This veggie-loaded Vegan Cauliflower Casserole is layered with ooey-gooey cheese, topped with buttery breadcrumbs and then baked to perfection. It's easy and delicious!
Autumn is right around the corner and that means it's time for everything warm, comforting and definitely cheesy! Am I right? So, to celebrate, I'm sharing this Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole to kickoff the season.
It will fit right into your weeknight dinner routine, weekends or for your holiday table. It'll be on our Thanksgiving table along with my Meatless Loaf, Sourdough Bread Stuffing, Vegan Greenbean Casserole, and my Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe. I can't wait!
This veggie-packed casserole is also kid-friendly. I mean, who wouldn't eat their veggies when they are smothered in a cheesy sauce?
How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
(full ingredient amounts in recipe card below)
STEP 1
Combine the breadcrumbs, garlic and melted butter together. This will create a buttery and crispy top to your casserole!
Note: You'll need to soften the cashews first for the vegan cheese sauce. To do this, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes until they're softened.
STEP 2
Cover and steam the cauliflower in about 1" of water in a Large Pot. Cover and steam until just tender (about 7-10 minutes). Uncover and remove from heat.
Note: You can also boil the cauliflower until just tender (about 5 minutes). Drain really well before putting in the casserole dish.
STEP 3
Time to make the vegan cheese sauce! To get started, drain and rinse the cashews (discard soaking water). Now place all cheese sauce ingredients in a High-Speed Blender. Blend until cashews have completely broken down and the sauce is smooth.
Note: If you don't have a high-speed blender, the cashews might not completely break down and this could result in a gritty texture. You can try soaking the cashews longer for 12 hours or more.
STEP 4
Now for the stretchy cheesy goodness! Pour blended vegan cheese sauce into a medium skillet/pot over medium heat (I used the same pot for steaming the cauliflower). Cook for 4-5 minutes until it thickens up a lot and becomes slightly stretchy. Stir often to prevent it from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Note: If the cheese sauce is too thick for your taste, you can add a little soy milk or broth to thin it out. Taste for seasoning and add more if needed.
STEP 5
Pour half of the vegan cheese sauce into the greased casserole dish and spread along the bottom. Now add the cauliflower florets on top in mostly one layer.
STEP 6
Top with more vegan cheese sauce! Pour the remaining cheese sauce on top of the cauliflower and spread out evenly. You can sprinkle the top with fresh-cracked pepper if desired.
STEP 7
Now sprinkle the top with prepared panko breadcrumbs and cover with foil. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until breadcrumbs are light golden brown.
Topping Ideas:
- Fresh-Cut Parsley
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Vegan Parmesan Cheese
Enjoy!
Tidbits:
- I recently switched to Sari Foods Nutritional Yeast. I like it better because the vitamins and minerals are naturally occurring. They don't add any synthetic vitamins, so it's better for you and it doesn't taste as bitter either. It's a few dollars more than most brands but so worth it. (*It doesn't contain B12, so you'll have to supplement if you depend on nutritional yeast for that)
- If you have Vegan Lactic Acid, you can use that in replace of the lemon juice. It adds a similar tangy flavor that cultured cheese has. I usually add 1 ¼ teaspoons in place of the lemon juice. You'll need to add a few tablespoons of broth or non-dairy milk to make up the liquid portion of the lemon juice.
I'd love to hear from you
If you make this Vegan Cauliflower Casserole, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.
Cheesy Vegan Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower , cut into bite-size florets (about 2.5 pounds)
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (GF if preferred)
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter , melted (+ more for greasing dish)
Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews , soaked in very hot water
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 cup vegetable broth , low sodium
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup tapioca flour/starch
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic , (+ a pinch for breadcrumbs)
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt , more to taste
Optional Toppings
- Fresh-cut parsley
- Crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- Combine the melted butter, breadcrumbs and a pinch of granulated garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
- To soak cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes, until softened (*see note).
- While the cashews are soaking, you can steam the cauliflower. Place about 1 " of water into a med/large pot that will fit your steamer basket. Place your basket on the bottom and cover pot with a lid. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to med-low to maintain a low boil and place cauliflower florets into the basket. Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes, until just tender. Uncover and remove from heat.
- Drain and rinse cashews (discard soaking water). Now place all cheese sauce ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until cashews have completely broken down and the sauce is smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour cheese sauce into a medium skillet/pot over medium heat (I used the same pot for steaming the cauliflower). Cook for 4-5 minutes until it thickens up a lot and becomes slightly stretchy. Stir often to prevent burning. If sauce is too thick for your taste, you can add a little soy milk or broth to thin it out. Taste for seasoning, and add more if needed.
