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Ninja-Fied King Ranch Casserole

Wicked Healthy

Say hello to our Ninja-fied King Ranch Casserole, with green chile cashew queso, black beans, jalapeño, salsa & herbage … our healthy spin on a southwestern classic!

Ingredients

  1. FOR THE GREEN CHILE CASHEW QUESO:
  2. 2 Cups / 200g butternut squash, raw
  3. 1.5 Cups / 150g raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour and drained
  4. 18-10 Garlic cloves
  5. 1 Tbsp coarse salt
  6. 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
  7. 1 Tbsp white miso, heaping
  8. 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  9. 1 tsp cumin
  10. 1 tsp chilli powder
  11. 1/4 tsp white pepper
  12. 1/2 sliced jalapeño (red or green)
  13. 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  14. 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  15. 3/4 Cup / 180ml almond milk
  16. 1/4 Cup / 50g canned vegan chilli
  17. FOR THE CASSEROLE:
  18. 12 corn tortillas, cut in half
  19. 1 bunch Swiss chard, washed, rinsed and chopped
  20. 1 tin diced tomatoes
  21. 1 medium onion, diced
  22. Large bunch of chopped parsley, lightly packed
  23. 2 Cups / 400g black beans, cooked
  24. 1 avocado, sliced
  25. 1 Cup / 200g crumbled or roughly chopped tortilla chips
  26. FOR THE SALSA PICO:
  27. 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  28. 1 small red onion, diced
  29. 1 jalapeño, seeds removed, rinsed and diced
  30. 1 lime, juiced
  31. Small handful of chopped cilantro, lightly packed
  32. 1/2 tsp coarse salt
  33. TO GARNISH:
  34. Small bunch of picked cilantro leaves, lightly packed
  35. sliced jalapeño
  36. lime wedges
  37. TO SERVE:
  38. Cooked brown rice (for the side, if desired)
  39. extra tortillas and chips
  40. hot sauce (we always have plenty on the table)

Preparation

Serves 4 or more

 

Method

To make the Green Chile Cashew Cheeze

  • In a small saucepan, add butternut squash, cashews, garlic and 1 tablespoon salt. Cover with water and bring to a slow boil over a medium-high heat for 10 minutes until butternut is completely cooked. Remove from heat to cool, drain and add mixture to a high-speed blender.
  • Add in remaining ingredients (except the chilli) and blend for 3-4 minutes until wicked smooth, then add the chilli and pulse for 5 seconds to incorporate but still leave it chunky.

When you are ready to assemble the casserole

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Lightly but evenly spray a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with oil. Layer 1/3 of the tortillas in the bottom, then top with 1/3 of the chopped chard. Combine the tomatoes, onion and parsley and layer 1/3 of that mixture, 1/4 of the green chile cashew cheeze, 1/3 of the black beans and 1/3 sliced avocado, so it’s evenly distributed. Repeat process two more times. Evenly add remaining Cashew Cream to the top and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until bubbly and golden brown. Add the crumbled tortilla chips on the top and bake for an additional 5 minutes, keeping an eye on it to ensure they just turn slightly golden and do not burn.
  • While the casserole is baking, make the salsa pico by gently mixing all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Once bake time is done, remove casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

To serve

  • Top with a few tablespoons of the fresh Salsa Pico (save some for the side) fresh cilantro, jalapeño, lime wedge and brown rice, tortilla chips and hot sauce as desired.

Recipe courtesy of Wicked Healthy, for Veganuary

Imagery © Derek Sarno

Find more great-tasting recipes on the Wicked Healthy website here.

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