This Cheesy Vegan Breakfast Casserole has crunchy golden potatoes and chewy vegan sausage in a creamy, cheesy cashew sauce.
Savory casseroles, like a vegan tater tot casserole or a vegan hash brown casserole, can get one out of bed and raring to go, even on weekend mornings. One of my family's favorite casseroles is this cheesy vegan breakfast casserole. It is packed with protein and good fiber, both important breakfast ingredients, and is even more delicious than I can describe.
This is a beloved recipe in our home and so many of you have made it and written to say you loved it. Part of the appeal of this dish is that it is one-pot and is one of the quickest casseroles you can put together. The creamy, cheesy sauce that makes this casserole divine comes together in a blender. Et voilà! Breakfast is served.
Table of Contents
Why you'll love this vegan breakfast casserole recipe
- It's SO delicious. Like OMG delicious. The tender potatoes and chewy vegan sausage are so perfect together, and the creamy, rosemary-kissed, cheesy cashew sauce that binds them all together is simply sublime.
- It's quick. There's so little prep work involved in this recipe, besides a bit of chopping. It won't take you more than 10 minutes, tops.
- You can make it ahead. It's easy enough -- and quick enough -- to make this vegan breakfast casserole recipe from scratch in under an hour, but it is also easy enough to make this ahead and keep in the refrigerator, then bake or warm before you serve.
- It is one-pot. Make this casserole in an oven-safe or cast iron skillet for easy cleanup. If you don't have either, transfer the potatoes, sausage and sauce to a baking dish and then bake.
- It is everyone friendly. The recipe is gluten-free and soy-free. You can make it nut-free, see the ingredients list below to learn how. I find casseroles to also be extremely kid friendly (case in point vegan tater tot casserole and vegan hash brown casserole), and this breakfast casserole is definitely one of Jay's all-time favorites. If you have picky eaters of your own, kid or adult, this is the recipe to make them gorge.
I am not vegan, but made this last year for nephew and his wife who are vegans for Christmas Brunch. My nephew asked if I was going to make the "Christmas Crack" casserole again this year. Of course I am. So it is delicious and incredibly easy to make. You do not have to be vegan to enjoy this dish.
-- Sue Duffy
Ingredients
- Onions. Any kind, I usually use red. But sweet or yellow onions are just as good.
- Garlic. For lots of flavor.
- Parsley. You will use this in the recipe and as a garnish after the casserole has baked. But if you wish you can leave it out.
- Vegetable oil. Just a little, to saute the veggies.
- Potatoes. Any kind of potatoes work here, including russet, yellow, and red.
- Vegan Italian sausage. This is preferred but you can use any other kind of vegan sausage. Avoid anything with a very strong flavor, like a vegan chipotle sausage. If gluten-free and soy-free make sure you read labels. I have made this recipe with nearly every brand of vegan sausage on the market, but this time I used Beyond Sausage.
- Cashews. Blending your own cashew cream for this recipe is really worth it, and that way you can make it exactly as tasty as you want it to be. If you are nut-free, use a nut-free nondairy milk and add two tablespoons of cornstarch, then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
- Onion powder. For flavor.
- Garlic powder. For more flavor.
- Nutritional yeast. There is no vegan cheese in this recipe and all the cheesiness here comes from delicious and healthy nutritional yeast.
- Rosemary. Rosemary and potatoes are a match made in heaven.
- Sage. I love the smokiness of the sage with the Italian sausage.
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste.
How to make Vegan Breakfast Casserole
Recipe FAQs
You definitely can. Add zucchini, mushrooms, sweet potatoes or carrots or even spinach. Zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and spinach can be added to the skillet directly, but cook the sweet potatoes before adding them, as you would the potatoes.
Yes, if adding tofu use super firm tofu or extra firm with the water pressed out, and cut into cubes. Season the tofu preferably, even if it is with just salt and pepper, or use your favorite Italian seasoning. Add to the pan when you'd add the sausages. You can also use tempeh.
You can put this breakfast casserole together up to a week in advance. Cover tight with cling wrap and refrigerate for a couple of days, and freeze for longer storage. Thaw and bake before serving.
To store after baking, simply cover and refrigerate or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze. Reheat before serving.
More yummy vegan casseroles
Vegan Breakfast Casserole
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet
- If not using an oven-safe or cast iron skillet, you will also need a baking dish.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or sage, If using dried herbs, reduce to 1 tsp)
- 3 medium potatoes (red or yellow or russet, cut in a ⅓rd inch dice)
- 14 oz vegan Italian sausage (roughly chopped)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt to taste
For the cheesy sauce:
- ¾ cup raw cashews (soak for 30 minutes unless using a high-powered blender)
- 1½ cups water
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon rosemary (or sage)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C
- Make the cheesy sauce by combining all ingredients and blending into a really smooth paste. Set aside.
- Place the diced potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water by an inch, then bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to a simmer, and cook the potatoes 10 minutes or until very tender. Drain out the water and reserve the potatoes.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil. You can do this in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or any skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, to reduce cleanup.
- Add the onions, garlic, parsley and rosemary (or sage) to the oil. Season with salt and ground black pepper and saute, stirring, for five minutes over medium heat or until the onions are soft.
- Add the sausage, red pepper flakes and potatoes and continue to cook, about five minutes. Check seasoning and add more pepper and salt if needed.
- If you are using a cast iron or a stove-to-oven skillet, arrange the potato mixture in an even layer and pour the cheesy sauce over it evenly. If using a baking dish, like I did, transfer the potato sausage mixture to the baking dish and pour the cheesy sauce on top.
