Vegetarian California Chik'n Casserole

September 27, 2023

Vegetarian California Chik'n Casserole

You don't have to go to California to enjoy this vegetable packed Vegetarian California Chik'n Casserole. A frozen package of California blend vegetables will make this meal a breeze to make.

This casserole is packed with vegetables. A classic California blend of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots team up with diced veggie chicken and a panful of sauteed onions, celery and mushrooms. The cheese of choice is Swiss but use any cheese you have on hand to make it more economical for you. But if you have the Swiss cheese you'll be pleased with the lovely flavour it brings to the meal.

I served the casserole with potato salad, tomatoes and corn-on-the-cob the first day and the next day we had baked potatoes, tomatoes and corn-on-the-cob. There was a little left over for supper as well. We had large servings but this dish will certainly serve six good sized servings.

For the "chicken" I used soya chunks soaked in a vegetarian chicken-like bouillon. I squeezed out the broth and then breaded and fried the chunks to give them extra flavour. Other options would be diced vegetarian chicken nuggets or burgers or soy curls if you have access to them.

Printable recipe at end of post.

Vegetarian California Chik'n Casserole

500 gram/16 ounce bag frozen California blend vegetables, thawed (cauliflower, broccoli & carrots)
2 cups diced, cooked vegetarian chicken substitute such as soya chunks, veggie chik'n burgers, etc.
1 284 ml/10 fl oz can sliced mushrooms, drained or use about 227 grams/½ pound fresh sliced mushrooms
2 medium ribs celery, finely sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup roasted red peppers or pimientos, diced
180 grams/6 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (2 cups)
¼ cup real mayonnaise
¼-½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

How to make it:
Place the thawed California blend vegetables and the veggie chicken in a large bowl. In a medium frying pan, sauté the mushrooms, celery and onion in the butter until very soft and a little browned, about 8 minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl of California blend vegetables and "chicken" along with the roasted red peppers and Swiss cheese. Stir the mayonnaise and seasonings into the vegetables until well coated. If the veggie meat you are using is salty use the ¼ teaspoon salt.

Grease an 8x11½-inch baking dish and transfer the vegetable mixture to it. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes longer until the casserole is browned and bubbly.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Note: This casserole can be made vegan by using vegan margarine/butter, salad dressing and cheese.

Before you assemble the casserole chop any large pieces of broccoli or cauliflower into bite-sized pieces to make for easier eating. Place the thawed vegetables and veggie chicken in a large bowl. A California blend is a mix of cauliflower, broccoli and carrots.

In a medium frying pan, sauté the mushrooms, celery and onion in the butter.

Cook until very soft and a little browned, about 8 minutes. The picture is blurred from the steam coming up from the pan.

Add the sautéed vegetables to the bowl of California blend vegetables and "chicken" along with the roasted red peppers and Swiss cheese. I used soya chunks which had been rehydrated, breaded and fried before placing them in the casserole.