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Individual Vegan Broccoli, Cheddar & Rice Casseroles with Chanterelle and Rosemary Cream Sauce

I had my first "mom" moment today. My lovely rescue mix took a trip to the vet for his first vaccinations. I thought all was well until a few hours later. His muzzle turns bright, strawberry-red and starts puffing up like he ate a bee. Thankfully, his veterinarian is 100ft away from my apartment. I picked him up and ran across the street to the pet hospital. My heart was beating faster than the sound of my feet hitting the pavement. 

The second I burst through the door, the vet tech behind the counter looked up and hollered, "Oh no. Allergic reaction!" He and another tech whisk Izzy out of my trembling arms and back to some unknown place where sick animals go and hopefully return. My heart falls to my feet. I feel this deep churning in my gut that I've never felt before: the pang of a worried mother. Now I know how my Jewish mom felt every time I fell terribly ill (or even had a bad case of hick-ups). Besides doing an excellent job at being a hypochondriac for me, my mom is also one hell of a home chef. This woman could win contests with her casseroles. 

As the leaves turn their autumn hues nearly everywhere except where I live, I start planning my Thanksgiving menu. Some of you think this may be a bit early, but my over-motivated ass is actually a week behind. This is the first in a series of Thanksgiving recipe posts that will hopefully inspire you to impress family and friends. Stay warm, East-Coasters.

Individual Vegan Broccoli, Cheddar & Rice Casseroles with 
Chanterelle and Rosemary Cream Sauce
  • 1/4 lb Vegan Butter
  • 6 cloves fresh Garlic, minced
  • 1 TBSP Fresh Rosemary, finely minced
  • 3 TBSP All Purpose Flour
  • 2-3 TBSP Water
  • 1 3/4 cup Vegan Heavy Cream 
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 16 oz package Frozen Chopped Broccoli, thawed (or 3.5 cups Fresh, chopped)
  • 1 lb Chanterelle Mushrooms, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups Vegan Cheddar Cheese, finely grated (preferably Daiya)
  • 3 cups cooked White Rice
  • 1/4 cup seasoned Vegan Bread Crumbs
Makes 6 individual servings.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Melt the vegan butter in a large skillet over high heat, then add the garlic and rosemary. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté for about 30 seconds, reduce heat again to medium-low, then stir in the flour. Whisk constantly for 3-5 minutes until the flour slightly puffs up to create a beautiful roux. 

Add the chopped chanterelles, and stir well to fully combine. Raise the heat to medium, stir in the water, and cook 2-3 minutes while stirring frequently until the mushrooms begin to soften. 

Slowly whisk in the Vegan Heavy Cream, then lower the heat to medium and bring the sauce to a slow boil while stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the thawed broccoli, rice, 1 cup of the vegan cheddar & chanterelle sauce. Spoon the mixture into 6 separate ramekins. You can alternatively place all of the mixture into one large casserole dish, but see the different baking directions below*. 

Top each mini casserole with even amounts of the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar and bread crumbs. Bake in your preheated oven, covered with foil, for 15 minutes. 

Remove the foil, then allow the casseroles to bake an additional 5 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. 

*For one large casserole dish, bake in your preheated oven, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, then allow the casserole to bake an additional 15-20  minutes until the top is brown and the cheese is bubbly. 

Serve.

Comments

I'm so glad Shwee is ok after that terrible reaction! Poor pup!

Unlike you, I'm finding myself unmotivated this year for Thanksgiving. I'm sure I'll whip up something, but my inspiration is sorely lacking and I'd rather just chill at home instead of going through the whole to-do.
Oh, poor Shwee! I hope everything is OK!
Gina said…
Oh, this is so my style. Well, except for the mushrooms, although I've honestly never tried chanterelles. I like the meatier mushrooms though. I'll eat portobellos and I tried lobster mushrooms for the first time and they were really good. What kind of texture do the chanterelles have?
Gina said…
Oh, and I'm glad that Shwee is okay :) Vaccine allergies are pretty common, we see them almost every day!
a-k said…
Glad Shwee is OK!

This looks tasty, I love chanterelles!

And hey, what about us midwesterners? ;-)
Anonymous said…
nothing's worse than having to take our doggie friends to the hospital! hope she is well!

this dish looks super tasty!
hope your poor pup is recovering well. your creamy casserole looks delish! thanks, mom!
Anonymous said…
Aw, poor pup. Hope she's feeling better.

That sounds like an awesome recipe. Hopefully I can get hold of Chanterelles around here.
Jes said…
Oh no! I hope your pup is ok! Too bad you can't serve her a nice casserole :) I'd perk up if someone handed one of those to me!
Anonymous said…
Man, this look delicious!!! Gotta get my hands on some of this MimiCreme.

Hope Shwee (adorable!) is doing well. My cat recently had surgery, and I know how you feel. Poor little guys.
Ricki said…
Poor Shwee! And poor you having to worry! Hope all is well.

Recipe sounds great--perfect addition to a Thanksgiving table. And I'd gladly give up those autumn leaves for the CA sunshine!
POOR PUPPY! Oh that sweet little thing. I feel so bad for the both of you, that must have been an awful experience.

I am an extremely over protective doggy mama, is seems all I do is worry about them. I know how overwhelming it can be when they get sick. Ughghg....

On a happier note, this dish looks AMAZING! What a perfect addition to a holiday meal, thank you for the idea.
Dana Nesen said…
All of your recipes look amazing! You are so creative and gourmet... totally jealous.