Tofu Spinach Breakfast Casserole

I’ve been absent the last six weeks. You can send me to detention or we can just start anew. I choose the latter, which is why I decided to introduce you to a breakfast item. Starting fresh makes me think of a new day, so we have to have breakfast!

I discovered this casserole over the holidays, then I altered the recipe from its original form, so that it would have a little more umph. I still serve mine with Tabasco, but on its own, it’s damn tasty.

Tofu Spinach Breakfast Casserole (adapted from Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pkg. frozen spinach (10 oz.), thawed and squeezed dry
2-4 cloves garlic
2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. firm tofu (16 oz.), drained and crumbled
4 patties soy sausage, thawed if frozen and crumbled
3 cups unsweetened almond milk or other unsweetened dairy-free milk
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. fresh dill
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
6-8 slices sourdough bread

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft and no liquid remains, about 15 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the spinach, tofu, soy sausage, 1 cup of the almond milk, mustard, dill, cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well, then blend in the onion/mushroom mixture and the remaining 2 cups of almond milk. Set aside.

Tear the bread into chunks or bite-sized pieces and place in a lightly-oiled 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour the spinach mixture over the bread, spreading it out evenly. Either set aside until the liquid is absorbed (30-60 minutes) or refrigerate overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, bring back to room temperature before baking.)*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until lightly browned and puffed, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares.

*I’ve tried it both ways; my preference is overnight refrigeration. If I recall, I brought it out, let it sit for about 30-45 minutes, then put it in the oven right when I turned it on, so that it pre-heated along with the oven. Perfect!