Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

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.

Jump to Recipe

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...

US Customary - Metric

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

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 are you going to cook your broccoli without compromising its color and nutrients? ›

Steaming. Steaming is one of the best cooking methods for preserving nutrients, including water-soluble vitamins, which are sensitive to heat and water ( 4 , 5, 6, 17 ). Researchers have found that steaming broccoli, spinach, and lettuce reduces their vitamin C content by only 9–15% (5).

What is the key to making a good casserole? ›

  1. Choose the right baking dish. If you're all about the crunchy topping, use a shallow dish. ...
  2. Undercook your pasta. ...
  3. Drain your meat. ...
  4. Beware of mushy vegetables. ...
  5. Know your cheeses. ...
  6. Master the art of casserole assembly. ...
  7. Don't skip the topping. ...
  8. Make it now, but bake it later.
Nov 1, 2021

How to make a casserole less runny? ›

Make a cornstarch slurry for a fast and easy thickener.

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. You can also substitute chickpea flour for cornstarch. Chickpea flour is an excellent thickener for savory dishes.

What is the most nutritious way to make broccoli? ›

Stir-frying and stir-frying/boiling, the two most popular methods for most homemade dishes in China, cause great losses of chlorophyll, soluble protein, soluble sugar, vitamin C, and glucosinolates, but the steaming method appears the best in retention of the nutrients in cooking broccoli.

What's the healthiest way to cook broccoli? ›

Blanching is a quick dip in boiling water, followed immediately by cooling. You can also preserve both nutrients and the enzyme needed to form protective isothiocyanates if you steam broccoli for three or four minutes (just until crisp-tender) or microwave for less than one minute.

Which cooking technique gives the best results when cooking broccoli? ›

Steaming broccoli is quick and easy, and it's considered one of the healthiest ways to prepare the vegetable. Instead of submerging the florets and stem into boiling water or roasting them in the oven, the broccoli is placed in a steamer basket over simmering water and covered with a lid.

Why is my casserole runny? ›

Your vegetables could be to blame

According to Allrecipes, the vegetables you selected are the most common culprit for your watery casserole, due to the high percentage of moisture that some of them contain in their raw form which seeps out as they cook down in your dish.

How do you remove excess water from broccoli? ›

NOTE: After I strain the broccoli, I shake the colander over the sink until most of the water has come out. Then I place some paper towels on the counter and dump the broccoli onto the paper towels in a single layer. This helps to get the remaining water out and lets the broccoli cool quickly, and not be mushy!

How do you fix watery broccoli soup? ›

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

How do you add moisture to a casserole? ›

Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.

The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture. What is this?

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Annamae Dooley

Last Updated:

Views: 6242

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Annamae Dooley

Birthday: 2001-07-26

Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

Phone: +9316045904039

Job: Future Coordinator

Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.