Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe (2024)

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Vegan Broccoli Casserole recipe – take that classic holiday side dish and make it dairy-free this Thanksgiving. This dish has alluring steamed broccoli and tantalizing sauteed mushrooms, bathed in a cashew milk sauce. Top it with crispy onions, bread crumbs, or even crackers for the perfect final touch to the perfect side dish.

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Vegan Broccoli Casserole

When the holidays roll around, it’s pretty common for people to throw caution to the wind when it comes to food and drinks. However, when it comes to being vegan, there’s no throwing your heart to the wind. That’s why recipes like this vegan broccoli casserole, my Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese, and my Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes are a delicious must! No, you’re not sacrificing that flavor, you’re not missing out at all!

It’s really easy to make and I promise it’s not complicated in the slightest. It’s one of the easiest recipes you’ll be making for the holidays, I guarantee it! Really, it’s so good that those who don’t normally eat vegan will devour it without even realizing anything has changed. There’s something extremely satisfying about that aspect of it, ha!

How to Make Vegan Broccoli Casserole for Thanksgiving and Christmas

  1. Prep – Steam or boil the broccoli until just cooked, not mushy, and set aside. Saute the onion until translucent in a skillet.
  2. Add mushrooms – Along with the sea salt and cook until wilted. Add the white wine and thyme. Cook until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
  3. Mix remaining ingredients – In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the broccoli, and mix well. Add to the pan of mushrooms.
  4. Simmer – Simmer until thickened and then add broccoli.
  5. Bake – Transfer mixture to a casserole dish, top with desired toppings, and broil for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

  • Storage – Store in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in the same type of container in the freezer for up to one month.
  • Reheating – Reheat this dish by placing it in an oven-safe dish and cooking until heated through. You can also use the microwave for a quicker option.
  • WFPB + Plantricious compliance – Use water in place of the oil for this type of compliance.
  • Topping Suggestions – There are quite a few toppings you could use for this dish. Some of my favorites are crispy onions, salty crackers, panko bread crumbs, crushed corn flake cereal, etc.
  • Add soy curls – These are a great way to add more protein to the recipe. They also function as a nice vegan chicken option.
  • More add-ins – You can add in cooked rice such as brown or wild rice, farro, quinoa, or even plant-based cheese to “beef” it up even further.
  • Make it gluten-free – You can swap out the flour for rice flour or chickpea flour to make this entirely gluten-free.

How Much Rice for Broccoli Casserole?

If you’re wanting to add rice to your casserole, I often stick with about 1 cup of wild rice. However, if you want to add more rice, that’s up to you, it just might dry out the recipe if you don’t compensate. So you’ll want to add more liquid to the recipe if you’re adding in a lot more rice. You also want the rice to already be cooked before adding it in.

What to Serve with Broccoli Casserole?

This delicious dish can be served as a side along most main dishes. It’s a staple holiday traditional dish, which means it definitely sits alongside all those holiday dinner classics like the Best Vegan Mac and Cheese,Classic Bread Stuffing and Thanksgiving Vegan Holiday Roast, flawlessly. Of course, it goes well with dinners outside of the holidays as well. Some of my favorite dishes to serve it with are these Vegan Steaks, Meatless Ribs, Paprika Potatoes, Roasted Cauliflower Steaks, Vegan Flatbreads, Tofu Scramble, etc.

Truth be told you could totally serve this vegan broccoli casserole on its own as it’s hearty enough. Plus, it’s easy and healthy making for a satisfying recipe in general. Add in some rehydrated and pan seared soy curls for more protein or even rice to “beef” it up for a stand alone dish.

More Vegan Side Dishes:

  • Garlic Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
  • Eggless Potato Salad
  • Roasted Spaghetti Squash
  • Coconut Spinach Rice Pilaf
  • Best Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
  • Best Green Bean Casserole
  • Vegan Stuffing
  • Ultimate Vegan Mashed Potatoes.

Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe (8)

Vegan Broccoli Casserole

Vegan Broccoli Casserole recipe - take that classic holiday side dish and make it kind and dairy free this Thanksgiving.This dish has alluring steamed broccoli and tantalizing sauteed mushrooms, bathed in a cashew milk sauce. Top it with crispy onions, bread crumbs, or even crackers for the perfect final touch to the perfect side dish.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:25 minutes mins

Total Time:35 minutes mins

Ingredients

Topping suggestions:

  • crispy onions, salty crackers, panko bread crumbs, corn flakes cereal, smoky tempeh etc...

Instructions

  • Steam or boil the broccoli florets until al dente, not mushy. Set aside.

    1 lb broccoli florets

  • In a medium size skillet sautee the onion with a drizzle of olive oil until translucent (or a splash of water for WFPB + Plantricious compliance).

