This vegan breakfast casserole features the most delicious tofu "egg," veggies, chunks of hearty sourdough, vegan sausage, and melted cheese. It's a great way to feed a crowd and perfect for weekend brunches or holiday mornings with family. Also, leftovers taste amazing!
Back when I worked a regular office job, which was years before I went vegan or dreamed of becoming a food blogger, I enjoyed trying new recipes and would often take the food to work to share with my co-workers.
One of the crowd favorites was a cheesy, sausage and egg breakfast casserole. I would assemble it the night before, then pop it into the oven in the morning before getting dressed for work.
While a lot of breakfast casseroles call for hash browns, I always used hearty bread instead. I loved the way it soaked up the egg mixture and added a different texture to the casserole.
And look at me now... only 16 years later I finally got around to veganizing that old recipe!
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Why You'll Love It
Indian black salt adds the perfect amount of savory, egg-y flavor to this eggless breakfast casserole. The tofu mixture tastes creamy and rich while still holding together perfectly.
The sourdough bread soaks up tons of flavor, while the veggies, sausage, and cheese take the whole thing over the top!
My husband actually raved about this dish, which is important to note because he wasn't a fan of eggs before going vegan (although, I sure was). And until now, he thought he didn't even like vegan dishes that resemble eggs.
So the fact that he loves this breakfast casserole hopefully tells you how delicious the savory tofu "egg" is. And combined with sausage and melty cheese? It really is SO good!
This recipe is versatile, too. I've included notes and ideas below on ways you can customize it to meet different dietary needs. You can also get creative and switch up the flavors and ingredients.
Vegan breakfast casserole is perfect for the holiday season when you have family over and need a satisfying dish to keep everyone full and happy until the main meal. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Ingredient Notes
For the Tofu Egg Mixture:
- Tofu: you'll need two (14 oz) blocks of extra-firm tofu. Regular firm is also fine, but you'll need to reduce the amount of water added.
- Non-dairy creamer or unsweetened milk: I used Nut Pods unsweetened non-dairy creamer, but any thick and creamy plant milk also works, such as soy. Just make sure it's 100% plain and unflavored.
- Indian black salt (kala namak): this adds saltiness as well as the signature sulfur smell we tend to associate with eggs. For the most authentic egg-y flavor don't skip it! Note that even though it's called black salt, it's actually pink in color.
- Seasonings: onion powder and garlic powder add flavor and turmeric adds subtle yellow color to mimic egg yolks.
- Nutritional yeast: this is important for the overall umami and savoriness of the "egg" mixture.
Other Ingredients:
- Bread: choose a sturdy bread like sourdough. Bagels are also fun! Just be sure to check the ingredients to make sure it's vegan.
- Vegan meat: from vegan breakfast sausage links or patties, to seitan chorizo, tempeh bacon, or any other plant-based sausage you love, any of these work well here.
- Veggies: I chose red bell pepper, green onion, and baby spinach. See the Variations section below for more ideas.
- Cheese: any mild-tasting shredded vegan cheese is fine. I used Chao original because I had some on hand. You can also grate the cheese yourself from a block. I often do this with Violife's mature cheddar.
Note: For an oil-free option see the Variations below.
See the recipe card below for amounts and full step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Vegan Breakfast Casserole
There are a few steps involved in prepping this breakfast casserole, but none of them are difficult! Here's a look at the basic process...
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- Blend the ingredients for the tofu "egg." The mixture is very thick so you will likely need to stop several times to stir.
- Oil a 13 x 9 baking dish and arrange the bread across the bottom. Set aside.
- Saute the sausage over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and green onion and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Arrange fresh spinach over the layer of bread, followed by the sausage and veggies. If desired, sprinkle with a handful of shredded cheese.
- Spoon the tofu mixture into the dish. Carefully stir to incorporate the ingredients. If there's messy tofu "egg" on the sides of the dish, wipe it off with a paper towel so it won't burn on during baking.
- Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, cover with foil, and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the center of the casserole is hot.
Variations
- Gluten-free: choose a thick and sturdy gluten-free bread or replace the bread with 2 packages of frozen hash browns. Thaw briefly before adding to the dish.
- Oil-free: replace the store-bought vegan sausage with a homemade seitan sausage, seasoned beans, or tempeh bacon. And instead of store-bought vegan shreds, add dollops of this easy cashew mozzarella on top!
