As we approach fall (autumn), it’s time to think about swapping zesty summer salads for comforting, filling meals that will warm you up. Creamy, oven-baked dishes – that are totally vegan – are just the thing.
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Some vegetables that are coming into season now, like cauliflower and pumpkin, pair perfectly with creamy textures. These eight recipes make use of ingredients such as tahini, silken tofu, and nutritional yeast to create smooth, cheesy sauces. They’re hearty and packed with flavor, while often being surprisingly healthy too.
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Protein-packed creamy cannellini pie
This pie from BOSH! is stuffed with cannellini beans and spinach, making it full of protein and iron. Leeks, garlic, and pesto add a ton of flavor to the creamy filling, made with vegan crème fraiche and butter. Top with flaky puff pastry and serve with a side of buttery mash. This is a great meal to share with friends or family, as the pie can be made as one large one or in smaller, individual portions.
Find the recipe here.
Cauliflower casserole with olives and red onion
A casserole is a great autumn dish, lending itself to all kinds of vegetable and flavor combinations. This one, by cookbook author Ashley Madden, is packed with healthy ingredients including cauliflower, chickpeas, and spinach. The creamy tahini-based sauce is also nutritious, as tahini is a great source of protein, phosphorus, iron, and calcium. Serve the casserole on top of protein-rich wholegrains such as millet or quinoa.
Find the recipe here.
Spaghetti bake with a creamy alfredo sauce
This recipe comes from Sam Turnbull’s vegan cookbook Craving Vegan. No need for lots of pans for this one, as the spaghetti cooks in tomato sauce in the oven. In the meantime, make the alfredo sauce with a vegan butter and flour base, flavored with a generous helping of nooch, onion powder, and dried basil leaves. Pour it on top of the baked pasta and pop back in the oven for another 10 minutes for a delicious, satisfying dinner.
Find the recipe here.
Cauliflower bake with caramelized onions and almonds
Romy London created this vegan twist on cauliflower cheese. It’s packed with healthy ingredients too, including miso paste, oats, and carrots. Steamed florets of cauliflower are smothered in a flavorsome potato-based sauce. Top with caramelized onions and flaked almonds for added texture and taste before popping in the oven for 10 minutes. It would make a perfect side dish for a Sunday roast, or enjoy as a main.
Find the recipe here.
Creamy garlic potato gratin
There are few dishes more comforting than those combining carbs and cheese. This completely vegan potato gratin from Natlicious Food does the job perfectly. It layers sliced potatoes on top of a bed of garlicky mash made with vegan cream cheese and thyme. A sprinkling of vegan cheese on top – plus more garlic for good measure – makes this into the warming potato dish of your dreams.
Find the recipe here.
Brussels sprout and mushroom lasagne
You might not expect to find Brussels sprouts in a lasagne but it absolutely works. This recipe from Rainbow Plant Life combines shredded sprouts with shiitake and brown mushrooms, layered between sheets of lasagne pasta. It includes both homemade garlic béchamel sauce and tofu ricotta cheese for a super-creamy and nutritious meal.
Find the recipe here.
Butternut squash lasagne
If you’re after a simpler lasagne recipe, this one from Natilicious Food is the perfect option, requiring only one oven-proof pan and a food processor to make it. Instead of layering the pasta and the filling, you cook butternut squash and vegan mince in a tomato sauce and add broken up lasagne sheets. Make the tofu-based béchamel sauce in the food processor then mix into the pan before topping with vegan cheese and baking it.
Find the recipe here.
Pumpkin dauphinoise
Nothing says autumn quite like pumpkin. This vegan take on the classic French dauphinoise from BOSH! layers nutritious pumpkin and potato for a warming, satisfying side or main meal. The rich dauphinoise sauce is made with plant-based cream, garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Bake for 45 minutes until the vegetable are tender and melt-in-your-mouth.
Find the recipe here.
Read more: 17 Vegan Dinner Recipes Where Vegetables Are The Main Event