This millet bake is a comforting, cheesy dish with sautรฉed vegetables, tender millet, and a golden, crispy topping - perfect for a chilly winter evening.
Today's millet bake is a warm, cozy casserole dish that's simple to make and packed with flavor, something I love to make for my family on a regular weeknight. It's made with a mix of vegetables like bell peppers, leeks, peas, and carrots, all combined with soft, tender grains.
The mozzarella adds a nice stretchy texture, while the grated cheddar or gouda gives it a rich, savory taste. Baked until golden and crispy, this dish is perfect for using up leftover veggies. It's flexible and easy to adjust based on what you have in the fridge. The baked millet is a great recipe to start the year with healthy and delicious meatless meals.
Check out more everyday bakes your family will love, like Tortellini Vegetable Bake, Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake, or Baked Cabbage and Potatoes.
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Recipe ingredients
Millet is a small, gluten-free grain that's mild in flavor with a slight nuttiness. It cooks quickly and works well in both savory and sweet dishes. These Vegetarian Stuffed Zucchini and Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls are both filled with millet, and I often serve these grains alongside African Corn with Coconut Milk.
Vegetables: Onions, garlic, bell pepper, leeks, frozen peas, and carrots. Feel free to swap in any other vegetables you have on hand; it's a perfect recipe for using up leftovers.
Cheese: One ball of mozzarella for the lovely stretch, paired with grated cheddar cheese or gouda to add rich flavor. Try this Tuna Pasta Bake, too.
Vegetable broth or chicken stock, homemade or store-bought. I usually use a stock cube mixed with hot water.
Other ingredients: Butter or olive oil, spices, fine sea salt, and ground pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make millet bake?
Preparations: Wash the millet in a fine-meshed sieve and chop the vegetables.
Step 1: Sautรฉ onion on medium heat until golden. Add garlic and spices and cook for another minute.
Step 2: Add vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add uncooked millet and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.
Step 4: Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes until cooked. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Add half of the grated cheese and the lightly beaten eggs. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish.
Step 6: Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the millet and bake the millet casserole in the preheated oven until the cheese is melty and golden brown.
Good to know!
Washing millet before cooking removes dirt, dust, and a natural saponin coating that can taste bitter. It helps the millet taste better, cook evenly, and have a fluffy texture.
Use leftover veggies: This millet bake recipe is excellent for cleaning out your fridge. You can swap in any vegetables you have on hand, like zucchini, pumpkin cubes, spinach, or mushrooms. Add fresh herbs of your choice.
Grains: You can substitute quinoa or bulgur if you prefer. Just adjust the cooking time based on the grain you use. You can use millet instead of rice to make this delicious Spinach Rice Casserole; just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Make ahead, store, and reheat
Make ahead: You can make this millet bake ahead of time by preparing it and storing it in the fridge for 1 day. Once it has come to room temperature, cover it tightly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat it in the oven to restore the crispy, cheesy top.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and reheat them in the oven or microwave.
Baked millet also freezes well - just let it cool completely before freezing in an airtight container and reheat it in the oven.
Millet Bake
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Fine-meshed strainer
- Casserole dish 10x6 inches/ 26x15 cm
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ยฝ teaspoon cumin
- ยฝ teaspoon coriander
- ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups leeks chopped, Note 1
- ยฝ cup frozen peas slightly defrosted
- 1 small carrot diced
- ยฝ red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups vegetable broth 500 ml
- 1 mozzarella ball 125 g/ 4.5 oz
- 1 cup cheese grated, Gouda or Cheddar
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Wash millet (Note 2): Place the millet in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water. Let it drain while you chop the vegetables.1 cup millet + 1 medium onion + 2 garlic cloves + 2 cups leeks + ยฝ cup frozen peas + 1 small carrot + ยฝ red bell pepper
- Sautรฉ: Melt butter in a saucepan. Sautรฉ chopped onions for 3 minutes until golden. Add garlic and spices, stir for 1 minute, then add chopped vegetables. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.2 tablespoons butter + ยฝ teaspoon cumin + ยฝ teaspoon coriander + ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes + 1 teaspoon oregano + ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Simmer millet: Add millet and vegetable broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on medium-low for 20 minutes or until millet is cooked. Adjust the seasoning and let it cool for 5 minutes.2 cups vegetable broth
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐF (200ยฐC) and butter a casserole dish.
- Combine: Add half the grated cheese and lightly beaten eggs to the millet. Stir well. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish, level, and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.1 mozzarella ball + 1 cup cheese + 2 eggs
- Bake millet casserole for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden. Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Vegetable choice: This recipe is perfect for using up vegetables from your fridge. You can easily swap in whatever you have on hand, like broccoli, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin cubes, spinach, or mushrooms. Feel free to add fresh herbs of your choice for extra flavor.
- Washing millet before cooking removes dirt, dust, and its natural bitter coating. This makes it taste better, cook evenly, and have a light, fluffy texture.ย ย
Bojana says
it looks delicious. i'd like to make it with the cooked millet i have in the fridge at the moment. i see eggs mentioned in the instructions, but i can't find them in the ingredients. how many eggs should be used?
Adina says
Hi Bojana. Sorry, I fixed that (add the eggs to the cooked millet together with the cheese before baking). Happy cooking.
Sandra says
I didn't know what to do with a bag of millet I bought months ago. Lucky to find this recipe, it was lovely, and I will make this again using the rest of the millet. Thanks.
Adina says
Thank you for the feedback, Sandra, I am happy you like it.