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Take your weekend brunch or holiday breakfast to the next level with this easy Vegan Breakfast Casserole! It’s loaded with fresh veggies, vegan sausage and cheese, and a protein-rich “egg” mixture that is so reminiscent of the classic dish. Plus, it’s great for meal prep, is effortless to make, and pairs well with several of the best breakfast side dishes.
If you’re a fan of our Potato & Leek Tofu Quiche or our Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Quiche, you’re going to love this eggless breakfast casserole! The “egg” mixture is just as simple to make as your Basic Tofu Scramble, and is a great, lighter alternative to our Vegan Strata!
The beauty of this recipe is that you can fill the casserole with just about any fresh veggies you have in the fridge. It’s also naturally vegan, gluten-free, and easy to make oil-free!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Filling
- Veggies – We use sweet potato, mushrooms, red bell pepper, kale, and onions for our casserole. Since this recipe is great to use up leftovers, feel free to add or subtract ingredients based on what you have on hand. For example, baby spinach, Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, and cherry tomatoes would also be delicious!
- Vegan Cheese (optional) – We like to use dairy-free cheddar shreds for this recipe, but vegan mozzarella cheese shreds will also taste delicious. Follow Your Heart shreds melts very nicely. Or, if vegan cheese isn’t your thing, omit it entirely.
- Vegan Sausage (optional) – The addition of vegan sausage in this recipe helps bring the savory flavor to the next level and makes it extra hearty. We love the Impossible sausage – It comes in a savory and spicy flavor that resembles pork sausage just as good as I can remember. Both would work well in this vegan breakfast casserole recipe.
For the “Egg” Mixture
- Extra-Firm Tofu – We like to use extra-firm tofu for this recipe for its high-protein content and its texture once blended. Extra-firm tofu contains significantly less water content compared to less firm tofu varieties and will set into a sliceable casserole once baked.
- Nutritional Yeast – Adds a natural cheesy flavor to the mixture without any dairy. When shopping for nutritional yeast, be careful not to purchase brewer’s yeast. These ingredients are often stocked near each other, yet are very different in purpose.
- Lemon Juice – The addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a brightness and acidity that makes the other flavors pop and makes the dish as a whole light and fresh.
- Plant-based milk – Any unsweetened, non-dairy milk will work well in this recipe. We typically use and recommend unsweetened almond milk and like to make it fresh at home for the best creaminess.
- Spices – The spice blend for this recipe is simple but packs some serious flavor. We recommend a blend of turmeric, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper, salt, and kala namak, if desired. Turmeric adds a yellow hue to the egg mixture as well as necessary earthiness, Old Bay seasoning adds a ton of rich, umami flavor, and kala namak, while optional, can add a great sulphur-like taste, similar to eggs.
- Herbs – To freshen up our mixture, we add a blend of fresh sage, thyme, and rosemary. The combination of these herbs helps give this recipe a delicious fall-inspired flavor. If you need to use dried herbs, we’d recommend 1/4 teaspoon of each.
Equipment Needed
- 9-inch baking dish
- Nonstick skillet
- Spatula
- High speed blender
How to Make this Vegan Breakfast Casserole
- Sauté the sweet potatoes. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, sauté the sweet potatoes in a tablespoon of oil, or water if oil-free. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
- Add remaining vegetables. Next, add in the mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, and garlic and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms have reduced in size. Finally, stir in the kale and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until bright green. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Cook the sausage. Using the same pan (no need to clean!), cook the vegan sausage until browned. Once cooked, transfer to the baking dish with the vegetables and sprinkle evenly with vegan cheese. Set aside.
- Make the tofu “eggs.” In a high-speed blender, add all of the tofu “egg” ingredients, except for the fresh herbs, and blend until a thick batter forms. Add the herbs and pulse until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake. Pour the tofu “egg” mixture over the vegetable and sausage mixture in the baking dish and gently mix everything together until well combined. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and the “eggs” are set.
- Cool completely. Let the casserole cool completely before serving as this will allow it to set. If time allots, we recommend refrigerating it overnight for the best consistency.
- Serve. Slice and serve with green onion, hot sauce, avocado slices, additional salt and pepper, or as desired. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this savory breakfast casserole as a hearty breakfast or brunch main, but it’s also delicious as a breakfast for dinner! It’s easy enough to meal prep for busy mornings, yet decadent enough to serve as a Christmas morning breakfast.
Enjoy it alone, or pair it with a few delicious sides of choice. Below are some of our favorite breakfast sides, but don’t be afraid to serve with your family’s favorites!
- Vegan bacon or vegan breakfast sausage
- Hash browns or breakfast potatoes
- Fresh fruit
- Simple green salad
- Classic Vegan French Toast or Pumpkin French Toast
- Vegan Cinnamon Rolls or Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
Recipe FAQs
Although frittatas and breakfast casseroles are both egg-based breakfast dishes, there are a few differences that set them apart. A frittata is an Italian dish that is typically started on the stovetop and finished in the skillet in the oven.
Casseroles, on the other hand, often contain a starchy component, such as potatoes, and are almost always baked in a casserole dish.
