This easy Quinoa Breakfast Bake is layers of fresh fruit, quinoa, and oats smothered in a cinnamon and syrup egg mixture baked to perfection! A healthy breakfast and a scrumptious way to start the day!
Just like my quinoa breakfast bowl, this recipe is a simple, no-fuss morning breakfast.
Toasted coconut flakes, oats, and quinoa give this quinoa breakfast bake the heartiness and texture. It’s like quinoa granola meets healthy overnight oats meets a fruit crisp! This beautifully layered quinoa bake has something for everyone. What could be better than that?!
The fresh fruit gives breakfast casserole that sweetness with a little tartness and the egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and maple syrup give it a touch of sweetness and a smooth finish that lets you know you’re about to bite into a mouthful of deliciousness.
Having a slice of this quinoa bake right out of the oven is warming and well deserved, especially during the cooler months.
But what makes this one of the best quinoa recipes is that it is a dish you can eat all year round while using seasonal fruits and berries. It is just as good at room temperature or when eating leftovers straight out of the fridge, just like with syrniki (cheese pancakes).
Serve it in a bowl with a dollop of yogurt for a filling and nutritious breakfast!
Ingredients for Quinoa Breakfast Bake
- Dry: Uncooked quinoa, uncooked steel cut oats, coconut flakes. Steel cut oats are highly nutritious and less processed than rolled oats. They have a similar texture to quinoa and are a little sturdier than rolled oats. When looking for coconut flakes, if you are watching the amount of sugar, make sure they are unsweetened.
- Liquids: Milk. I used almond milk, but you can really use any you’d like. Maple syrup or honey, vanilla extract, cooking spray.
- Fruits: Very ripe sliced bananas, fresh or frozen blueberries, fresh or frozen raspberries. Leftover healthy fruit salad could work, too!
- Eggs
- Seasonings: Cinnamon. Salt.
- Optional: Greek yogurt as a topping.
How to Make Quinoa Breakfast Bake
- Prep: Begin by rinsing quinoa and oats with running cold water. Drain and set aside. Preheat a small skillet and add coconut to toast. Stir frequently until golden brown. Watch for burning. Set aside. Preheat the oven and spray a square baking dish with cooking spray.
- Whisk: In a medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Assemble: Lay half the sliced bananas, blueberries, and raspberries in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Spread the quinoa and oats on top. Top with remaining berries.
- Pour: Slowly pour the syrup mixture, using just one corner of the dish. This is to help evenly spread the liquid throughout the dish without having the fruit float to the top. Pouring the liquid too quickly in the middle of the dish may interrupt the balance of evenly distributed flavours.
- Bake: Sprinkle with toasted coconut and bake uncovered.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool. You can eat immediately but keep in mind it won’t be set and will be quite runny. If that is how you like it, then enjoy it!
- Cut: Once cooled, cut into slices and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Make Ahead Tip: To make this dish ahead, assemble it completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours.
Tips and Variations
- Customizable: You can use quick or rolled oats, eggs or egg whites, milk of choice and even add a scoop of protein powder.
- Rinse your quinoa: No matter which brand of quinoa you use, make sure to rinse it first. I do not usually recommend to do so in my other recipes like quinoa granola bars or quinoa casserole. But with this bake it adds weight that is needed to hold the quinoa down and helps it avoid floating to the top.
- Protein powder: The sweetness of entire dish depends on the fruit you use, also the kind of protein powder, if using any at all. I used very ripe bananas and a scoop of naturally sweetened VEGA vanilla protein powder once. No maple syrup was necessary.
- Fruit: You can use any fruit or berries. If using frozen fruit no need to thaw first, toss them in frozen as is!
- A savory version: Completely overhaul the sweet and add some savory! This would be great for breakfast as well as dinner! Add any kind of veggies, mushrooms, peas, potatoes, or spinach, sprinkle in some flax or nutritional yeast, and season with turmeric and you’ve got yourself another fantastic option.
Can I Omit Quinoa?
Unfortunately this recipe is developed with quinoa. If you are not a fan of quinoa and prefer oatmeal, try this blueberry baked oatmeal recipe then.
If you are looking for more whole grains, try this healthy french toast casserole or healthy breakfast cake.
Storing, Freezing and Reheating
Store: People have been known to enjoy this all week long! Perfect for busy mornings. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freeze: If you have leftovers or want to freeze a second batch, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Thaw to room temperature and then bake at 375 until heated through.
More Favorite Quinoa Recipes
Quinoa Breakfast Bake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa uncooked
- 1/2 cup steel cut oats uncooked
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- 3 medium very ripe bananas sliced
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup raspberries fresh or frozen
- 2 cups any milk I used almond
- 2 large eggs
- 1 – 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Dash of salt
- Cooking spray I use Misto
- Greek yogurt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa and oats with cold running water, drain and set aside.
