Vegetable Casserole (Vegan)
This is not another bland, watery vegetable casserole destined to be left behind on the holiday table. This cheesy vegan vegetable casserole is rich, cheesy, velvety, and so comforting that even the veggie-skeptics will be going back for seconds!
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Why This Vegan Vegetable Casserole?
If you’ve ever made a “vegetable casserole” only to end up with…well, vegetables gently warmed in a light sauce, this recipe is the perfect way to change your entire relationship with freezer veggies! This version is for the people who don’t love vegetables (hi, it’s me), the partners who side-eye broccoli, the kids who will only eat peas under protest, and anyone who just wants cozy, creamy comfort food that secretly packs in a whole ton of plants!
This casserole is a veganized ode to old-school, Velveeta-topped, Ritz-crusted vegetable bakes but made with a dairy-free Velveeta copycat sauce that tastes shockingly close to the real thing while being loaded with wholesome ingredients like red lentils, cashews, and miso. It’s rich, luscious, and honestly? I dare you to stop licking the blender! I’ve been shoveling this casserole into my mouth for two weeks straight and regret absolutely nothing.
And the best part: It’s a great way to use any frozen vegetables you have lurking in the back of your freezer. Half-open bag of broccoli? The last cup of corn? A medley you forgot you bought in 2022? Toss it in. Plus, we added chickpeas so this dish can be either a Thanksgiving or Christmas side or a full cozy meal prep main course. It’s flexible, wildly delicious, freezer-friendly, budget-friendly, picky-eater-approved, and exactly what “vegetable casserole” should have been all along.
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Ingredients in Vegetable Casserole
We’ll go over some ingredient notes here, but you’ll find the full healthy veggie casserole recipe with ingredient amount in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Frozen vegetables – Use any combination you like! You’ll need about 3 pounds (9 cups) total. I love a mix of peas, carrots, corn, broccoli, and cauliflower. Green beans, green bell peppers, or even small brussels sprouts would be delicious too!
Fresh veggie option: Just blanch until tender, drain well, and pat dry before using in this recipe!
Chickpeas – These bulk up the casserole and make it satisfying enough for a full meal. Feel free to sub white beans, black beans, rehydrated soy curls, or unbreaded vegan chicken (like Daring).
Red lentils – Do not skip these or sub a different lentil! Red lentils are the secret to that thick, melty Velveeta texture. Trust me.
Raw cashews – For creaminess. You can sub hulled sunflower seeds for a nut-free version.
Nutritional yeast – Adds savory depth. Brewer’s yeast cannot be substituted here.
White miso paste – Gives the sauce its signature tangy fermented cheddar-like vibe. Essential! We love the brand Miso Master.
Vegan shredded cheddar – Use a brand whose flavor you like. Parmela, Vevan, and Violife all work beautifully. Different varieties (beyond cheddar) = slightly different flavors. A vegan swiss cheese or pepperjack could be a nice variation!
Yellow mustard – Adds classic cheesy tang. Dijon works in a pinch!
Ritz crackers – Yes, original Ritz crackers are vegan-friendly! You can also use your favorite vegan crackers or homemade breadcrumbs.
Vegan butter – Melt Butter, Country Crock Plant Butter, or Earth Balance all work great.
Oil-free option: Bake without the topping, then sprinkle crushed crackers on after baking for crunch.
How to Make Vegetable Casserole Vegan
This recipe looks like a lot, but it’s truly one of those “dump into a dish, blend a sauce, pour, top, bake” beauties. The prep time is minimal. Basically, if you can make a smoothie, you can make this. We’ll walk you through the stew here, but find the full instructions in the recipe card.
Step 1: Start by thawing your veggies.
Dump all your frozen vegetables into a 9×12 casserole dish so they start softening while you make the sauce. Add your drained chickpeas and give everything a quick stir so it starts to mingle. We don’t season the veggies because we feel they get enough flavor from the cheese sauce, but feel free to sprinkle on a little salt, black pepper, and garlic powder if you see fit!
Step 2: Make the Velveeta-style cheese base.
In a medium pot, combine your water, red lentils, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, and salt.
Here’s the trick: This boils FAST and can boil over, so don’t walk away. The second you see it creeping up toward the lid, turn it down and let it simmer until the lentils are soft.
Step 3: Blend the sauce.
Carefully transfer the hot mixture to your blender and let it steam off for a couple of minutes. Then, add your vegan cheddar and mustard. Pulse a little bit to break up the larger pieces, then blend on high for a full minute until it becomes ridiculously creamy. Taste it. Cackle at how wild the flavor is. Try not to eat the entire blender jar!
Step 4: Assemble.
Pour the vegan cheese sauce in an even layer over the veggies and chickpeas. Use a spatula to nudge it into the corners.
