Recipe: Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole (Vegan, Nut and Soy Free Options)

 

You can eat this casserole for breakfast, but honestly I think you could eat it just about any time. It's savory and has a good mix of veggies, vegan protein (from the JUST Egg), and grains. If you want to boost the protein even more, I suggest using soy milk and adding some veggie sausage crumbles. (As it was, I ate it for breakfast alongside vegan breakfast sausage patties, which made me very happy with my choices in life.)

This is a great use for cornbread that has gone a bit stale. Though it's great right away, it is also one of those things that actually improves after it has a chance to cool, so it's a wonderful make-ahead meal, too. And if you are avoiding gluten, I think gluten free cornbread would work here, though I haven't tried it out myself. Let me know if you do!

Here, I was inspired by this omnivore recipe. I boosted the veggies and veganized it, as well as cutting it down to a more manageable size.

Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Casserole
Serves: 4

2 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup JUST Egg (or similar vegan egg substitute)
1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk (I used almond here, but any milk should work)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2-3 leftover cornbread muffins, crumbled into bite-size pieces (or the equivalent from non-muffin cornbread, about 2-3 cups)
1/2 cup shredded non-dairy cheese (I used Violife mozzarella)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease an 9 x 9 inch casserole dish with some of the vegan butter. Melt the rest in a skillet over medium heat.

Cook onion and bell pepper in the melted butter until softened. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid, then add spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from heat.

Whisk JUST Egg, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a bowl.

Place crumbled muffins in prepared casserole dish. Layer your cooked veggies on top, then layer on your shredded cheese. Carefully pour the JUST Egg mixture over the top, taking care to ensure your corn muffins are submerged (use a spoon to press them down and wet them if they stay poking up above the liquid).

Bake for 35 minutes, or until set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.