INGREDIENTS:

  • Two tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (chop finely)
  • 2 cloves of garlic (mince it)
  • 1 cup of diced tomatoes
  • One cup of tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste
  • One tsp of vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp of yellow mustard
  • One tbsp of ketchup
  • 1 tsp of smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp of salt (adjust to taste)
  • ¼ tsp of black pepper
  • 1 cup of vegan ground beef
  • 2 cups of cooked elbow macaroni or pasta of choice
  • 1 cup of vegan shredded cheddar cheese
  • ¼ cup of vegan milk (unsweetened)
  • 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast (optional)
  • ¼ cup of chopped pickles (optional)

INGREDIENT NOTES:

VEGAN GROUND BEEF:

  • We add this to give the cheeseburger casserole a meaty feeling without having to add any real meat, and it also gives us plant-based protein. You can also use crumbled lentils or tofu instead as alternatives.

VEGAN CHEESE:

  • It helps with the topping to give the casserole a cheesy layer. For an alternative, use an extra amount of nutritional yeast or cashew cheese sauce.

PASTA:

  • We use pasta in this recipe to give the cheeseburger casserole a firm base and hold the full dish together. Zucchini noodles or gluten-free pasta are alternative options for pasta.

TOMATO SAUCE AND KETCHUP:

  • Ketchup and tomato sauce are useful in keeping the casserole moist, and we also get the sweetness and tanginess from them. For an alternative, use BBQ sauce or crushed tomatoes.

VEGAN WORCESTERSHIRE:

  • It makes the casserole flavor more deep and flavorful. Tamari or soy sauce are alternative options as well.

MUSTARD:

  • This provides the cheeseburger casserole with more color. Use spicy brown mustard as an alternative for this ingredient.

NUTRITIONAL YEAST:

  • Yeast naturally gives the casserole a nutty and cheesy flavor. You can omit this ingredient or use vegan parmesan as an alternative.

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Warm the oven to about 190°C.
  2. Take the 9×13-inch baking dish and slightly grease it.
  3. Boil the pasta you desire and put it aside after properly draining it.
  4. In a large skillet, pan-fry the garlic and onion for three to four minutes till they become fragrant on medium heat.
  5. For the next five to seven minutes, stir in and cook the vegan meat till it becomes brown.
  6. Now add pepper, salt, paprika, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato
  7. paste, and keep simmering for 5 minutes.
  8. Add vegan milk, cooked pasta, and half the amount of vegan shredded cheese.
  9. Put the yeast if you are adding it to this recipe.
  10. Mix everything properly.
  11. Place everything on the baking dish.
  12. Put the remaining vegan cheese on top.
  13. Put the baking dish inside the oven.
  14. Bake for a time period of twenty to twenty-five minutes till the casserole becomes bubbly and goldish in color.