooks. Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.