Vegan Vegetable Casserole

Vegan Vegetable Casseroles make an excellent Christmas table main dish. We have created this casserole dish as our Holiday Dinner's centerpiece, and it is now considered a staple of our feast.

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Many types of vegan casseroles make their appearance in this festive season, such as green bean casserole, cornbread casserole, vegan potato casserole, and even quinoa casserole.

We chose this combination of veggies because we are fans of eggplants and the classic Greek dish Moussaka, and you can think of this dish as a vegan moussaka. It is such a crowd-pleaser.

We love its creamy texture, and it is a pure comfort food dinner; it is budget-friendly, packed with plant protein, and the whole family enjoys it.

I promise that no one will miss the meat.

This healthy veggie casserole is full of flavor; it has the looks and makes a great holiday dish as well.

This vegan veggie bake features soft sweet potatoes and eggplants, both of which have significant health benefits. In between, if you love sweet potatoes, check out, our 4-ingredient Mashes Sweet potatoes recipe.

Ingredients

• Lentils
• Sweet potatoes
• Spring onions
• Celery
• Fennel
• Leek
• Garlic
• Tomato paste
• Oregano
• Rosemary
• Nutritional yeast
• Ground cinnamon
• Olive oil

See quantities and full instructions in the recipe card.

Instructions

This sweet potato casserole recipe has three parts. The layers, the feeling, and a vegan bechamel sauce as a binder to make it creamier.

Step 1. Slice your sweet potatoes and eggplants (a mandoline comes very handy here).

Note: if you have some extra minutes, you can lay the eggplant layer in a baking dish with coarse sea salt, to let it "sweat". This way you will get rid of eggplant's bitter taste.

Step 2. Making the filling

You need to chop and sauté the filling ingredients for this vegan vegetable bake and then add the hydrated lentils. Let it cook.

Step 3. Make the bechamel sauce (or use store-bought).

Step 4. Assemble the layers. Finishing with the vegan bechamel sauce or vegan cheese sauce.

Step 5. Bake the vegan casserole, as per the instructions in the recipe card below.

How to make the Bechamel sauce

When making a plant-based casserole, I like it to be super creamy. So we add this super simple plant-based bechamel sauce to the next level to achieve it. Make sure you make it just right before you use it, so it's at its best. Bechamel Sauce Recipe, which can be made with any dairy-free milk such as almond milk or coconut milk.

If you want your Bechamel to be cheesier, you can add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to it.

You can also use store-bought vegan bechamel sauce or vegan cheese sauce if you want to save so time. You can also use vegan ricotta or vegan mozzarella to top your vegan casserole.

What to serve the vegan casserole with

We like having vegan casserole recipes, with something light next to them, such as green beans (check our Green beans with toasted almonds recipe), roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus, or roasted carrots).

Serving it next to a fresh salad with kale, spinach, and tomato with a nice vinaigrette is also a great option.

This casserole can also be served as a side dish, next to another main course or roasted veggies, like cauliflower, butternut squash, or broccoli, like these easy grilled cauliflower steaks. I would cut smaller portions, as a medium or large casserole portion is considered a complete meal, as per veggies and plant protein content, and fiber.

That's another reason why I love this comfort food recipe! It makes the perfect lunch or dinner!

Substitutions

Eggplants - Zucchini also makes a good substitution for eggplants in this casserole dish. Treat the zucchini the same way to get the same results.

Sweet potatoes - you can substitute them with butternut squash or pumpkin, as they pack about the same texture and sweetness needed for the end results.

In general, vegan casserole recipes are a great way to pack nutritious vegetables with lots of umami flavors and creamy textures, making them excellent options for holidays.

Lentils - if anyone at home has lentils allergies, you can use either canned beans or black beans, to make up for the plant-based protein.

Bechamel sauce - you can replace the dressing with mozzarella vegan cheese. Shred it in the middle layer and then top the casserole before baking it.

This casserole dish is naturally gluten-free as we use chickpeas flour for our bechamel sauce.

Storage

Refrigerator - This totally vegan casserole can be easily stored on the baking sheet in the fridge for about three days. Then you need to re-heat it in the oven on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, sprinkling some water on top—that way, you give back some moisture to the dish.

Freezer - you can cut this casserole recipe in portions, the same way you would portion a lasagna or any classic casserole, and then freeze it in an airtight container. Then let it thaw overnight and reheat as explained above.

Microwave - we are not fans of microwave reheating; in fact, we don't have a microwave because we avoid microwave radiation. If you do, heat it as you would any other food for a couple of minutes on medium heat, so the portions warm up evenly.

This casserole is one of our favorite weeknight meals, thus having leftovers from this pure comfort food is ideal for lazy dinners.

FAQ

Can I make this vegetable casserole beforehand?

Yes! When we are hosting a vegan dinner for many people, this is one of the dishes we make a couple of days beforehand. You can either:

1. Assemble the casserole a day or two before; then bake it right before dinner, or
2. Make it, store it, and put it in the fridge. Then serve as per the above directions on keeping.

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Vegan Vegetable Casserole Pairing

It is in the Wine Culture where you will genuinely find quality wines and support sustainability. For this reason, in this blog, when we recommend wines, we do not want you to go to a supermarket shelf to buy wines for the usual varietals resulting from monoculture. Instead, we recommend wines taking you to the places where they come from. Thus, we advocate for living wines, with Culture, with Terroir.

