When I was little, my grandma made a cheesy hash brown casserole to die for. Of course, her hash brown casserole was full of butter, cheese, and sour cream. I'm pretty sure. However, grandma's version had thousands of calories and no nutritional value, but when you're a kid, who cares? Once I transitioned to a plant-based diet, I decided to make my version of a vegan hash brown casserole recipe.
First, my goal was to "veganize" grandma's recipe and then remove the fat. Although I failed a few ties, I can clearly say every bite was like stepping back into my grandma's kitchen without any of the fat and calories. If my grandma were still alive, she would love my vegan hash brown casserole.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED FOR VEGAN HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
First, the beauty of this vegan hash brown casserole recipe is versatility. I used my favorite nacho cheese sauce recipe to get the creamy cheese sauce in grandma's hash brown casserole recipe. So, not only is my cheese sauce made with only vegetables, but it also tastes like creamy cheese. I used my vegan cheese sauce recipe in a variety of yummy cheesy dishes:
- Chili Cheese Dip
- Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip Fat-Free and Fabulous
- Healthy Mac and Cheese
- Mustard Cheese Dip
- The Best Ultimate Vegan Lentil Black Bean Burrito Ever
- Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Chili Mac
As you can see, Nacho Cheese Sauce makes everything cheesy!
OTHER INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
- Frozen Orieda frozen hash browns or baking potatoes diced into equal-sized pieces
- White onion
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Red bell pepper
- Green pepper or Jalapeno pepper (if you prefer a little spice)
Next, combine the hash brown potatoes, onions and pepper mixture, and Nacho Cheese Sauce.
Once mixed, I transfer the vegan hash brown casserole recipe to a 9 X 13-inch pyrex pan for baking.
(Hash brown casserole can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until baking for 50 minutes)
The magic, however, happens in the oven! So even though I didn't think it was possible, a cheesy vegan hash brown casserole is possible. Not only does it taste fantastic, but grandma would also be proud.
If you need a little comfort food without the guilt, you have to try vegan hash brown casserole, which is perfect for a holiday brunch, dinner side dish, or Sunday brunch.
FAQs
Tips
- Thaw frozen hash browns for more even cooking, but reduce cook time in half.
- Add jalapenos and 1 can of Rotel tomatoes for a Mexican flavor.
- Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese for an added cheesy crunch on top.
- Serve with tofu scramble for breakfast as a side dish with dinner, or bring to a potluck to share with your friends.
ARE YOU A POTATO LOVER? TRY THESE TASTY AND HEALTHY POTATO RECIPES
- Smashed Red Potato Recipe
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Chips
- Potato Hash
- Mashed Potatoes Vegan Recipe
- Potato Salad Vegan
- Vegan Baked Potato
- Stuffed Sweet Potato
- Sweet Potato Tacos
- Oven-Baked Fries Perfect Crispy Oil-Free and Garlic
- Steak Fries Air Fried and Crispy
📖 Recipe
Vegan Hash Brown Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 28 ounces frozen Orieda Hash browns or 1 ½ pounds baking potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1 large shallot diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 green pepper diced (for mild flavor) or 1 jalapeño, deseeded and deveined and diced (for a more spicy flavor)
'Cheese Sauce' Ingredients:
- 3 small Idaho potatoes washed, scrubbed, skin left on
- 3 large carrots
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon Tamari liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 1 Jalapeno; seeded and cut
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce I used Chalupa
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Instructions
Make the "Cheese" Sauce First
- Make the cheese sauce first, or make it ahead of time. This recipe makes about 4 cups of cheese sauce, and you only need 2 cups for this recipe.
- Wash and cut carrots and potatoes into quarters (leave the skins on)
- Put into a pot and bring water to a boil; reduce heat to medium and boil for 30 minutes
- Drain potatoes and carrots
- Add all other cheese ingredients to a high-speed blender
- Add potatoes and carrots to the blender, and blender until smooth
- You may need to add more veggie broth if too thick (this will depend on the size of the carrots/potatoes you used)
- While the 'cheese' sauce is blending, sauté the shallot, garlic, and onion until translucent
- Put Frozen Hash Browns in a large bowl
- Add onion/shallot/garlic/pepper mixture
- Add 2 cups of cheese sauce
- Mix with a spoon so all the potatoes are coated with 'cheese' sauce
- Transfer vegan hash brown mixture to a 9 X 13-inch pyrex pan or casserole dish
Baking
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
- If using thawed hash browns, reduce cooking time by 50%
- Baked for 50 minutes, covered. Then remove the cover, and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to rest a few minutes covered until ready to serve.
Notes
Tips
- Thaw frozen hash browns for more even cooking, but reduce cook time in half.
- Add jalapenos and 1 can of Rotel tomatoes for a Mexican flavor.
- Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese for an added cheesy crunch on top.
- Serve with tofu scramble for breakfast as a side dish with dinner, or bring to a potluck to share with your friends.
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