- Transfer the skillet or baking dish to the preheated oven and bake 30 minutes or until the top starts to lightly brown. Switch to the broil function on your oven and broil for another five minutes on the highest setting, or until gold-brown spots appear on the potatoes and cheesy sauce.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with more parsley if you wish, and serve hot or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
- I've made this recipe with different varieties of potatoes, and they all work, but russets are my favorite because they thicken the sauce nicely and make it even creamier.
- You can add more vegetables to this casserole, including zucchini, mushrooms, sweet potatoes or carrots or even spinach. Zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and spinach can be added to the skillet directly, but cook the sweet potatoes before adding them, as you would the potatoes.
- To replace the cashews with a nut-free option, use 1.5 cups of any nut-free nondairy milk and add 2 tablespoon cornstarch to the blender.
- You can use any vegan sausage you like, but Italian sausage is preferred. Avoid using a sausage with a very strong flavor, like chipotle sausage, as it will overwhelm the other flavors.
- You can also use cubed, seasoned tofu or tempeh instead of the sausage.
- Use no-salt seasoning in the sausage-potato mixture to reduce your salt intake and add flavor.
- You can put the casserole together a day or two earlier and bake the morning you plan to serve.
Deb
This dish is amazing! What a perfect Sunday brunch. My husband and I love it, and are looking forward to the leftovers. Another fabulous recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!
Vaishali
Deb, so happy you loved it! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Amy D
Looks tasty! Do you think it would be good with just potatoes and lots of extra vegetables, no vegan sausage or tofu or anything?
Vaishali
Hi Amy, you definitely can. The sausage or tofu would add some protein, important for breakfast, but you can make this with veggies only and it'd be delicious.
Jamie
This sounds so good! Do you have a suggestion for a substitute for cashews? My daughter is allergic to those and to pistachios. I miss cooking with them! Thanks
Vaishali
Hi Jamie, you can use pumpkin seeds instead of the cashews for the cheezy sauce! Hope you try.
Sheila
I made this and it is delicious!! It's definitely going to be an oft-repeated dish in my household. Thanks!! I'd love to upload my video/photo, but don't see how to do it here.
Sheila
Also meant to give it a 5-star rating.
Vaishali
Hi Sheila, so happy you made it. I'd love to see it! If you have an Instagram account can you share the photo there and tag me @holycowvegan? Otherwise email at myveganworld@gmail.com. Thanks!
Brenda Kuciemba
Delicious! Wonderful for brunch.
Vaishali
Awesome!
Hannah
My family and I have made this recipe probably every other weekend for the past couple of years. I don’t know how I haven’t commented before. We absolutely love it. I am gluten free and sub Morningstar vegan chorizo in place of the sliced sausage and it’s still very good! We even make it ahead the night before sometimes and it still turns out as great as if we made it right before baking. Thanks for giving us a Saturday staple for years to come! Yum!
Vaishali
Hi Hannah, that's so great to hear. So happy you and your family have loved this recipe.
Anonymous
Hello,
Are we supposed to use the water used to soak the cashews in the sauce too? Just want to make sure it won't be too runny. Thanks.
Vaishali
Yes, use the water!
Jill
Just as a recipe note for myself...1/2 tsp salt and 2-3 tblsp lemon juice to cheese sauce. Double recipe to bake in 9x13 dish. Thanks for the recipe! Even meat eaters enjoyed!
Vaishali
So happy to hear.
Autumn
Vaishali, this is AMAZING!!! I use the tofurky Italian sausages, although I usually eat oil free so I may try to make my own from oats one day. This recipe is so good! I have made it about 5 times in 3 weeks. Just amazing! THANK YOU!! This will definitely be a staple in my home from now on.
Vaishali
So happy you enjoyed it!
Christina Patra
Hi is this the temperature for a fan forced oven? Looking forward to making it for friends this weekend 🙂
Dwayne Gilbert
Can this be done in a slow cooker
Brittney Derrick
Love this casserole. It's a new go-to in our house. Even my Omni mom who purses her lips at most meat substitutes and tofu, LOVED this. I made it for Christmas morning and will make it again for Mother's Day brunch. So easy to mix it up with different vegetables too! Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Vaishali
Excited to hear!
Elizabeth
How can I add tofu to this recipe?
ElizabethB
I think pressing the tofu and then making an Italian seasining marinade would work. Maybe a firm tofu?
ALFR
I was thinking the same thing! I'd love add a tofu scramble vibe. Did you try it?
DJ
You're recipe looks delicious. I am looking forward to perusing your recipe collection!
I would like to request a cooking alternative for those of us who either do not have access to, or have made the choice not to expose ourselves to microwaves.
Thanks.
Vaishali
Hi DJ, just place the potatoes with water in a saucepan and boil them until tender, as you'd do for mashed potatoes. Don't let them get so soft that they get waterlogged, though, so check frequently.
Paige
Delicious flavor, just made it for the first time. Think I over did my potatoes because they were softer than I like. Could I just put them in the pan raw and have them cook in the oven instead of the microwave and oven?
Julia
10/10. Easy, healthy and tastes great. Also a versatile base recipe to make slight changes to depending on what you feel like or have to hand. I'm planning to make this as part of a Christmas brunch we're hosting next week. I think I'll try adding some mushrooms and bell pepper and swapping out the sausage links for crumbled vegan breakfast patties.
Brenda
Made this for group brunch and everyone - vegan and non-vegan - loved it! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe.