Name: Vegetarian Casserole Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 8-10 tortillas; 1 cup mayo; 1 cup tomato sauce (canned); 1 lb mushrooms; 2 bell peppers; 2 cups black beans (canned); 1 cup olives (pitted, canned); 1 cup corn (canned); 1 cup cheddar cheese or gouda (grated); 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic; 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

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The vegetarian casserole is the perfect replacement for traditional lasagna. It is a casserole full of mixed flavors in a creamy sauce that is suitable for those who try to avoid eating meat or for those who simply are looking to clean up their diet.

I adore this vegetarian casserole because it is hearty, delicious and so easy to prepare. It is a great meal to feed an entire family even during the holiday season. It is beautifully colored and balanced, what can be more perfect than that?

Ingredients for the vegetarian casserole

The ingredients for this exquisite dish are so easy to find and very affordable. Moreover, the baked casserole can be assembled with any ingredients you like or skip the ones that don’t fit your tastes. That’s why a big plus goes for the dish’s versatility.

For this exact recipe, I used the vegetables I like and the ones I think make a good match. Here is the list of ingredients needed for you to fill your shopping cart with:

Tortillas 8-10 medium pieces
Mayonnaise 1 cup
Tomato sauce 1 cup
Mushrooms of any kind, 1 lb
Bell peppers 2-3 of different color
Black beans 2 cups
Black olives 1 cup, pitted
Baby spinach 1 handful, optional
Canned corn 1 cup
Hard cheese like gouda or cheddar cheese, 1 cup
Olive oil 4 tbsp, to saute the vegetables
1 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt, as much as it takes

Again, this is my version of the vegetarian casserole, however, you may adapt the recipe to your own taste and preferences. I promise this baked recipe will exceed any of your highest expectations, that’s what happened to me and the ones serving it. It is a healthy and nutritious recipe you must not skip, especially for the post-holiday season when everyone is trying to wash off the sins and eat as clean as possible to be able to close the belly button of the jeans.

How to prepare a vegetarian casserole?

Like any other recipe, start the preparation by peeling, cleaning, chopping the ingredients. Also, in our case, you should preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You need a well-heated oven to get a perfect, evenly cooked casserole.

Before proceeding to multi-layering the casserole, wash the washable ingredients such as bell peppers and mushrooms. Then slice them, try to slice them equally to get a beautiful final result. Heat up a frying pan, pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and add the sliced mushrooms, saute them for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Set aside and use the same skillet to heat up another 2 tbsp of olive oil to saute the sliced bell peppers. Again, saute the colored slices on medium heat for about 8 minutes. Always remember to stir to avoid sticking to the pan and burning. When ready, set aside in a bowl, you will use it a bit later.

How to prepare the sauce for the vegetarian casserole?

Now get your attention to the sauce that will coat the vegetables and the tortillas. It is very easy to make it, just mix the tomato sauce with mayo. You may use the tomato sauce for pizza and pasta. It has chunks of tomatoes and the taste is perfectly balanced, exactly what we’re looking for.

To bring the sauce to another level, season it with granulated garlic and smoked paprika. This is so good you can already dip some bread into it and eat it just as is. Don’t do that, we’re trying to make a casserole here:)

How to make the vegetarian casserole?

Once you have the ingredients prepared, it’s time for the magic to happen! For this, you will need a baking dish. The standard nine- by 13-inch baking pan, either ceramic or glass, will work just fine.

Start by greasing the bottom of the pan with 2 tbsp of sauce. It is essential to do so as to avoid the ingredients from burning. Then, cover the sauce with 2 tortillas. For best arrangement, tear the tortillas in halves and lay them down as to cover well the entire area of the pan.

Now have fun sprinkling all the ingredients. Visually divide the amount of each ingredient into 3 parts and use 1 part for each layer of the vegetarian lasagna casserole. Evenly spread the sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers, the canned black beans, the canned corn, and the baby spinach if you like it.

Break one tortilla into small pieces and also spread it over the vegetables. Now cover the vegetable layer with tortillas and spread a few tablespoons of the sauce. Spread the second part of your vegetables all over the second layer of tortillas, crush one tortilla and spread it over the vegetables, and cover everything with another layer of tortillas. You got the point. Repeat until you finish all your ingredients. You should get 3 main layers of vegetables.

Conclude this amazing dish with a final layer of tortillas anointed with the sauce and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. At this point, your vegetarian casserole is ready to be sent to the oven.

Insert the baking pan into the preheated oven at 360 degrees and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese layer has become beautifully brown.

How to serve vegetarian casserole?

When the baking time expires, take the casserole out of the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes. This is the time when the layers set well and make it possible for you to extract beautiful even portions.

Use a knife to divide the vegetarian lasagna into 6 or 8 even portions and serve it with a delicious green salad. Enjoy!

You might enjoy other casserole recipes such as the Pork Chops Casserole Easy Recipe, Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole Recipe, Cheese & Creamy Spinach Casserole. Enjoy!