This broccoli cheddar cobbler is a plant-based take on a classic comfort dish. This recipe skips dairy and uses a cashew-based sauce with vegan cheddar for a creamy, cheesy filling. Broccoli cooks with onion, garlic, and vegetable broth before mixing with the smooth cashew sauce. Bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg, and black pepper add depth to the flavor.

The biscuit topping brings everything together. A simple dough made with flour, baking powder, and cold vegan butter creates flaky biscuits. Vegan cheddar shreds add extra cheesiness. The biscuits bake on top of the filling, forming a crisp, golden crust.

This dish is perfect for a cozy dinner at home or sharing with friends. The creamy filling and buttery biscuits make it satisfying and comforting. Lauren Boehme Hartmann includes this recipe in her cookbook Delicious AF Vegan, as a tasty comfort food dish that is also dairy-free. Serve it hot for a warm, filling meal.

Read more: BBQ Pulled Mushroom Sandwiches

Broccoli cheddar cobbler

This broccoli cheddar cobbler with scratch-made biscuits is a perfect, pie-like dinner you can easily share with six people.

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Servings

Ingredients

For the filling

⅓ cup (72 g) vegan butter
1 small sweet onion diced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
⅓ cup (41 g) all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
1 (16-oz [453-g]) bag frozen broccoli
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
¼ tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup (146 g) raw cashews soaked 8 to 12 hours
1 cup (240 ml) oat milk or other non dairy milk
2 cups (226 g) vegan Cheddar-style shreds (I prefer Violife)

For the toppi ng

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp (9 g) baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
½ cup (57 g) vegan Cheddar-style shreds
½ cup (108 g) cold vegan butter
½ cup (120 ml) non dairy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
Melted vegan butter or extra-virgin olive oil for brushing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Make the filling. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic. Sauté, reducing the heat as needed, until the onion is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the flour, and stir to combine. It should form a paste. Simmer for about 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable broth, and whisk to combine, making sure there are no lumps of flour.
Add the frozen broccoli, bay leaves, thyme, nutmeg and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Make the cashew cream. Drain the soaked cashews, and add them to a blender with the milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the pot, and pour the cashew cream into the pot. Stir to combine. Add the Cheddar, and stir until the cheese has melted. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Pour the filling into a square 9 x 9–inch (23 x 23–cm) baking dish or rectangular 9 x 13–inch (23 x 33–cm) baking dish. Set aside.
Make the biscuit topping. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the black pepper, salt and Cheddar.
Add dollops of the cold butter into the bowl, and begin to press and squeeze the butter into the dry mixture using your fingers or a fork. You want the butter to be evenly distributed and resemble sand.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Whisk together. Pour the milk mixture into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and butter. Stir to combine, and bring together into a dough ball.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, adding a little more flour if the dough is still sticky. Roll it out so it is about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick, and cut large circles or squares out of the dough. You want enough to cover the filling.
Put the biscuits on top of the filling in the baking dish. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little melted butter. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately.

Reprinted with permission from Delicious AF Vegan by Lauren Boehme Hartmann. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Lauren Boehme and Julie Grace.