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Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

4.53 from 36 votes

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Creamy, cheesy, and comforting, this Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole is favorite easy main or side dish the whole family will love! Gluten free, dairy free, oil free, and made from scratch with plant based ingredients, it’s a great dish to bring to potlucks and gatherings.

Serving of Broccoli Rice Casserole on a small white plate, with casserole pan and broccoli in background

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I love a good casserole, and I love anything cheesy! So when we realized we had bought a large amount of broccoli when there were already a few heads in the refrigerator, I knew what I wanted to make. Broccoli Rice Casserole!

I have a delicious baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe on my blog. So I thought, “Why not take that cheese sauce, combine it with some brown rice and broccoli florets and see what happens?”

Broccoli and cheese sauce go so well together, but who needs all that saturated fat from dairy cheese? My cheese sauce worked perfectly!

Delicious, creamy, cheesy broccoli rice casserole with no dairy or oil!

And since I love a crispy topping on my baked casseroles, I decided to top it off with a bit of Panko. So good!

Casseroles are a comforting dish in the fall and winter, and are ideal dishes to bring to potlucks and gatherings. This broccoli rice casserole will be a hit wherever you choose to share it!

Ingredients for Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

Ingredients for broccoli rice casserole
  • Cooked brown rice – freshly cooked or leftover cooked rice.
  • Broccoli – I cut up the stems as well as the florets for this casserole.
  • Potatoes – I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes, but red or russet will also work.
  • Onion– white or yellow
  • Carrot
  • Raw cashews
  • Garlic
  • Nutritional yeast
  • Soy milk
  • White vinegar
  • Salt
  • Ground mustard powder
  • Turmeric
  • Paprika
  • Breadcrumbs or Panko – be sure to use gluten free breadcrumbs (or omit them) if you are following a gluten free lifestyle.

How to make the broccoli casserole

Place the potatoes, onion, and carrot in a medium sauce pan with the two cups of water. Bring to a boil; then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 12 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Steam the broccoli for about 3 minutes, just until bright green.

Transfer the cooked vegetables (except the broccoli) and cooking water to a blender. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, and blend until smooth.

Note: If you don’t have a high speed blender like a Vitamix, boil the cashews along with the vegetables to soften them.

Mix together the cooked brown rice, the broccoli florets, and the cheese sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to a casserole dish, and sprinkle the top of the casserole with breadcrumbs or Panko and a bit of paprika.

Bake for 35 minutes at 350 F, until it is heated through. If desired, switch the oven to broil and brown the top of the casserole. Just look at this crispy browned topping!

Glass pan of broccoli rice casserole on wooden cutting board

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this nut free?

You can use unsalted sunflower seeds in place of the raw cashews for a nut free casserole. This will change the flavor a bit. Another option is to replace the cashews with white beans. This will result in a less creamy, but still delicious, sauce.

Can this broccoli casserole be made in advance?

Yes! This is a perfect make ahead recipe! The assembled casserole can be made the day before baking and kept covered in the refrigerator. Add 10 minutes to the baking time if you have refrigerated your casserole.
You can also make the cheese sauce and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before assembling the casserole.

How to store leftover broccoli rice casserole.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. This casserole can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

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Serving of broccoli rice casserole on small white plate in front of pan of casserole and broccoli on wooden cutting board
Glass pan of broccoli rice casserole on cutting board with cashews scattered around it and broccoli in background

Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

Teresa Sklenicka
Creamy, cheesy, and comforting, this Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole is favorite easy main or side dish the whole family will love! Gluten free, dairy free, oil free, and made from scratch with plant based ingredients, it's a great dish to bring to potlucks and gatherings.
4.53 from 36 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 410.8 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups cooked brown rice
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli

Cheese Sauce

  • 2 cups cubed yellow potato
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • ½ cup diced carrot
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup soy milk
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon paprika plus extra for sprinkling on top

Topping

  • ½ cup Panko or other breadcrumbs for topping

Instructions
 

  • Place the potatoes, onions, carrots, and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 12 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
  • Steam the broccoli for about 3 minutes, just until bright green. It will continue cooking in the casserole.
  • Pour the cooked vegetables and cooking water into a blender. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, and blend until smooth. (See note below, if you don't have a high speed blender.)
  • Place the cooked brown rice and the broccoli in a large mixing bowl and add in the cheese sauce.
  • Transfer the rice mixture to a 9 inch by 13 inch baking dish. Top with the Panko or breadcrumbs and the additional paprika.
  • Bake at 350° F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center is hot. If you wish, broil the casserole for a couple of minutes to brown the topping.

Notes

If you don’t have a high speed blender like a Vitamix, boil the cashews along with the vegetables to soften them.
To make this dish gluten free, be sure to use gluten free breadcrumbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 410.8kcalCarbohydrates: 67.4gProtein: 17.5gFat: 9.8gSodium: 516.6mgFiber: 10.3gSugar: 4.5gVitamin A: 290.06IUVitamin C: 54.35mgCalcium: 109.23mgIron: 3.85mg
Keyword Casserole, Oil Free
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition calculations are approximate.

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By on October 24th, 2021

About Teresa Sklenicka

I love creating tasty, oil-free, vegan recipes that everyone will love (even non-vegans)! Here you'll find vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods, as well as some new tastes! Join me on a path to improving your health, helping the planet, and saving animals.

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