Vegan Zucchini Gratin

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Cast-iron skillet filled with Vegan Zucchini Gratin

When you hear the word ‘gratin,’ what do you think? Cheesy, breadcrumb-laden goodness made of 10% vegetables and 90% butter? Yeah, me too. That’s why my taste buds are usually drawn to this comforting dish but my stomach is turned away.

However, I’ve been thinking of a way to vegan-ize gratin while keeping it simple, natural, flavorful, and gluten-free. No easy task, but I think I’ve cracked the code.

Making Vegan Cashew Parmesan in a food processor

The magic starts with vegan parmesan cheese. Have you tried it?

Dairy-free and vegan friends, if you haven’t you are simply missing out on fairy dust GOLD. Trust me, I have loved parmesan for years. I used to put it on my eggs at breakfast, my soup at lunch, and my potatoes and salads at dinner. Don’t get me started on how much I put on my pizza. I adore its salty, slightly dry goodness on anything and everything, and have a discerning tongue for how it should taste.

Considering this, I had low expectations for how this vegan version would perform.

Food processor filled with Vegan Parmesan Cheese

This – 4 ingredient wonder bomb – actually tastes like parmesan and acts like it in cooking, too!

While it won’t melt into pasta sauces and other hot dishes, it will absolutely toast up and get a nice color. And the most important part, the taste is spot on. If you haven’t tried vegan parm, get some in your life.

Small bowl of Parmesan Vegan Cheese

One last note, nutritional yeast is a wonder food if you haven’t already heard. It’s high in folic acid, contains 9 grams of protein per 2 Tablespoons – that’s more than an egg! – , contains 3 grams of fiber per serving, and boasts an entire day’s worth of Vitamin B-12 (crucial for red blood cell production) in just 1 Tablespoon. I mean, c’mon. And it tastes like cheese? I mean…

So even if you aren’t vegan or dairy free, you should consider incorporating even a little bit of nutritional yeast into your daily diet.

Close up shot of finely crumbled Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Once you have your parm ready, move onto your veggies. I opted for yellow and zucchini squash as a base and asparagus for accent because it’s just so beautiful (and cheap!) this time of year. Oh asparagus, I could paint you you’re so pretty.

Fresh asparagus spears for making Vegan Asparagus Gratin
Freshly sliced zucchini and yellow squash rounds for making Zucchini Gratin

The other veggie in the mix is onion, which I sauteed to make a nice savory “crust” or base for the asparagus and zucchini to nestle on. This replaces the need for breadcrumbs, puff pastry or pie crust which some veggie tarts require, keeping things light, natural and veggie-focused just the way my body likes it.

Cast iron skillet filled with caramelized onions for zucchini gratin
Cast-iron skillet filled with beautiful Vegan Zucchini Asparagus Gratin

Once the onions are sauteed, simply toss your veggies in a bit of olive oil and arrange them in a pretty pattern on top. It doesn’t have to be perfect.  In fact, it shouldn’t be. Just put them in a pattern that makes you happy.

Sprinkling Vegan Parmesan Cheese onto Zucchini Asparagus Gratin

Then, the fun part. Top that baby with loads of vegan parm. I mean LOADS. Do your thang girl.

Cast-iron skillet filled with our easy and healthy Vegan Zucchini Gratin recipe
Skillet of Vegan Zucchini Gratin with a wedge removed

Then bake bake bake until golden brown and toasty. You guys are gonna love this dish. It’s:

Light
Flavorful
Packed with veggies
Entirely guilt-free
Perfectly ‘cheesy’
Super satisfying
& Lovely for spring and summer

In my opinion, it’s just what we need to get us past the last of these icky winter days and into warmer weather. Cheers!

Skillet filled with delicious Vegan Parmesan Gratin alongside ingredients used to make it
Plate of Asparagus Zucchini Gratin for a delicious vegan spring meal

Vegan Zucchini Gratin

10-ingredient vegan, gluten-free gratin loaded with zucchini, asparagus, and onion. So easy, quick, and delicious.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Sprinkling vegan parmesan cheese onto a skillet of Zucchini Gratin
4.95 from 118 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4
Course Entrée, Side
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? 2-3 Days

Ingredients

For the Vegan Parmesan Cheese:

For the Gratin:

  • 2 medium zucchini squash (sliced in thin rounds // I used 1 zucchini, 1 yellow)
  • 1 small bundle asparagus
  • 1/2 medium yellow or white onion (cut into thin rings)
  • 1 pinch each sea salt and black pepper
  • 3/4-1 cup vegan Parmesan cheese
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

