I’ve been trying to do some more make-ahead meals recently. Perhaps to prepare myself for October, when I assume we’ll be living off of rolled oats and whatever we can find in our freezer. It has been nice to cook dinner early in the day, and then simply pull it out and heat it up when we’re ready to eat – my evenings feel wide open!
I’ve never really been one for casseroles, simply because they tend to be really heavy, creamy, and too-much-cheesy for my taste. But I thought the idea of lightening up one of my favorites would be fun, and making a vegan cheese sauce to go with it felt like a good culinary endeavor for a Wednesday afternoon.
Any time I see vegan cheese sauces, they tend to be made with either fake vegan cheeses, or ground cashews. I don’t know about you, but I never have several cups of expensive cashews sitting around my house, and I never plan far enough ahead to remember to get them! So for this sauce, I tried something different and the result was nothing but light and delicious.
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta Bake
Ingredients: (makes large casserole)
- 1 14oz package firm tofu
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large head broccoli
- 1 16oz bag pasta
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions: First things first, start a pot of water in your stovetop to boil your pasta. While you wait, let’s work on the sauce. The star of this cheese sauce is the unexpected…tofu! Take one package (drained) and add to your food processor.
Let it process so that it’s to a creamy consistency – should just take a few seconds.
Next add the nutritional yeast, mustard, garlic powder, and salt, and give a good whir. Do you see what I see?
Add almond milk and olive oil, and process into a smooth and creamy sauce. Add more salt if needed.
Once your water is boiling, cook pasta until al dente.
With 1-2 minutes left of cooking time, toss your broccoli florets into the pot with the pasta to allow them to cook for just a minute or two as well.
Drain both when pasta is al dente. You still want it to have a tiny bit of bite, as it will finish cooking in the casserole pan.
Transfer pasta and broccoli to a large serving bowl and add cheese sauce.
Stir to combine until evenly coated.
Pour mixing bowl into a large 9×13 casserole dish.
And garnish with 1/4 tsp smoked paprika. Love that red color!
At this point you can either cook and serve immediately, or put it in the refrigerator until later. To reheat, cover with foil and cook on 325 for 15 minutes. Depending on how long it has been in the refrigerator (or freezer), cooking time may vary.
Once warmed, scoop and serve!
I wasn’t sure how tofu would work for making a cheese sauce, and I was happy to find that the result was light, creamy, and most definitely cheesy.
Many vegan cheeses and sauces are nut-based, and tend to be really heavy and rich. While this one is surely full of flavor, it also didn’t leave me feeling weighed down.
Broccoli and cheese are like peanut butter and jelly. Am I right?
This is a great meal for making ahead or eating right away. The leftovers are just as delicious the next day!
As always, enjoy!
116 Comments so far
Leave a comment
And I don’t know about you, but the cashew-based sauces leave me with a tummy ache! This looks fab…and would also be great with some crunchy breadcrumbs;)
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I thought about writing, “it also wont leave you running for the bathroom” but thought better of it… :) So YES, I know what you mean!
[Reply]
Sarah Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
Cashew cheese is horrible on my stomach- I think it’s the fat content! (for me at least).
[Reply]
I want to hug you so bad right now. I love pasta bakes!
[Reply]
This looks really and truly amazing. I made your vegan broccoli cream soup a while back and it was perfect, and I can’t wait to try this one soon!
[Reply]
I have all these ingredients, so I’ve noted it for the next time I’m on dinner duty!
[Reply]
yum! this look good!
[Reply]
YUM! Gimme!!!
[Reply]
Nutritional yeast may be my favorite food in the world. Wait, can it be categorized as a food? I’m not even vegetarian anymore, but sometimes I sneak a spoonful and eat it straight. Because I have problems, clearly.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
Definitely a food. :)
[Reply]
Yes! So excited about this recipe! I’ve also noticed how most vegan “cheese” sauces are made with tons and tons of cashews and I’ve gotten close to trying them, but froze at the $8 + bulk bin price per lb. Not exactly budget friendly or light.
I have all these ingredients for the most part, and they are super affordable. Thanks Emily! Hope the baby’s “Spaghetti O’s” craving was fulfilled with this bake :)
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:30 pm
So expensive, right? Still haven’t given in to the O’s. Time will tell… :)
[Reply]
Meganerd made a mac n cheese recipe yesterday that was similar to this and now I’m seriously wanting some between both your recipes! I really like the idea of the tofu in there for the protein element. I’ve never made the cashew “Cheese” sauces b/c they never really sounded that great to me but, this one does!
