I don’t miss cheese. Truthfully, I was never a cheese lover before I discovered my lactose intolerance. I know, it’s shocking! But I still love to try out dairy-free cheese alternatives. Especially on pizza, lasagna, and dishes like this plant-based cheesy squash casserole. It’s delicious atop grains or pasta – melting in almost like a sauce.
I tested this recipe with Daiya shreds. I was kind of eh about these shreds in a panini. I liked it, but I wasn’t blown away by it. But on this squash casserole I LOVED it! It is extremely creamy and melts in really well – almost like a sauce on grains or pasta. I liked that it had a relatively mild flavor, letting the vegetables and spices shine.
Special Diet Notes: Plant-Based Cheesy Squash Casserole
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, optionally grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, and optionally paleo-friendly.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 3 cups sliced yellow squash
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup shaved or shredded carrot
- ½ cup dairy-free cheese alternative (I use Daiya Mozzarella-Style Shreds)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or oregano, for topping (optional)
- 4 cups cooked quinoa or lentil pasta (optional, for serving)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a small baking dish or loaf pan.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the squash, onion, garlic, turmeric, salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables just begin to soften. Add the carrot, and saute until the vegetables are just cooked.
- Transfer the vegetables to your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese alternative evenly over top. Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if desired.
- Bake the casserole for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheesy topping is melty and lightly browned.
- Serve as a side or on quinoa or lentil pasta.