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This dairy free Brussels Sprouts Casserole is deliciously rich and creamy, and makes an excellent healthy side dish for the holidays or any time of the year! Roasted Brussels sprouts are tossed in a creamy cashew sauce and baked to perfection. This incredibly healthy vegan side dish pairs well with any of your favorite mains and it's also vegan, Paleo, gluten-free, low calorie, and Whole30 friendly!
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Casseroles and baked dishes are my go-to when I’m craving for something hearty, wholesome and filling, and over the last few years, I have tried my hands at quite a few amazing healthy casserole recipes.
My healthy chicken pot pie casserole and ham and potato casserole are both low calorie and super delicious, making for a great dinner for the whole family. And when I’m looking for a simple veggie baked dish to serve as a side, I end up making my this sweet potato au gratin. Now, this vegan Brussels sprouts is my next favorite addition!
Why You’ll Love This Brussels Sprouts Casserole Recipe
- Hearty and delicious: This healthy spin on Brussels sprouts gratin is incredibly creamy and rich in flavor, while still being low in calories. It’s the perfect healthy and filling side dish to make for meals.
- Versatile: It’s super versatile too. Pair it with pretty much any vegan or meat-based main dish and the flavors will be spot on.
- Comforting: There’s just something insanely comforting about a casserole, and this one’s just that. It’s great to make when the temperatures drop.
- Easy to make: You’ll just need around 15 minutes of prep time to put the dish together. It’s easy peasy!
Ingredients
- Cashews: Raw cashews are the base of the creamy sauce that adds tons of moisture and richness to the dish.
- Brussels sprouts: These are the star of the dish! I would recommend using smaller sized Brussels sprouts as opposed to the larger sized ones, which can taste a bit bitter.
- Almond milk: Use the best unsweetened almond milk you can find. I used a plant-based milk here because I wanted to keep it dairy-free. You can use regular skim milk too, if you’re not sensitive to dairy.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed, to add a nice bit of freshness and flavor to the bake!
- Seasonings: I just used some salt and pepper to season the dish. You can try using other seasonings of your choice too.
- Thyme: Dried thyme, for that aroma and herby flavor.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Cheesy: Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese (nutritional yeast if you’re vegan) to lend the casserole some extra cheesy flavor.
- Spicy kick: Add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the Brussels sprouts along with the other seasonings to lend a kick of heat to the dish.
- Crispy crust: For the ultimate crispy crust, sprinkle some breadcrumbs (gluten-free breadcrumbs if you’re sensitive to gluten) before you bake!
How to Make Brussels Sprouts Casserole
To make the creamy Brussels sprouts, start by preheating your oven at 400 degrees F and greasing a 2 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Step 1: Soak cashews. Start by soaking the cashews in a bowl of water for 2 hours or more.
Step 2: Blend the sauce. Drain the liquid and transfer the cashews to a blender or a food processor along with the almond milk, salt, lemon juice and water, and blend.
Step 3: Prep Brussels sprouts. Slice the Brussels sprouts into halves and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
Step 4: Add cashew cream. Pour in the cashew cream, salt, pepper and thyme and toss it all well to ensure all the Brussels sprouts are nicely coated.
Step 5: Transfer to baking dish. Transfer the coated Brussels sprouts to the greased baking dish.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Bake the dish for 40-45 minutes or until light golden brown. Let it cool for a few minutes and then serve.
Storage Directions
- Storing: You can store the leftover creamed Brussels sprouts for up to a week in the refrigerator. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or transfer everything to an airtight container to preserve its freshness. I'm not a fan of freezing this dish.
- Reheating: You can reheat the baked Brussels sprouts in the microwave or pop the dish in a preheated oven until it has warmed through.
Serving Suggestions
These healthy Brussels sprouts are a fantastic side dish when served with a protein rich main dishes like healthy lemon garlic chicken, mustard salmon, or my hearty yet healthy turkey meatloaf.
If I’m making it as a part of a Thanksgiving or Christmas feast or on any special occasion, I like to pair it with another side like healthy stuffing, mashed potatoes and cauliflower, or some cauliflower broccoli gratin spiced with turmeric.
Expert Tips
- Choose right: Choose the best ripe Brussels sprouts for this recipe. Look for ones that have a bright green color and feel firm when you squeeze them.
- Brown it up: Towards the final few minutes of cooking, turn on the broil mode to help the top of the casserole turn golden brown and crisp.
- Soaking the cashews: I highly recommend soaking your cashews overnight. Soaking actually helps make them easier to digest. If you don't have the time, you can pour hot water over the top of the them and soak for an hour.
Recipe FAQs
Add a splash of water to the cashew mixture to get it to the right consistency. Start with a little and then add more if needed. You can also use vegetable stock if you want to.
Fresh Brussels sprouts are the best choice for this recipe. You could possibly try this with the frozen veggie too, but I haven’t tried it before. I suspect they will be much softer in texture than fresh sprouts.
More Delicious Recipes with Brussels Sprouts
If you tried this Brussels sprouts recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Brussels Sprouts Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lb Brussels sprouts sliced in half
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme
For the Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 ¼ cups raw cashews
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a 2 1/2 quart baking dish by greasing with a little cooking spray.
- Place cashews in a bowl of water and soak them 2 hours. Overnight is best. The longer you soak them the easier they are to digest.
- Drain the cashews of the water and toss the in a food processor or blender with 1 cup water, unsweetened almond milk, salt and lemon juice.
- Blend on high until creamy and smooth. The texture will be thick. Add more water to thin it to the consistency you like.
- Place Brussels sprouts in a large bowl with the cashew cream sauce, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake uncovered at 400 F 40-45 minutes until roasted and crispy.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
I believe this recipe is wrong. It says drain the water and then add a cup of water, almond milk, lemon juice, and salt. The resulting sauce was thin not thick as the recipe indicates. The sprouts are completely drowned in the liquidy sauce and it looks more like a casserole. Nothing is crispy after cooking for almost an hour. I knew I should have made a practice run on this and now the vegan fish I’m taking for Thanksgiving is terrible. I may just throw it out. This is disappointing.
Hi Allison, I make this recipe all the time and it turns out perfectly for me every time. The recipe is accurate as listed. You soak the cashews in a bowl of water then drain THAT water and place the cashews in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of FRESH water, 2 TBSP milk, salt and lemon juice then blend. I suspect you may have added 1 cup of milk and 1 cup water, but it is only 2 tablespoons of milk. With those measurements, you will certain not get that much liquid for 1 and 1/4 cups of cashews.
You can omit the 1 cup of FRESH water if you feel it is too liquid-y, but the Brussels sprouts should be covered in the sauce. That is how the recipe is supposed to turn out and after baking they are super tasty. Also, your oven may not run as hot as mine. These have always taken 40-45 minutes consistently for me to make in my oven and others who've made the recipe. Perhaps, your oven wasn't fulled preheated when the sprouts were placed in the oven or there were a number of items in your oven. Anytime you have many items in the oven, it takes longer to cook too.
I agree with Gigi! Brussels sprouts and a cream sauce? No way! I can not wait to try this recipe! Thank you Megan!
Brussels Sprouts with a CREAM SAUCE?!?! I would never have even thought about considering that - but now you have me intrigued!
You NEED this lady!
I'm always looking for recipe ideas for the abundance of brussels sprouts that I always seem to end up with at Christmas! Lol. Thanks for this Megan. I particularly LOVE your cashew cream sauce! 🙂
Thanks Neil! Happy Holidays to you and your wife!