[Reply]
I have a recipe that I call a Cheezy Veggie Bake. Same concept, nooch, veggies, etc. and just bake it off.
I am the same as you with casseroles..I hate the too thick fillings, i.e. real cream sauce + savory dishes and me are not really friends. lol
I love the noochey, tofu-ey sauce you made! yum!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Thanks Averie!
[Reply]
I don’t like casseroles either…but this looks SO GOOD!!! Remind me to make it when I get home from this trip :)
[Reply]
Yum, that looks delicious! Do you think I can use previously frozen tofu for this or does it change the texture too much? I’m still a bit of a tofu newbie. Can’t wait to try this, I even have a head of broccoli and a lot of leftover pasta in the fridge :D
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
I never freeze tofu, so I’m not sure how it would affect the texture. I imagine as long as it is thawed it would be fine?
[Reply]
Gab Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
When frozen, tofu tends to take on a “spongey” texture – which makes it great for stir fries and the like – but would not blend into a nice smooth consistency for the ‘cheese’ sauce here.
[Reply]
Yummmm this looks so good! And yes, broccoli and cheese are a match made in heaven ;)
[Reply]
Ooooo, this looks great. I’m printing it now and I’ll make it tomorrow :)
[Reply]
This looks delicious and i haven’t heard of using tofu instead of cashews before but it would definitley help my budget!
Can’t wait to give this a try :)
[Reply]
I love cheese and broccoli! What a great way to make a healthy version!*
[Reply]
I totally saw you walking around Greenlake today, but it didn’t register with me until we passed each other. I was just like “dang, she looks familiar!” DOH! Hope you had fun on this lovely day!
p.s. This recipe looks really good! I’m always looking for things I can make ahead of time and take to school with me.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
No way! The giant belly should have been a good giveaway. :) Hope we see each other again soon – say hi!
[Reply]
rachelgab Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:31 pm
You were very recognizable, I was just in my own world! Next time for sure!
[Reply]
Yum! That looks delicious, and would be an awesome food to fuel you once the baby comes :)
[Reply]
Sounds fabulous! I have always loved broccoli and cheese together! :)
[Reply]
Hey emily,
I must say that you have become one of my favorite bloggers! I always look forward to your posts daily! And this recipe looks delishhhh!! And I agree with you, I don’t have expensive cashews sitting around! But I do always have tofu! I bet soft/silk tofu would really work well. Thanks for the recipe and I can’t wait to make this!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 4th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Thank you! :) I think silk tofu would work too.
[Reply]
Perfect! This is made with things I always have on hand. I can’t wait to try it out!
[Reply]
I love any combination of broccoli, cheese and pasta. So yum!
[Reply]
This looks like a great recipe! I feel like I am constantly trying to find alternatives to cheese in my sauces – I am going to try this out!
[Reply]
I’ve made a few cashew based cream sauces but haven’t had any stomach problems from them, as some people mentioned. Smoked paprika is one of my FAV. spices everrr. The last time I made one I subbed in 1/2 chickpeas instead and it was just as creamy + delicious. Never thought to use tofu…great idea! Broccoli + cheese most definitely go together. :)
[Reply]
Yum! I am going to try that recipe in the next day or two! Sounds like one that even non-vegans would enjoy :)
[Reply]
I’ll have to try this, but I’ll use spaghetti squash instead of pasta. Sounds tasty!
[Reply]
What a great recipe! I don’t usually go for casseroles either but I’ve never been opposed to a good broccoli and cheese pasta bake.
[Reply]
What a great idea! I love how light and delicious this looks–yet filling,too. :) Protein, veggies, whole grains. It’s got it all.
[Reply]
i never had tofu before..maybe this will be my first experience! It looks great!
[Reply]
A light flavored and not heavy casserole bake? You are an angel Emily! :-)
I cannot wait to try and make this!
[Reply]
So fun! I will have to try the tofu turned into cheese sauce! I wonder if Jeff would ever be the wiser??
[Reply]
This looks delicious!!
[Reply]
Yum, this looks amazing! I can’t eat dairy to I’m always on the lookout for good alternatives. I’m bookmarking this recipe. I love that your recipes are easy and feature easy to find, resonable, priced indgredients. AP
[Reply]
would soy milk be okay? edensoy original flavor…
[Reply]
This looks amazing! I am SO happy you didn’t use a nut base to make the cheese. I have a nut allergy and I can’t have a lot of vegan dishes because of it. But this one looks so approachable! I’ll sub the almond milk for soy milk or coconut milk. Can’t wait to make this! Especially because of my blog name ;)
[Reply]
Thank you thank you thank you for creating a vegan cheese sauce WITHOUT cashews. I have a nut allergy and have really wanted to try some vegan cheesy sauces. I can’t wait to try this one!
