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A casserole dish with cheesy vegan broccoli rice with a spatula resting in it.
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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!
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 370kcal
Author Rachel

Equipment

  • oven

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice or brown basmati rice, see notes for adjusted cooking time
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder optional for color
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • tsp 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 tsp salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • ¼ tsp 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 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp 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, 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1/4 tsp 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

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