Broccoli bakes are quintessential cold weather foods, and this cheesy broccoli bake recipe by Isa Chandra Moskowitz is no exception. It’s creamy, cheesy, and surprisingly high in plant protein thanks to the addition of silken tofu. This classic dish will be a hit with friends and family thanks to the filling combination of high-protein tofu and broccoli, making it the perfect vegan dinner for cold nights.

Read more: 8 Vegan Creamy Bake Recipes

The recipe comes from Isa’s cookbook I Can Cook Vegan and is an American staple for the fall and the cold season. Broccoli bake is seriously quick and easy to make, especially if you use frozen broccoli like this meal does. Simply cook your broccoli with onions and garlic, and top it with your tofu and tahini cheese sauce mixture. Then, after adding your breadcrumbs, simply bake for 30 minutes.

You can add your favorite grated vegan cheese to this dish and add more nutritional yeast and paprika to the casserole dish for extra flavor.

Cheesy broccoli bake

This vegan cheesy broccoli bake is bound to be a hit at your next family gathering. It's super easy to make and high in protein thanks to the tofu and broccoli.

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Servings

Ingredients

1 large onion chopped into medium dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 (16-ounce/450 g) package frozen broccoli
1 (12-ounce/340 g) package extra-firm silken tofu (the vacuum-packed kind)
½ cup (120 ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (120 ml) tahini
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sweet paprika plus more for garnish
¼ cup (35 g) nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
Several dashes freshly ground black pepper
1 cup (100 g) breadcrumbs

Instructions

Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the olive oil with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the broccoli, raise the heat a bit, and cook until the broccoli is thawed.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 10 by 10-inch (25 by 25 cm) casserole dish. In a food processor, combine the tofu, vegetable broth, tahini, and lemon juice and blend until completely smooth. Add half of the broccoli mixture, the paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper and pulse a few times until well combined.
Without running the food processor, stir in the breadcrumbs with a spatula. I do this just to save a dish, but you can transfer to a mixing bowl to stir in the breadcrumbs there if you prefer. You just don’t want to food process them at this point because it would make the dish gummy.
Transfer the mixture from the food processor to the casserole and spread it out evenly. Top with the remaining broccoli mixture and lightly press it into the bottom layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, until golden on top. Let cool slightly, sprinkle with additional paprika, and serve.