A family sized vegan casserole that will satisfy any craving for delicious comfort food. We love casseroles in our house because they are super easy to throw together.
This recipe may take a little longer to make than some of my other recipes, but it is WORTH IT! My husband is my taste tester and if he likes it, then it’s GOOD!
See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for some helpful recipe ideas and substitutions.
Servings: 8
Preparation + Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Suggested kitchen tools: 9x13 baking dish (or any comparable sized baking dish), knife, blender (preferably a high speed one like a Vitamix), parchment paper, medium sized skillet
Casserole Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown or white rice (approximately 1.5 cups of dry rice)
1 head of broccoli, rinsed and chopped into small pieces
1 15.5 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 red pepper, rinsed and diced
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Optional topping: 1/2 cup slivered and blanched almonds
Cheese Sauce Ingredients:
3/4 cup cashews
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened plant based milk (I used almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (for yellow color)
How-To:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line your 9x13 (or similar size) baking dish with parchment paper.
Cook the rice according to package directions. Set aside when it’s finished cooking.
Make the cheese sauce: Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. (See the Tips and Tricks section below the recipe for how to make the cheese sauce if you don’t have a high speed blender.)
Place the vegetable broth, chopped onions and red peppers in a medium sized skillet and heat to medium heat. Cook until the red peppers are tender and the onions are translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir frequently.
Add the celery seed and broccoli pieces and cook 3-5 more minutes, or until the broccoli is tender and bright green. Stir frequently.
Remove from heat and stir in the rinsed and drained beans, cooked rice, garlic powder, smoked paprika, Old Bay Seasoning, cheese sauce (reserving a couple of tablespoons to drizzle over finished casserole)
Pour the rice mixture into the parchment lined baking pan. Top with the almonds (if using).
Bake 30 minutes
Remove from oven and drizzle the remaining cheese sauce on top
Serve, eat and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks:
I found all my ingredients for this recipe at Whole Foods
Keep leftovers refrigerated in a sealed container
If you don't have a high speed blender (like a Vitamix or a Magic Bullet, my favorites!), then soak the cashews in the almond milk for about 30 minutes before mixing in a regular blender. You could also make the cheese sauce in a food processor, but you may need to blend a little longer to make it smooth.
Make sure the rice you are using is gluten-free if you need it to be, as not all rice brands are. Check out this helpful article on choosing gluten-free rices.
Season with your favorite spices instead of the ones I suggested. Don’t like broccoli? Try cauliflower. Be creative and see what version of this recipe you can come up with!
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
Pin Me! www.carolynsbloomingcreations.com
Food prepared, styled and photographed by Carolyn J. Braden
