Description
A creamy vegetable bake featuring a colorful medley of veggies cooked in a rich white sauce, topped with crispy, cheesy breadcrumbs for a deliciously comforting vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 1 tbsp oil
- 225 g (~ 2 cups) frozen sliced peppers (or 3 fresh bell peppers, sliced or diced)
- 100 g (~ 1 cup) frozen sweetcorn
- 100 g (~ 1 cup) frozen peas
- 1/2 small head broccoli (or ~ 2 cups prepared broccoli)
- ~ 6 medium mushrooms, sliced or diced
Sauce
- 35 g (~ 2 1/2 tbsp) butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp plain flour
- 250 ml (~ 1 cup) milk
- 250 ml (~ 1 cup) vegetable stock
- Black pepper, to taste
- Salt, optional
Topping
- 75 g cheddar cheese, grated (~ 3/4 cup when grated)
- 50 g (~ 1/3 cup) fine breadcrumbs (shop-bought)
- Spray oil, to lightly coat the topping
Instructions
- Cook the Vegetables: Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add all the vegetables. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until almost fully cooked. For harder vegetables like carrots or potatoes, parboil before adding to the pan.
- Prepare the White Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour to form a paste, cooking for about a minute while stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk in small increments, stirring continuously until smooth before adding more. Then slowly add vegetable stock, stirring until combined and smooth.
- Combine Sauce and Vegetables: Pour the white sauce into the pan containing the cooked vegetables. Mix thoroughly and season with black pepper and salt if needed, keeping in mind the saltiness of the stock.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the creamy vegetable mixture into a baking dish approximately 9 x 7 inches in size, spreading evenly.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese and fine breadcrumbs evenly over the vegetable mixture. Lightly spray the topping with oil to help it crisp during baking.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, Gas Mark 5). Bake the dish for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are piping hot and the topping has turned golden and crisp.
Notes
- You can substitute or add other vegetables as desired; just ensure harder vegetables are parboiled before cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Adjust seasoning carefully as the vegetable stock may be salty.
- For a dairy-free variation, use plant-based milk and butter substitutes and a suitable cheese alternative.
