Need a convenient, nutritious dinner that’s perfect for the whole family? Author Jenn Sebestyen has us covered with this delicious Vegan Potpie Noodle Casserole! This recipe is from her first foray into publishing, the Meatless Monday Family Cookbook.

A photo of two bowls filled with vegan noodle casserole, next to a casserole dish, with text reading "vegan potpie noodle casserole."

After all of the holiday food that’s been posted the last few months, I thought it’d be appropriate to end the year getting y’all ready for 2020! I asked readers what kind of recipes they’d like to see in January, and got a couple requests for casseroles. Which, oddly enough, I don’t make THAT often, but I LOVE them!

The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook on a cutting board with dried pasta, celery and onion.

Lucky for us, Jenn let me share this easy-to-make, family-friendly, vegan potpie noodle casserole. This recipe caught my eye because I already had 90% of the ingredients on hand! And I’d bet that you have quite a few of them in your pantry, too.

Left image: pasta and water being poured from pot into a colander. Right image: drained pasta in colander.

Aside from so many of her dishes having accessible ingredients, I loved reading Jenn’s “Kids in the Kitchen” notes! Like with this recipe it says, “Let the kids sprinkle the Garlic Bread Crumbs on the casserole before baking.” This way, you can get the whole family involved in the cooking process.

Top left: image of diced onion and celery. Top right: image of cooking veggies in pan, bottom left: image of finished noodle potpie filling, bottom right: image of casserole before baking.

Some of the other meals that caught my eye were the Skillet Chickpea Chilaquiles, Vegan Scampi in Lemon Garlic Wine Sauce, and her Sloppy Joe Casserole with Cornbread Crust! I don’t have children of my own. But, I feel like Jenn’s story of going plant-based and raising a family is something a lot of people can relate to. At least in the last few years. Without further ado, here’s the vegan potpie noodle casserole!

A photo of two bowls filled with vegan noodle casserole, next to a casserole dish.

1 year: Pomegranate Persimmon Crostini // 2 years: 16 Fun Vegan Appetizers // 3 years: Savory Tomato Cobbler // 4 years: Black Bean Cornbread Potpie // 5 years: Pressure Cooker Seitan // 6 years: Roasted Cauliflower Tomato Soup // 7 years: Quinoa Pasta with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Vegan Potpie Noodle Casserole

Name: Vegan Potpie Noodle Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 ounces (225 g) rotini or other medium shape pasta, such as rigatoni (gluten-free, if desired); 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil; 1 yellow onion, diced; 2 ribs celery, diced; 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour(see note); 1 tablespoon (6g) Italian seasoning; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce (gluten-free,if desired); 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste; 2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 package (16 ounces, or 455 g) frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, and green beans); 1 cup (235 ml) cashew milk or other creamy plant-based milk (such as lite coconut or unsweetened soy); 2 tablespoons (8 g) nutritional yeast (optional); 1/4 cup (13 g) panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs (gluten-free, if desired); ¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast or more bread crumbs; 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder; 1 tablespoon (14 g) melted plant-based butter or coconut oil

"This is just like potpie, but without the fuss of a pie crust. Bonus: there are noodles in this casserole that you don’t get in traditional potpie. My kids and husband went crazy for this dish, as did everyone who tested it." Recipe reprinted with permission from Jenn Sebestyen and Fair Winds Press, copyright 2019

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE POTPIE NOODLES:

8 ounces (225 g) rotini or other medium shape pasta, such as rigatoni (gluten-free, if desired)
2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour(see note)
1 tablespoon (6g) Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons (45 ml) tamari, coconut aminos, or soy sauce (gluten-free,if desired)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 cups (475 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 package (16 ounces, or 455 g) frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, and green beans)
1 cup (235 ml) cashew milk or other creamy plant-based milk (such as lite coconut or unsweetened soy)
2 tablespoons (8 g) nutritional yeast (optional)

FOR THE GARLIC BREAD CRUMBS:

1/4 cup (13 g) panko bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs (gluten-free, if desired)
¼ cup (15 g) nutritional yeast or more bread crumbs
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 tablespoon (14 g) melted plant-based butter or coconut oil

Instructions

For the Potpie Noodles: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Cook the rotini to al dente, according to packagedirections. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add the onion and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and the onion is translucent. Add the flour and stir until combined and no flour is visible. Add the Italian seasoning, tamari, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.

Slowly pour in the vegetable broth, whisking continuously to ensure a smooth sauce. Add the mixed vegetables, cashew milk, and nutritional yeast, if using. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Add the cooked rotini and stir again to combine. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish.

For the Garlic BreadCrumbs: In a small bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, and garlic powder. Pour the melted butter over the bread crumbs mixture while stirring to moisten thoroughly.

Sprinkle the Garlic Bread Crumbs over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the bread crumbs are toasted and the sauce is thick and bubbly.

Notes

Swap It! Use brown rice flour or a gluten-freeflour blend instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option.

Add it! Feel free to add a 15-ounce (425 g)can of drained and rinsed chickpeas for added protein.

Kids in the Kitchen: Let the kids sprinkle the Garlic Bread Crumbs on the casserole before baking.

A photo of two bowls filled with vegan noodle casserole, next to a casserole dish and cookbook.

Lastly, I hope that you all have a safe and happy new year! Will you be in Las Vegas the weekend of January 11 & 12? I’m doing a book launch pop-up for VYA’s Plant-Based Meal Prep at Vegenation Henderson! Hope to see you there. <3