  • Prepare vegan parmesan cheese by whirling all ingredients together in a food processor or blender until a fine meal or powder is formed. Don’t over-process or it will begin to get clumpy. Set aside. Will keep covered in the fridge for about a month.
  • In a 10-inch cast iron or oven safe skillet, sauté onion in 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) over medium-low heat until soft – about 10 minutes – seasoning with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C).
  • Slice squash into very thin slices, about 1/8th-inch thick (see photo). Use mandolin if you have one, or just a sharp knife.
  • Cup off the top 2-3 inches of the asparagus. That’s the only part you’ll be using. Save the rest for another dish. Carefully split the top portion in half so it nestles into the gratin better (optional).
  • Add asparagus and squash to a mixing bowl and top with remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, 3/4 tsp salt, pinch of black pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder (optional), and 2 Tbsp of the vegan parmesan cheese (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Toss to coat.
  • Spread the slightly cooled onions around in the bottom of the skillet to create an even base. Top with squash, layering green and yellow as you go (if you did two colors). It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just start on the outside and work your way in, keeping them in line as much as possible. Once the squash is arranged, tuck pieces of the asparagus into the layers in a circular motion (see photo).
  • Top with an even layer of the vegan parmesan cheese (~3/4 cup // as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and bake at 400 degrees F (204 C) for 30 minutes. Then broil on high for the last 1-2 minutes to toast up the top (optional, but recommended). Watch closely as it can burn quickly. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
  • This makes an excellent side dish, brunch item, or light lunch or dinner when accompanied with a protein, such as hummus, chickpea salad, or scrambled or fried eggs if not vegan. Reheats well in the microwave or the oven.

Notes

*Parmesan recipe adapted from Veggieful
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 3/4 cup nutritional yeast per 4 servings.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 381 Carbohydrates: 22.9 g Protein: 15.3 g Fat: 27.8 g Saturated Fat: 4.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 561 mg Potassium: 787 mg Fiber: 5.9 g Sugar: 6 g Vitamin A: 200 IU Vitamin C: 28.9 mg Calcium: 60 mg Iron: 4 mg

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  1. Andrea says

    I brought this to our family Easter dinner. The only change I made was I added a little lemon zest. I didn’t tell anyone it was vegan parmesan. Everyone loved it. I am on the beginning of my path to plant based and tend to get push back and this was a WIN!! Thank you for all your hard work on this recipe. Your web site is a huge help for me.

  2. Jane says

    Delicious! I used crimini mushrooms instead of asparagus and threw it in the pan, not so pretty, but super tasty! I was pleasantly surprised at how good the vegan parm was!

  3. Cindy Parent says

    Your recipes are usable even for white-trash, living in the middle of nowhere vegan-wanna-be’s like me. Thank you. Looks in my fridge, finds five ingredients, looks on your site and finds one using three. ;P *left out the fancy-pants asparagus and subbed some zucchini*.

  4. Leona says

    I made it for Thanksgiving and it was a hit! Even my daughter who doesn’t like to eat vegetables, tried it and loved it. Now she asks me regularly, when are you making the zucchini dish? It is absolutely delicious and, like you said “guilt free.”
    Thanks, Dana! This is my favorite website for vegan and gluten free recipes. I have tried many of recipes, some I have adopted for good! I don’t always rate but I want to say Congratulations, you are an expert!

  5. Sara says

    Hello! I’ve been looking for a vegan cheese recipe, and this looks great… But I’m allergic to cashews and other tree nuts. Is there a way to make this with peanuts/no nuts??

    Thanks!

  6. Jennifer Davenport-Medders says

    This is so ridiculously good. I know it’s meant for a summer dish, but I’m making it for Thanksgiving next week, and I did a test run of it today to see how it would turn out. I almost ate it all with my fingers right out of the oven… This is amazing.

  7. Megan says

    I made a double batch of this last year for Thanksgiving and baked it in a 9×13 pan. It was outstanding, beautiful, and enjoyed by everyone! So rich and delicious and healthful at the same time! I gave away my printed copy to a guest so I came looking to reprint. So sad that I haven’t made this in almost a year! It’s been haunting my dreams lol! This Thanksgiving it will be a quadruple batch.

  8. Alysa says

    This was just BEYOND! I could honestly live off of this dish. I have used purple cauliflower instead of the asparagus and it has been equally as good.

    Is also a huge hit with my non-vegan friends who continue to request this dish when have dinners together!

