Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bake (Printable)

Nutty quinoa paired with juicy mixed berries baked into a warm, wholesome morning dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

→ Dairy & Alternatives

02 - 2 cups milk or non-dairy milk
03 - 2 large eggs

→ Sweeteners & Flavorings

04 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fruit

08 - 2 cups mixed berries (fresh or frozen; e.g., blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries)

→ Toppings (optional)

09 - 1/4 cup chopped nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
10 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
02 - Spread the rinsed quinoa evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Scatter half of the berries over the quinoa.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
04 - Pour the milk mixture evenly over the quinoa and berries in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining berries on top, followed by nuts and shredded coconut if using.
05 - Bake for 40 minutes or until the center is set and the top is golden brown.
06 - Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally with additional milk or yogurt.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour and actually tastes like you spent way more time than you did.
  • The quinoa gets creamy and tender while the berries stay bright, like you trapped summer in a baking dish.
  • You can make it vegan, use any milk you have, swap in different fruits—it bends to what your kitchen actually contains.
02 -
  • The quinoa needs to be rinsed or it has a slightly bitter taste that fights with the sweetness—I learned this the hard way the first time I skipped it.
  • Don't overbake it or the custard dries out; that tiny jiggle in the center is exactly right because it keeps cooking as it cools.
03 -
  • Use frozen berries if fresh ones aren't good where you are; they burst open during baking and release their juice into the custard, making it even more gorgeous.
  • Don't skip whisking the custard mixture—lumps of egg are unpleasant, so take thirty seconds to make it silky smooth.
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