Casseroles are baked dishes that I associate with comforting and tasty food, and they are also dishes that I share at a large table, in the company of beloved people who are often dressed for a party. This dish asks me to choose a wine because there is joy, love, and flavor.

The flavors of harmony

This casserole has a protagonist of flavor and several complementary actors that stand out. Our protagonist is fennel, a delicious vegetable that I invite you to incorporate into your diet; you will find joy only in the spicy aromas and flavors that it gives, among which the anise stands out, or more specifically, the licorice.

Our featured complementary actors are the cinnamon you use in the filling and the nutmeg and white pepper you use in the béchamel.

The appearance of the Umami flavor

Also, as it is a baked dish, wonderful caramelization causes the Maillard reaction to appear in the saucepan, especially its gratin surface. Consequently, the casserole tastes like umami; it is tasty and creamy, so the wine I choose has to be delicious and creamy as well.

Let's get into the Wine Pairing

When choosing wines, if you live in a producing area, always choose local, find out about your producers, the history of your location, and the winemaking practices, and explore all the styles available in your area.

If you do not live in a producing area (or close to one of them), support the specialized stores near you, just as you would support your local farmers' market. Talk to the specialists, and ask them about their wine's selection, the wine's origins, their production practices, and the reasons that led to their inclusion in their selection.

With wine, as with any food on our table, it is always good to think about the path it went through before reaching us. It is also essential to consider the kilometers and the means of transportation used. Be aware of the carbon footprint of the food and wine you consume, and you will make your small contribution to sustainability.

I recommend a Napa Valley Merlot first. With this casserole, I feel like I'm celebrating, and I deserve an exceptional wine. The Merlot grape develops notes of licorice very well in its aging in wood, and the style of the Napa Merlot is also unctuous and mellow.

Another option that I recommend is a Tinto Crianza de Rioja. This Spanish wine is traditionally made with Tempranillo and Garnacha, and to a lesser extent, with Graciano and Mazuelo. It undergoes a minimum aging of 24 months, of which at least six months must be in the barrel and up to 18 months in the bottle before being marketed. Therefore, this wine always tastes like ripe fruit and licorice, and if it spends more than the minimum time in the barrel, it can also have a coconut aftertaste. That is why I recommend choosing a Crianza and not a Reserva because more time in the wood highlights the coconut aroma too much, which does not interest me too much for this pairing.

Do you know what a Premier Cru is?

The last wine I recommend is a Burgundy Pinot Noir, classified as Premier Cru.

What does this classification mean? Burgundy wines are classified according to the valuation of their vineyard of origin.

If the vineyard is not classified and belongs to the protected geographical area of ?? Burgundy, it can be sold simply as Bourgogne; if the vineyard belongs to a municipality with specific protection within Burgundy, it can be sold as a Village, preceded by the name of the municipality. From here come the two specific classifications for vineyards. The first is Premier Cru, and the second and the most prestigious is Grand Cru. Therefore, the label of these wines will have the nickname Premier Cru, or Grand Cru, accompanied by the vineyard's name.

These wines are famous and in high demand, but I always find excellent wines among their less fashionable protected appeals and reasonably priced! Look for a Pommard Premier Cru or even a Pommard Village. Pommard is a Village that produces only Pinot Noir. It has several Premier Cru vineyards. A reclassification to Grand Cru is claimed for some of them, thus being a great bet to find that Pinot Noir aged in a barrel that shines with an aniseed aroma reminiscent of licorice.

Wine Pairing Summary

• United States (California) - Red with barrel - Merlot (Napa Valley)
• Spain - Red wine aged in barrel - Rioja (Tempranillo, Garnacha, and others)
• France - Red aged in barrel - Burgundy (Pommard Village or Pommard Premier Cru)

Check our 5-mins Vegan Parmesan "Cheese" Recipe and Vegan Bechamel Sauce Recipe

5 sweet potato health benefits you didn't know

• They are Highly Nutritious as they are a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• May Support Your Immune System.
• Promote Gut Health. The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes are beneficial to gut health.
• Support Healthy Vision.
• May Enhance Brain Function.

Some eggplant health benefits

The benefits of eating eggplant include:

• Improved bone health: the compounds that make up for the purple color in eggplants have been linked to reduced osteoporosis, stronger bones, and increased bone density.
• Prevents anemia: it is imperative to pay special attention to iron intake. Not getting enough iron in your diet can be very dangerous to your health. Also, as vegans, we need to ensure we get the right amount of iron as it is more commonly found in animal products.
• Helps with digestion: eggplants are high in fiber, meaning that eating eggplant is a great way to improve gastrointestinal health.

Our suggested Vegan Christmas Menu Post

• Onions Stuffed with Porcini Mushrooms and Christmas Stuffing
• Homemade Festive Spiced Cranberry Sauce
• White Truffled Mashed Potatoes
• Christmas Rosemary Bread Buns
• Green Beans with Citrusy Flaked Toasted Almonds
• Vegan Nut Roast with Mushroom Gravy

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

Recipe

Food safety

We sometimes take for granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

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