• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Veganuary
  • FREE ebook
  • Shop

A Virtual Vegan

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Cookbook
  • Veganuary
  • FREE ebook
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Cookbook
    • Veganuary
    • FREE ebook
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Published: Sep 17, 2019 · Modified: Nov 9, 2022 by Melanie McDonald · This post contains affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 26 Comments

    Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN
    4.70 from 20 votes
    From scratch, super-easy, Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole with creamy rice, tender broccoli and surprise sausage-y bites. Put everything in the dish raw then bake. Minimal prep, minimal hands on time, maximum comfort!

    From scratch, super-easy, Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole with creamy rice, tender broccoli and surprise sausage-y bites.  Put everything in the dish raw then bake. Minimal prep, minimal hands-on time, maximum comfort!

    a bowl of Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole in a white bowl

    So you love rice casseroles too? Great! We are on the same team so gather round and let's hear all about my new Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How To Make Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole
    • Storing Leftovers
    • Success Tips
    • More Broccoli Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments & Reviews

    We're talking a from scratch, easy one pan type affair that's loaded with rice, broccoli, some surprise vegan sausage, and a creamy "instant" sauce that's made by mixing the flour into the dry rice in like 20 seconds flat. Because you're awesome like that and it works perfectly for creating the creamy texture that casseroles are known for. Also we must not forget a big handful or two of vegan cheese for the ultimate topping situation.

    someone spooning out a big helping of vegan broccoli rice casserole

    Comfort food to the MAX!

    And I know I'll get asked so I'll mention it here and now. Everything goes in uncooked. Even the rice. No pre-cooking of anything is required. Just like when you make my Oven Baked Garlic Mushroom Rice.

    This is comfort food for lazy people and it is ridiculously easy. I mean, yeah, it takes a while to cook. We're talking about an hour give or take. But it takes literally 5 minutes to throw together and the rest is all hands off.

    Love Love Love.

    a dish of vegan broccoli rice casserole next to a bowl full with a fork and spoon on the side

    Ingredients

    So, here's the run down on what's going on here and it's all basic store cupboard stuff:

    1. Rice - it's a rice casserole so it's pretty essential. I have not tested this recipe with brown rice or any other grain.
    2. Broccoli - and a lot of it too. You might think I've lost the plot as it looks like a mini forest when you're adding it all, but it doesn't look nearly as much once it's all cooked and stirred in so go with me.
    3. Garlic, salt & pepper - flavour, flavour, flavour
    4. Flour - it thickens everything up as it cooks and makes it all nice and creamy. All purpose gluten free flour will be ok instead. Maybe cornstarch but I haven't tried it. And pleased don't use coconut flour. There have been an influx of  people using it instead of all purpose flour recently with disastrous results.  It will not work as a direct replacement for regular flour in any recipe.  In case you are tempted  this blog post about it by Blissful Basil stresses my point and is hilarious ----->> It's Not You, It's Coconut Flour: 19 Times Coconut Flour Destroyed Something Delicious.
    5. Nutritional Yeast - Makes the rice taste cheesy without needing to add a ton of vegan cheese. Also adds umami flavour. I don't recommend skipping it.
    6. Vegan Sausages - My vegan sausage recipe or Field Roast Italian are great in this recipe. If not, any that are herby and flavourful with a good texture. It adds flavour and the sausage-y bites throughout are so good!
    7. Vegan Milk - unsweetened is essential. Cooks together with the flour to make a creamy sauce .
    8. Stock - A key ingredient for flavour and also needed for the rice to absorb and cook properly. Whatever one you use make sure it's nice and tasty!
    9. Vegan Butter - optional but recommended for richness and extra comfort food points.
    10. Vegan Cheese - for topping. That oozy,  cheese pulling situation on top of all that goodness is on point. You are welcome.

