Broccoli Butter Bean Casserole

Delicious vegan broccoli butter bean casserole made with quinoa and the best vegan mustard sauce. It has a preparation time of 10 minutes and only requires an oven. This is the perfect vegan casserole for Thanksgiving and such a great alternative to the classic broccoli and cheese casserole. The recipe is easily scalable. You can make it for two or for a crowd.

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• Why you'll love this recipe
• Key ingredients notes
• Best tips
• Step-by-step with pictures
• Substitutions
• Storage and reheating tips
• Frequently asked questions
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• The recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

• The entire recipe can be made in the oven. You won't need to blend anything or to sauté certain ingredients. It comes together in 40 minutes only, which makes it the perfect Thanksgiving side dish.
• The vegan mustard sauce adds a fun twist to this specific casserole. It's a great alternative to a classic baked bean casserole or the popular broccoli cheese casserole.
• The sauce is SUPER simple to make. No need to start a complicated vegan bechamel or use cream of mushroom soup.
• It makes a healthy meal. This broccoli quinoa casserole is high in plant-based protein and actually filling. You can totally serve it as a main dish if you'd like.
• This butter bean casserole recipe is vegan, gluten-free (it's made without breadcrumbs) and nut-free.

Key ingredients notes

1. Use canned butter beans to save time and have your casserole ready in 40 minutes.
2. Choose low-sodium vegetable broth to minimize the salt content of the casserole.
3. Use a delicate mustard, such as yellow mustard for a mild, slightly sweet sauce. If you'd like a strong mustard favor you can go for Dijon mustard or add an extra heaped tablespoon to the sauce.

Best tips

1. Roast the broccoli separately at first. The florets will get all crispy and almost cooked before you add them to the casserole with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Save the broccoli stems to make a soup. You can try this vegan broccoli and potato soup recipe.
3. Do not cover the quinoa while it is cooking. We know that some people like cover their casserole with a lid or aluminium film but it isn't necessary for this recipe. In fact, you want some of the vegetable broth to be absorbed by the quinoa and the rest to evaporate while baking.

Step-by-step with pictures

Roast the broccoli. Wash the broccoli and cut it into florets. Add them onto a sheet pan or baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the broccoli in the oven until it is golden and crispy. This should take approximately 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse the canned butter beans. Rinse the quinoa.

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Make the quinoa and butter bean casserole. Add the beans and the quinoa to a casserole dish and pour in the vegetable broth. Add the garlic powder and give it a good stir. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes.

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Make the mustard sauce. In a bowl, mix the soy cream, maple syrup, mustard, salt and pepper with a fork or a small whisk.

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Add the broccoli and the sauce to the casserole. Once most of the vegetable broth was absorbed by the quinoa (there can still be some liquid), add the roasted broccoli florets and the vegan mustard sauce to the casserole dish. Give it a good mix. Finally, top it with pine nuts and bake for another 15 minutes.

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Substitutions

• Soy cream: you could use any plant-based cream alternative. Some are made from rice, almonds or oats (choose gluten-free if necessary). Alternatively, you could use the same amount of full-fat coconut milk. The flavor of the sauce will however be different and you might need to add more mustard to it to balance the coconut flavor.
• Quinoa: if you prefer a broccoli casserole with rice, you can substitute the quinoa with the same amount of rice. Chose a rice that has a cooking time of 20 to 30 minutes (not quick-cooking rice).
• Pine nuts: you can easily substitute the pine nuts with sunflower seeds.

Storage and reheating tips

Refrigerating tips. If you have leftovers, let them cool down and store them in an air-tight container. You can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing tips. This broccoli casserole freezes well for up to 3 months. You can either freeze the entire dish once its baked and cooled or divide it into single servings. Note that this casserole cannot be frozen before cooking. The best way to defrost it is to place it in the fridge overnight.

Reheating tips. Preheat your oven to 375°F (180°C) and reheat the defrosted casserole for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, reheat single portions in the microwave.

Frequently asked questions

The recipe