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    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

    Mar 7, 2022 by Rachel · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This creamy, cheesy broccoli rice casserole is vegan, dairy-free, and made with whole food ingredients! It's also incredibly easy to make—just dump and bake! Perfect for meal prep or busy weeknights and a recipe the whole family will love!

    A casserole dish with cheesy vegan broccoli rice with a spatula resting in it.
    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredient notes
    • How to make
    • Expert tips
    • How to store
    • What to serve with this vegan broccoli rice casserole
    • More vegan casseroles
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why this recipe works

    If you love the classic cheesy broccoli rice casserole, you're going to love this vegan version! It's made with whole food ingredients so you can feel good about it and it's good for you!

    The cheesy flavor comes from nutritional yeast without needing to use mock cheeses. If you prefer the gooey texture, feel free to use a store-bought vegan cheese.

    I prefer to cook oil-free so if you want a healthier cheese option, you can also make this creamy vegan cheese sauce. Leave out the smoked paprika if you want a more traditional cheesy flavor.

    If you'd like to keep it simple but can't find nutritional yeast, here's a list of substitutes you can use instead. For this recipe, cashews would probably work best.

    You're going to love this dairy-free broccoli rice casserole. It makes the perfect side dish to accompany any protein, or serve it on its own!

    It's so easy to make—just dump and bake (no need to cook rice ahead of time)! And even picky eaters love it!

    Ingredient notes

    This vegan casserole only requires 9 easy to find ingredients (including salt!). Short and sweet! Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements.

    Ingredients for the vegan cheesy broccoli rice casserole measured and labelled.
    Vegan Broccoli Cheese Casserole Ingredients
    Breadcrumb topping ingredients measured an labelled in a small bowl.
    Vegan breadcrumb topping ingredients

    Basmati rice—cooks quickly making this perfect for dump-and-bake style recipes (no pre-cooking required!).

    Want to make this whole food plant-based? Use brown basmati rice instead and allow it to cook for 45-50 minutes until the rice is soft.

    Nutritional yeast—gives this casserole that delicious "cheesy" flavor without the need for dairy or mock cheeses! Can use chopped cashews instead.

    Coconut milk—provides the creaminess. Make sure to use coconut milk from a can, not a carton.

    How to make

    This step by step walk-through shows the process of making this cheesy vegan broccoli rice casserole recipe. Exact times and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.

    1. Preheat oven to 400F.

    In a large casserole dish, combine rice with seasonings and mix well to evenly distribute. Then flatten out the rice mixture into an even layer.

    Basmati rice mixed with seasonings in a casserole dish.

    2. Top with an even layer of broccoli.

    Broccoli placed on top of the rice mixture in a large casserole dish.

    3. Heat broth until just boiling, then immediately pour oven the broccoli rice. This helps to speed up the cooking time in the oven.

    Then pour oven the coconut milk.

    Boiling vegetable broth being poured over the casserole.
    Coconut milk added to the broccoli rice casserole dish.

    4. Mix together the breadcrumb ingredients in a small bowl, then evenly distribute over the top of the broccoli rice casserole.

    Breadcrumb topping evenly spread over the broccoli rice casserole.

    5. Cover with foil and bake on the center rack in the oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes until the rice is soft and has absorbed all the liquid.

    Optional: When the casserole is done baking, move it to the top rack in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown (keep a close eye on it to avoid burning).

    Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.

    Baked cheesy vegan broccoli rice casserole in a large dish with a dish towel beside it.

    Best enjoyed immediately but can be prepared ahead of time and reheated in the oven or in single servings in the microwave.

    Expert tips

    Make sure you're using Basmati rice which cooks faster than other rice varieties. If you would like to use another rice, you may need to add an additional 10-15 minutes to the bake time depending on the type.

    Use boiling broth to help speed up the cook time. If you forget to heat your broth beforehand, no worries—you'll just need to leave the casserole in the oven a little longer to make sure all the liquid is absorbed.

    How to store

    Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Reheat single servings in a microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat the dish in an oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes if needing to reheat multiple servings.

    This vegan casserole also freezes well. You can store the entire dish in the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Or store individual servings in the freezer and reheat in the microwave as needed.

    What to serve with this vegan broccoli rice casserole

    A spatula scooping the broccoli rice casserole out of the baking dish.

    This casserole makes a great side or main dish!

    To make it a more filling main dish, add 1 cup of cooked chickpeas before adding the breadcrumbs and baking.

    As a side dish, it goes great with this Vegan Lentil Loaf, Vegan Corned Beef, or Chili Sin Carne or really anything! It's a crowd-pleaser and goes great with lots of different dishes!

    More vegan casseroles

    • Dairy Free Green Bean Casserole
    • Easy Baked Vegan Pasta
    • Hearty Lentil Shepherd's Pie

    If you enjoyed this recipe please leave a comment below and give it 5 stars! Or on Pinterest (don’t forget to follow me!) and please help me share on facebook!