  9. Sue Gilmore says

    I’m out of asparagus. Any suggestions for a substitute? I have soooo much zucchini, I would so love to try this! It looks yumm-licious!

  10. Karl says

    OMG in so many ways!!!
    Who knew aspa ANd squash went so well together?!
    And the parm cheese recipe is delicious!!!
    Skipped the strp where you toss veg with cheese. I just dumped it all on top and it turned out well.
    YUm!

  11. Angela Smith says

    This was so good, even better than I expected, the vegan Parm is amazing and will definitely be using in other recipes! I subbed green beans for asparagus because that is what I had, and used onion powder for the onion, and added some breadcrumbs… my whole family loved it! It’s a great way to use up summer zucchini!

  12. Lisa says

    We’re not vegan but when i made this dish it vanished in a second. If you have not tried it, now is a great time. I’m about to make it again tonight.

  13. Heather says

    This recipe is totally amazing! My husband and I absolutely loved it! Such a small number of ingredients but such a huge amount of flavor. Thank you for this recipe…it has quickly become a favorite go to lunch for us.

  14. Mariel says

    I love this recipe, it’s very simple and full of flavor. This recipe goes great paired with quinoa. I like mixing the quinoa in with the veggies. As quinoa can be a little plain, mixing it together gave the quinoa a lot flavor!

  15. linda Hamilton says

    Hello,
    I just made this recipe for dinner and added quinoa on the side. This was a super delicious
    recipe and the best part was that it was simple to make. I love you and thank you for your recipes.

    .

  16. Laura says

    I have made this sevsral times, love it! I however have used mushrooms instead of the asparagus. Since my husband is not vegan and has had issues with cashews, I jyst use the nutritional yeast and put the “parm” on my servings.

  17. John Coburn says

    This dish was incredible. I am new to cooking and only cook plant-based, usually vegan. My partner is a super picky eater and not at all interested in most of what I make. So, I make these dishes as alternatives and try to see if he will eat them. He loved this! But, he only got one serving because I ate the rest!

  18. C.R.W. says

    This stuff is delicious. I did not use onions because they make me sick. So, I used a very small amount of shallots. My kids and I devoured the whole pan in literally under 10 minutes…and I packed in more squash and asparagus than was called for, lol. The vegan parm is one of my new favorite things. It could go on anything.

  19. Julia P says

    Yup, this recipe rocks. Super easy and delicious! I didn’t have any asparagus but it was so tasty with just the green and yellow squash. I’m definitely going to be bringing this recipe to my next potluck and impressing all my friends!!

  20. paul chris says

    5 star ratings for this post, its just so awesome. This is one creamy recipe i just can not ignore… Great tips, keep up the great work :)

    My mum wont let me rest every saturday when she is home, always asking me to make something new, and guess what? This is my secret place haha

  21. Anonymous says

    I’ve made this several times and have many non-vegans rave about it. I sometimes substitute sliced brussels sprouts in place of asparagus. It gives an amazing buttery texture.

  22. Tania says

    Omg! I made this today for lunch minus the asparagus because I forgot to pick them up during my grocery run and it was absolutely amazing. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

  23. Kristin says

    I just made this Dana and I’ve never appreciated gratin as much as I did this time around. Simply amazing. Thank you for toiling away in the kitchen to inspire the rest of us!

  24. Kelly Macaulay says

    This was awesome. Both my omnivore husband and mother-in-law agreed, and my husband is ‘afraid’ of squash, lol. We all loved it and were amazed at how much flavor came from such simple ingredients. It was surprisingly filling too. I will make this again and again.

  25. Renee Davis says

    OMG, hot out of oven and smells wonderful. Of course I had a pinch of the parm and it’s delicious!! Didn’t have zucchini or asparagus so substituted all yellow squash with blanched frozen green beans and mini red bell peppers for color. Also used just 1-1/2 tbsp of rosemary infused olive oil and only 6 tbsp of the parm to cut calories and mostly to save more parm for later too! Lol! Thank you again for sharing your work! :-). Would have posted a photo but couldn’t figure how to do it.

  26. Kelly says

    I made this tonight as I was looking for something else to do with the abundance of squash we have from the garden right now. I subbed a baby eggplant for the zucchini as that is what I had. My husband and I ate the whole skillet-full! He said it’s the best dish I’ve ever made! This will be on the regular rotation for certain and I love that I can sub in different veggies like others did. Thanks!

