Vegan Cabbage Casserole

A cabbage casserole is a beloved, ages-old southern dish, but today I have for you a vegan version that’s just as comforting and cozy, but way healthier. One of the things I realized as I researched cabbage casseroles before making this one was that no two cooks make it the same way. So I’ve put my own spin on things here while sticking as much as possible with traditional elements and ingredients. This is a great one-pot dinner–you don’t even need a side, although a salad would be marvelous.

Tips and steps

You’ll need a vegan cream of mushroom soup for this recipe, and I have a gorgeous recipe already that so many of you love and have been making. You can make that soup gluten-free by using rice flour or gf all purpose flour for the roux. You can definitely make the soup ahead, although if you do decide to assemble it the day you make the casserole it should add just minutes to your total time. You can also use a storebought vegan soup–there are a few brands available now. You will need two cans. You will also need a whole head of cabbage–a medium sized one. I used a purple cabbage, but green is great too. Cut it in a fairly big dice, about an inch. You will also need potatoes. I used a pound of red potatoes (any potatoes are fine), and diced them pretty small–about a third of an inch. I used meatless beef in this recipe that’s soy-free, nut-free and gluten-free. You can sub brown lentils or even tempeh. Crumble the tempeh before use. Add them the same time as the meat. Thyme is one of the traditional flavoring ingredients and I use it here, but I also like adding a spoonful of sage, which adds richness and smokiness. You can leave it out. Garlic adds more flavor and for umami, use a heaping tablespoonful of tomato paste and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Leave out the soy sauce if you want to stay soy-free. I like sprinkling on some vegan mozzarella shreds on the casserole to make it more kid-friendly. You can leave it out, but it is nice. I turn on the broiler in the last couple of minutes to make it a bit brown and crusty, which makes this dish even yummier. For a splash of color before serving, sprinkle on some scallions or parsley. You can make this dish in one pot by using a 12-inch cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet. Or you bake this up in a 12 X 8 baking dish. To make the casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degreesn. Heat vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and meatless beef to it and saute for a couple of minutes, then add the potatoes and continue to saute until both the meatless meat and potatoes start to brown a bit. Add the cabbage, herbs, soy sauce, tomato paste, salt and pepper (you can add another teaspoon of garlic powder at this stage if you like your casserole garlicky). Stir it all together, and cover and let the cabbage cook a bit. You don’t want it to turn soft, just give a few minutes for it to start getting tender. It will continue to cook in the oven. If you’re baking in the skillet, just sprinkle the cheese on top and put it in the oven at this stage. If you are baking in a separate dish, spray it lightly with oil, add the cabbage-beef-potato filling to the dish in an even layer, then sprinkle on the cheese. Bake the casserole for 35 minutes. If you want to make the cheese crusty and golden brown, turn on the broiler in the last two minutes, but keep an eye on the casserole as the cheese can burn fast! Let the casserole stand at least 10 minutes before serving. For color and more flavor, sprinkle on some scallions or parsley before serving.

Making this casserole ahead

To make this casserole ahead, assemble all the ingredients in the baking pan or skillet, cover tightly, and freeze. Thaw and bake before serving. Check to get new recipe updates by email.

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