If your breakfast casserole is soggy or not set properly, it’s likely the “egg” mixture was too wet. To help prevent this, we recommend using extra-firm tofu (not firm, medium, or soft), and adding the additional 1/4-1/2 cup milk sparingly. The batter should be thick, similar to brownie batter. For visual reference, watch us make the recipe on our YouTube channel.
The tofu does not need to be pressed! This recipe was developed using a brick of tofu that was removed from the package and drained of any excess water, but not pressed.
Storage Instructions
This cheesy vegan breakfast casserole will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’d like to store it directly in the casserole dish, tightly cover with either plastic wrap or foil to prevent the casserole from drying out.
Quick Tips
- Double the recipe for large crowds. If you’re planning on making this vegan egg casserole as a holiday breakfast or simply for hosting a large brunch or get together, it can easily be doubled. Simply increase the ingredients accordingly and cook in multiple pans. For example, if doubling, divide the mixture between two 9×9-inch pans.
- Plan to make the night before serving. This easy vegan breakfast casserole is an excellent make-ahead recipe as is it is best baked and cooled completely before serving. For this reason, we almost always make it the night before, tightly cover the baked casserole, refrigerate overnight, then slice and serve with our favorite cup of coffee or matcha in the morning!
- Be careful not to over-salt! It’s worth noting that Old Bay seasoning contains salt, so you won’t need as much added salt as you may think. Additionally, if you are using kala namak (black salt) to add an eggy flavor, reduce the salt even further because kala namak is very salty.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!
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Vegan Breakfast Casserole Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
Description
Take your weekend brunch or holiday breakfast to the next level with this easy Vegan Breakfast Casserole! It’s loaded with fresh veggies, vegan sausage and cheese, and a protein-rich “egg” mixture that is so reminiscent of the classic dish.
Ingredients
Breakfast Casserole
- 1 cup diced sweet potato
- 6 ounces baby bella mushrooms, diced
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Optional: 1/4 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- Optional: 7 oz. ground vegan sausage (we used light life; use a gluten-free brand if needed)
- 2 handfuls roughly-chopped kale, stems removed
- Green onions, for garnish
Tofu “Egg” Batter
- 1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1/3 tablespoon old bay seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon herbs, finely chopped (we used 1 teaspoon each of sage, thyme and rosemary)
- Salt, as needed to taste* (see notes)
Instructions
- Prepare your baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-inch square or round baking dish.
- Sauté the sweet potatoes. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, sauté the sweet potatoes in a tablespoon of oil. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
- Add remaining vegetables. Next, add in the mushrooms, bell pepper, onions, and garlic and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms have reduced in size. Finally, stir in the kale and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until bright green. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Cook the sausage and add the cheese. Using the same pan (no need to clean!), cook the vegan sausage until browned. Once cooked, transfer to the baking dish with the vegetables and sprinkle evenly with vegan cheese. Set aside.
- Make the tofu “eggs.” In a high-speed blender, add all of the tofu “egg” ingredients, except for the fresh herbs, and blend until a thick batter forms. Add the herbs and pulse until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Bake. Pour the tofu “egg” mixture over the vegetable and sausage mixture in the baking dish and gently mix everything together until well combined. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and the “eggs” are set.
- Cool completely. Keep in mind that the inside should be soft/moist! Allow the casserole to cool completely before serving as this will allow it to set. If time allows, we recommend refrigerating it overnight for the best consistency.
- Serve. Slice and serve with green onion, hot sauce, avocado slices, additional salt and pepper, or as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can cook with oil instead of water in this recipe if desired.
- Feel free to change up the vegetables according to your preference! Carrots and white potatoes will work well in this.
- The vegan cheese and sausage are optional but recommended!
- Storage: This cheesy vegan breakfast casserole will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container in the fridge. If you’d like to store it directly in the casserole dish, tightly cover with either plastic wrap or foil to prevent the casserole from drying out.
- Plan to make the night before serving. This easy vegan breakfast casserole is an excellent make-ahead recipe as it is best baked and cooled completely before serving. For this reason, we almost always make it the night before, tightly cover the baked casserole, refrigerate overnight, then slice and serve with our favorite cup of coffee or matcha in the morning!
- Season with salt to taste. Keep in mind that the old bay seasoning has salt in it.
- The nutrition facts do not take into consideration the addition of vegan sausage or vegan cheese.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Fall
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-free Option
Nutrition facts label provided by Nutri Fox.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional’s advice. This page may contain affiliate links, which simply means that we earn a commission if you purchase through those links, but your price remains the same. Thank you for supporting Sweet Simple Vegan!
omg this was so good! thank you for sharing (:
Looks amazing! I FINALLY found kala namak and I’m excited to use it! If I leave this in the fridge the night before, do you think warming it up in the oven the morning of will dry it out?
If you warm it up covered with foil it should be fine 🙂
Made this the other day and it was AWESOME! Instead of vegan sausage I added black beans – a tasty substitution. Can’t wait to try different spins on the recipe!
So incredibly good! It reminds me of an egg bake