Yields12 Servings

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jenn Sebestyen, Veggie Inspired

This recipe first appeared on Veggie Inspired at https://www.veggieinspired.com/vegan-breakfast-casserole/.

This easy Vegan Breakfast Casserole features lots of veggies, vegan sausage, dairy free cheese, and a creamy “egg” mixture that brings it all together. Just like traditional egg casseroles, it’s the perfect make ahead dish for a stress free brunch.

Equipment: Skillet, Blender, Mixing bowls, 9x13 baking dish

Ingredients
For the vegan sausage crumbles
 1 cup Nature's PRIME Bits (cooked according to package directions)
 2 tbsp olive oil
 1 tsp dried sage
 1 tsp dried thyme
 1 tsp onion powder
 ¾ tsp garlic powder
 ½ tsp smoke paprika
 ½ tsp fennel seed (optional)
 ¼ tsp black pepper
 ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
 2 tsp low-sodium tamari or liquid aminos
 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
For the vegan egg mixture
 2 packages (14 oz) FIRM tofu, drained and blotted dry
 1 ¼ cups unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk
  cup nutritional yeast
 ¼ cup chickpea flour or all-purpose gluten free flour blend
 1 ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
 ½ tsp ground tumeric
 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
 ½ tsp Kala namak (optional)
 ¼ tsp mustard powder
 1 tbsp hot sauce, or to taste
For the casserole
 2 cups frozen hash browns, diced or shredded
 1 ½ cups vegan shredded cheese, divided (optional)
 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
 2 green onions, sliced (plus more for garnish)
 2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Instructions
1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Gently spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

For the vegan sausage crumbles
2

Rehydrate the Nature's PRIME Bits according to package directions. Drain them well and press out as much water as possible using the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.

3

Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the dried sage, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, fennel seed (if using, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Sauté 1 minute until fragrant.

4

Add the rehydrated Nature's PRIME Bits and stir well to coat.

5

Add the tamari and pure maple syrup. Sauté, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until heated through, all the liquid has been absorbed, and the edges start to brown.

For the vegan egg mixture
6

Add the tofu, milk, nutritional yeast, chickpea flour, salt, turmeric, black pepper, Himalayan black salt (if using), mustard powder, and hot sauce to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Use the tamper to ensure all ingredients get fully incorporated and blended properly.

If your mixture is too thick to blend, add additional milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time, but do not add too much liquid or the mixture won't set properly after baking. This vegan egg mixture should be pourable, but very thick. Set aside.

For the casserole
7

Combine the potatoes, 1 cup vegan cheese, diced bell pepper, sliced green onion, chopped spinach and cooked vegan sausage crumbles in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

8

Pour the vegan egg mixture over the top and stir well to evenly distribute.

9

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

10

Uncover the casserole, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of vegan cheese (optional) and sliced grape tomatoes. Bake another 25 to 30 minutes until the top if set and dark golden and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.

11

Let the casserole sit for 10 to 15 minutes to continue to firm up before slicing and serving.

12

Garnish with extra sliced green onions and more freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Notes:
* Be sure to rehydrate the Improved Nature Nature's PRIME Bits according to package directions.
* Sauté the spices for the vegan sausage crumbles in a bit of oil to release their flavors.
* Cook the sausage crumbles until no liquid remains in the pan.
* Use regular firm tofu, not silken.
* Drain the liquid from the tofu packages and blot the blocks of tofu dry. However, there is no need to press the tofu.
* Blend the vegan "egg" mixture until smooth and creamy. Use the tamper with the blender to ensure all the ingredients are blended properly. Add additional milk (or water) one tablespoon at a time if needed to blend. But do not add too much liquid, the mixture should be thick, yet pourable, with a spatula needed to scrape out the last of the mixture.
* Spray the baking dish with cooking spray so the casserole doesn't stick. You can also line the dish with parchment paper if you prefer.
* Mix all of the casserole ingredients together before pouring into the baking dish. Do not layer the ingredients in baking dish. The vegan egg mixture is too thick to seep into the other layers and the casserole won't bind properly in layers.
* Cover the casserole with foil for the first part of baking. Otherwise, the top may be burn before the middle is set.
* Let the baked casserole sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to allow it to firm up.
Make ahead:
* You can make the entire recipe and stick it in the fridge tightly covered with foil before or after baking.
* If you bake it and plan to serve the next day, be sure to let the casserole cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
* If you refrigerate the casserole before baking, the mixture will thicken up overnight and it won't need as much baking time the next morning. Bake covered in foil for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until the top is set.
Storage/Freezing:
* Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
* You can also freeze this vegan egg bake. After baking, cool completely, then tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil. It should keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Source: Improved Nature® Published with permission of the author, Jenn Sebestyen, (VeggieInspired.com). All rights reserved.©

