This vegan taco casserole is a protein-packed, kid-friendly dinner that's bursting with Mexican-inspired flavors. And you can assemble ahead, if needed!
Table of Contents
This vegan taco casserole recipe was a real pantry- and freezer-dump meal! I wanted something new for dinner, and I wanted to use what we had. So, I raided the freezer for veggie grounds and frozen veggies, then used rice and spices from the pantry to make this easy and flavor-packed meal.
While the super easy veggie rice cooks on the stovetop, you pan fry the veggie grounds with tons of spices! If you are missing a spice or two, no worries. Just use what you have.
Then, you mix the rice and grounds together in a baking pan, top with vegan cheddar and green onions, and bake.
I like to serve this with tortilla chips for dipping and topped with some vegan sour cream, chopped tomato, and other veggie toppings.
This recipe is perfect, if you know you'll have a busy weeknight coming up. You can make this ahead, then just pop it into the oven when you're ready to cook for a super easy taco night.
💖 Why You'll Love this Taco Casserole
- veggie-packed rice
- flavorful vegan sausage-y grounds
- cheesy, oniony topping
- easy to make ahead
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- rice - Medium- or long grain white rice work best for this recipe. You can prepare it on the stovetop, in a rice cooker, or in the Instant Pot.
- frozen veggies - Frozen corn and spinach add a little veg to this meal. You can use other frozen veggies of choice, if you prefer.
- olive oil - To toast the fennel seeds and brown the veggie grounds.
- fennel seeds - Gives the grounds a sausage-adjacent flavor that I love! You can omit, if you don't have them or don't like that flavor.
- onion and garlic - This is the next flavor layer. They add so much umami!
- veggie grounds - This is your meat replacement. You can use cooked canned brown lentils, if you don't want to use veggie grounds.
- ground spices - I am using onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. You can omit any spices you don't have.
- low-sodium soy sauce - Adds moisture and umami to the grounds.
- canned tomatoes - Adds more moisture, umami, and veggies.
- toppings - Top the casserole with green onion and vegan cheddar cheese before baking. You can use other vegan cheese shreds, if you prefer. After baking, use your favorite taco toppings like chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, sliced jalapeños, avocado, cilantro, black olives, lime juice, etc.
🔪 How to Make Vegan Taco Casserole
The directions below show how to make the rice in the Instant Pot. The recipe card has stovetop directions for the veggie rice, if you prefer.
Combine the rice, frozen veggies, and ½ teaspoon salt in your Instant Pot. Lock the lid, then cook at pressure for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the fennel seeds and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until they darken slightly in color. Add the onion, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onions turn translucent.
Then, add the veggie grounds or lentils and all of the spices, and cook until the grounds start to brown.
Pour on the soy sauce and canned tomatoes, and mix well.
Transfer to a 9x12" or similar-sized baking pan, and preheat the oven to 350° F. Add the veggie rice to the baking dish with the grounds.
Stir the rice and veggie grounds mixtures together, then sprinkle the green onions on top. Then, sprinkle the cheese over the green onions. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese melts.
Serve with vegan sour cream, chopped tomato, more green onion, salsa, or your favorite taco toppings.
⏰ Make-Ahead Directions
To make this ahead of time, you can assemble the whole casserole, then cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Pull the casserole dish out when you are ready to bake, and let it sit on the counter while the oven preheats. Then, bake as directed.
💡 Helpful Tips
- Heat up the veggie grounds while the rice cooks to save time. You can do this in a skillet or in the microwave. I use the microwave to save time, but you do you.
- The baking time will depend on your vegan cheese shreds. Some melt more readily than others.
- If you don't want to use vegan cheese shreds, top this with my vegan cashew queso instead.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Warm them up in the oven or in the microwave.
📖 Recipe
🌮 Vegan Taco Casserole
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 1 cup white rice soaked for 5 minutes, then drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cup water
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 6 ounces frozen spinach
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Veggie Grounds
- 12 ounce bag of veggie grounds or 15 ounce can of lentils, drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 15 ounces diced canned tomatoes
For Topping
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 cup vegan cheddar shreds
- other toppings of choice like vegan sour cream, guacamole, chopped tomato, more green onion, etc.
Instructions
Make the veggie rice.
- In a small saucepan combine the the rice, water, spinach, corn, and salt. Mix well, then bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Resist the urge to open the pot to check on the rice too many times! Check in at the 15- and 20-minute marks only, if you can. Turn off the heat, and let the pot sit, covered, for 10 minutes off of the stove.
- You can make the rice in the Instant Pot, if you prefer. That's my favorite way! Just combine everything in the Instant Pot, and cook at pressure for 5 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
Meanwhile, make the grounds.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the fennel seeds and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until they darken slightly in color.
- Add the onion, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onions turn translucent. Then, add the veggie grounds or lentils and all of the spices, and cook until the grounds start to brown.
- Pour on the soy sauce and canned tomatoes, and mix well, then transfer to a 9x12" or similar-sized baking pan.
Assemble and bake the casserole.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Add the veggie rice to the baking pan with the grounds and mix well. Sprinkle the green onions on top, then sprinkle the cheese over the green onions. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese melts.
- Serve with vegan sour cream, chopped tomato, more green onion, or your favorite taco toppings.
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