Description
This Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Twice Baked Potatoes recipe features crispy baked russet potatoes filled with a creamy, dairy-free cheddar cheese sauce made from butternut squash and cashews, combined with tender steamed broccoli. It’s a comforting, nutritious, and kid-friendly meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes and Vegetables
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 1 pound broccoli
- 1-2 cups non-dairy cheddar cheese shreds, OPTIONAL
Cheese Sauce
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, quick soaked for 5 minutes in hot water
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub the potatoes clean and prick each potato 6-8 times with a fork. Optionally, brush the potatoes with olive oil to achieve extra brown and crispy skin.
- Bake Potatoes: Place the potatoes on a baking pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and tender.
- Cool Potatoes and Prepare Squash: Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes. While cooling, cook the butternut squash by roasting it alongside the potatoes for about 20 minutes or steaming it. Alternatively, cook the squash in an Instant Pot on high pressure for 4 minutes with 1 cup of water.
- Make Cheese Sauce: Add the cooked squash, soaked and drained cashews, water, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, and salt to a blender. Blend on high until very smooth. Set aside the cheese sauce.
- Steam Broccoli: Steam the broccoli for 8 minutes until tender, then set aside.
- Prepare Potato Filling: Slice each potato lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato flesh inside the skins to maintain their structure.
- Mash and Mix Filling: Add about 3/4 of the cheese sauce to the scooped potato flesh and mash together using a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth. Add more cheese sauce if needed. Stir in the steamed broccoli until well combined.
- Fill Potato Skins: Spoon the broccoli and cheese sauce mixture back into the potato skins, filling them generously. Sprinkle the top with non-dairy cheddar cheese shreds if using.
- Bake Filled Potatoes: Place the stuffed potatoes back in the oven and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until heated through and the cheese topping is melted.
- Serve: Serve the twice baked potatoes warm, drizzled with additional cheese sauce if desired.
Notes
- Use vegan gourmet cheddar cheese shreds such as Daiya for the topping, but feel free to select your favorite brand of non-dairy cheese.
- To freeze, wrap the cooled twice baked potatoes in plastic wrap and place inside a freezer bag or container. To reheat, bake from frozen until warmed through or microwave for 2-4 minutes.
- These potatoes make a great lunchbox option for kids; warm them and keep them in a thermos for an easy meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 potato
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