[Reply]
I’m so happy to see a homemade “cheese” that consists of regular pantry items. Thanks!!
[Reply]
Love casseroles and pasta bakes! Looks delicious!
[Reply]
You always make everything look SO good and simple- love that about your blog. I can always expect healthy with a side of super easy :-) Thanks for doing that, Em! :)
I will most definitely be trying this out for the family- and I won’t tell them there’s tofu in it! Seems like such a crowd pleaser.
[Reply]
Agree with you about how expensive and rich cashew based sauces are generally. This looks so yummy Emily. I am so intrigued about the tofu cream. I won’t know till I try :)
[Reply]
I agree. Regular cheese sauces can be so heavy, and sometimes, vegan sauces that rely too heavily on cashews+Earth balance seem to have the same effect.
I’ve always thought about using tofu in such a sauce but have been a little worried that it would taste too “tofu-y.” Don’t get me wrong–I love tofu, but it can definitely have an icky flavor when shoved in the spotlight without any accoutrements.
I’m excited to try this out though and am hoping my fears are all wrong!
Thanks for the recipe :)
[Reply]
Hallelujah! I can’t stand Daiya (it just tastes weird to me) and I never keep cashews in the house either. I thought that a vegan cheesy sauce was just never going to happen so I had given up on it. Definitely going to give this a try!
[Reply]
Your mustard looks like a peep!
[Reply]
Oh goodness, this looks like heaven! A perfectly good excuse for me to buy some cashews. :D
[Reply]
I am in love with TJs rice pastas. We tried them while my husband was experimenting with a gluten-free diet and haven’t gone back to regular pasta since. Why is it so darn good?!
[Reply]
Love this recipe, Emily! Thank your for making it and sharing it!
[Reply]
This looks so yummy! Gotta try it out!!
[Reply]
I love pasta bakes! I’ve never tried tofu as a “cream” though, I will have I try this!
[Reply]
I love brown rice pasta – it works so well for cassroles and lasagna! this looks great!
[Reply]
I have never attempted to make a vegan cheese sauce, but this looks great. Did you think about adding breadcrumbs to the top, or do you prefer your casseroles without a crunchy topping?
[Reply]
Just might have to make this for dinner tonight. Do you think my hubby will notice the tofu??
[Reply]
Okay, this looks delicious-and you are a genius for making a non-cashew based cheesy sauce! I love that there aren’t many ingredients and they’re mostly basics I already have-as a college student, I don’t have time/$ to buy everything. Can’t wait to try this!
[Reply]
My favorite part of Broccoli Casserole is the buttery breadcrumb topping – I think a little breadcrumbs/Earth Balance topping will be making it onto mine. This looks great! I can’t wait to try :-)
[Reply]
Must.Try.This. :P
That color blue looks great on you by the way! :)
[Reply]
Must make this! As soon as we move on Tuesday and I can use our brand new oven, I know what I’m making! :D
[Reply]
Genius! I think even my tofu-phobic husband would eat this – if I didn’t tell him it’s tofu! :) Also, I’m planning to make your wonderful spinach & artichoke dip (again…) this weekend, which I plan to shovel in my face in two huge entree portions! :)
[Reply]
I feel lucky that cashew cheeses don’t have any affect on my stomach (since seemingly everything else does, especially soy.) This sounds delicious, but I think I’ll try out some other sauces with it so I can have something soy-free.
[Reply]
THANK YOU for this recipe!! Like you, I have been wanting to try something different and I am so going to try your recipe!!
[Reply]
Looks delish!
[Reply]
This does look delicious!!!
[Reply]
WOW! This looks awesome. I was a little nervous at first because it had tofu (not a huge fan!) but blended will make it much better! I printed this and will totally be making this for dinner tomorrow night. YUM! :)
[Reply]
Thanks Emily! I am just starting to go vegan, but I am terribly allergic to tree nuts and it seems like so many recipes have almond milk and cashews. The milk problem is easy enough, but I wasn’t sure what to sub for cashews in sauces. :) This looks amazing!
[Reply]
It looks fabulous!! I’ll definitely have to give it a try soon. Thank you!! :)
[Reply]
That looks great. I love cheesey pasta bakes and have been thinking about trying a vegan version to see what they are like.
