My Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole with Tofu is cozy, full of protein and could be loved for lunch or dinner. That is my meat-free model of the traditional hen, rice broccoli casserole that you could be keep in mind as a baby, utilizing seasoned tofu instead. This hearty vegetarian dinner could be ready forward of time, after which rapidly baked off within the oven simply earlier than serving. Take pleasure in with a facet of recent salad or bread.
I’ve been obsessive about this Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole since November hit, and I’m excited to lastly be sharing the recipe with you all immediately. It’s tacky, crunchy, hearty and excellent for a winter time dinner that gained’t disappoint. The cheese, tofu and broccoli all add protein and the rice actually takes on the flavour of the sharp cheddar cheese sauce. Make this meat-free casserole forward of time after which all you need to do is canopy with foil and bake till browned and bubbly. Take pleasure in for lunch or dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Cozy Casserole
- Hearty and filling – Casseroles are all the time an ideal selection this time of yr, when it’s chilly exterior and also you want one thing tremendous hearty and filling. This casserole is full of rice, tofu, broccoli and cheese, making it cozy and wholesome on the similar time.
- Freezer pleasant – Casseroles are all the time nice to have readily available, within the freezer, for a fast weeknight dinner, or to reward to a good friend in want. You possibly can both freeze the whole casserole or simply freeze single parts for straightforward meals.
- Full of taste – This casserole is made utilizing seasoned tofu, broccoli and sharp cheddar cheese, all of which have nice flavors. You possibly can season with simply salt and pepper, or add in additional spices like, garlic, onion, mustard powder and nutmeg.
Why I Love Utilizing Tofu As A Meat-Free Various
Protein – Tofu is a whole protein. It incorporates all 9 important amino acids that your physique must construct muscle and restore tissues. Tofu incorporates 10 grams of protein per half a cup, making it an ideal plant-based ingredient to include into your weight loss plan.
Bone Well being – Tofu incorporates excessive quantities of calcium and magnesium, which play an enormous position in guaranteeing you develop and preserve wholesome bones. Tofu can be wealthy in isoflavones, compounds present in crops that may assist lower the danger of osteoporosis, amongst different advantages.
Weight Loss – Tofu is excessive in protein and low in energy, which implies that it fills you up and retains you feeling satiated for a very long time with out including pointless energy. Tofu can maintain you fuller for an extended interval as a result of it requires quite a lot of vitality to your physique to interrupt it down, which may support in weight administration.
Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole with Tofu Recipe Substances
- Rice – I simply use white rice for this recipe, however brown rice and even one other grain like quinoa may also be used. I’ve been actually into these microwaveable packages of rice these days and so they save quite a lot of time on this recipe. I’m going to be posting a tutorial on freezing your individual rice quickly although.
- Tofu – I like to make use of tremendous agency, excessive protein tofu as a result of it has nice texture and style. The tofu will get diced up into chunks and cooked beforehand, similar to you’d do when you had been including hen to this recipe. I wish to season it with tamari and just a little little bit of concentrated (not)hen broth.
- Broccoli – I often use recent broccoli florets that I steam for a couple of minutes earlier than mixing in. Frozen broccoli would additionally work properly and doesn’t must be cooked forward of time. If you wish to add much more veggies, I might advocate some frozen peas, or a stir fry combination.
- Roux – The roux helps create the cheese sauce and is made utilizing butter and flour. These two components get cooked till you may have a paste after which entire milk and shredded cheese are added to finish the cheese sauce. I additionally like so as to add in granulated onion and garlic, nutmeg and mustard powder for additional taste.
- Cheese – I like to make use of additional sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe as a result of it has such nice taste. Virtually any sort of meltable cheese will work although.
- Breadcrumbs – This ingredient is non-compulsory, however in order for you just a little crunch on prime of the casserole, you may combine some panko breadcrumbs with melted butter and spoon it evenly excessive, simply earlier than baking.
How To Make A Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Pre-heat oven to 425 levels F. Steam broccoli till simply fork tender, give the broccoli a tough chop and put aside till prepared to make use of. Frozen broccoli may also be used. Put together the rice right now, if wanted. I attempt to all the time have frozen rice readily available, which is nice for recipes like this.
- Put together the tofu: Cube the tofu into small, chunk sized items. In a small bowl, add the tamari, broth focus and water. Combine collectively till mixed properly. Warmth a big skillet over medium warmth and add within the olive oil, diced tofu and tamari combination. Combine till tofu is coated with the oil and sauce and prepare dinner till browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, stirring sometimes. Set tofu apart till prepared to make use of.
- Warmth a big pot or skillet over medium warmth and add within the butter. As soon as butter is melted, add within the flour and spices. Combine collectively properly till a barely thick paste has shaped after which prepare dinner for about 1 minute, stirring nearly continually, till barely darker in colour. Subsequent, add within the first cup of milk and prepare dinner till combination has thickened and might coat the again of a spoon, 3-4 minutes. Add within the second cup of milk, stir collectively and prepare dinner one other 3-4 minutes, till thickened once more.