    How To Make Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

    Combine the milk and stock into a pan and warm on the stove top or in a microwave until it's really hot and almost about to boil.

    vegan milk and stock in a pan to make vegan broccoli rice casserole

    While that's happening, put the dry rice in the casserole. Add the other dry ingredients. All of them. Then stir it up.

    dry ingredients for vegan broccoli rice casserole in a dish

    Sprinkle over the sausage pieces then pour over the heated liquid and stir.

    vegan sausage in a vegan broccoli rice casserole

    Plant the trees, i.e lay the broccoli all over the top, stalk down until it looks like you've got a little forest going on. Dot some vegan butter over the top, and oops I forgot to photograph that bit .....

    broccoli being placed on top of vegan broccoli rice casserole

    Bake uncovered until the rice is just tender with a little bite, then give it a stir.

    cooked vegan broccoli rice casserole prior to the vegan cheese being added

    Sprinkle over the cheese and cover with tin foil or a tight fitting lid and put it back in the oven for a little while. The foil/lid helps trap steam and encourages the cheese to melt and the rice to become softer.

    Remove the foil and serve!

    foil being removed from vegan broccoli rice casserole

    It's almost like a risotto without the work. The rice turns out cooked beautifully and the broccoli still retains some bite and is not soggy in the slightest. And that delicious sausage kind of melts into the rice leaving little surprise chunks.

    Storing Leftovers

    Cool leftovers quickly and store them covered in the fridge. They will keep for up to 3 days.

    To reheat, add a drop of water for moistness (just a couple tablespoons), then reheat covered in the oven on 350°F (175°C). How long depends on how much you are reheating but at least 15 minutes. Possibly up to 25. Just make sure it is piping hot. You can also use a microwave to reheat it. Again, just make sure it is piping hot.

    Success Tips

    • Use a 3 quart/ 2.8 litre ceramic or glass oven proof dish that is approximately 9 x 13 x 2 inches in size. Any significant change to this, like using a smaller, deeper dish, could make the rice take longer to cook. And don't use anything smaller than 3 quarts because it won't all fit in. Metal pans or disposable aluminum pans won't radiate the heat effectively and you will have problems getting the rice to cook evenly and thoroughly.
    • Don't use frozen broccoli. It will turn to mush. Fresh is best.

    So there we are. This food, fall in general, is my happy place and this is what you call EASY vegan comfort cooking!

    Chuck it all in. Bake. Cheese it up. Serve.

    Yay. Winning at life.

    a hand digging a fork into a bowl of Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

    More Broccoli Recipes

    • Vegan Broccoli Salad
    • Vegan Broccoli Pasta
    • Tofu Quinoa Stir Fry
    • Tofu Bowls

    If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!

    Recipe

    a bowl of vegan broccoli rice casserole

    Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole

    Author: Melanie McDonald
    4.70 from 20 votes
    One-pot, from scratch, super-easy, Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole with creamy rice, tender broccoli and surprise sausage-y bites.  Put everything in the dish raw then bake. Minimal prep, minimal hands on time, maximum comfort! 
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    PREP TIME: 10 minutes
    COOK TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes
    TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Servings: 6

    Ingredients
      

    • 3¼ cup (780 ml) unsweetened vegan milk of choice
    • 4 cups (960 ml) flavourful broth/stock
    • 2 cups (400 grams) uncooked white long grain rice * see notes for alternatives
    • ⅓ cup (42 grams) all purpose flour , (plain flour in the UK). For GF use an all purpose GF flour.
    • ½ cup (56 grams) nutritional yeast
    • 4 cloves garlic , very finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon fine salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 large large vegan sausages , (SEE RECIPE NOTES) you can add more if you like though
    • 2 large heads fresh broccoli
    • 1 cup (112 grams) vegan cheese shreds
    • 2 tablespoons vegan butter (optional)

    RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

    • Pyrex 3 Quart Baking Dish with Lid
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 °F (180 c) and have a 3 quart / 2.8 L ceramic or glass ovenproof dish (roughly 9x13x2inch) ready.
    • Wash and cut the broccoli up into florets. You can leave quite a long stalky bit on each one to save wasting it.
    • Combine the vegan milk and stock in a pan and warm over a medium heat on the stove top until very hot, almost about to boil.
    • Meanwhile, add the rice, flour, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper to the oven proof dish. Stir together to combine.
    • Slice the sausages into thin rounds and scatter them across the top of the rice mixture.
    • Once the liquid is hot, pour it over the top of the rice and sausage mixture.
    • Cover the entire top in broccoli florets. Plant them stalk down in the rice-y liquid. Then if you are using the butter, dot little blobs all over. Doesn't matter where.
    • Put in the oven uncovered and bake for 50 - 55 minutes. Use a spoon to dig under the broccoli and taste a piece of rice. It should be soft, or almost cooked, with just a little bit of bite. If it's at that stage continue to the next step. If it's still hard, cover the dish with tin foil, upturned baking tray or a lid and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Then continue.
    • Stir it well so the broccoli becomes mixed up through the rice, then sprinkle over the vegan cheese. Cover with foil and return to the oven for 10 minutes so the cheese can melt and the rice can continue cooking just a little bit more.
    • Remove from the oven, remove the foil and serve up immediately.

    NOTES

    RICE - This recipe has only been tested with long grain white rice, although medium or short grain white rice, jasmine or basmati should be fine. The recipe will need adjusting to work with brown rice or any other grain. 
    SAUSAGES - Sausages that are already cooked like my vegan sausage recipe, Field Roast, Linda McCartney or Tofurkey sausages work well in this recipe. If using a sausage that is not already precooked like Beyond or Impossible you will need to saute your chunks until golden before adding them to the casserole. 
    LEFTOVERS - Cool leftovers quickly and store them covered in the fridge. They will keep for up to 3 days. To reheat, add a drop of water for moistness (just 2 tablespoons), then reheat covered in the oven on 350°F (175°C). How long depends on how much of it you are reheating, but it will be at least 15 minutes. Possibly up to 25. Just make sure it is piping hot before serving. You can also use a microwave to reheat it. Again, just make sure it is piping hot. 

    NUTRITION

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 87gProtein: 27gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1546mgPotassium: 913mgFiber: 9gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1730IUVitamin C: 135mgCalcium: 268mgIron: 3mg

    Nutritional information is provided for convenience. The data is a computer generated estimate and should be used as a guide only.

    Tried this recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan

    Hungry For More?

    • Vegan Hamburger Helper
    • Vegan Ham
    • Nutritional Yeast Tofu
    • Vegan Pumpkin Pasta
    1.5K shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Hayley Edwards says

      January 21, 2023 at 9:42 pm

      5 stars
      So yummy not to mention easy. The kids loved it to.

      Reply
    2. Nadja says

      January 21, 2023 at 10:22 am

      2 stars
      I usually love your recipes, but I'm struggling with this one. I followed it very carefully, but after baking it for 55 minutes, all the liquid was on top of the rice and the rice burn to the bottom of my ceramic dish. What I've tried tasted nice though, so that's that. Currently trying to save it (baking it longer, covered so it won't burn), let's hope it works out.

      I understand that the broccoli "cover" is there to help the rice cook, but maybe I should have stirred earlier?

      Reply
    3. Marcy Grote says

      January 19, 2023 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      I cook exclusively with germinated brown rice so that is what I used. It was excellent. And the added nutritional benefits of the GBR made it awesome!!!!!!!

      Reply
    4. Kayleigh says

      December 27, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! We needed something semi-healthy after Christmas indulgences so made with last night. Kids loved it and it was so easy. Will definitely be a regular here now.

      Reply
    5. Angela Edwards says

      December 23, 2021 at 9:45 pm

      2 stars
      I feel terrible writing this but this recipe was a total fail for me. I should probably state that I went to cooking school and worked as a cook in a high end vegan restaurant. Usually I don't follow a recipe exactly and read them for inspiration to make up my own. I followed this one to a T. After 50 min there was so much liquid left that I kept cooking and checking every 5, 7, 10 min. Thirty five minutes later, my broccoli is dry and I decide to move to stovetop. Finally seems most of the liquid is absorbed after 7 more minutes, so I stir up the mess to put cheese on and bake the top. There's flour at the bottom (yes, i stirred it) and many crunchy rice pieces. I had to stir so much to mix the flour that the rice became claggy. Because it's SO MUCH food, I put cheese and put it back in the oven, but its a mess. I'm an above average cook, so this will be difficult to choke down. I dislike badly prepared food like mushy rice (oh the sausages are sponge by now). So much is wrong with this poor casserole. I am baffled how it has worked out so well for others. I re read the measurements to make sure I got them correct. Very confused how the flour would mix in and how the ratio of liquid to rice would work out. I'm so sorry, but this just did not work for me at all.