  27. Nina says

    Made this last night. The “Parm” was AMAZING! Since I had no asparagus, I added 2 thinly sliced small red potatoes to the onions & stir fried them until browned & flavorful. Then I added the sliced zucchini & yellow squash with a generous topping of the Varmesan & popped it in the oven for 30 min according to your recipe. My husband & I couldn’t get enough. It was so delicious, I’m making it again tonight! (I happen to have another zucchini & yellow squash left!)

    Thank you for an amazing recipe!

    • Nina says

      One thing I forget to mention: instead of plain olive oil, I used chile garlic olive oil, which imparted a nice heat with a very subtle wisp of garlic. YUMMY!

  28. Adam says

    I an my partner visit your site for recipes frequently and this has to be one of the absolute best we’ve yet tried. Thank you for this. Thank you.

  29. Naomi says

    I just made this and it was my first experience with vegan Parm. Oh my word, that stuff is delicious! And I baked the dish probably more like 40 or 45 minutes since I love my squash uber soft, so the edges were getting really brown and the tips of the asparagus on the edges got crispy and brown and kind of chewy (not in a bad way). Squash has always been my very favorite summer vegetable, but my fave way to cook it was fried. This may be my new go-to recipe to replace that. I’m in love – thank you!

  30. MSmith says

    Just made a Vegan Pizza using this cheese recipe. It was the bomb! Can’t wait to try it in this recipe. Thanks a million!

  31. Oran says

    This came out incredible and I don’t really like squash! I replaced the asparagus (which is very expensive where I live) with large mushrooms. I just washed, sliced and placed them in the same circular fashion. Not as colorful, but it was still a very impressive dish.

    I will forever be thankful to you for the vegan Parmesan recipe. I can’t believe how easy it is to make and so delicious on everything!
    Thanis. so much!

  32. Genevieve says

    Love this recipe!!!
    I make a version with eggplant and it is SO good :-)
    I also used the parmesan to top a vegan mac n’ cheese : just perfect!!!

  33. Latisha says

    I just made this dish on Saturday. I am transitioning to a whole food plant based diet. I had never heard of nutritional yeast before I read this recipe let alone vegan parmesan. My favorite part of the dish is the combination of the caramelized onions on the bottom with the squash. It was a little “hello there” to my taste buds. So delicious!

  34. Kirstyn says

    Just made this with zucchini and asparagus, so good! Had to remind myself to breathe between shoveling it into my mouth good. Looking forward to leftovers!

  35. Wendy says

    Really enjoyed this dish from Minimalist Baker w/ the onions and zucchini but had to omit the asparagus, as had none on hand. I have some eggplant & peppers. Can they be substituted for the asparagus next go around?

  36. Leah says

    This dish turned out exactly as advertised: light, satisfying, cheesy, chewy. I used the full parmesan recipe. It was so easy to make, and I’ve noted it for future dinners. Thank you!

  37. Toni says

    Summer squash with vegan parmisan was sooooo good and amazingly tasty, I couldn’t stop raving about it. As a new vegan this was the nearest thing to cheese I have tasted….who needs cheese.
    Love your recipes.

  38. James A Clark Jr says

    I am going to try this!! I am lactose intolerant.. love chesse but not the effects.. :) I can see how the nutritional yeast would bring the flavor with the garlic and the cashews for consistancy.. brilliant!

  39. Jessica says

    Just made this with an assortment of summer squash from my CSA. SO DELICIOUS. An incredible amount of flavor.

  40. Lea says

    Just made this from pinterest but didnt have asparagus. Its sooo tasty, but the onions are black and some are too hard to eat. I think next time ill just put them in raw, or saute them for 5 minutes instead of 10.

    Thanks! Also going to use the rest of the parmesan in my avocado pesto pasta sauce!

  41. Anna says

    So easy, and must be soooo delicious! I love nutritional yeast and I love cashews. It’s a perfect combination and I am definitely making this vegan parmesan. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Dana.

  42. Howie says

    alright, alright, aaaaalright! After reading all those raving comments I will make vegan parmesan this afternoon.

    Awesome looking dish!!

  43. Patricia says

    Hi, gotta question, I’m going to try the meatballs today and wanted to make the vegan Parmesan to go with them. I looked at the recipe and I believe the original recipe is with 3 ingredients. You say in the description 4 ingredients my question…is there a secret ingredient to make it even better?
    I’ve made vegan parm with almonds instead of cashews and it is also an amazing sub for cheese.