Visit ImprovedNatureDirect.com to purchase Nature's PRIME Bits

Ingredients

Ingredients
For the vegan sausage crumbles
 1 cup Nature's PRIME Bits (cooked according to package directions)
 2 tbsp olive oil
 1 tsp dried sage
 1 tsp dried thyme
 1 tsp onion powder
 ¾ tsp garlic powder
 ½ tsp smoke paprika
 ½ tsp fennel seed (optional)
 ¼ tsp black pepper
 ¼ tsp cayenne (optional)
 2 tsp low-sodium tamari or liquid aminos
 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
For the vegan egg mixture
 2 packages (14 oz) FIRM tofu, drained and blotted dry
 1 ¼ cups unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk
  cup nutritional yeast
 ¼ cup chickpea flour or all-purpose gluten free flour blend
 1 ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt
 ½ tsp ground tumeric
 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
 ½ tsp Kala namak (optional)
 ¼ tsp mustard powder
 1 tbsp hot sauce, or to taste
For the casserole
 2 cups frozen hash browns, diced or shredded
 1 ½ cups vegan shredded cheese, divided (optional)
 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
 2 green onions, sliced (plus more for garnish)
 2 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

Directions

Instructions
1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Gently spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

For the vegan sausage crumbles
2

Rehydrate the Nature's PRIME Bits according to package directions. Drain them well and press out as much water as possible using the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.

3

Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the dried sage, dried thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, fennel seed (if using, black pepper, and cayenne (if using). Sauté 1 minute until fragrant.

4

Add the rehydrated Nature's PRIME Bits and stir well to coat.

5

Add the tamari and pure maple syrup. Sauté, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until heated through, all the liquid has been absorbed, and the edges start to brown.

For the vegan egg mixture
6

Add the tofu, milk, nutritional yeast, chickpea flour, salt, turmeric, black pepper, Himalayan black salt (if using), mustard powder, and hot sauce to a high-speed blender. Blend until completely smooth. Use the tamper to ensure all ingredients get fully incorporated and blended properly.

If your mixture is too thick to blend, add additional milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time, but do not add too much liquid or the mixture won't set properly after baking. This vegan egg mixture should be pourable, but very thick. Set aside.

For the casserole
7

Combine the potatoes, 1 cup vegan cheese, diced bell pepper, sliced green onion, chopped spinach and cooked vegan sausage crumbles in a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

8

Pour the vegan egg mixture over the top and stir well to evenly distribute.

9

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

10

Uncover the casserole, sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of vegan cheese (optional) and sliced grape tomatoes. Bake another 25 to 30 minutes until the top if set and dark golden and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.

11

Let the casserole sit for 10 to 15 minutes to continue to firm up before slicing and serving.

12

Garnish with extra sliced green onions and more freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Notes:
* Be sure to rehydrate the Improved Nature Nature's PRIME Bits according to package directions.
* Sauté the spices for the vegan sausage crumbles in a bit of oil to release their flavors.
* Cook the sausage crumbles until no liquid remains in the pan.
* Use regular firm tofu, not silken.
* Drain the liquid from the tofu packages and blot the blocks of tofu dry. However, there is no need to press the tofu.
* Blend the vegan "egg" mixture until smooth and creamy. Use the tamper with the blender to ensure all the ingredients are blended properly. Add additional milk (or water) one tablespoon at a time if needed to blend. But do not add too much liquid, the mixture should be thick, yet pourable, with a spatula needed to scrape out the last of the mixture.
* Spray the baking dish with cooking spray so the casserole doesn't stick. You can also line the dish with parchment paper if you prefer.
* Mix all of the casserole ingredients together before pouring into the baking dish. Do not layer the ingredients in baking dish. The vegan egg mixture is too thick to seep into the other layers and the casserole won't bind properly in layers.
* Cover the casserole with foil for the first part of baking. Otherwise, the top may be burn before the middle is set.
* Let the baked casserole sit for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing to allow it to firm up.
Make ahead:
* You can make the entire recipe and stick it in the fridge tightly covered with foil before or after baking.
* If you bake it and plan to serve the next day, be sure to let the casserole cool completely before covering and refrigerating.
* If you refrigerate the casserole before baking, the mixture will thicken up overnight and it won't need as much baking time the next morning. Bake covered in foil for 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake another 20 to 25 minutes until the top is set.
Storage/Freezing:
* Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
* You can also freeze this vegan egg bake. After baking, cool completely, then tightly cover with plastic wrap and foil. It should keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Source: Improved Nature® Published with permission of the author, Jenn Sebestyen, (VeggieInspired.com). All rights reserved.©
Nature’s PRIME® Bits Vegan Breakfast Casserole