- Add in 3 cups of the shredded cheese and blend collectively properly and prepare dinner on low till cheese has melted and you’ve got a thick tacky sauce. Give the sauce a style and add additional salt and pepper, if wanted. Flip the warmth off after which add within the cooked rice, broccoli and tofu. Stir all the things collectively properly till all components are coated with the cheese sauce.
- Pour the combination right into a casserole dish and prime with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. In order for you an additional crunch, in a small bowl, combine collectively the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter after which evenly sprinkle excessive of the shredded cheese.
- Place foil excessive of the casserole and place within the oven. Bake, lined with foil, for half-hour, take away the foil after which bake for a further 10-Quarter-hour, till cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are crispy, broiling for the previous couple of minutes if wanted. Enable to chill for a couple of minutes earlier than having fun with.
Recipe Steadily Requested Questions
- Make this recipe gluten free through the use of gluten free all goal flour for the roux.
- Make this recipe vegan through the use of your favourite shredded dairy free cheese and dairy free milk and butter.
- Can the tofu be substituted? Sure, you may add a pair cans of chickpeas when you like, or hen might be used if not making vegetarian.
- Can pasta be used rather than the rice? Sure, you may simply substitute pasta as a substitute of rice. Simply prepare dinner the pasta first after which add it into the cheese sauce with the tofu and broccoli.
- Is that this casserole freezer pleasant? Sure, this casserole could be frozen earlier than or after it has been baked. You can even freeze the whole casserole or simply particular person parts. Place in an air-tight container within the freezer, for as much as 3 months.
- How lengthy do leftovers final? If saved in an air-tight container, within the fridge, leftovers ought to final about 4-5 days. Re-heat within the microwave or oven.
Have a query I didn’t reply? Ask me within the remark part under and I’ll get again to you ASAP!
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Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole with Tofu
Complete Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Eating regimen: Vegetarian
Description
My Tacky Broccoli Rice Casserole with Tofu is cozy, full of protein and could be loved for lunch or dinner. That is my meat-free model of the traditional hen, rice broccoli casserole that you could be keep in mind as a baby, utilizing seasoned tofu instead. This hearty vegetarian dinner could be ready forward of time, after which rapidly baked off within the oven simply earlier than serving. Take pleasure in with a facet of recent salad or bread.
- 3–4 cups evenly steamed broccoli
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Cheese Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all goal flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon floor nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups milk, no matter variety you favor
- 3 cups shredded additional sharp cheddar cheese
- Salt and black pepper, to style
Tacky Breadcrumb Topping:
- 1 cup shredded additional sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Tofu:
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (16 oz) bundle tremendous agency tofu, patted dry and pressed if wanted
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon not-chicken higher than bullion broth focus
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 levels F. Steam broccoli till simply fork tender, give the broccoli a tough chop and put aside till prepared to make use of. Frozen broccoli may also be used. Put together the rice right now, if wanted. I attempt to all the time have frozen rice readily available, which is nice for recipes like this.
- Put together the tofu: Cube the tofu into small, chunk sized items. In a small bowl, add the tamari, broth focus and water. Combine collectively till mixed properly. Warmth a big skillet over medium warmth and add within the olive oil, diced tofu and tamari combination. Combine till tofu is coated with the oil and sauce and prepare dinner till browned on all sides, about 10 minutes, stirring sometimes. Set tofu apart till prepared to make use of.
- Warmth a big pot or skillet over medium warmth and add within the butter. As soon as butter is melted, add within the flour and spices. Combine collectively properly till a barely thick paste has shaped after which prepare dinner for about 1 minute, stirring nearly continually, till barely darker in colour. Subsequent, add in a single cup of milk and prepare dinner till combination has thickened and might coat the again of a spoon, 3-4 minutes. Add within the remaining half cup of milk, stir collectively and prepare dinner one other 2-3 minutes, till thickened once more.
- Add in 3 cups of the shredded cheese and blend collectively properly and prepare dinner on low till cheese has melted and you’ve got a thick tacky sauce. Give the sauce a style and add additional salt and pepper, if wanted. Flip the warmth off after which add within the cooked rice, broccoli and tofu. Stir all the things collectively properly till all components are coated with the cheese sauce.
- Pour the combination right into a casserole dish and prime with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. In order for you an additional crunch, in a small bowl, combine collectively the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter after which evenly sprinkle excessive of the shredded cheese.
- Place foil excessive of the casserole and place within the oven. Bake, lined with foil, for half-hour, take away the foil after which bake for a further 10-Quarter-hour, till cheese is melted and breadcrumbs are crispy, broiling for the previous couple of minutes if wanted. Enable to chill for a couple of minutes earlier than having fun with.
Notes
You possibly can miss the (no)hen bullion paste when you don’t have it. Additionally miss the water. You possibly can add additional tamari, if wanted.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 70 minutes
- Class: Dinner, Vegetarian
- Methodology: Stovetop, Oven
- Delicacies: American
