This healthy plant-based Spicy Vegan Italian Cucuzza Squash Casserole Bake is an easy savory recipe that’s ready in under 30 minutes and is perfect for a Meatless Monday meal! It’s a casserole made with fresh garden vegetables and is a comfort meal everyone will love! { Plant-Based | Vegan | Dairy-Free | Soy-Free | Nut-Free }
Peel and dice the squash, then dice the onions, tomatoes, and jalapeno.
Slice the sausage into thin pieces.
Prepare the casserole:
Add all the ingredients for the casserole to a non-toxic skillet and saute on medium-low heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the onions and cucuzza are soft.
Remove from heat and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Add the add-ins (vegan sausage, tomatoes, and mozzarella shredded cheese) to the baking dish and stir until everything is well combined.
Sprinkle the mozzarella shredded cheese topping evenly over the top of the casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and golden.
Store in an air-tight BPA-free container.
Notes
Cucuzza: Cucuzza is a member of the squash family so if you can't find any fresh cucuzza you can substitute with peeled and cubed organic yellow squash or even organic zucchini.Onions: I like to use white onions in this recipe but you can use your favorite variety, except sweet onions, which I wouldn't recommend.Tomatoes: If you don't have fresh tomatoes on hand or want to save a little time, you can use (1) cup of organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14.5-ounce can) as a substitute.Avocado Oil: Can be substituted with organic extra-virgin olive oil.Jalapeno + Red Pepper Flakes: I added this to make the recipe spicy, but if you don't like spicy food or will be serving this dish to children, you can reduce the amounts of each or omit."Field Roast" Vegan Sausage: Can be substituted with your favorite vegan sausage. Note that "Field Roast" Vegan sausage is not gluten-free so if you need the recipe to be gluten-free, make sure you use a gluten-free vegan sausage. In addition, if you do not need the recipe to be vegan, you can use Italian Sausage as a substitute.Vegan Shredded Cheese: You can use your favorite vegan shredded cheese. The vegan brand "Daiya" brand does not contain soy, nuts, and is gluten-free. In addition, if you do not need the recipe to be vegan, you can use regular dairy shredded mozzarella cheese as a substitute.Optional Garnish: You can sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top as a garnish before serving. Another option is to sprinkle regular or gluten-free bread crumbs over the top before baking.