Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Casserole

Everyone seems to have a particular food that evokes memories of childhood. For me, it’s pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and homemade pasta sauce simmering on the stove. Recently, I was thinking about some of the foods I used to enjoy as a child and I was reminded of the Broccoli & Rice Casserole that my mom used to make. It was pretty simple: broccoli and rice cooked in a cheesy sauce. I am pretty sure that the cheese sauce was made with some kind of processed American cheese product. I cringe at that thought now, but back then I loved it. Upon remembering this, I decided that I needed to veganize it.

Despite the fact that the rice, broccoli, and “cheese” sauce are cooked separately before baking the casserole, it’s still very easy to make. It took slightly more work than the way my mom used to make it, but it was worth it. I replaced the white rice in the recipe with brown rice and used fresh broccoli instead of frozen (I am not positive, but I think my mom used frozen chopped broccoli in her recipe). For my “cheese” sauce I used the New Farm Mac & Cheese sauce as my inspiration. The sauce is what really makes the recipe, so you need to use a good “cheese” sauce here.

My first attempt worked perfectly. It tasted almost exactly like the version my mom used to make. and the smell of broccoli and “cheese” baking in the oven brought back memories.

Cheesy Broccoli & Rice Casserole

1.5 cups uncooked brown rice

2 TBSP vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup vegetable stock
3/4 cup water
1 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt & black pepper
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped broccoli florets

• Bring 2.5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add brown rice. Cover, reduce heat, and let simmer until all the liquid is absorbed  (about 40 minutes).
• While the rice cooks, prepare the sauce: Melt the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 3-5 minutes to make a blond roux (Stir constantly to prevent it from burning). Add the vegetable stock, soy sauce, oregano, and salt & pepper (to taste) to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in the nutritional yeast and let simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and taste to adjust salt & pepper. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, cook until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the broccoli and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender.
• Combine the cooked brown rice, broccoli mixture, and sauce in a 9×9-inch glass baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until completely heated through.

*Note: The sauce recipe makes enough to coat the rice and broccoli. If you want it to be really saucy, I would make a little extra sauce.