Vegan Breakfast Potato Casserole
Our Vegan Breakfast Potato Casserole is a stunningly simple plant-based breakfast recipe loaded with potatoes, vegan cheese, and seitan ham baked in a creamy cashew-free sauce. Unlike other breakfast potato casseroles (like our vegan hash brown casserole!), this streamlined recipe uses thinly sliced potatoes rather than shredded potatoes for a breakfast potato au gratin vibe. But don’t worry, it sounds fancy but is easy enough for a beginner (even one with no knife skills!).
This post contains affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no cost to you). We are also affiliates of Microplane.
I have a nostalgic soft spot for au gratin potatoes, and this vegan breakfast potato casserole is a delightful morning twist on the classic dish that’s bound to charm any potato enthusiast!
And when I say anyone, I truly mean it. We’ve put this recipe to the test with a handful of omnivores, and the reviews have been nothing short of stellar!
Take T’s dad, for instance, a seasoned octogenarian whose palate knows its way around hearty fare. After savoring a slice of our creation, he couldn’t stop raving about it.
And then there’s my mom, the very person who ignited my passion for au gratin potatoes and graciously lent me her cherished au gratin casserole dish for photographing this recipe. (Side note: Thanks, Mom!)
She sent me a glowing text review while digging into the batch I left for her when she watched our cats on a recent trip. And when we returned, there wasn’t a bite left. Win!
It’s fair to say this potato bake is a plant-based brunch champion – whether you’re looking for a kid-friendly breakfast for weekly meal prep or special occasions like Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas or any holiday breakfast!
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Breakfast Scalloped Potatoes:
- A quick and easy recipe to prepare, even for beginners. This is thanks to a budget-friendly equipment hack; more on that later. 😉
- A great way to use up leftover seitan ham from your holiday dinner!
- Omnivore tested and approved – no one will complain and even the kids will love it!
- Completely customizable with your favorite vegan cheeses and plant-based meats. You can even toss in your favorite veggies and herbs to vary the flavor!
- Comforting, delicious, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion – from weekday breakfasts to Sunday brunch.
- Unlike other recipes, ours is cashew-free and doesn’t require a high-speed blender to get right
Ingredients
Here, we’ll go over some ingredient notes, but the full recipe with ingredient amounts can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
Russet potatoes – Opt for Russet potatoes for the best texture, but Yukon Gold or sweet potatoes can be substituted if needed. (Although, we have not tested it with these subs.)
JUST Egg – This is a liquid vegan egg substitute you can find in the refrigerated section of most US supermarkets. Check out our JUST Egg Guide for more info on this awesome plant-based option including additional recipes!
Plain unsweetened plant milk – We like the unsweetened line from Elmhurst for this recipe because they have very few ingredients to interfere with the cooking process and a totally neutral taste. You want to make sure you use something both plain and unsweetened. That’s key for the best flavor!
Spice Cabinet – Italian seasoning (dried basil or dried oregano will also work; as will fresh herbs!), ground black pepper (or white pepper)
Vegan egg seasoning – We always use our homemade vegan egg seasoning that uses a blend of kala namak (a spice common in Indian cooking that nails that egg flavor), turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, and pepper. You can also find store-bought options like the Tofu Scramble Seasoning from Trader Joe’s.
White miso paste – This is optional, but it adds a tangy fermented flavor akin to parmesan that takes this to potato bake to the next level!
Shredded vegan cheddar cheese – We love Vevan brand cheddar shreds for this because they have the best melt! You can also experiment with different varieties of vegan cheese like pepper jack or mozzarella!
Seitan ham – We love to use leftover seitan ham to add bits of smoky deliciousness! Vegan sausage or bacon also works. Whatever you use, make sure you dice it nice and small, so they’re distributed throughout the dish evenly.
How to Make Vegan Breakfast Potato Bake
Start the process by preheating your oven to 350F and peeling / slicing your potatoes. Here’s where that beginner hack comes in…
Budget-Friendly Equipment Hack: I use a Microplane Jar Top Slicer to slice the potatoes for this potato casserole! This is a game-changer for anyone like me who struggles with getting evenly sliced potatoes (check out this video for a little laugh – coming soon), and it is so easy to use.
You just attach it to the top of a wide-mouth mason jar and run the potato across the blade. The potatoes slice right into the jar, so there’s no rogue potato rolling away. Plus, you can use the same mason jar in the next step to combine the sauce ingredients, which makes clean-up a total breeze!
We also used this jar top slicer to make our spicy maple bourbon pickles. We have their zoodler jar top too which is awesome for vegetarian instant ramen jars!
Assembling the Casserole
Once your potatoes are sliced, pour them straight into a 2-3 qt baking dish and use clean hands to arrange the slices in a flat layer. This doesn’t need to be perfect, trust me.