- Pour ½ the cheese sauce on the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Now add the cauliflower on top in one layer. Pour the remaining cheese sauce on top of the cauliflower. Now sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs and cover with foil. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is hot and bubbly. Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until breadcrumbs are light golden brown. Remove from oven. *Sprinkle with optional fresh-cut parsley and crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Annie
I'm planning a make ahead cooking session. Does this recipe freeze well? If so, freeze after baking or prior? Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Annie, Yes, you can freeze this casserole. Prepare up until the baking step and freeze without the breadcrumb topping. Then thaw overnight in the fridge and add breadcrumbs right before baking. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Emily
Hi Melissa! Can I use almond or coconut milk in place of the soy?
Thank you!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Emily, absolutely! 🙂
ALISA GUZAK
This was a hit with my meat eating, veggie challenged husband. And I LOVED the cheesy sauce. In fact, I made the sauce again and used it like a queso dip and also to pour over other veggies! Delish!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Alisa! We are so happy to hear that you both loved it! It's a nice way to sneak in some veggies and we love the idea of pouring the sauce over vegetables too! Thanks for giving it a try 🙂
Jasmin
Will cooking times be the same with a glass casserole dish?
Lori
I used a glass dish and cooked the full 20 minutes during the covered baking portion to see lots of bubbling cheese, and then the recommended 10 minutes uncovered. It was delicious!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Lori! We are so happy to hear that you loved it - thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Rhonna
Oh my LORD, this is perfect and the cheesy sauce would work in so many ways. Thank you!!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Rhonna! We are so happy to hear that you loved the recipe, thank you for sharing! Looking forward to hearing about what else you pair the cheesy sauce with 😀
Debbie
So Yummy! I tried the full recipe back in December and kept it as one of my favourites. I had already baked a potato today and remembering your great sauce I frantically searched through my saved recipes and was thrilled to find it to make and put the cheese sauce on a baked potato which was really delicious!! Its very quick to prepare, I didn't even soak the cashews, I put everything in the blender and it was perfect!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Debbie! We are so happy to hear that you love the recipe! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rae
I absolutely love this recipe!! It's the first 'cheese' sauce I've made that actually tasted good! I followed your recipe apart from two minor tweaks, the first one being where you said below the recipe that you used a garlic clove in place of the granules for the sauce - I did this! And the second being that I used cornflour (I made a slurry with some of the broth and added it that way). The texture was just amazing too. We had left-overs so reheated the next day and it tasted even better! Even my other half really enjoyed this and he was very sceptical. Thankyou so much! ❤️
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Rae! We are so happy to hear that you both love the recipe! Thank you for the review and for giving it a try 😀
Elle
Hey, this looks delicious however could I possibly use something else in place of cashews as I am allergic to them? if so what would you recommend?
Thank you
Melissa Huggins
Hi Elle, macadamia nuts would be a great replacement. 🙂
Deidre
Absolutely delicious! I added a little broccoli and served over quinoa. Even my very picky daughter ate it! I used cornstarch instead of tapioca flour because that's what I had. Next time I'll cook cauliflower a little longer and maybe add some more spices but definitely adding to the rotation!
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Deidre! It's so hard to find foods for picky eaters so we are happy you all loved it! Awesome idea with the broccoli addition and we're so glad the cornstarch worked as a substitute. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Carla Hartwell
Absolutely delicious! This was mu experiment with a vegan cheese sauce. We loved it!.
Support @ Vegan Huggs
Hi Carla! So glad you loved it, thank you for sharing!
ESMA
Hello, I would really like to give this a try, but I was wondering if this would taste would just by making it, in the stove? I don't really use de oven ever, thank you!
Melissa Huggins
It could work, but the top won't get crispy. I would just steam the cauliflower until tender then make the cheese and combine together. I would skip the breadcrumb topping. I hope this helps. 🙂
eva @ StyleMyThrift.com
just made this today! after eating so badly for a couple months in the beginning of Covid, and realizing our waistbands were expanding, I had a serious sit-down with my husband to discuss our eating habits...overall, we eat really well, home made foods, tons of veggies etc...but my husband was making meat everyday...
I suggested vegan Monday through Thursday, Fish Fridays and anything goes Saturday-Sunday so my husband can get his fill of meat then (not for me, yuck!)...
My husband loved this!....so did my teen girls--and me? I love vegan food!
We added a half box of par-boiled penne so it was more substantial as a meal and served with side salad!
xo Eva