You should definitely fill up your freezer if you have space. My friend cooked about a months worth of dinners over a weekend just before her daughter was born. She said it helped the most when her husband first went back to work and they were both too tired to cook by the evening.
[Reply]
I sent this link to my incredibly carnivorous and dairy eating boyfriend… it had him drooling at his desk at work hahaha DEFINITELY going to make this over the weekend Emily I am SOOO EXCITED Especially for the leftovers)! hahaha It’s the little things, no? Happy Friday!
[Reply]
I work at Trader Joe’s and love that your blog is usually a big advertisement for us :) Recipe looks fabulous and I can’t wait to try it!
[Reply]
You are a genius. Just made this and my fast-food loving boyfriend loved it! You rock :)
[Reply]
Mac and cheese and broccoli were made for each other! I will definitely be making this recipe soon!!
[Reply]
This looks delicious! Great idea to use tofu for the cheese sauce instead of nuts.
[Reply]
Oh my gosh Emily this looks so amazingly delicious. I will HAVE to try this for myself. Thanks!
[Reply]
It’s been hot here in Vegas and this looked like the perfect dinner for us tonight. You’re yum recipes have me shopping at TJ’s again. I have forgotten how fun that place is.
Here’s how it turned out. I can’t remember the last time that I used tofu and I actually followed the recipe. It’s not that I’m a great cook, I’m just lazy and throw it all in at once.
We didn’t bake it. Instead we plated it straight from the bowl. YUMMMMM!
Here’s the suggestions that I got for next time.
My husband wants sausage in it or a little white wine.
I’m going to sautee some mushrooms and onions to see how that works out. Since I cook, we wont be adding animal. ;) The kids asked for seconds.
No dairy, no gluten: we couldn’t be happier for the ‘cheese’ Thanks!!
[Reply]
Laura Reply:
August 31st, 2011 at 6:23 pm
Hello fellow Vegas reader! It was a happy surprise to see Vegas mentioned as I scrolled through the comments. I just made this recipe tonight and was happy with the outcome – I love the idea of adding mushrooms and onions though, thank you! I think I’ll give that a try next time.
[Reply]
I’ve always wondered who had cashews just layin’ around!!! This looks soooo good and I actually have all the ingredients on hand…score!!!
[Reply]
Emily,
This recipe has been on my mind since you posted it. I *just* popped it out of the oven – delish! I love, love, love your site and all the creativity you put into your recipes. Thanks.
One quick note for your readers though: I only had vanilla almond milk on hand and I can definitely taste it in the sauce. Note for the next time: original, unsweetened almond milk only.
[Reply]
I made this Saturday evening, put in the fridge and then baked yesterday. It ended up a little dry. I think next time I’ll add some more almond milk. I served it to anti-tofu family and they liked it! :) Thanks for the great recipe!
[Reply]
[...] [...]
I made this Sunday and we had it Tuesday nite for dinner. Mine was a tad dry but I did what Tabitha (previous post) mentioned and warmed up some almond milk in the microwave to mix into it. That helped a lot. My husband had leftovers for lunch yesterday and reported they were ‘terrific’. He wants me to use this ‘cheese’ sauce on everything :-). Great recipe, thx.
[Reply]
I made this tonight and it was super yummy! I added a little more nutritional yeast and yellow miso to give it that bite that cheese usually has. It turned out great. Thank you for the recipe!
[Reply]
This is exactly what I was looking for! I wanted a casserole dish that would let me use my CSA veggies and be fairly easy to put together. I’m definitely going to try it this week, substituting the broccoli with one or two of the veggies in my share. Thank you!
[Reply]
I made this yesterday, and added some sundried tomatoes, 1/4 diced onion, and spinach along with the broccoli (just usin’ up the produce drawer!), and crumbled some pita chips on top for that added crunch, and YUM. GENIUS recipe, since I can’t eat cashews and I had all of the necessary ingredients in my pantry already! Thank you. :)
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
August 15th, 2011 at 7:06 pm
So glad you liked it!
[Reply]
This was so amazing!! My cheese sauce almost tasted like hummus on its own but tasted like a cheesy casserole when mixed with everything. This is my new favorite sauce recipe!!
[Reply]
Amazing! This is the first vegan cheese sauce I’ve tried (I was happier with tofu than cashews which cost a fortune around here :-) and until I spilled the news to the boyf (a traditional meat and potatoes Aussie bloke who’s threatened to break up with me in the past for feeding him tofu) he had ZERO idea it wasn’t a creamy, cheesy pasta. He loved it!
