Vegan Brussel Sprouts Casserole
Vegan brussels sprouts casserole is a super filling meal ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for weeknight dinners. This healthy rice and brussel sprout casserole is a healthy filling meal with a creamy lemony sauce over shaved brussel sprouts and kale.
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple, healthy ingredients – you can find the ingredients to make this vegan brussel sprouts casserole in any grocery store! The creamy lemon sauce is made from cashews and white beans, making it so filling and healthy.
- Easy to assemble – this casserole is very easy to assemble and much of it can be made in advance to make it even easier (especially if you are making this for company or the holidays).
- Leftovers are great – this healthy brussel sprouts rice casserole is super filling thanks to the veggies, brown rice and beans. The leftovers can easily become a filling lunch or dinner for the next day.
- Perfect for weeknight meals or even holidays! Since this recipe uses leftover rice (prepped ahead rice), it comes together quite quickly, making it perfect for a simple weeknight meal. This creamy brussel sprouts casserole would also be a great side dish for your holiday meals!
- Healthy comfort food – there is nothing better than a casserole on a cold winter night! This rice and brussel sprout casserole has everything you want from comfort food without the excess calories! Filling rice, veggies and the best creamy lemon sauce that brings it all together.
Ingredients
- Brussel sprouts – I prefer to buy whole brussel sprouts and shave them at home (using the food processor) instead of buying them already shaved. However, if you are short on time, you can buy them already shaved at the store, just be sure to check them out to make sure they look fresh in the bag and aren’t starting to turn brown.
- Kale – you can use any kind of kale you have, but I prefer lacinato kale (sometimes called dinosaur or Tuscan kale). This kale is easy to chop and cooks up so quickly. This is just a personal preference though and curly kale or red kale would also work great in this recipe.
- Cooked rice – if you are using leftover rice, I recommend jasmine or basmati rice for this recipe. Leftover brown or white jasmine or basmati rice is the best for leftovers, it doesn’t dry out and it easily stirs right into the recipe.
- White beans – white beans are used to add more bulk, protein and fiber to this vegan casserole. The white beans are also used in the sauce. I usually use great northern white beans, but cannellini or navy beans would also work and are all easy to find!
Creamy Lemon Sauce
- Cashews (soaked) – cashews help to make this sauce thick and creamy. You want to soak the cashews before blending to ensure they blend up thick and creamy and there are not any chunks of cashews in your sauce. It’s easy to soak cashews, check out all the ways you can soak cashews below in the common questions section.
- White beans – white beans help to make the lemon sauce thick and creamy and super filling. Instead of using all cashews, the beans create a similar texture sauce with less fat and more fiber and protein, helping make this casserole healthy and filling.
- Lemon juice – lemon juice helps to neutralize some of the harsh flavors from the brussel sprouts and the kale. You really cannot taste the lemon, but it’s needed to balance out the flavors. If you love lemon, you will want to use the juice of 2 lemons, not just 1. I didn’t want to make this too lemony in case you want to serve it as a side dish at a holiday meal.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, italian seasoning – these spices are easy to find and help to elevate the sauce and the flavors of the dish.
How to make vegan brussel sprout casserole
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Prep the veggies: Shred the brussel sprouts (using a knife or the food processor) and destem and chop the kale.
Soak the cashews: I like to bring water to a boil in the electric kettle. Once boiling, pour the water over the cashews and let them soak at least 5 minutes while the veggies are cooking.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, spray with non-stick spray (olive oil or avocado oil) and add the shaved brussel sprouts. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the brussels are cooking, rinse and drain the white beans.
Once the brussels have had a chance to cook and are starting to brown, add the chopped kale. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
While the kale is cooking, drain the cashews. Add the cashews, ½ the white beans, lemon juice, water, salt, garlic powder and italian seasoning to a high speed blender. Blend on high 1 minute.
Once the kale is done cooking, add the cooked rice, creamy lemon sauce and the rest of the white beans. Turn off the stove and stir well.
If you are using an oven safe skillet (no plastic on the handle), flatten the casserole down with a spoon or a spatula. Otherwise, transfer the casserole to a casserole dish and flatten with a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle with hemp hearts or your favorite bread crumb topping (see below for ideas).
Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, turn on the broiler and broil 3-4 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Top tips
- Use your food processor to quickly shred brussel sprouts – you can shred a pound for 30 seconds – 1 minute time.
- Prep all your vegetables in advance, this recipe moves quickly.
- Be sure to sauté the brussel sprouts for 5-7 minutes before adding the kale or the rest of the ingredients or the brussels will steam and have a different flavor.
- If you love lemon, you will want to use 2 lemons instead of 1 to ensure the lemon flavor really comes through in the creamy sauce.
- Use an oven safe skillet (I love my cast iron for this) so that you can transfer the casserole from the stove to the oven without having to dirty another pan.