    1 small yellow onion

  • Add the mushrooms and a pinch of sea salt and continue cooking until they start to wilt. Add the white wine and thyme, turn up the heat and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

    3/4 lb oyster mushrooms, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 6 sprigs fresh thyme

  • Meanwhile In a small bowl or a blender mix together the cashew milk, flour, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder and sea salt until combined without any lumps. Add the mixture to the pan with the mushrooms and stir to combine. Simmer for a few minutes until thick and creamy.

    2.25 cups cashew milk, 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, 2.5 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt

  • Add the cooked broccoli and combine.

  • Transfer the mushroom broccoli mixture to a broiler proof casserole dish and top with your choice of crispy onions, saltine crackers or panko bread crumbs. Broil for a couple of minutes until golden brown to your liking on top. Serve hot with my Thanksgiving Wild rice and olive oil mashed potatoes!

    crispy onions, salty crackers, panko bread crumbs, corn flakes cereal, smoky tempeh etc...

WFPB + Plantricious

  • To make this recipe compliant make sure to omit any oil and sautee in water, wine or veggie stock instead.

    Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe (9)

Notes

  • Storage - Store in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days. Store in the same type of container in the freezer for up to one month.
  • Reheating - Reheat this dish by placing it in an oven-safe dish and cooking until heated through. You can also use the microwave for a quicker option.
  • WFPB + Plantricious compliance - Use water in place of the oil for this type of compliance.
  • Topping Suggestions - There are quite a few toppings you could use for your broccoli casserole. Some of my favorites are crispy onions, salty crackers, pan bread crumbs, corn flake cereal, etc.
  • Add soy curls - These are a great way to add more protein to the recipe. They also function as a nice vegan chicken option.
  • More add-ins - You can add in cooked rice such as brown or wild rice, farro, quinoa, or even vegan cheese to “beef” it up even further.
  • Make it gluten-free - You can swap out the flour for rice flour or chickpea flour to make this entirely gluten-free.

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 840mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 819IU | Vitamin C: 106mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 3mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli casserole, plant based, vegan,

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Florentina

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken broccoli casserole? ›

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

Use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you would like to thicken. Stir out all the lumps. A few minutes before your casserole is done, add it a little at a time until you are happy with the thickness. Then, let the casserole finish baking.

Is it better to use fresh or frozen broccoli in a casserole? ›

Fresh vegetables contain less water

Frozen vegetables release moisture as they cook and when they're used in a casserole that moisture has nowhere to go but into your dish. If you want your casserole to have the best texture, it's best to use fresh vegetables.

What is broccoli cheese casserole made of? ›

The ingredients? Broccoli of course, then bacon, flour, milk, cream, eggs, cheddar cheese, a little Dijon, salt, and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. The tricks to this broccoli cheese casserole are to: Pre-cook the broccoli florets a bit so they cook up tender in the casserole.

What ingredient is added to casseroles to thicken the dish? ›

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Why is my broccoli casserole watery? ›

The mistake: It comes out soupy or watery

What goes wrong: If your casserole is full of raw vegetables, you can end up with a watery mess as they release their natural juices.

How do you keep broccoli crisp in a casserole? ›

Tip. Cooking broccoli before adding it to a casserole can cause it to become mushy and brown. And if you don't cook fresh broccoli for your casserole, it can come out undercooked in the final product. For best results, blanch fresh broccoli before adding it to casserole recipes.

Does frozen broccoli need to be cooked before adding to casserole? ›

The best part about casseroles is that they're easy to make and typically yield enough food for a few days, making meal prep a breeze. And a broccoli casserole is no different — the dish calls for frozen broccoli rather than fresh, so you can just pop open the bag and toss them straight into your baking dish.

What to season your broccoli with? ›

Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli for best results, but you can also use frozen broccoli. I recommend decreasing the cooking time by 30 to 60 seconds if using frozen broccoli. Seasonings: These could include melted butter, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and/or zest, salt, pepper, garlic, or shredded cheese.

What is the main ingredient in a casserole? ›

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

Why is broccoli cheddar soup not vegetarian? ›

Why is Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup not vegetarian? Panera makes their traditional version with chicken stock, making the soup neither vegetarian or vegan.

What to do if casserole is too runny? ›

Even if you're a beginner cook, you probably know that adding a starch can help transform liquidy dishes into creamy delights. Cornstarch and flour are two popular options, but don't you dare add them directly to your casserole. Instead, make a slurry.

How can I thicken my casserole sauce? ›

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

How do you fix a casserole that is too dry? ›

If you've already cooked your casserole and find out it's too dry, another easy fix is to warm some broth and then pour it over the top of your casserole. Cover the dish with aluminum foil to prevent the liquid from evaporating and wait for 10 minutes or so before serving.

How do you thicken broccoli sauce? ›

Use one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon cold water (aka a cornstarch slurry) for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix the cornstarch and water together, then pour into your sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

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