    📖 Recipe

    A casserole dish with cheesy vegan broccoli rice with a spatula resting in it.

    Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

    This creamy, cheesy broccoli rice casserole is vegan, dairy-free, and made with whole food ingredients! It's also incredibly easy to make—just dump and bake! Perfect for meal prep or busy weeknights and a recipe the whole family will love!
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    course: Main Course, Side Dish
    cuisine: American
    servings: 6
    prep time: 8 mins
    cook time: 30 mins
    total time: 38 mins
    Author: Rachel

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup basmati rice, or brown basmati rice, see notes for adjusted cooking time
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, optional for color
    • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • 6 cups broccoli florets
    • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, boiling
    • 13.5 oz canned coconut milk

    Breadcrumb topping:

    • 1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
    • ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper
    • 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
    • In a large casserole dish, combine rice with seasonings and mix well to evenly distribute. Then flatten out the rice mixture into an even layer.
      1 cup basmati rice, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
    • Top with an even layer of broccoli.
      6 cups broccoli florets
    • Heat broth in microwave for 1-2 minutes until just boiling, or on stove. Then immediately pour over the broccoli rice. This helps to speed up the cooking time in the oven.
      2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
    • Then pour oven the coconut milk. Shake the can vigorously before opening if it feels like some of the milk has solidified before pouring it over.
      13.5 oz canned coconut milk
    • Mix together the breadcrumb ingredients in a small bowl, then evenly distribute over the top of the broccoli rice casserole.
      1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper, 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • Cover with foil and bake on the center rack in the oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for another 8-10 minutes.
      Optional: Once done cooking, move casserole to the top rack in the oven and broil for 2-3 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown (keep a close eye on it to avoid burning).
      Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving .
    • Best enjoyed immediately but can be prepared ahead of time and reheated in the oven or in single servings in the microwave.

    Notes

    Use Basmati rice as it cooks faster than other rice. If you end up using a different rice, you may need to add more time to the cooking time. For brown basmati rice, bake for 45-50 minutes and keep covered for the first 35 minutes.
    Don't have nutritional yeast? Use chopped cashews instead.
    Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    Reheat single servings in a microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. You can also reheat the dish in an oven at 350F for 5-10 minutes if needing to reheat multiple servings.
    This vegan casserole also freezes well. You can store the entire dish in the freezer and allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Or store individual servings in the freezer and reheat in the microwave as needed.

    Nutrition Per Serving

    Calories: 370kcal Carbohydrates: 52g Protein: 11g Fat: 17g Saturated Fat: 14g Sodium: 332mg Potassium: 592mg Fiber: 8g Sugar: 5g Vitamin A: 574IU Vitamin C: 87mg Calcium: 64mg Iron: 4mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Terri

      February 22, 2023 at 2:31 pm

      5 stars
      I am loving this casserole! We just made it the other night and the family gobbled it up so I'm making another one tonight. We used basmati rice as stated and it was perfectly cooked. I'm too scared to experiment with anything just yet but I'd love to try it with brown rice someday. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!

      Reply
      • Rachel

        February 28, 2023 at 4:26 pm

        So happy to hear you liked it! It works well with brown basmati rice, just remember to increase the cooking time 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. April

      November 17, 2022 at 9:43 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this recipe, I made it tonight and it came out so came good!! I followed the directions exactly and the rice was perfectly cooked and the flavor was so so delicious. The whole family gobbled it up!

      Reply
      • Rachel

        November 18, 2022 at 3:11 pm

        Thank you for the review, April! I'm so glad it came out great and your family enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Emily

      July 03, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      HI! Super excited to try this recipe! Do you you think using frozen broccoli would work just as well? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Rachel

        July 07, 2022 at 2:48 pm

        Hi Emily, yes frozen broccoli should work, you'll just need to increase the cooking time since the frozen broccoli will cause the rice to take a bit longer. Enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Kim

      May 19, 2022 at 12:28 am

      4 stars
      I followed the directions but found the rice slightly undercooked. Still very yummy! I think I may add some asparagus to go with the broccoli.

      Reply
      • Rachel

        May 19, 2022 at 8:59 am

        Hi Kim, thanks so much for the feedback! I'm glad you still enjoyed it! A couple things that can help make sure the rice fully cooks is to make sure you're using basmati rice as it cooks faster than other rice and bring the broth to a boil before adding it to the casserole dish. Also, every oven is a little different so it could be that yours just needed a little more time. Asparagus sounds like a great addition for next time, yum!

        Reply
        • Angie

          February 18, 2023 at 4:24 pm

          If I used precooked rice, do you think I should leave out the broth and just add the coconut milk?

        • Rachel

          February 20, 2023 at 11:14 am

          Hi Angie! Yes, leave out the broth and reduce the cooking time as needed. You'll want the coconut milk to absorb into the casserole but not get too dried out so I would check on it after 15 minutes and 5 minute increments after that until it's done. Enjoy! 🙂

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