Ninja-Fied King Ranch Casserole

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!

Recipe courtesy of Wicked Healthy, for Veganuary
Imagery © Derek Sarno
Find more great-tasting recipes on the Wicked Healthy website.

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.