[Reply]
Just made this tonight and loved it! I’m new to Vegan eating, so this was my first time making a “cheese” sauce without cheese. It was my first time cooking with tofu, too! I was pleasantly shocked to discover how easy and tasty it was. I also love all the add-in suggestions I’ve found in the comments for next time – seems like a very versatile recipe, and I can’t wait to make it again… and eat the leftovers tomorrow! Thank you!
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
September 2nd, 2011 at 8:59 am
So glad you liked it! Definitely lots of room for variation so you can make it again and again. :)
[Reply]
This looks ahhmazing and I totally am going to make it and NOT tell my bf there is no cheese! ( & tofu)
[Reply]
Emily, I just made this and oh my word! I love it! Thanks so much for this super healthy, easy meal! Absolutely one I’ll go back to!
[Reply]
This was delicious and super easy to make. I also loved the fact that I didn’t feel weighed down after eating. I will be making this again very soon.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
September 20th, 2011 at 4:05 pm
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
[Reply]
Looks delish! My mom has some major food allergies and can’t eat any dairy…she often gets frustrated since she feels like there are no options. But after I started sending her your awesome looking recipes she’s getting all excited looking forward to all the food she can eat instead of what she can’t.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
November 29th, 2011 at 4:10 pm
That is so awesome! Thanks for sharing the recipes.
[Reply]
This was so delicious!! Can’t believe how cheesy and creamy it was! Yum. I had some day old wheat bread that I threw into the food processor after pouring the sauce out, and then sprinkled it on top of the casserole for a little crunchy texture, a nice add! Thanks for such a creative and tasty recipe! :)
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
December 21st, 2011 at 10:02 am
Glad you liked it!
[Reply]
I love this recipe! I make it all the time and add different vegetables depending what is available. It is great with mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes added in.
[Reply]
Great recipe–I’ll spice it up a bit more next time, definitely add pepper, maybe some picante, and more mustard and nooch…I can also see it working well with many veggies, not just broccoli.
[Reply]
This looks awesome! Thinking I’ll throw this together for lunch tomorrow. I’ll let you know how it goes.
As far as using tofu instead of cashews, I agree with you. I am sick of seeing cashew cheese sauces all over the place. They’re definitely not budget friendly! I can see the appeal though with soy intolerance and all.
Great site btw!
[Reply]
To reheat it’s listed at 325 degrees. Where’s the temp for actually baking it??
[Reply]
Jenn Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
I noticed the same thing, and heated it using the reheat directions. It worked, but it’d be great if Emily could edit it in.
[Reply]
This was very bland as is. Not gross just bland. I had to add more of everything for it to taste right. I do like using tofu as the cream for sure. I’m going to have to do that more often.
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
March 22nd, 2012 at 7:16 pm
I’m sorry you didn’t like it! Thanks for the feedback though.
[Reply]
Another great recipe – as always a little challenging for your your non US readers as 16oz packs of anything dont exist in metric land! I realised too late that US mustard is nothing like French and so mine was a bit heavy on the mustard flavour but otherwise great. My only issue was that after leaving it in the fridge for most of the day it went really dry and the wetness of the sauce disappeared :-( any tips to avoid this as I love the make ahead part?
[Reply]
Emily Malone Reply:
March 29th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
Sorry about that! I’m not really as familiar with metric measurements. For making ahead, you might try leaving the sauce and bake separated until just before baking!
[Reply]
Jenn Reply:
April 16th, 2012 at 9:16 pm
500 grams is pretty close to 16 oz. and you can easily substitute. It’s actually 17 1/2 ounces, but for pasta that doesn’t make much difference. Don’t do it with flour!
[Reply]
[...] Broccoli “Cheese” Pasta Bake (Ditto with the sauce and i added sundried tomatoes to the bake) [...]
This was so creamy and delicious! Even my meat-loving husband devoured it. I made it exactly as your recipe described, and it turned out perfect. I was very happy with how quick and easy it was to make. I may have to find a way to sneak in the vegetables, instead of putting huge chunks of them in it, so I can get my 2-year-old to eat it. I think this would even be a great dinner option for my diabetic dad; especially when made with quinoa pasta (my pasta of choice). Really great recipe!
[Reply]
Made this tonight and it was tasty and filling, but it came out a bit dry after baking. Any suggestions for keeping it creamy, especially when we reheat? Thanks!
[Reply]
Leave a comment