- If you have more time, you can start the dish with 1 medium onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed before adding the brussel sprouts.
Other additions
- Veggies: Artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, sundried tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, spinach, olives, or chopped tomatoes.
- Spice: Red pepper flakes can add a nice level of spice without overpowering the dish. Add it at the end to control the spice.
- Protein: The white beans add a lot of protein to this dish, but if you wanted to add more, you could add balsamic tofu, shredded chicken, or even canned tuna or canned salmon.
What to serve with brussel sprouts casserole
This healthy brussel sprouts and kale casserole is a filling meal served on it’s own. You could also add a light salad of vegetable based soup to make it an even more filling meal. Here are some dishes that would pair well with the brussel sprouts and rice casserole:
- Salad: Green salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing, Vegan Greek Salad, or Cruciferous Crunch Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing.
- Soup: Mediterranean Vegetable Soup, Low Carb Vegetable Soup, Frozen Vegetable Soup
Common questions
How to quickly shred brussel sprouts
The easiest way to shred brussel sprouts is to use the slicing disk that comes with the food processor. If you don’t have one of these, you can simply add the brussels to the food processor and process on high until they resemble rice.
Before putting the brussels in the food processor, be sure to slice away the brown stem at the bottom of the sprout.
How to de-stem kale quickly
Start by tearing away about 1-2 inches of the kale leaf from the bottom of the stem so the stem is free from the leaf. Wrap your pointer finger around the kale stem and pull down from the bottom of the stem towards the top of the leaf. The kale leaf will come off the stem in one piece. From here you can easily chop the kale.
How to soak cashews
It’s recommended that you soak cashews before blending them to ensure the sauce will be thick and creamy and not have any pieces of cashews in it. Soaked cashews break down easier in the blender. Regardless of the way you choose to soak the cashews, be sure to drain them and discard the soaking liquid before using the cashews in the recipe.
There are 4 easy ways to soak cashews:
- Pour boiling water over top – this is my go to method, as it’s easy to do with an electric kettle. Once the water has come up to a boil, pour it over the cashews and let them soak at least 5 minutes.
- Add to pot with water, bring to a boil – If you don’t have an electric kettle, you can add the cashews and water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Boil 2-3 minutes then allow to cool at least 5 minutes before using the cashews.
- Microwave – Add the cashews to a large cup or bowl. Add just enough water to cover the cashews. Microwave for 1:30-2 minutes. Allow the cashews to rest in the microwave at least 5 minutes. Remove carefully with oven mitts (this can get really hot).
- Countertop – add water to a bowl or glass with cashews. Leave out on the counter for 8 hours to soften the cashews. If you plan on leaving them out longer to soak, put them in the fridge.
Other topping ideas
If you don’t have hemp hearts but you still want a crunchy, golden-brown topping, you can use any of the following ideas:
- Crushed up gluten free crackers
- Almond flour breadcrumbs
- Toasted bread pulsed down to breadcrumbs
- Gluten free store-bought breadcrumbs
What are other recipes with brussel sprouts?
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Dijon Dressing
- Shaved Brussel Sprouts Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- Air Fryer Frozen Brussel Sprouts
- Brussel Sprouts and Kale Salad with Cranberries
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus
- Sriracha Brussel Sprouts
What to look for when shopping for brussel sprouts
Brussel sprouts are often found year-round in the grocery stores in the US. They are grown in the US (but originate from Belgium) and do best when grown in cold climates.
Brussel sprouts can come in a bag (most common) but also can be sold attached to the stalk they grow on. Brussel sprouts look like mini cabbages and should be a vibrant green without any mold or discoloration on the leaves. You may notice that the stump of the brussel sprout is brown, that is ok, simply trim that away before using the brussel sprouts.
When buying brussels sprouts in the store, you want to look for green sprouts with tight leaves and no water in the bag. Also check the smell, you should not be able to smell the brussels through the bag (they will start to create a very sulfur like smell when they are too old).
How to make this lower in carbs
To make this dish lower in carbs, you can use 2 bags of frozen cauliflower rice that is cooked in a separate skillet for 7-10 minutes until defrosted and cooked through.
Replace the white beans in the sauce with cashews (you will want to use 1 cup of cashews total) and omit the white beans from the casserole. You can use your favorite protein in place of the white beans in the dish.
How to make this in advance?
Shred/chop the veggies and saute the brussel sprouts and kale.
Make the sauce (soak the cashews, rinse and drain the beans and blend everything together in the blender).
Combine all the ingredients together in a casserole dish (brussels, kale, cooked rice, beans, sauce) and cover with plastic wrap. Let this sit in the fridge for up to 3 days.
