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Recipe | Broccoli Quinoa Quesadillas + A Cast Iron Cookware Primer

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Broccoli Quinoa Quesadillas
Back when I first started cooking, I didn’t know that there was such a thing as non-non-stick cookware. (Stick cookware?) Non-stick cookware made for easy clean-up! It let you use less oil and butter in your cooking! It was pretty much the best invention ever, right?

And then suddenly you started hearing bad things about non-stick cookware. Although they say it’s perfectly safe to use as long as it’s not scratched, my cookware was constantly scratching. It made me kind of uneasy, so I decided to switch out my non-stick pots and pans for cast iron. Since cast iron tends to be a little bit pricier, it’s been an ongoing process, one that began before I even started blogging. As my old pots and pans wore out, I replaced them with new cast iron versions, usually scouring discount stores and the Le Creuset outlet for good deals. I’ve finally replaced my last few pieces with cast iron and I’ve learned a few things along the way:

Quinoa in Le Creuset Pan

Cast Iron Is Expensive (In the Short Term)

The biggest hurdle for me in switching to cast iron was the cost. But if you’re replacing your non-stick cookware every few years like I was, in the long-run, cast iron ends up being cheaper because when cared for properly, it should never need to be replaced.

Cast Iron Cooks Differently

When I first started using cast iron, I was burning a whole mess of food. I felt frustrated and wondered if maybe I made the wrong decision. Well, I should have read the little booklet that came with my cookware–cast iron retains heat better than other cookware, so you need to keep the temperature a little bit lower than you would with your non-stick cookware.

Quinoa Quesadilla Filling

Cast Iron Cleans Differently Too

Enamel cast iron, like Le Creuset, can be washed with soap and water just like other kinds of cookware. Black enamel can be either rinsed in hot water or cleaned with soap; with use, it will develop a patina, which looks a little bit like rust, but it actually helps keep food from sticking. Regular, non-enamel cast iron skillets should be rinsed with hot water or scrubbed with coarse salt; once dry, the skillet should be coated with a thin layer of cooking oil. This takes some getting used to–I still have a nagging feeling that my cast iron skillet isn’t clean after I use it. For this reason, I prefer using enamel cast iron.

Cast Iron Is Super Convenient (Really!)

My absolute favorite thing about cast iron cookware is that it goes from stove to oven. When I make mac & cheese, instead of transferring it to a casserole dish, I can just leave it in the pot, top it with breadcrumbs and cheese, and pop it in the oven to bake. You can even use cast iron Dutch ovens to bake cakes and breads.

Quesadillas in Le Creuset Skillet
I used to make quesadillas on my panini maker, but after a few mishaps where more cheese ended up on the grill than in the tortilla, I’ve started making them in my enamel cast iron skillet instead. I use just a little bit of oil to get them perfectly crispy on the outside. These Broccoli Quinoa Quesadillas are a simple, kid-friendly meal, ready in under 30 minutes.

Broccoli Quinoa Quesadillas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4 quesadillas

Broccoli Quinoa Quesadillas

Quinoa can be a tough sell, but adding it to cheesy quesadillas is sure to win over even the pickiest eaters!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c. quinoa, cooked in vegetable broth according to package directions
  • 1/2 c. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
  • 1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • salt + pepper to taste
  • 4 medium whole wheat tortillas
  • 2 tsp. olive oil

Instructions

  1. Combine quinoa, broccoli, and cheese in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture evenly onto one half of each tortilla; fold top of tortilla onto filling.
  2. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat; swirl to coat. Place 2 quesadillas in skillet and cook until browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Add another teaspoon of oil to skillet and repeat with remaining quesadillas. Cut into wedges and serve.
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Disclaimer: Although I bought almost all of my cast iron cookware myself, Le Creuset sent me a few pieces to finish out my set. This had no influence on my opinion of their products–I have used them for years!

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Comments

  1. Quinoa in a quesadilla? I would have never thought of that. Brilliant. Thanks!

  2. Having cast iron cookware is one of my dreams ! I’ve heard that it’s totally worth the investment and your article just prove it again. As soon as we’re settled (we live in Australia this year and then…who knows!) I’ll start my collection :)

  3. These are so clever! Will definitely be making these and you have convinced me about cast iron. I will be on the hunt for a deal now! Thanks again!

