This healthy Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Casserole brings together creamy plant-based cheese, tender broccoli florets and quinoa, finished with crunchy roasted chickpeas. It bakes in under an hour, reheats well, and makes a satisfying weeknight dinner or meal-prep lunch.
Why this casserole works
Broccoli and cheese is a classic combination for a reason: the mild, slightly bitter broccoli pairs beautifully with a rich, savory cheese sauce. This vegan version keeps that comfort-food feeling while adding wholesome quinoa for body and texture, plus crunchy chickpeas for a contrasting finish. It’s a grown-up take on a Midwestern favorite, but lighter and plant-based.
Vegan Meal Prep
This casserole reheats well, making it a great option for meal prep. The vegan cheese sauce will firm up in the fridge; when reheating, stir in a splash (a tablespoon or two) of vegetable broth or plant milk to loosen the sauce if needed. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, or freeze portions for longer storage. Thaw overnight before reheating.
Vegan Cheese Sauce
The creamy, cheesy element in this dish is a cashew-based vegan cheese sauce that genuinely tastes rich and satisfying. You can make a batch quickly in a high-speed blender or food processor. Typical ingredients for this kind of sauce include:
- Raw cashews (soaked briefly if your blender needs it)
- Cooked sweet potato or pumpkin puree for body and color
- Nutritional yeast for a savory, cheesy flavor
- Vegetable broth to thin and blend smoothly
- A splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to brighten the flavor
Blend until completely smooth and adjust thickness by adding broth or water. Use one cup of this sauce for the casserole and reserve extra to spoon on top when serving if you like it extra saucy.
Related recipes with vegan sauce
Try these other comforting recipes that use creamy, cashew-based vegan sauces:
- Super Simple Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Tomato Basil Vegan Pasta
- Vegan Queso
- Creamy Greek Pasta Salad with Cashew Vegan Pesto
- Creamy Vegan Pasta with Sautéed Kale and Tomatoes
Vegetarian & Vegan Casserole Ideas
If you enjoy this casserole, other vegetable-forward bakes you might like include:
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Mexican Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole
- Sweet Potato Green Curry Quinoa Casserole
- Naked Spinach Quinoa Lasagna Casserole
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole with Crunchy Onions
- Lasagna Zucchini Casserole
- Sweet Potato Spinach Lasagna
Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Casserole
This recipe serves 4. Prep time: about 30 minutes. Bake time: about 50 minutes. Total time: roughly 1 hour 20 minutes.
Ingredients — Casserole
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 cup vegan cheese sauce (plus extra for topping if desired)
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups chopped broccoli florets
Ingredients — Crunchy Chickpeas
- 1 (15-oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray or oil an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the vegan cheese sauce, vegetable broth, and garlic powder until smooth.
- Spread the uncooked quinoa evenly across the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Pour the cheese-broth mixture over the quinoa and stir gently to combine.
- Arrange the chopped broccoli florets over the quinoa mixture, pressing them down lightly so they make contact with the liquid.
- Tent the casserole dish tightly with foil and bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes.
- While the casserole bakes, prepare the crunchy chickpeas: pat the rinsed chickpeas dry, toss them with olive oil, chili powder and salt, and spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- After the initial 25 minutes, remove the foil from the casserole and move it to the bottom rack. Place the chickpeas on the top rack. Return both to the oven and bake uncovered for another 25 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the chickpeas are crisp.
- Remove casserole and chickpeas from the oven. Let the casserole rest about 15 minutes to firm up before serving.
- Serve portions topped with a handful of crunchy roasted chickpeas and an extra drizzle of the reserved vegan cheese sauce or your favorite hot sauce.
Tips & Notes
- This recipe requires a full batch of a creamy vegan cheese sauce. A cashew-sweet potato base yields excellent texture and flavor.
- If you have extra cheese sauce, stir some into the casserole after baking or spoon more on top when serving for a saucier result.
- To speed things up, use pre-cooked quinoa or leftover quinoa and reduce the initial bake time slightly—just ensure quinoa is heated through and broccoli is tender.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation per serving:
- Calories: 421 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Protein: 19.5 g
- Fat: 10 g
- Fiber: 13 g
- Sugar: 9.5 g
Nutrition values are automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate only.
Shop this post — pantry favorites
Useful pantry ingredients for this and similar recipes:
Nutritional Yeast
Raw Cashews
Vegetable Broth
5 Ingredients — 4 Vegan Meal Prep Ideas
Using five simple vegan staples—sweet potato, onion, garlic, chickpeas, and quinoa—you can create multiple meal-prep-friendly dishes. Examples include Vegan Pad Thai with Thai Peanut Sauce, this Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Casserole, a Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl, and Vegan Sweet Potato Tacos. These recipes rely on the same building-block ingredients with a few different add-ins for variety.
Vegan Meal Prep Ideas
- Vegan Pad Thai with Thai Peanut Sauce
- Vegan Broccoli and Cheese Casserole (this recipe)
- Mediterranean Vegan Buddha Bowl
- Vegan Sweet Potato Tacos