This vegan quinoa casserole is easy to make, great for meal prep and is a simple healthy dinner recipe. The recipe can also be customized with any veggie!
There are a few things that I look for when it comes to cozy dinner ideas. It needs to be piping hot. It needs to be easy to make. And it needs to be something I can reheat for later.
Casseroles are exactly that. They're one of those foods that don't sound so glamorous but are totally practical. They take no time to put together, can be made really healthy, and they're also vegan-friendly.
Typical casseroles are loaded with cheese. But not today! Today we're making a vegan quinoa casserole that uses broccoli, nutritional yeast and quinoa to give you a nutritious, delicious, high protein and totally meal prep friendly dinner idea!
Ingredients for this Vegan Quinoa Casserole
I wanted to create a healthy vegan dinner recipe that was not only easy to make but also doesn't use a ton of crazy ingredients. Which is precisely what we're doing today. We're using just 10 ingredients and, if you're not a broccoli fan, I'm also going to show you how you can make with different veggies!
Here's what need for the base of this vegan quinoa casserole:
- quinoa
- veggie broth
- cashew cream (more on this in a sec)
- veggies
- flavorings
I went the more “cheesy broccoli” route and used a ton of broccoli as my veggies and used nutritional yeast and garlic powder as my spices. But as we'll chat about in a sec, this can also be made with whatever flavor combo you'd like!
How to Make Quinoa Casseroles
Making a quinoa casserole is super simple. Similar to a slow cooker meal, we basically just dump and cook.
You're going to add all your ingredients into a baking dish, stir it up so all the flavors meld together and then bake it. In about 45 minutes or so, out will come a delicious, bubbling quinoa casserole. And to make it vegan? A cinch. Just use veggie broth and cashew cream.
Now, a note about a cashew cream:
To make cashew cream, you have to soak some cashews in hot water and then blend it up to form a thicker cream consistency. Similar to the consistency of heavy cream. You can totally swap this for almond milk, but I personally find that the cream consistency adds a little richness to the dish. You could also use coconut milk if you wanted, but that would add the coconut flavor (hence why I like the cashews).
Other Vegan Casserole Ideas
I said I would give you some more ways to make a vegan quinoa casserole, so let's do it. I do want to preface this by saying that I haven't tested these all, but knowing what I know about cooking (and specifically cooking quinoa), they'll work.
This is mainly if you want to change out the broccoli. Say you don't have any. Or maybe you're just not a fan. No worries at all. You can totally swap the broccoli for other ingredients.
Here are some ideas for other veggies to add to your casseroles:
- cauliflower
- sweet potato/butternut squash
- carrots, onions & peas
- tri-color peppers (maybe with some black beans)
- eggplant & tomatoes
And you can always throw in some greens if you want! I definitely think you should start with this version and then try your hand at other flavors. I do have another yummy one coming early next year, but in the meantime… cheesy broccoli vegan quinoa casserole for life! ????
More Healthy Vegan Dinner Ideas:
- Vegan Roasted Cherry Tomato Pasta
- Vegan Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa
- Curried Carrot & Chickpea Burgers
- 5-Ingredient Quinoa Flour Pizza Crust
- Vegan Jackfruit Enchiladas
- Vegan Red Curry Noodle Bowls
Vegan Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup white quinoa (uncooked)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup cashew cream*
- 3 cups broccoli florets**
- 1/2 cup vegan cheese (optional)
- Tahini dressing to drizzle (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a baking dish, combine all the ingredients except for the broccoli. Mix them all together so the ingredients are evenly combined in the dish. Add the broccoli. Top with vegan cheese if desired.
- Bake on the center rack for 40 - 50 minutes until the quinoa is cooked and it's no longer liquidy.
- Cool for 5 - 10 minutes, then scoop and serve. Drizzle with tahini or hot sauce and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