      Reply
    6. Kathy H. says

      November 14, 2021 at 5:55 am

      5 stars
      Hi Melanie,
      I live in a rural area where decent, fresh broccoli is either hard to find or costs a fortune. Is there any way that this recipe does well if I use frozen broccoli florets?
      Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes.

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        November 14, 2021 at 11:42 am

        I have never tried it with frozen broccoli. My instinct is it would get a little mushy, but if you're ok with that then I don't see why you couldn't use it. Even if it's mushy it will taste nice! Hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    7. Amy says

      March 22, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for dinner tonight and it was excellent! The rice was so tasty. I used needless broth. Delicious comfort casserole. Love that it all cooked in one dish. Will definitely make again. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        March 22, 2021 at 4:18 pm

        Meant beefless broth!

        Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        March 22, 2021 at 5:07 pm

        So pleased you enjoyed it Amy!

        Reply
    8. Christal says

      December 05, 2020 at 4:04 pm

      We liked the flavor but I followed the recipe exactly and our rice was still crunchy in some parts. I’d love to try it again. Any suggestions? Thank you

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 05, 2020 at 6:37 pm

        Sorry you had issues. Some questions that might help determine what happened:
        Did you use white long-grain rice? It's the only rice this recipe has been tested with.
        Was your dish ceramic or glass? Any other type won't cook the rice evenly.
        Was the liquid heated up to just about boiling before adding? That step is important.
        Did you follow the step to cover tightly with foil and cook for a bit longer?
        I hope that helps!

        Reply
    9. Kylie Brown says

      May 06, 2020 at 10:09 am

      So much broccoli.....seems un realistic. I used 6 cups and it was more than enough. Also, it’s a little bland ... I’m going to experiment with seasoning the broccoli. Overall, it’s a good idea. Thank you

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        May 06, 2020 at 11:33 am

        It's about 2 large heads of broccoli between 6 people. That's not a huge amount considering it's a main ingredient in the dish. Broccoli shrinks down a lot when roasting too so it doesn't seem anywhere near as much when it's cooked. It's important that the broccoli more or less covers the rice while it's cooking as it helps the rice cook properly, and it adds important flavour too. Hope that helps!

        Reply
    10. Tony M says

      April 26, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      5 stars
      I was skeptical about the sheer amount of liquid going into this recipe, but it turned out perfectly. I'm always looking for ways to use nutritional yeast and this results in a great, yet simple, nutritional yeast cream sauce. The only change I made was, I had a smaller head of broccoli, so I added mushrooms to make up the rest of the bulk. This recipe is definitely going to be a keeper.

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        April 26, 2020 at 2:03 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed it Tony. Mushrooms are a great addition!

        Reply
    11. Danie says

      January 30, 2020 at 5:26 am

      Is the vegan cheese on top really necessary? I loath vegan cheese as it usually contains a whole lot of chemicals and not much food based ingredients. Thx in advance!

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 30, 2020 at 6:04 am

        You can omit it if you prefer.

        Reply
    12. DAVID ROCKWELL says

      January 27, 2020 at 2:19 pm

      Melanie,
      Love Casseroles, so tried this recipe first. Love the taste.
      Used Field Roast Italian Sausages -- the spices were fantastic!
      Just what I wanted.
      Exception: I used Brown rice in baking vs. White Rice in Recipe.
      Your comment about "need adjusting to work with Brown Rice"
      was confusing. What is the adjustment?
      My baking took much longer than recipe since the liquid was not
      absorbed in 55 minutes. Could this be from Brown Rice? Thanks
      p.s. I now have your cookbook "Vegan Comfort Cooking".

