Vegan Cheesy Bean & Rice Casserole
Summer time is the perfect season for a cheesy and delicious casserole. This dish is rich and flavorful and can serve a family of four with leftovers to spare for lunch tomorrow. The beans and rice are hearty and satisfying and the cheese sauce makes for the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
- 2 cups brown rice uncooked
- 3 cups water
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 4 ounces green chilis
- 8 ounces frozen spinach
- 30 ounces black beans
- 15 ounces pinto beans
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Sauce
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cook the rice in the 3 cups of water for 25 minutes (it should be slightly undercooked).
- Sauté the onions and peppers for 10 minutes with a tablespoon of water to keep them from sticking to the pan.
- Add the garlic and spinach and cook for a few more minutes.
- Stir in the beans, salsa and spices and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour the rice into a 9 x 13″ casserole dish.
- Pour the vegetable mixture over the top and gently stir it into the rice.
- Pour the sauce over everything and gently stir to get the sauce to go all the way to the bottom.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 14gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 624mgPotassium: 770mgFiber: 12gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2935IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 5mg
Hi Jill, I made this, and it was incredible! I didn’t have spinach so I used lambsquarters that we have an abundance of outside. This is a keeper! Thanks for all that you do, you’re a hero in our house!
Just made the Vegan Cheesy Beans and Rice Casserole following the recipe . It came out really delicious. I had two bowls. Thanks, Jill. Best wishes for huge success with the channel.
Made this and everyone loves it! Thanks!
Hi Jill, I made this a couple days ago and love it. It actually tastes better the next day after it’s been refrigerated. I’m by myself so I usually batch cook and then divide it into portions. I love the flavor so much I’m going to use a batch of it to make some veggie burgers. I think it will taste great. Thanks so much for sharing your recipes. I will be trying more in the future.
Made half of this recipe and used it as a filling for stuffed bell peppers. Heated the oven a little lower to avoid burning the peppers (375) and kept them in a bit longer. I did 35 minutes with the peppers covered in foil and 10 more minutes without foil and it worked great!
What a great idea! thx!
Awwww, Katherine, you read my mind, girl! I have been thinking of making stuffed peppers for months now but have been putting it on the … ehem … back burner … Sorry … because I have not been able to find a suitable “filling” for the peppers. Thanks to YOUR thoughts expressed here, I now HAVE my filling! Alma was right, GREAT idea! Thank you, and thank you Jill. I always appreciate your love for food and recipes for vegans.
Lee
This recipe looks really good. Can it be frozen? There are only 2 of us.
Yes =)
Thank you..
My husband couldn’t stop eating this and said it tasted so rich and delicious he couldn’t believe it was a healthy dinner. Great recipe!
Hi Jill, I just watched your video today and this recipe looks delicious. My question is if i substitute the brown rice with wild rice how long would I cook the rice before I put everything together in the casserole?
I would cook it at least 35-40 minutes.
Quick question.. the cashews are not soaked for this recipe?
no
Can the cashews be omitted without replacing with anything else?
it would be better if you subbed rolled oats for the cashews.
yum! ….and healthy.
Merci beaucoup. I’ll definitely make again.
Hi Jill, I am trying to avoid nuts right now. What can I use in place of the cashews in this recipe? thank you
Some people have said that white beans like northern beans will work.
Hi, I don’t have green chilli, can I omit them in this recepie or substitute with something else?
You can just leave them out.
Have you used the nacho cheese recipe for the sauce? I have some of that made and thought I’d try it.
I haven’t but I bet it would be delicious!
Jill, how many Qt is your baking dish? Thank you!
3 quarts
I made this last night and absolutely loved it, I cooked the rice in 2 cups vege broth and 1 cup.of water. I am making the potato and kale bake today. Just recieved your cookbook too. Thank you Jill!
This is awesome!! I’ll be making it regularly. It would be great for Thanksgiving and potlucks.
I made this casserole today & it was delicious ? Of course I must freeze some of it because it’s just me that I cook for.
Still loving this recipe years later!
Your skill is timeless- new to plant based yet eager to assimilate and this recipe is in the oven as I write. Truly a gift from God thank you for all you do and hope in 2023 you are still going strong as I am almost there on joining ??
YUM eating it now. Eating my third plate.
Your recipe says 14 oz green chiles but in the video you say and put in 4 ounces.
Sorry, it is just 4 ounces. It is corrected in the recipe now. Thank you for letting me know
Hi Jill, do the kcal numbers you list under nutrition information indicate the calories per serving? I assume so but just want to double check. Thank you and keep making delicious food!!!
Yes, the nutritional info is per serving.
I first discovered this recipe about 5 yrs ago, and after making it again today decided I should leave a review. It is SO delicious, and SO healthy – it even has greens! It does take a bit of time to get it all together, but is easy to make. The only thing I do differently is add a bit of salt. Thanks for another wonderful WFPB casserole! This one is on repeat.