- Preheat small skillet on low-medium heat, add coconut and toast until golden brown, stirring frequently. Set aside.
- In medium bowl, whisk milk, eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and spray 8 x 8 square baking dish with cooking spray.
- Lay half of bananas, blueberries and raspberries in a single layer on a bottom. Using a spoon or spatula, spread rinsed quinoa and steel cut oats on top. Top with remaining banana and berries.
- Slowly pour liquid mixture in the corner of the baking dish without disturbing the set up. If you pour the liquid abruptly in the middle of the dish, all fruit might float to the top. We are looking for evenly distributed fruits and sweetness in every slice.
- Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes and bake for 60 minutes uncovered.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 45 – 60 minutes.
- Cut into 9 slices and serve hot, warm or cold with a dollop of Greek yogurt if desired. You can also dig in with a spoon right away. The bake won't be completely set but still delicious.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Freeze: Leftovers for up to 3 months.
- Make ahead: Assemble, cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. Bake as per instructions.
- Rinsing quinoa: It’s best to use a bowl for rinsing grains as quinoa is too small and tends to go through the holes of a mesh strainer (unless you have a very fine one). You want to rinse quinoa for sweet recipes to remove bitter saponin.
- Oats: A few readers reported to successfully use quick (regular) oats.
- Berries: Feel free to use any combination of berries (I used all blueberries this time).
- Protein: Add a scoop of protein powder if you wish.
- Egg whites: Replace eggs with 1/2 cup egg whites if you wish.
This one is a keeper!! so sweet without all the added sugar, hearty and healthy! It’s the kind of thing you make this for guests and then hope for leftovers!!
I used regular quick cook oats (b/c that’s all i had int he house) and it came out great. Used a mix of frozen blueberries and raspberries and it’s yummy but i think it would prefer all blueberries. I saw in the comments that someone used apples, which sounds good too! I’ll have to try it!
I wonder if there is a way to skip the eggs and make this in a vegan version??
I couldn’t have said it better.:) Good to know about regular oats, I will add that to the recipe. I think you can use flax eggs. Don’t see a reason why they wouldn’t work.:)
If you don’t eat eggs, I think you could make this recipe without them – add a bit more liquid and it will still cook fine, but it will be less custardy and sliceable – more like a porridge.
If you want to keep the texture more similar, I would try adding ground flax in with the liquid ingredients (probably two scant tablespoons), and I would blend the bananas up along with the liquid ingredients as well.
It also occurs to me that you could try cornstarch as thickening agent – but I do not make pudding often so I am not sure what to suggest.
Hi! I’m excited to make this recipe… I don’t have steal cut oatmeal in my pantry just regular. Would that still work and if so should add extra and if yes how much?
Thanks
I would say yes you can. Use the same proportions, I just think your baking time will be less, more around 40 minutes, and consistency might be a bit more creamy but it’s OK.:)
This is THE breakfast I have been hoping to find. I can make it on Sunday and have breakfast every day of the week. Every bite is good and full of taste and texture.
I made it with bananas the first time but with sliced Honeycrisp apple (unpeeled) the subsequent times. I guess baked bananas just weren’t my thing.
I use 2 cups almond milk, and drizzle agave instead of honey.
This is so good. Thank you!
I made it using frozen fruit and it definitely didn’t turn out the way I expected. I am determined to like this, though. Thinking I might tweak the quinoa/oatmeal ratio and use maple syrup. Also need riper bananas. Best part of this was the fact that it was super easy for my kids to help. After I tasted it I knew they wouldn’t like it, thus my determination to try again!!
My kids keep asking if I’m going to make this for the next day. You got my kids approval and mine. Thank you Olena!
WOW! Absolutely amazing and wonderful!!
This quinoa breakfast bake is our new oatmeal for breakfast!
Hello Olena,
I am looking for a square that I can wrap individually and leave in the fridge for my family to grab as they walk out of the house in the morning. When cooled, do you know if this square will ‘stay together’ and be suitable for this or does it need to be eaten with a plate and fork?
Thanks, Delle
Hi Delle. Yes, it holds together when completely cool. You might also wanna try baked carrot oatmeal bars or banana oat bars.
Delicious! Just made this morning. Anxious to share with my grown kids who love quinoa. Nice time saver in the morning – when already prepared. Thanks for this recipe!
Making this in the morning…so I have a quick question. Is it just as good with coconut milk or would a mix of almond & coconut milks work?
Doesn’t matter. All plant based milks are pretty watery. Just a matter of personal taste. We are not talking about canned coconut milk but from a carton, right?!