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        January 27, 2020 at 3:08 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! As I mention in the recipe, it has only been tested with white rice because that's the best option for a casserole like this as it cooks easily and in a reasonable time in the oven. Brown rice takes much longer to cook (which would end up being way too long for most people when cooking dinner) Brown rice also needs a different volume of liquid to white rice especially when being cooked for an extra long time in the oven because of increased evaporation.
        That's why the recipe needs adjusting if you use it, but I can't advise on changes that need to be made because I haven't tested it. Testing each recipe takes a lot of time and unfortunately it isn't possible for me to test different substitutions.
        Hope that helps!

        Reply
    13. María says

      November 30, 2019 at 7:11 am

      Thanks for your recipes
      Sorry for your loss
      God bless you .

      Reply
      • A Virtual Vegan says

        December 01, 2019 at 3:34 pm

        Thank you so much Maria ♡

        Reply
    14. Mary Anne says

      October 19, 2019 at 8:10 am

      5 stars
      It was delicious- I needed it gluten free so used Beyond Meat sausages which are gluten free. Field Roast variety in Canada is not unfortunately.

      Reply
    15. Patricia Giannelia says

      September 19, 2019 at 11:28 am

      Great recipe and looking forward to trying it - also would like to experiment with brown rice. One comment re gravy thickeners. I have used potato starch/flour for years, originally when cooking for some friends who needed gluten-free, and then because I found it made a smoother gravy than wheat flour.

      Reply
    16. DORIS R SMITH says

      September 18, 2019 at 10:41 am

      I haven't tried this yet, but would love to. However, I am cooking just for me, so often freeze portions for later enjoyment. Have you tried freezing left overs? Though I imagine the broccoli will get somewhat soggy after freezing, the rest should be good, don't you think? Anxious to try this. Your recipes have consistently been delicious. The only site I've found I can say that about! Thank you so much for your delicious recipes and ideas!

      Reply
      • Melanie McDonald says

        September 18, 2019 at 10:56 am

        Aaaww thank you! That means a lot.
        I have not tried freezing this. I agree that the broccoli might get a bit soggy but like you say, rice generally freezes well so the rest of it should be ok.
        This recipe does make a lot but you could scale it down by half and use a smaller dish to cook it in. Maybe if you make a scaled down version you could try freezing a very small portion to see what happens? Then you will know for next time. It keeps really well in the fridge for a few days and reheats well too.
        To save you doing the math, if you hover your mouse over where it says "serves 6" in the recipe card, specifically over the number 6, or tap the number on mobile, a little slider appears which allows you to change the number of servings. It then changes all of the ingredient measurements automatically to suit.
        I hope that helps!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Melanie McDonald

    I'm Melanie McDonald (but you can call me Mel), best-selling cookbook author and creator of A Virtual Vegan. I share well-tested, flavour-packed vegan recipes with clear, step-by-step instructions. My goal is to give you the confidence to cook amazing vegan food from scratch.

    More about me →

    Trending now!

    • Perfect Vegan Yorkshire Puddings
    • Lentil Shepherd's Pie
    • Cinnamon Roll in a Mug
    • Vegan Potato Soup
    • Vegan Butter
    • Vegan Banana Pancakes

    ❊ GET MY COOKBOOK ❊

    Vegan Comfort Cooking Melanie McDonald

    Amazon / Book Depository / Books-A-Million / Barnes & Noble / Indigo

    "Meaty' Vegan Recipes

    • Vegan Ham
    • Vegan Chicken Breasts
    • Vegan Sausage Recipe
    • Vegan Beef
    • Vegan Roast
    • Gluten-Free Seitan Roast

    See more →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top


    About Me
    My Cookbook
    Privacy

    Subscribe
    Contact me
    Work With Me

    Accessibility
    Nutrition
    Media

    Copyright © 2023 A Virtual Vegan- All Rights Reserved.