This Plant-Based Casserole is cheesy and packed with dill and crazy comforting and delicious. It's a perfect weeknight meal that is packed with protein and fibre and will keep you full and happy till morning!
The dill gives it a tangy sauce that brings everything to getting in true comfort-food satisfaction. This seems like an adult meal, but my kids gobbled this up!
This dish can easily be made gluten-free by using brown rice pasta and using gluten-free bread for the bread crumbs. If you want to make it nut-free you could omit the cashews and use about 1/2 cup of tahini instead - it will give it a different flavour but still delicious.
What I love about a meal like this is how customizable it is. Feel free to use whatever you’ve got on hand in your kitchen. Swap out the vegetables or beans for whatever you’ve got on hand. You can use any shape of pasta you want, or even swap the pasta out for brown rice, quinoa or whatever you like.
This Plant-Based Casserole is a perfect weeknight comfort food with enough leftovers for lunch the next day. Next to my Vegan Shepard’s Pie this is one of my favourite things I make in a casserole dish. Smash it into your face tonight!
This plant-based casserole is packed with dill and gives a delightfully cheesy flavour. Loved by adults and kids alike!
Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Lightly grease a 3 qt casserole dish and set aside.
Boil water, when ready lightly salt and add in pasta and cook till al dente. Toss in the vegetables in the last minute to tag along and par boil. Drain.
Place all cheese sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. You’re going to look at this and think - that sauce is way too thin - don’t worry, the starch will thicken it up while it bakes.
Pour half of the sauce on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Now add the vegetables, pasta, and beans and pour the remaining cheese sauce on top of the everything and turn it all around till it’s evenly mixed.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until hot & bubbly.
Combine the melted Earth Balance, panko, nutritional yeast and garlic powder in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside.
Remove foil & sprinkle with crust topping mixture. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from oven. Smash into your face and enjoy!
Servings 8
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
