Cajun Vegan Breakfast Casserole w/ Sweet Potato Hash, Scrambled Tofu, Maple Tempeh Sausage, Cajun Mustard Aioli, and More!
Difficulty: 3/5 (5 being hardest)
Spice Level: 1/3 (3 being spiciest)
Prep & Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 healthy plates
The Challenge: Cajun Breakfast Casserole
There isn't much better than waking up Sunday morning, cooking a ridiculous good vegan cajun breakfast casserole that is hearty + filling, and chowing down on plant-based goodness. This casserole is hearty and layers of joy:
1. Sweet Potato Hashbrowns
2. Spicy Tofu Scramble
3. Maple Tempeh Sausage
4. Sautéed Veggies
5. Heirloom Tomato Slices + Fresh Corn
6. Cajun Grainy Mustard Aioli
And you're thinking...dude that's so much work. It really is not. It is not a 15-minute meal, but I did it in about 40 minutes and was taking photos the whole time. Its really simple layers that all come together to create FLAVOR EXPLOSION!
But what makes this cajun...you say? Spices! Cajun spices like onion powder, Old Bay, celery salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic, and coriander are used throughout
The maple tempeh sausage is the base I used for my patties in the Ultimate Vegan Breakfast Sandwich and is probably the dark horse for most deliciousness here. Yet, it is a balance of many delightful layers.
We start with a hash that is pan cooked for a few minutes, layer on spice coated tofu cubes, maple tempeh sausage, and then a veggie sautee. Finish it with fresh juicy heirlooms and crisp corn. The final layer is really something I made on the fly realizing after I started I was out of vegan mayo - its a cajun grainy mustard aioli that is crazy tangy and adds a great sauce on top of this casserole.
Well, I'm getting hungry...so let's get into it.
Sweet Potato Hash
- 2 cups mixed sweet potato + new potato cubes (2 medium potatoes)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tbl olive oil
Tofu Cubes
- 14 oz extra firm tofu, small cubes
- 1 tbl cornstarch
- pepper + salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp olive oil
Sautéed Veggies
- 1 cup chopped kale, roughly chopped
- 1 large shallot, fine diced
- 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp old bay
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp olive oil
Maple Tempeh Sausage
- 8 oz tempeh, diced
- 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1 tbl maple syrup (dates if sugar free)
- 1/3 tsp Old Bay
- 1 tsp sage, ground
- salt + pepper
- 1 tbl cornstarch (or gluten-free flour)
Cajun Mustard Aioli
- 2 tbl vegan mayo
- 2 tbl grainy mustard
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbl louisiana hot sauce
- 1 tsp Old Bay
Other
- 2 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced
- 1 corn on the cob, kernels cut off
Equipment You'll Need:
Cutting Board . Sharp Cutting Knife . Measuring Cups . Measuring Spoons . Medium Deep Casserole Pan . Food Processor . Mixing Bowls . Two Frying Pans . Small Bowl + Whisk . Mixing Spoon . Spatula
Before You Cook:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Wash and cut all fresh ingredients
1. To start, place your potato cubes into the food processor or blend and pulse until you have small shreds. Place into mixing bowl.
2. Place potatoes into frying pan over medium heat with spices and oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Take off pan and spread into bottom of casserole. Set aside.
3. Place your tofu pans into your second frying pan while potatoes cook over medium low heat with oil. Cook for a couple minutes, add spices, mix well, and flip every couple mintues until a nice sear forms. Usually 8-10 minutes.
4. While the tofu and potatoes cook, throw your tempeh cubes into the food processor. I forgot to do a photo of the veggies in a pan. So once the potatoes are done. Clean out the pan, add all your veggies to the pan with oil and spices. Cook for 3-4 minutes until kale is wilted.
5. In a mixing bowl, add tempeh, all the spices, and maple syrup. Mix well with a spoon. Set aside.
6. Once you have cooked the veggies, potatoes, and tofu, set up a small station to build your casserole with tomato slices and fresh corn.
7. To build your casserole, add tofu on the potato layer. Followed by tempeh. Then veggies. Make a nice full layer and evenly spread it out.
8. Finish the casserole with a layer of tomato slices and fresh corn. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
9. While the casserole is baking, mix together your aioli.
10. Take out of oven drizzle on aioli. Serve healthy helping to up to 6 people! Enjoy!
