Hello, my chickpeas! If you're looking for an easy weeknight meal that is both delicious AND nutritious, you've come to the right place. This Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole is a dump & bake recipe that is ready in an hour! It is hearty & filling, fully vegan, and has a perfect cheesy broccoli flavor.
Broccoli & cheddar is a classic combo. And although we don't use dairy in this recipe, it pulls in cheesy vibes that are reminiscent of those classic flavors. It's the best way to enjoy broccoli!
Inspiration for Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
I released my Fall Harvest Butternut Squash Casserole a couple years ago, and it was a hit! It was popular because it consisted of simmering some liquid, pouring it on top of your ingredients, and baking it. Basically a dump & bake casserole - nice and simple! So I followed a similar formula for this Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole.
This time we are leaning into some bright broccoli cheddar vibes. I love these flavors because they pack in lots of nutrition but are also truly delicious. The quinoa comes out perfectly fluffy, the broccoli is bright & flavorful, and our seasonings have a cheesy vibe. This vegan casserole recipe is easy and perfect for busy weeknights!
Ingredients
The flavors of this recipe come together beautifully. Let's go over the ingredients that will get us there!
- Cashew milk: this will help our casserole to be creamy!
- Veggie broth: for savory flavor and to help cook flavor into our quinoa.
- Nutritional yeast, salt, paprika, garlic powder, & turmeric: our seasonings! The nutritional yeast plays a big part in pulling in some nondairy cheesy vibes.
- Uncooked quinoa: our quinoa is tossed into the casserole dish uncooked, and then cooks in the oven! This adds some protein to our meal and is the perfect base for the rest of our flavors.
- Broccoli: our star. This green veggie is perfect in casseroles because the florets soak up the other flavors so nicely.
- Onion: because onion flavor makes everything more delicious.
- Cannellini beans: these make our casserole more filling, and also add some cozy and creamy vibes.
- Optional vegan cheddar: I kept this optional for my oil-free readers (as vegan cheese often contains oil). But if you're okay with vegan cheese, then throw it on! Be sure to use a vegan cheese that melts well for best results.
How to Make
Keep scrolling for the full recipe, but here are the basics of what we are doing today. (spoiler: it's pretty easy!)
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Add veggie broth, cashew milk, and seasonings to a pot on the stovetop and bring to a boil.
- Sprinkle beans, broccoli, onion, and uncooked quinoa into a casserole dish.
- Pour the broth mixture over the casserole ingredients.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 33 minutes.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle optional vegan cheese on top, set oven to broil, and return to oven for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. Serve & enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
I don't suggest making many changes to this recipe as the temperature and bake time are set specifically for the ingredients listed. But I of course still have tips on how to best enjoy this vegan quinoa casserole!
- The one thing that would be very easy to alter are the beans! If you'd rather replace the cannellini beans with another bean of choice, go for it! I think chickpeas would also be great here.
- I suggest serving this casserole with a dollop of vegan sour cream or plain coconut yogurt! The slight tanginess pairs well with the creamy cheesy flavors.
- This casserole makes a great dinner main, but could also be a flavorful veggie side dish! It would also be a great vegan option at a potluck.
- If you love this dump-and-bake casserole, you may also love my Fall Harvest Butternut Squash Casserole!
- Still got leftover broccoli you want to use up? Consider using it to make my Ultimate Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry!
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 1 cup cashew milk - (or another nondairy milk of choice, but I find that cashew gives the best texture!)
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 medium yellow onion - diced
- 2 cups cannellini beans (white beans)
- Optional: 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Add veggie broth, cashew milk, nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and turmeric to a medium pot on the stovetop at medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
- In a 9x13-inch (or similar-sized) casserole dish, add beans, broccoli, onion, and uncooked quinoa. Stir to mix evenly.
- Pour the hot broth mixture evenly over the casserole ingredients. Use a spatula to press down and submerge the quinoa as much as possible.
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 33 minutes.
- If using vegan cheese: Remove from oven, remove the aluminum foil, and sprinkle vegan cheese on top. Set oven to broil (you don't have to wait for it to fully preheat, we are just getting it hotter to melt the cheese), and return the casserole to the oven. Bake another 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted. If not using vegan cheese: Remove from oven, remove the aluminum foil, and simply bake in the oven for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 minutes. Serve and enjoy! Optionally, top individual servings with vegan sour cream or plain coconut yogurt for extra creaminess.
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your casserole-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
Marie-Pierre Breton says
I just tried this broccoli and quinoa dish, and it was delicious! Thanks!
Delaney Marie says
You're welcome! So glad you loved it!
Seema says
The casserole turned out as a blessing. For once they all loved broccoli, Thankyou.
Delaney Marie says
So glad it was a hit! 🙂