Step 5: Add the crunchy topping.
Crush your Ritz crackers (I like to do this in a large bowl using a potato masher or the Dreamfarm Smood, very therapeutic) and toss with melted vegan butter. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top.
Step 6: Bake until bubbly + golden.
Bake uncovered in a preheated oven at 350°F for 45–60 minutes. You want the edges bubbling and the cracker topping lightly browned. Let it rest for 15 minutes so the sauce sets into that perfect scoopable texture.
If you’re more of a visual learner, check out the step-by-step photos below that shows you what the casserole looks like during each step of the layering / baking process!
How to Serve Vegetable Medley Casserole
This vegan vegetable casserole is wildly versatile and can be served as both a side and a main dish!
Serve it:
- As a holiday side dish on your Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter table (A great option for the whole family!)
- With a big buttery baked potato
- Alongside crispy tofu cutlets or soy curl chicken
- Scooped over basmati or brown rice, (vegan) buttered noodles, or stuffing
Honestly, leftovers reheated in a bowl with a spoon are also a totally valid dinner!
How to Store + Reheat Leftover Casseroles
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: This casserole is a great recipe for freezing. I love freezing it in 2-cup Souper Cubes so I can defrost just what I need during busy weeks (especially around the holidays!). I freeze them in the Souper Cubes. Then, remove once frozen, wrap in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and store individual slices in a large airtight container for maximum freshness! Freeze for up to 3 months.
To defrost:
- Overnight in the fridge is easiest
- Or pop the frozen block into a covered dish and warm in the oven until fully defrosted
To reheat (recommended for best texture): Bake at 350°F until heated through and the topping crisps back up. You can reheat in the microwave in a pinch, but the cracker topping softens there.
Tips, Tricks, and Variations
- Use any frozen vegetables you have for this vegetable casserole recipe. Just measure to about 9 cups!
- Cooking for picky eaters? Pulse larger veggies like broccoli or cauliflower in a food processor before adding to the baking dish.
- To make it nut-free: Sub sunflower seeds for cashews.
- Don’t skip the mustard or miso! They’re key flavor builders for that cheesy, creamy sauce.
- Feeling extra? Add a second can of chickpeas for more plant protein!
- Feeling spicy? Swap the chickpeas for black beans and top the cheese sauce with enchilada sauce or salsa. Use tortilla chips in place of Ritz crackers, and voila!
- If you already have jars of our Vegan Condensed Cheddar Soup, swap in 2-4 jars and skip the sauce-making step!
More Vegan & Vegetarian Casseroles
If you enjoyed this recipe, check out these other healthy casseroles:
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Vegetable Casserole
- Vegan Tuna and Vegetable Casserole
- Rice and Vegetable Casserole
- Vegan Hash Brown Vegetable Casserole
- Vegan Potato Casserole for Breakfast
And don’t miss our full Vegan Casseroles Guide with all our vegan casserole dishes + tips for freezing and veganizing your favorites!
If you make this recipe…
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Recipe for Vegetable Medley Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 lb frozen mixed vegetables see notes
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas drained
For the vegan cheese sauce:
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1/3 cup red lentils dry
- 1/3 cup cashews raw
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 ½ cup vegan shredded cheddar packed
- 1 ½ Tbsp yellow mustard
For the topping:
- 1 roll Ritz crackers
- 1/4 cup vegan butter melted
Instructions
Preparation:
- Add the frozen veggies in a 9×12-inch casserole dish and set aside to start thawing while you continue with the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350F
Start the sauce
- Add the water, red lentils, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso paste, and sea salt to a medium saucepan and stir.
- Turn the heat to high, cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a boil* (see notes).
- When the mixture begins boiling, turn the heat to low and let simmer (covered) for about 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the mixture to your Vitamix or another high-powered and heat-safe blender. Let it sit uncovered to cool off a bit while you continue with the recipe.
Assemble the casserole base:
- Drain the chickpeas.
- Add them to the frozen veggies in your casserole dish and stir everything to combine.
Make the topping:
- In a medium bowl, add the crushed Ritz crackers and melted vegan butter.
- Toss to combine and set aside.
Finish the cheese sauce:
- Add the vegan cheddar and mustard to your blender.
- Blend, pulsing at first to break up the larger chunks then slowly increasing to high speed, until completely smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. This takes about 1 full minute of blending.
Assemble and bake:
- Pour the cheese sauce from your blender evenly over the frozen vegetables in the casserole dish.
- Then, sprinkle the Ritz cracker topping over the casserole evenly.
- Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes uncovered until the casserole is bubbly (you can see this better with a clear baking dish) and the Ritz topping is lightly browned
- Let sit 15 minutes before digging in!
Big hit with all the ‘vores. Littles and big.
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