When you are ready to serve this, preheat the oven to 425F and sprinkle the casserole with hemp hearts or your breadcrumb of choice. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the oven to broil and broil for 3-4 minutes until the top is brown.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days total. Note: rice should only be stored in the fridge for 5 days, so depending on when you made the rice in advance will impact how long this can be stored in the fridge.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover brussel sprouts casserole as the entire casserole or in single servings for up to 3 months. I like to use Soupercubes to freeze leftover casserole in the freezer. Once frozen, you can easily pop these out of the silicone molds and transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer safe bag. Be sure to label your leftovers with the name, date and use by date.
Substitutions
- Brussel sprouts – you could also use asparagus, finely chopped broccoli or zucchini in place of brussels sprouts.
- Kale – you can use spinach, collard greens or chard in place of kale or omit it completely.
- Cooked rice – you can also use cooked quinoa or cooked cauliflower rice in place of the cooked rice. If you don’t have cooked rice on hand, you can also use quick cooking rice or defrost frozen rice to use in this recipe.
- White beans – white beans are a great addition to this vegan meal as they help make it more filling. You could also use your favorite protein (tofu, chickpeas, shredded chicken, canned tuna or salmon for non-vegans) in the casserole. If you need to replace the white beans in the sauce, you can use all cashews (1 cup cashews total), steamed peeled potatoes or steamed cauliflower.
- Cashews – to make this nut free, you can use raw sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (they will need to be soaked) or hemp hearts (do not need to be soaked) in place of the cashews.
- Lemon juice – you can use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (2 tablespoons) in place of lemon juice if needed. The lemon juice adds acid which helps to cut through the bitterness of the brussels and the kale and adds balance to the dish.
- Spices – If you don’t have garlic powder on hand, you can use onion powder or sauté 2 cloves of fresh garlic along with the brussel sprouts. If you don’t have italian seasoning, you can make your own, or use herbs de Provence or 1 teaspoon dried basil and ½ teaspoon dried oregano in place of the italian seasoning.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Vegan Brussel Sprouts Casserole
$8.38 Recipe/$2.09 ServingIngredients
- 1 pound brussel sprouts, shredded - $1.99
- 1 pound kale - $1.99
- 2.5 cups cooked rice - $0.40
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained - $0.99
- 3 tbsp hemp hearts - $0.75
Creamy Lemon Sauce
- 1/4 cup cashews, soaked - $0.47
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained - $0.99
- 1 cup water - $0.00
- 1 medium lemon, juiced - $0.33
- 2 tsp italian seasoning - $0.20
- 1.25 tsp sea salt - $0.07
- 1 tsp garlic powder - $0.10
- 1 tsp dried oregano - $0.10
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Shred the brussel sprouts, remove the stem and chop the kale.
- Bring water to a boil and pour over cashews. Allow cashews to soak at least 5 minutes.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, spray with non-stick spray (avocado oil or olive oil) and add the shredded brussel sprouts. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Rinse and drain the white beans while the brussels sprouts are cooking.
- Add chopped kale to the pan and stir well. Cook 2-3 minutes.
- Drain the cashews. Add the cashews, 1/2 of the white beans, lemon juice, water, salt, garlic powder, italian seasoning and oregano in a high speed blender. Blend 1 minute.
- Turn off heat. Add the cooked rice, white beans and creamy lemon sauce to the skillet. Stir well.
- Flatten the casserole and add the hemp hearts (move the casserole to a casserole dish if the skillet isn't oven safe).
- Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then turn on the broiler and broil for 3-4 minutes.
Equipment
Notes
- Use your food processor to quickly shred brussel sprouts – you can shred a pound for 30 seconds – 1 minute time.
- Prep all your vegetables in advance, this recipe moves quickly.
- Be sure to sauté the brussel sprouts for 5-7 minutes before adding the kale or the rest of the ingredients or the brussels will steam and have a different flavor.
- If you love lemon, you will want to use 2 lemons instead of 1 to ensure the lemon flavor really comes through in the creamy sauce.
- Use an oven safe skillet (I love my cast iron for this) so that you can transfer the casserole from the stove to the oven without having to dirty another pan.
- If you have more time, you can start the dish with 1 medium onion and 2 cloves of garlic, chopped and sauteed before adding the brussel sprouts.
- Shred/chop the veggies and saute the brussel sprouts and kale.
- Make the sauce (soak the cashews, rinse and drain the beans and blend everything together in the blender).
- Combine all the ingredients together in a casserole dish (brussels, kale, cooked rice, beans, sauce) and cover with plastic wrap. Let this sit in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- When you are ready to serve this, preheat the oven to 425F and sprinkle the casserole with hemp hearts or your breadcrumb of choice. Bake at 425F for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn the oven to broil and broil for 3-4 minutes until the top is brown.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days total. Note: rice should only be stored in the fridge for 5 days, so depending on when you made the rice in advance will impact how long this can be stored in the fridge.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover brussel sprouts casserole as the entire casserole or in single servings for up to 3 months. I like to use Soupercubes to freeze leftover casserole in the freezer. Be sure to label your leftovers with the name, date and use by date.
