When I think of the holidays with my family, it usually involves stuffing ourselves full of heavy foods, chatting politics over coffee and cheesecake (my Uncle's favorite) then falling asleep on the couch with football playing in the background. It's quite the event.
I'm the only one who eats a vegetarian diet, which can make things challenging sometimes. My grandmother usually prepares a tray of stuffed shells alongside the turkey or ham, depending on the holiday. The shells are delicious but I've always wanted to see if I can sneak in a vegan thanksgiving version of a classic dish without anyone noticing.
As soon as I tasted this wild rice mushroom casserole, I knew it was the one.
Made from a base of cashews, almond milk and arrowroot starch, it's just as rich and creamy as it's dairy-laden cousin, minus the heavy feeling that makes you want to pass out on the couch, although you are still welcome to do that.
Cooking the mushrooms with tamari (or soy sauce) and using vegan chicken broth helps to give it plenty of umami flavor, so no one will miss the meat. The whole thing is a plant-based comfort food dream come true.
If you're concerned about allergies, this can easily be made gluten-free by using gluten-free breadcrumbs. You can also make it nut-free by leaving out the cashews and substituting plain soy milk for the almond milk. I prefer it with the cashews for that extra luxurious creamy texture, but they're not completely necessary.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 2 cups plain unsweetened almond milk
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- salt to taste
For the casserole:
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups wild rice
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped (about 2 cups)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 16 ounces white button mushrooms diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 carrots finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 3 celery stalks finely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- fresh parsley for topping
Instructions
- Start by making the sauce. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place the raw cashews into a small bowl and pour the boiling water over them, so the cashews are fully covered. Allow the cashews to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- While the cashews soak, begin working on the casserole. Place the vegetable broth into the same pot that you used to boil the water for the cashews, and bring it to a boil. Add the wild rice, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to sit for 15 minutes. While you’re waiting for the cashews to soak and the rice to cook, you can start prepping your vegetables.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F then lightly grease a large (about 4-QT) casserole dish. In a large pot, warm 4 tablespoons vegan butter over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper, then cook for 3 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Next, add the mushrooms, garlic, carrot, and celery, then stir to combine. Cook for a few minutes, then add the tamari, thyme, and parsley. Stir again while continuing to cook for about 5 minutes.
- Once the cashews are done soaking, finish the sauce by first straining off the excess water and placing the cashews into a high speed blender. Add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, and arrowroot powder, then blend on high for 30 seconds, until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Pour the mixture into the pot with the vegetables and stir. Bring the cashew mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, then add the cooked rice to the pot. Stir together until combined. Season with salt to taste.
- Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish then smooth down with the back of a spoon so that the surface is even. Top with breadcrumbs, cover with foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove casserole from the oven, uncover and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Top with fresh parsley, serve and enjoy!
love you recipes, I like to try them all, and I will do it,even if I have to reduce the amount, I cook for one, thanks a lot,keep them coming.
Thanks Marcy!
His sounds delicious. Question. Can you Oreo this the night before and cool it the day of?
This looks lovely! Im going to adapt it to cook in my Thermomix and use in my vegan B&B and cooking classes! Many thanks!!!
What is arrowroot powder? Where can I buy it??
Arrowroot is just a starch! You can buy it at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. You could also use cornstarch.
This sounds and looks amazing! Two questions; can I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder (don't have that) and, how much would it affect the taste without onion and garlic? My husband cannot eat onion or garlic or any variation of the two and I"m having trouble finding recipes that don't include one or both. My last resort is making recipes and leaving those two things out . . .
Hi Sara! Sorry I am just seeing this comment now. Cornstarch should work fine but I think leaving out the onion and garlic would alter the flavor quite a bit. It's certainly worth a try though!
I realized I was out of bread crumbs after I started making this, and substituted corn meal. It's delish! 🙂
So this was absolutely amazing! I couldn't stop tasting the sauce before I'd even put it in the oven! haha. This is definitely a keeper recipe, and SO simple to make! I'd love to share this with my non-veg family members; I think anyone would like this. You really wouldn't know it-s dairy-free, the flavors are so rich and creamy.
Would leaving out the cashews in the sauce alter the flavor or texture/thickness?
Think this can be frozen, then reheated a few days later? I need to make a dish for a communal dinner 2 days later during a retreat
I decided to make this for my family Thanksgiving (I’m vegan and my sister-in-law doesn’t eat dairy or gluten). I made it in advance and couldn’t help but eat a bowl as soon as it came out of the oven. This recipe is fantastic. I have every intention of tweaking the sauce to make a vegan cream of mushroom soup soon. Thank you so much for sharing. I know it’s going to be a hit with everyone.
We're so glad to hear it, Jess! I hope your family loves it as much as we do.
I just made this tonight for a potluck. I didn't get a picture of it before it was all gone! It was delicious comfort food, perfect for a chilly winter night! I even had someone ask for the recipe! Thanks so much! This recipe will definitely go on my keep list!
Glad this worked out for you, Jill! It's one of our favourites as well.
Is that 1 cup wild rice after cooking or 1 cup uncooked?
Forget my previous question - I didn't read the recipe closely enough
I made this for the first time and it smells delicious! Will serve it at church but I can’t wait to dig in myself. For those of you who can not locate arrowroot powder, it is the same as arrowroot flour. Should be able to find it in most stores.
I made this for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year and it was such a hit among my non-vegan family and friends! I had to look it up today because I think it's going to be a yearly staple for me around the holidays.