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Healthy Hash Brown Casserole
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5 from 20 votes

Healthy Hash Brown Casserole

Kale and chickpeas give this comfort food a nutritional boost and turn it from a side to a main dish, but if you want to make the more traditional side dish, see the notes at the end of the recipe.
Servings: 8
Calories: 230kcal
Author: Susan Voisin

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 cup plain sugar-free non-dairy milk
  • 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 cup raw cashews or 2 tablespoons tahini optional
  • 3 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons salt omit for low-sodium diets
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
  • black pepper to taste

Casserole

  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 12 ounces kale stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 16 ounces frozen Southern-style hash brown potatoes thawed (see notes below)
  • 1 15- ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a 11x9-inch baking dish.
  • Place sauce ingredients in blender and blend at high speed until smooth.
  • Heat a large, deep non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. (Add water by the tablespoon if needed to prevent sticking.) Stir in the garlic, kale, and 2 tablespoons of water; cover tightly. Cook, stirring every 60 seconds, until kale has wilted to about half its volume.
  • Add the sauce, hash browns, and chickpeas. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken.
  • Pour into prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until casserole is set (no longer liquid in the middle), 10-15 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

To make a more traditional style casserole, leave out the kale and chickpeas and use a 32-ounce package of hash browns instead.
Be sure to buy diced hash browns with no oil added. They should contain about 70 calories and no fat per serving. If they aren't available, peel and cut regular potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes.
Nutrition, per serving, without cashews or tahini: 209 calories, 21 calories from fat, 2.6g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 489.6mg sodium, 764.1mg potassium, 37.3g carbohydrates, 8g fiber, less than 1g sugar, 13g protein.