Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
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This is a really good Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole recipe. We planned for this to be a side dish, but we ended up just eating it as a main dish. It’s got great flavor! The creamy-like sauce made with the nutritional yeast is so yummy! You’ll love it!
More vegan dishes? You’ll love this Easy Vegan Casserole, this Easy Vegan Green Bean Casserole, this Vegan “Cheesy” Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole and these 20 Amazing Vegan Rice Recipes!
Why We Love This Vegan Broccoli Casserole Recipe
With just a few simple ingredients, this vegan broccoli rice casserole is easy to prepare and packed with flavor. Learn how to make this dish so you can confidently serve a vegan-friendly meal that everyone will love. Perfect for family meals, potlucks, or any occasion. Plus, we added in extra nutrition with our nutritional yeast with our veggies and rice!
What’s Nutritional Yeast?
- Nutritional yeast (sometimes called nooch) is basically an amazing Vegan super-food that tastes delicious, with a nutty, cheesy flavor. This flake or powder can be used in so many amazing Vegan recipes, or simply sprinkled on top of food (like parmesan). It’s a yeast that’s harvested from sugar cane and sugar beet molasses. This yeast gets deactivated during processing and is often fortified with extra nutrients.
Is Nutritional Yeast Healthy?
- Yes! Nutritional yeast is a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids. It’s super high in protein content too, as each tablespoon contains up to 4 grams of protein. It’s got high amounts of B-vitamins like B-6 & B-12, high in fiber, and other minerals. It helps boost the immune system, improves cholesterol, and aids in digestion.
Where I Get Nutritional Yeast?
- We simply just order it, but most grocery stores will have it too. It will keep for up to 2 years if sealed properly, but I bet you’ll use it all by then! Here’s an affiliate link to the best deal: Nutritional Yeast on Amazon.
Ok, back to the recipe! Apologies, I’m really excited about nutritional yeast right now. It’s just so yummy, and to find out how nutritious it is made me really happy.
For the recipe, we simply make our rice according to the package directions. Then we make a roux in a large pan with oil and flour. We add in boiling water and the seasonings, cook it for a few minutes, and then stir the nutritional yeast in. Finally we mix it all together with the rice and broccoli, and pop it in the oven for 15 minutes. We know you’ll love it, just like we did!
Ingredients You Need
Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole Recipe
- 4 cups cooked white rice or cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 2/3 cup broccoli flowerettes, chopped, fresh or frozen
Instructions How to Make Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Prepare rice according to directions, and set aside. You want to end up with ~4 cups of cooked rice.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Gently boil 1.5 cups water on the stove.
- In a large pan add 1/4 cup oil and set stove to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir together with the oil very well to make a roux. Once the roux is bubbly turn the heat to low, and add the 1.5 cups of boiling water, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp soy, 1 tsp onion powder, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add 2/3 cup nutritional yeast and stir it in, continue to cook for another minute.
- Put the rice, broccoli, and sauce mixture into a baking dish or casserole dish, and stir it together. At this point you can add optional things like paprika sprinkled on top, freshly ground black pepper, crispy fried onions, panko, breadcrumbs, vegan cheese for a cheesy broccoli rice casserole and/or mushrooms. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Storing Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Freeze this casserole for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Can I Make This Broccoli Rice Casserole in Advance?
- Yes! This is perfect to make ahead of time of your planned event! Just assemble the casserole the day before baking by keeping it in the refrigerator covered with foil or a sealed container top. Add 10 minutes to the baking time if you have refrigerated your casserole.
This vegan broccoli rice casserole recipe is a delicious and nutritious meal that’s sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike! It’s one of our favorite sides or mains for sure, especially when the holidays come around.
It’s a yummy comforting dish that is proof that vegan food doesn’t have to be complex or difficult. In fact, it can be just as flavorful and satisfying as traditional recipes. And with a few simple substitutions, vegan broccoli rice casserole can be a healthy and light weeknight dinner for the whole family. Enjoy!
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More Vegan Sides
Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white rice or brown rice
- 1/4 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1.5 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 2/3 cup broccoli chopped, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Prepare rice according to directions, and set aside. You want to end up with ~4 cups of cooked rice.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Gently boil 1.5 cups water on the stove.
- In a large pan add 1/4 cup oil and set stove to medium heat. Add 1/4 cup flour and stir together with the oil very well to make a roux. Once the roux is bubbly turn the heat to low, and add the 1.5 cups of boiling water, 1 tsp salt, 2 tsp soy, 1 tsp onion powder, and 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
- Add 2/3 cup nutritional yeast and stir it in, continue to cook for another minute.
- Put the rice, broccoli, and sauce mixture into a baking dish, and stir it together. At this point you can add optional things like paprika sprinkled on top, freshly ground black pepper, crispy fried onions, and/or mushrooms. Cook in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Made this and it was absolutely delicious! It’s hard to find vegan comfort food that’s quicker/easier to make and this definitely delivered. I’m constantly having tofu and stir fry so it was nice to mix it up. I topped with breadcrumbs and broiled at the end to make it nice and crisp and my family loved it. I’d add maybe a little garlic salt and pepper next time but overall it was a super tasty and easy to make recipe!
I’m so happy that you thought it was delicious, Anna! Topping it with breadcrumbs and broiling it is a really good idea, as well as adding garlic salt & pepper. Thanks so much for commenting and sharing your experience! 🙂
So glad that I found this recipe! I stink at cooking but this was so easy to make and delicious!
Thank you so much, Robyn! We’re super happy that you liked it and found it easy to make! 🙂
This was fantastic.. such simple ingredients, but boy was this yummy and filling!! Thank you
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! You made my day 🙂
My friend made this recipe for me and it was delicious. However, I like to eat oil-free plant based, is there a way to make it without oil?
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the dish when your friend made it! If you’re looking to make it oil-free, you could try the following substitutions:
For the Roux: Instead of using oil, you can use a water or vegetable broth sauté method to mix with the flour. Keep in mind that the texture may be slightly different, but it should still work to thicken the sauce.
For the Frying Pan: If you’re worried about sticking, you can use a non-stick pan or add a small amount of water or vegetable broth to prevent sticking.
These changes should allow you to enjoy the dish while sticking to an oil-free, plant-based diet.
Easy and so good! I used an entire pound of broccoli and it was perfect!
Really tasty and easy. Definitely going to make this often.