Description
This Vegan Cheesy Broccoli Twice Baked Potatoes recipe offers a delicious and comforting plant-based twist on the classic comfort food. Loaded with steamed broccoli and a creamy, dairy-free cheese sauce made from butternut squash, cashews, and nutritional yeast, these twice baked potatoes are perfect for a hearty lunch or dinner. The crispy baked potato skins filled with cheesy broccoli mash create a satisfying and nutritious meal that is also freezer-friendly.
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. For extra crispy skin, brush the potatoes with olive oil before baking.
- Bake Potatoes: Place the potatoes on a baking pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until fully cooked through and tender when pierced with a fork.
- Cool Potatoes: Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool for 10-15 minutes to make them easier to handle during scooping.
- Prepare Cheese Sauce: Cook the butternut squash either by roasting it in the oven for about 20 minutes or steaming it. Alternatively, pressure cook the squash in an Instant Pot on high for 4 minutes with 1 cup water. Then 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 and creamy. Set the sauce aside.
- Steam Broccoli: Steam the broccoli for 8 minutes until tender but still bright green. Set aside.
- Scoop Potatoes & Mix Filling: Slice each potato in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of potato flesh inside the skin to keep them sturdy. Add about 3/4 of the cheese sauce to the potato flesh and mash well using a potato masher or hand mixer. Add more cheese sauce if needed to reach desired creaminess. Stir in the steamed broccoli until evenly combined.
- Fill Potato Skins: Spoon the cheesy broccoli potato mixture back into the potato skins, mounding the filling quite high. If using, sprinkle the non-dairy cheddar cheese shreds evenly over the filled potatoes.
- Bake Filled Potatoes: Bake the stuffed potatoes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes until cheese shreds are melted and the filling is heated through.
- Serve: Serve the twice baked potatoes warm, drizzled with extra cheese sauce if desired.
Notes
- Use vegan gourmet cheddar cheese shreds like Daiya for topping to keep it dairy-free and flavorful.
- To freeze, wrap cooled twice baked potatoes in plastic wrap then place inside a freezer bag or container.
- Rewarm frozen potatoes by baking directly from frozen until heated through or microwave for 2-4 minutes until warm.
- These potatoes make a kid-friendly lunchbox meal that can be kept warm in a thermos.
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: 54 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