- Other veggies: we LOVE mushrooms in breakfast casserole; you can also include asparagus, broccoli florets, chopped kale (saute it briefly with the red pepper), onion, garlic, jalapeños, and par-cooked winter squash or sweet potatoes.
- Meats: take things in a spicier direction with vegan chorizo or pepperoni. Or as mentioned above, go with tempeh bacon or a store-bought product like Sweet Earth's Benevolent Bacon.
If you like a touch of maple sweetness in your breakfast meats, you have to try my homemade vegan breakfast sausages. It's one of our all-time favorite seitan recipes!
What to Serve With Vegan Breakfast Casserole
Garnish with chopped parsley or extra green onion, and serve with fresh fruit and vegan yogurt.
Or if you're serving the casserole for lunch or dinner, a simple side salad plus potatoes in any form are perfect.
While the oven is in use, if you have an air fryer it's a great way to quickly prep a veggie to serve on the side. Try air fryer green beans, radishes, zucchini, or cauliflower.
If you want to pair it with something sweet, this popular oat flour banana bread is always welcome or these perfect vegan pancakes.
Equipment Needed
You'll need a full-size blender for the tofu "egg" mixture. Note: even with a high-speed blender like a Vitamix you'll need to exercise patience. It's a large volume of ingredients and very thick.
You'll also need a medium-size saute pan and a glass or stoneware 13 x 9-inch casserole dish.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Cover the dish and refrigerate it overnight. Then bake it in the morning. Since the entire dish will be cold add 5 minutes to the cook time.
Store leftover vegan breakfast casserole in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It reheats best in the microwave. The leftovers can also be frozen for up to one month.
Top Tip
After removing from the oven, let the covered dish rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This keeps the moisture trapped inside, which is key for perfectly melted vegan cheese. A brief rest also helps the casserole firm up a bit so it slices cleanly.
More Vegan Breakfast Recipes
Recipe Video
Tap to play the video and see how easily the casserole comes together!
I hope you enjoy this versatile vegan breakfast casserole as much as we do! If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know.
Recipe
Vegan Breakfast Casserole
Ingredients
For the "egg" mixture:
- 2 (14 oz) packages extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsweetened/unflavored vegan creamer or milk - such as Nut Pods original or plain soy milk
- ⅓ cup nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons kala namak Indian black salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour - such as all-purpose, a GF blend, rice, or whole wheat
Other ingredients:
- 9 to 10 ounces sourdough bread, cut or torn into large bite-size pieces - about half of a boule
- 4 servings vegan sausage, chopped and/or crumbled - choose any flavor you'd like in the casserole (Italian, spicy, breakfast sausage, etc)
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- 3 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 7 ounces mild, shredded vegan cheese such as mozzarella or cheddar - I used Chao Original; Tip: if the shreds are long roughly chop to help with melting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly oil a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
- In a blender combine all tofu "egg" ingredients EXCEPT flour. Slowly increase speed, and blend until smooth. The mixture will be very thick; stop to stir as often as needed. Taste for seasoning. Add the flour and blend again for a few seconds to incorporate. Set aside.
- Preheat a saute pan over medium heat, and cook the sausage for about 2 minutes or until starting to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and green onion and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Refer to step-by-step photos above if needed. Arrange bread in a single layer in the casserole dish, followed by spinach and sausage mixture. If desired, sprinkle with a handful of cheese.
- Pour the tofu mixture on top, using a spoon or spatula to scoop as much as possible from the blender. Carefully stir to incorporate the ingredients and coat everything with tofu. If there's any messy tofu "egg" on the sides of the dish, wipe it off so it won't burn during baking.
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, cover tightly with foil (careful - it's hot!), and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the center of the casserole is hot.
- Let the covered dish rest for 10 minutes. This gives the cheese more time to melt and helps the casserole set before slicing. Serve hot.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Cindy mays
This recipe is amazing! I used an entire bag of frozen spinach. This recipe is so forgiving and it came out amazing! I made my own meat from two cups soaked walnuts and northern beans and my homemade taco spice and this was a big hit! Tyank u for this recipe. I needed something quick
Beth L
Just made this for the third time, so thought I’d come back and leave a rating. I scale the recipe in half for just the two of us; it’s delicious for dinner as well as for breakfast!