Vegan Christmas Croquette Casserole
Shortly before Christmas, we present you with a Lazy Christmas Dinner every year. This recipe is so quick and easy to prepare that no one can claim a vegan Christmas meal is complicated or time-consuming. In past years, we’ve served vegan baked camembert in puff pastry, a baked gnocchi with brussels sprouts and plant based filets, and loaded croquettes. This year, our Lazy Christmas Dinner revolves around croquettes, red cabbage, vegetables, and (vegan) cheese.
You might already know our mushroom croquette casserole, a recipe you and we have come to love over the years. It’s super simple, makes a great impression, and is perfect if you’re looking for an autumn casserole that differs slightly from traditional ones. We revisited that recipe for this year’s Lazy Christmas Dinner and added some solid Christmas vibes. Let’s walk through the recipe step by step.
The Sauce:
We made a lazy gravy to stay true to the dish’s name. If you don’t like mushrooms, you can use another vegetable you choose, like leeks, extra onions, or carrots. And if you’re up for investing more time, you can also make our slightly more time-intensive gravy.
The Red Cabbage:
Once again, we opted for the quickest option: ready-made red cabbage from a jar. But if you have more time, you can make your own red cabbage. You’ll find a recipe for that here. Just drain the cabbage well before using it so the casserole doesn’t turn out too wet.
The Cheese:
The cheese is essential for this casserole because it separates the moist red cabbage from the croquettes. Without it, the croquettes wouldn’t stay crispy but would turn soggy at the bottom. You can use any vegan shredded cheese of your choice. We recommend mixing the cheese with oil and water before baking for even better melting.
The Croquettes:
When choosing croquettes, ensure you pick a vegan version. We usually find them in organic stores, but we’ve also heard from many of you that some larger supermarkets carry vegan options. If you can’t find vegan croquettes, you can make them yourself –here is a recipe for that. If you’re not a fan of croquettes, you can also top the dish with small dumplings.
A few tips about the dish:
We chose a cast-iron skillet for this casserole. The big advantage? You only need to wash one pan in the end, as the sauce is cooked in the skillet, and all the other ingredients are layered on top. Plus, cast-iron skillets can go into the oven without any issues. If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, use any casserole dish instead. Our skillet has a diameter of 25 centimeters.
Vegan Christmas Croquette Casserole
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
- 200 g (7 oz) carrots
- 1 onion
- 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp flour
- 60 ml (0.25 cups) vegan red wine
- 200 ml (0.75 cups) vegetable broth
- 100 ml (0.5 cups) vegan cooking cream
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
Additionally:
- 400 g (0.75 lbs) red cabbage (from the jar)
- 200 g (7 oz) vegan shredded cheese
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp water
- 600 g (1.33 lbs) vegan croquettes
- fresh parsley
Instructions
Peel and chop carrots and onions, clean the mushrooms, and dice everything finely. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet and sauté the vegetables until browned. Add agave syrup and tomato paste and sauté for another 1–2 minutes.
Sprinkle the vegetables with flour, stir well, and deglaze with red wine. Pour in vegetable broth and cream, then bring the sauce to a simmer. Season with cinnamon and nutmeg, and add salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly.
Tip: For extra holiday flavor, enhance the sauce with additional festive spices like bay leaves, allspice, star anise, or cloves.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (convection, 390°F). Drain the red cabbage in a sieve and spread it evenly over the mushroom sauce. Mix the shredded cheese with oil and water, then spread it evenly over the red cabbage. Finally, place the croquettes on top of the cheese layer.
Bake the casserole at 200°C (convection, 390°F) for 20–25 minutes, until the croquettes turn golden brown and crispy. While baking the casserole, chop fresh parsley and sprinkle it over the finished dish before serving.
