This high protein, low carb vegan breakfast casserole checks all boxes! It's packed with delicious bits of vegan sausage and fresh greens and herbs baked in creamy tofu. On top is a crispy, crackly, savory topping of vegan cheddar cheese. Just 10 ingredients needed, and you can make this casserole in a cast iron skillet to take it from the oven to the table.
Why you will love this vegan low carb breakfast casserole
- It is so yummy, and it makes a satisfying meal not just for breakfast but for any meal. I love tucking into casseroles in the morning, like this cheesy vegan breakfast potato casserole. But when I'm eating low carb this low carb casserole satisfies all my cravings and more!
- It's hearty and comforting and packed with good for you ingredients. The vegan sausage and tofu add tons of protein and the greens and herbs add nutrients that support your health.
- Best of all it's so easy to make. You need 10 ingredients and minutes to put together this casserole. The oven does the rest of the work.
- It's very low in carbs. Being vegan can make eating low carb challenging, but this casserole has just 12 grams of net carbs per serving so you can fit it in even if you are eating fewer than 50 grams of carbs a day, and get a healthy serving of greens in!
Ingredients and substitutions
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. I use avocado oil. Any vegetable oil is fine. You can skip the oil if you are not eating a high fat keto diet as the vegan sausage will express some fat.
- 14 oz vegan sausage. I used Beyond Meat Hot Italian sausage. Any brand of sausage or beef substitute would work.
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs. I love smoky herbs in the casserole so I used a mix of sage and oregano. Thyme and rosemary are great too. You can substitute with 2 teaspoons of dried herbs.
- 4-5 cups fresh greens. I used Swiss chard. Use any greens of your choice, including spinach, kale or mixed spring greens.
- 14 oz extra firm or super firm tofu. Either is fine. Soft tofu will create a runny filling so use extra firm or super firm for the right consistency to the casserole.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder + 1 teaspoon onion powder (or flakes)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Substitute, if you wish, with another savory herb of your choice like thyme, sage or rosemary.
- 1 cup vegan heavy cream. Or use soymilk as a substitute.
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste. You can also use red pepper flakes for a bit of an added kick.
- 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds
How to make the vegan low carb breakfast casserole
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
- Make a smooth tofu cream by blending the tofu, garlic and onion powders, nutritional yeast, dried oregano, salt, pepper and heavy cream along with ½ cup water.
- Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or any oven-safe 10-inch skillet. (If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the sausage-veggie mixture to a lightly oiled, 9- or 10-inch oven-safe baking dish before adding the tofu cream).
- Add the crumbled vegan sausage to the skillet and saute a couple of minutes until it begins to brown.
- Stir in the herbs. Then add the greens (finely shredded) to the skillet. It will look like a lot when you add them but they will quickly wilt down. Saute the greens until they have wilted down.
- Stir in ½ cup of the vegan cheddar cheese shreds, reserving the rest for the top. Season with salt and ground black pepper or red pepper flakes as needed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the tofu cream (if not using an oven safe skillet pour the filling into the prepared baking dish at this point, then stir in the tofu). The tofu cream will be thick. Use a ladle to mix it with the sausage and greens.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar shreds on the top of the tofu-sausage mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler in the last 3-4 minutes of baking to get a crispy top. Keep a close eye when you turn on the broiler as the top can burn quickly.
- Wait 10 minutes, then serve hot or warm.
Frequently asked questions
Is this casserole suitable for a vegan keto diet?
There are 12 net carbs and 19 grams of protein in each serving of this breakfast casserole. If you are eating under 50 grams of carbs a day you can easily fit it into your diet.
How far ahead can I make this casserole?
You can put the casserole together up to two days ahead. Cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate. Put into the oven 45 minutes to an hour before serving.
How long will the casserole keep in the fridge?
You can store the baked casserole in the fridge for up to four days. Warm individual portions in the microwave or the entire casserole in the oven before serving.
Can I freeze the casserole?
You can freeze the casserole both before and after baking. To freeze the casserole before baking, cover tightly with freezer safe wrap and freeze up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
To freeze the baked casserole, cover with freezer wrap and freeze up to three months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and warm in the oven before serving. You can also freeze individual portions in freezer safe containers.
More vegan low carb breakfast recipe ideas
Vegan Low Carb Breakfast Casserole
A high protein, low carb vegan breakfast casserole packed with delicious bits of vegan sausage and fresh greens and herbs baked in creamy tofu. On top is a crispy, crackly, savory topping of vegan cheddar cheese. There are 19 grams of protein in each serving and you need just 10 ingredients!
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Review Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 455kcal
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe skillet (alternatively use any skillet and a 9- or 10-inch baking dish)1
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 14 oz vegan sausage (crumbled. You can also use a beef substitute)
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (chopped. I used a combination of sage and oregano. If using dried herbs, use 2 teaspoons total)
- 4-5 cups Swiss chard (or any fresh greens, including kale and spinach, thinly chopped)
For the tofu cream
- 14 oz super firm tofu (or extra firm tofu, cubed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (or onion flakes)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup vegan heavy cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste (can use red pepper flakes for an added kick)1
- 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
- Make a smooth tofu cream by blending the tofu, garlic and onion powders, nutritional yeast, dried oregano, salt, pepper and heavy cream along with ½ cup water.
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or any oven-safe 10-inch skillet. (If you don't have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the sausage-veggie mixture to a lightly oiled, 9- or 10-inch oven-safe baking dish before adding the tofu cream).
- Add the crumbled vegan sausage to the skillet and saute a couple of minutes until it begins to brown.
- Stir in the herbs. Then add the greens (finely shredded) to the skillet. It will look like a lot when you add them but they will quickly wilt down. Saute the greens until they have wilted down.
- Stir in ½ cup of the vegan cheddar cheese shreds, reserving the rest for the top. Season with salt and ground black pepper or red pepper flakes as needed.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the tofu cream (if not using an oven safe skillet pour the filling into the prepared baking dish at this point, then stir in the tofu). The tofu cream will be thick. Use a ladle to mix it with the sausage and greens.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheddar shreds on the top of the tofu-sausage mixture.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Turn on the broiler in the last 3-4 minutes of baking to get a crispy top. Keep a close eye when you turn on the broiler as the top can burn quickly.
- Wait 10 minutes, then serve hot or warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 428mg | Potassium: 417mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1586IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg
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Sylvie
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It's so nice to have something to just heat and eat in the morning. It's actually quite nice for lunch and dinner, too!
I've made it a couple of times with some changes:
- I added a couple of different "meats" for variety - soy chorizo and/or crumbles.
-I learned that I really needed to taste the tofu cream and salt and season it to my taste. I may have doubled the fresh herbs and added some smoked paprika.
-I added mushrooms to the greens for some extra meatiness/chewiness. I also added a chopped onion and garlic to sauté with the greens (kale, spinach, or collard).
-Also, sun dried tomatoes are an excellent addition for chewiness and flavor!
-Lastly, I added a little fried onion topping at the end of baking.
With all the extras, I found it hard to cook the greens and stir in the tofu cream in the same pan so I mixed it in a bowl and baked it in a roasting pan. It's really a great recipe to play with and make your own. Thanks again!