While I love a good lettuce wrapped burger, I am digging this Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole! Whoda thunk tossing all the hamburger goodness in a pan, would be equally as good as a handheld sandwich?
To Bun or Not to Bun
I’ve never been a bun lover. Even back in my bread eating days, I found the food sandwiched between the bun or bread, to be so much better on its own. I felt like the bread in it of itself, took away or “masked” the taste of the real food sitting in between those grainy additions. I would often eat my sandwich or burger open faced, as I would remove the top piece of bread/bun. This Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole is right up my alley ….but by all means, plop this goodness in between to pieces of bread or buns and make it a ‘sloppy’ style!
When my hubby grabbed a plate full of this Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole, he somewhat cringed. I saw the look in his eye at the mere mention of diced pickles being in the casserole – not that he’s not a pickle lover, but yes ….a little odd to have it tossed into a warm casserole. That said, he was eager to grab a 2nd helping! And while he was going on and on about the pickles tasting great in the recipe, my daughter couldn’t get over the fact that it was in fact, cheese-less!
Casserole Fans
So if you’re like me and like getting a meal together in one pot or pan, this Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole is a perfect addition to your meal rotations. You also may want to check out my Mac’n’Zucchini casserole, which is also dairy free! I use macadamia nuts in this recipe, hence the ‘Mac’ and it really adds a creamy/nutty flavor, creating a very cheesy feeling. Yep, macadamia nuts are a little pricier but it really is well worth the expense once you sink your teeth into it. Macadamia nuts are also one of the healthiest nuts you can eat. Here are some of the benefits according to Natural Food Series
- Prevents Heart Related Diseases
- Lowers Cholesterol
- Improves Brain and Nervous System
- Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
- Inhibits Inflammation and Arthritis
- Improves Vision
- Strengthens Bones
- Prevents Atherosclerosis
While this Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole doesn’t use the macadamia nut, it does give you all the creaminess by way of the cashew nut. Thankfully nutritional yeast added to these nuts-turned-butter, create a delicious alternative to cheese, for those of us who don’t want to eat it or can’t tolerate it.
I know summer is coming to an end and many of you really experience winter weather so standing outside BBQing burgers isn’t an option. That’s where this Cheese-less Cheeseburger Casserole comes in! It gives you all the feels of comfort food by way of a hamburger/cheeseburger in a bowl!
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 cup cauliflower crumbles
- 1/2 cup diced onions
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1-2 pickles, diced*
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
- 1/4 cup cashew milk
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 eggs
- Pinch of salt
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large pan, cook the ground beef until nearly browned and crumbly. Add in garlic powder, salt & pepper.
- While that’s cooking up, make the sauce by whisking it all together in a small bowl.
- Add in cauliflower crumbles to the meat sauce, stirring to incorporate and leave for 5 minutes.
- Toss in diced tomatoes, pickles and onions. Then pour in the sauce and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish.
- Bake in 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Serve with shredded lettuce OR plop it between buns if you prefer!
- *I used two small pickles but one large will do!
