This cheesy vegan broccoli, quinoa, and white bean bake is a healthy vegan meal that’s big on flavour and satisfaction factor!
Ah, casseroles. They might be retro, but I still love them. Casserole is the ultimate comfort meal, and I think I speak for everyone when I say that some of my happiest food memories involve some form of creamy, cheesy baked casserole. In fact, it was one of the only ways I could be forced to eat vegetables as I kid!
I like to think of this cheesy vegan broccoli, quinoa, and white bean bake is a modern hippie remix on macaroni and cheese casserole. It’s supremely comforting, while also delivering a mega punch of nutrients like fibre, protein, magnesium, iron, beta carotene, and B vitamins.
This bake is made with a base of cooked quinoa mixed with sauteed onion, garlic, broccoli, and white beans. Everything is then tossed with a sweet potato and tahini “cheese” sauce, scooped into a pan, and topped with sunflower seed parmesan cheese that’s reminiscent of a bread crumb topping.
Recipe features
- Big batch: This bake makes at least six servings, and I’m talking generous servings. (My dad commented that this casserole could feed a football team, and while I beg to differ, it could definitely feed a family of six with hearty appetites!)
- Complete protein: Quinoa and beans combine to deliver all the essential amino acids you need.
- Rich in micronutrients: The tahini sweet potato “cheese” sauce is packed with beta carotene, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins; broccoli is rich in vitamin C, calcium and folic acid; and white beans are rich in magnesium, folate, manganese, and iron. In short, this dish has many of the macronutrients and micronutrients you need for optimal health.
- Nut-free and gluten-free: Most vegan cheese sauces are made with cashews. I’ve created a creamy, cheesy-tasting sauce with sweet potatoes, tahini, and nutritional yeast. And, of course, quinoa is gluten-free, and in place of a bread crumb topping, you’ll use sunflower seed parmesan!
- Delicious and comforting!
Ingredients you’ll need
- For the sauce: Sweet potatoes, tahini, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and water.
- For the quinoa and vegetables: Quinoa, olive oil, onion, garlic, celery, broccoli, white beans, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and smoked paprika.
- For the topping: Sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder.
step by step instructions
- Prepare the cheesy sweet potato tahini sauce: Steam cubed sweet potato until soft. Add them to a blender, along with water, tahini, nutritional yeast, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
- Meanwhile, cook the quinoa and saute the vegetables. Add the cooked quinoa and white beans to the vegetables, and pour 3 ½ cups of sauce over top. Mix together and transfer into a casserole dish or rectangular glass baking dish.
- Make the sunflower seed parmesan: Pulse the sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder in a food processor until fine.
- Top the casserole with ⅔ cup of sunflower seed parmesan and bake for 20 minutes.
more comforting vegan meal ideas:
- Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Miso Tahini Gravy, Greens, and Chickpeas
- Vegan Avocado Pasta
- Tempeh Mushroom Stroganoff
I hope you enjoy this cheesy vegan broccoli, quinoa, and white bean bake! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and review below. And be sure to post a photo to Instagram tagged with @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen, too! I love re-gramming your delicious re-creations in my stories.
Enjoy!
PrintCheesy Vegan Broccoli, Quinoa, and White Bean Bake
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This cheesy vegan broccoli, quinoa, and white bean bake is a healthy vegan meal that’s big on flavour and satisfaction factor!
Ingredients
Vegan Sweet Potato Tahini Cheese Sauce
- 4 heaping cups peeled and cubed sweet potato (from 2–3 medium sweet potatoes)
- 2 cups water
- ⅔ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ cup tahini
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Quinoa
- 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed
- 2 ½ cups water
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Vegetables and Beans
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 medium cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1 bunch of broccoli, chopped into florets
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- 3 cups cooked white beans (or 2 15-oz cans, drained and rinsed- I used navy beans, but great northern and cannellini also work)
Sunflower Seed Parmesan
- 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 scant teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the Vegan Sweet Potato Tahini Cheese Sauce: Steam the sweet potato until tender. Once cool enough to handle, transfer to a blender and add the water, nutritional yeast, tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed. The sauce should be on the thicker side, but not so thick that it isn’t pourable. Pour the sauce into a container until ready to use.
- Cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed and drained quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low, stir, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from the heat, and fluff with a fork.
- Cook the vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add the celery, broccoli, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. (I added a couple pinches of salt and 20 twists of pepper.) Cook until the broccoli is bright green. Finally, add the white beans and cooked quinoa. Stir to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, a cast iron skillet, or a round casserole dish with olive oil.
- Make the Sunflower Seed Parmesan: Add the sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder to a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade and process until a coarse powder forms. (Be careful not to over-process- this happened to me once and I ended up with cheesy sunflower seed butter!) Transfer into a container or jar.
- Assemble the casserole: Pour 3 ½ cups of the cheese sauce over the quinoa/bean mixture and stir to coat. Transfer it into the prepared baking dish and top with ⅔ cup of the sunflower seed parmesan.
- Bake for 20 minutes and let it cool for a couple of minutes before serving. I love topping it with hot sauce and sliced avocado.
Notes
There will be extra cheese sauce and sunflower seed parmesan. Both are delicious on pasta, burritos, and bowls!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Supper
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: North American
Keywords: vegan quinoa casserole, nut free vegan cheese sauce, quinoa broccoli bean bake
Meadow
I love your use of white beans here. I make a similar casserole but have never thought to toss in some beans- silly vegan! 🙂 Retro greatness, thanks!
Allison
Thank you so much! 🙂