Also, I didn’t use cooking spray in my glass baking dish, nor did I use it in my mom’s ceraminc dish. Both times, the potatoes came out just fine!
In the mason jar (or a large bowl) combine all the filling ingredients (the JUST egg, non-dairy milk, spices, miso paste, and half the vegan cheese / seitan ham). Shake vigorously or whisk until totally combined. Then, pour this egg mixture over the sliced potatoes in the baking dish as evenly as possible.
Finish off the casserole by topping with the remaining vegan cheddar and seitan ham.
How to Bake a Potato Casserole
Then, cover the dish tightly with either an oven-safe lid or aluminum foil. It’s important that the cover is super tight, so the steam stays inside and cooks those potatoes thoroughly.
Bake this dish in your preheated oven at 350F for 30 minutes. Then, you’ll remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes.
I know it’s hard to wait, but I like to turn the oven off at this point and let the casserole sit in there uncovered for another 15 minutes before serving for the best final texture!
Tips & Tricks
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Simply reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through and the cheese is melty again. You can also freeze it for up to 12 weeks!
- This is the perfect recipe to be made ahead of time and reheated the next day before serving – ideal for something like Christmas morning!
- Feel free to customize this recipe by adding your favorite vegetables like red bell pepper or red onions, fresh or dried herbs like thyme and rosemary, or spices like smoked paprika.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure that your vegan cheese is certified gluten-free and use a vegan breakfast meat that is also gluten-free like the Beyond Breakfast Sausage Patties. Unfortunately, our seitan ham is not gluten-free.
- Serve this casserole with a side of fresh fruit or a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette and maybe a fresh dinner roll with vegan butter for a full and satisfying meal.
- Top with fresh minced herbs or green onions for a pop of color and flavor. Hot sauce and avocado slices are another popular request!
More Vegan Breakfast Casserole Recipes:
If you love a savory vegan breakfast casserole recipe like this one that is easy to make ahead and totally crowd-pleasing, check out our:
- Vegan Hash Brown Casserole (aka – funeral potatoes)
- Loaded Vegan Egg Casserole (with tater tot crust!)
- Overnight Vegan Breakfast Strata (with homemade vegan cream of bacon!)
Whether you’re preparing a cozy breakfast at home or hosting a fancy brunch gathering, our Cheesy Vegan Breakfast Casserole is here for all of it!
With its cheesy creamy texture, flavorful ingredients, and customizable options, it’s a dish we’ll be coming back to time and time again. And we hope you will too!
We can’t wait to hear what you think when you try it!
Don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment review on the recipe below. We love hearing about your experience, and these reviews help immensely to support our work bringing you tasty vegan recipes.
Cheers to the delicious breakfasts ahead!
Save this recipe!
Add your email below to to get this recipe and more right in your inbox!
Cheesy Vegan Breakfast Potato Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. russet potatoes about 2-3 medium sized
- 1 cup JUST Egg
- 1 cup plain unsweetened plant milk
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 Tbsp vegan egg seasoning
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp white miso paste optional
- 1 cup shredded non-dairy cheddar divided
- 1 cup small-diced seitan ham vegan bacon or sausage also works, divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Get out a 32-oz wide mouth mason jar and carefully attach your Microplane jar top slicer. Peel the potatoes and use the slicer to cut into thin slices. Pour the potatoes into a 2-3 qt baking dish. Arrange as a flat layer.
- Combine the filling ingredients (reserving ½ the vegan cheese and seitan ham as topping) in the mason jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until totally combined. Pour this over the sliced potatoes in the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining half of the vegan ham and cheese over the filling. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes covered. Then, remove the cover and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Finally, turn the oven off and let it sit in there uncovered for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I use a Microplane Jar Top Slicer to slice the potatoes for this potato casserole! This is a game-changer for anyone like me who struggles with getting evenly sliced potatoes (check out this video for a little laugh), and it is so easy to use. If you don’t have this struggle, you can just slice the potatoes with a knife.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Simply reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through and the cheese is melty again. You can also freeze it for up to 12 weeks!
- This is the perfect recipe to be made ahead of time and reheated the next day before serving.
- Feel free to customize this recipe by adding your favorite vegetables like red bell pepper or red onions, fresh or dried herbs like thyme and rosemary, or spices like smoked paprika.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure that your vegan cheese is certified gluten-free and use a vegan breakfast meat that is also gluten-free like the Beyond Breakfast Sausage Patties.
- Serve this casserole with a side of fresh fruit or a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette and maybe a fresh dinner roll for a full and satisfying meal.
- Top with fresh minced herbs or green onions for a pop of color and flavor.
Nutrition
Save this recipe!
Add your email below to to get this recipe and more right in your inbox!