  4. Quinoa is wonderful! I’m learning many ways to use it!

  5. Love the idea of adding quinoa to a quesadilla. Yum! :) I think I’ll add this to the menu plan this week. Guaranteed hit in our home.

  6. I know what I’m having for lunch tomorrow!

  7. I’m a huge cast iron fan too! I recommend looking for them in thrift and antique stores – sometimes you can get a great deal on a pan – and it might even be pre-seasoned already!

    (never thought to put quinoa in a quesadilla before – thanks for the tip!)

  8. I think this would be the perfect recipe and place for me to try Quinoa

  9. I don’t own any cast iron pans even though I know I should .. It’s funny I just had one in my hand last weekend because there was a really good sale on one, but I ended up deciding I would probably never use it because they scare me too much haha .. I wish I’d read this first! Love the paninis too – I never would have thought to put quinoa in one!

  10. This looks SO good and amazingly simple! Love it :) .

  11. There are certain things that I always cook in my cast iron skillet – like quesadillas and frittatas. They always turn out better in my heavy red skillet for some reason. P.S. Love the blog changes :)

  12. It’s like you jumped inside my brain, took all of my favorite things ever and made them into a quesadilla! This is happening!

  13. I love cast iron! Though I haven’t sworn off nonstick yet. And I feel like the black non-enamel has better nonstick properties — food seems to stick to the enamel more, and I don’t want to use too much oil. Do you use only certain brands? I love my Le Creuset pieces and my Lodge non-enamel frying pan, but a Martha Stewart dutch oven I had a few years ago had chipping enamel. It was way cheaper than Le Creuset, but got tossed.

    • I have a Lodge skillet, but all the rest of my cookware is Le Creuset. I absolutely love it–I’ve been using it for years and haven’t had any problems with chipping.

  14. HA! I’m old school in that I have plain old cast iron pans and have been using them for 20+ years after I completely ruined my then-fiance’s non-stick pans. I had NO clue you were supposed to use a metal spatula on them. Oops! LOVE cast iron! AND, I LOVE quinoa. Plain. Don’t even need butter on it! Your quesadillas are brilliant! YUM! :D

    • Yeah, I had used metal utensils on my non-stick stuff too (oops indeed!), although even when we replaced it all with new non-stick cookware, it would still get all scratched up. :/

  15. I truly need le creuset cast iron in my life! Love this quesadillas and the use of quinoa. Never thought about it!

  16. I would love to have a le creuset cast iron…only wish they were not so pricy.
    Your quesadillas look mouthwatering.

  17. I am totally going to give these a shot for lunch this weekend. My kids won’t like these, but they’ll be out all day, so I am gonna make these for my hubby and me :)

  18. Great tips on cooking with cast iron. An added benefit to the non-enameled variety is that it also adds iron to your food!

  19. this is really useful – i’ve been wanting a cast iron skillet for months now and it is interesting to see what a difference they make!

  20. And when you use cast iron, you get a little more iron in your food! Or so I’ve heard. Another thing I heard last week (from Erica of NW Edible who spoke at a home and garden show here in Seattle) is that you can wash your cast iron skillet (especially if you have too much rust, usually because you haven’t been using it) with kosher salt and a lemon half. I can’t wait to have a little rust to try that one out.

    I have a quesadilla post lined up for this week, myself! Mine is far less classy than yours though. I actually tried to make a broccoli cheddar quesadilla a few weeks ago and was underwhelmed, but mine lacked both sharp cheddar and the brilliant addition of quinoa. These look much, much better.

    • The sharp cheddar totally makes a difference! That’s all I buy now because I find the regular cheddar just doesn’t have as much flavor. I also like shredding the cheese myself because I think the blocks of cheese melt much better…

  21. I use cast-iron almost exclusively for my cooking. I’ve been able to get good deals at garage sales on all kinds of sizes of cast-iron. With some scrubbing and care I was able to salvage 8 pans that looked awful.

    I never thought to put quinoa in a quesadilla, I like it!

  22. these look delicious!

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