  44. Robin says

    Uh….YUM! I was in a hurry tonight and cheated a little. I did everything the same, but on half I added regular Parmesan for my husband and on the other half vegan Parmesan from the store for me. I will try the entire recipe another time, but may I say it was wonderful! This cooking method brought out all the flavors. I used half yellow squash/half zucchini. This will be a go-to recipe for me all next summer! I really have missed my unhealthy-indulgent saltine cracker, butter and cheddar cheese recipe from the old days and this is even better! Thank you!

  45. Laura says

    Wonderfully delicious!!
    Question, any suggestions/recipe ideas for the remaining part of the asparagus?

    Thanks again Dana for a terrific recipe.
    Love your site!

  46. Mary says

    WOW this recipe has become my FAVORITE vegan recipe that I’ve ever had and I’ve been vegan for a little over a year now. I make this about once a week and it is so delicious. Ever since becoming vegan I pretty much gave up cheese as I never found the fake cheese to be as good (and it’s so expensive!) but this reignited my love for cheese and was just the perfect flavor. This is the first comment I have ever left any blog – but I needed to voice how amazing this dish is. Thank you Thank you! I have tried and loved so many of your recipes. You never let me down!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ah, thanks Mary! That means so much. I literally carry vegan parmesan in my purse with me because I love putting it on everything! Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

  47. Carol Pearson says

    I’m still looking for the fourth ingredient. You mentioned there were four ingredients. Only find nutritional yeast, cashews and salt. That is 3.

  48. Sue Ann Jaffarian says

    Just when I thought being a half-assed vegan was boring, I discovered your site and your vegan parmesan cheese! I loved the cheese and this squash recipe and will be making it often and making extra for lunches. I like my veggies on the crunchy side so the next time I think I’ll cut down the baking time a bit. The most difficult part was making it look pretty, so in the future I’m just going to mix it all up and toss it into a baking pan, along with more asparagus.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks for sharing Sue! So glad you enjoyed this recipe. I have started putting vegan parmesan on EVERYTHING! I think I made a double batch and it’s gone in less than a few weeks!

  49. Melissa says

    Thank you so much for the parmesan recipe, it’s fantastic. I can’t believe I’ve done without it until now! I didn’t have cashews in the house so I used almond meal instead, but it still tastes great. I’ll have to try it with cashews next time.

  50. Allie says

    Will try this parmesan cheese! Looks tasty…
    There is also another vegan topping one can use on some pasta dishes–in Sicily, it was called the ‘poor man’s parmesan cheese’–toasted breadcrumbs (think panko mixed with EVOO and toasted or sauteed until brown.)
    It goes especially well with seafood pastas (still used in Sicilian cooking.)

  51. Deanna says

    I cannot find the Parmesan recipe. I see adapted from veggieful but the page is missing. Please give me the recipe. I have one I use but am always looking for improvements. Thank you

  52. Teresa says

    I just made this today and it was so, so delicious! The parmesan substitute is wonderful, and I think my favorite part of the whole dish is the onions, especially when they are all coated with parmesan. Thank you for the great recipe!

  53. Maegyn says

    This looks amazing! But then, all of your dishes do! Would the vegan Parm turn out okay with roasted cashews? Or are raw cashews preferable ?

  54. Nemitz beef jerky king says

    I would totally be eating it while taking pics too! It looks extremely good! Mmmm I really want to make that soon :)

  55. Christine. H. says

    I made this today for my hubby’s birthday party and EVERYONE loved it!! Even the guys who love their “meat & potatoes” raced about it. :-D. The only thing I did different with my vegan parmesan was I add almond meal because I could not find raw cashew near our town. It still turned delicious and I am excited about using this seasoning on it other pasta salad dishes. :-D. Well done, another big hit!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Wow, what a compliment! When meat-eating men love my dishes, that’s a major stamp of approval! Thanks for sharing, Christine! And happy birthday to your hubby :D

  56. Kim P says

    This is arguably one of the best dishes I’ve ever made! I halved the recipe because I was cooking for 2 people, but made the full portion of cheese. Glad I did because that stuff is great! It went on my tofu/spinach scramble this morning! Wonderful!!

  57. Cindy Grosskopf says

    I made the Zucchini Asparagus dish and I am madly in love with it. Even though it didn’t look quite as good as yours, I will definitely make it again and again!!!! Thank you!!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha! I meticulously layered mine which I wouldn’t have done if it weren’t for pictures! Glad you enjoyed this, Cindy :D

  58. DP Harrison says

    Dana, I will be cooking this recipe tonight! I don’t have cashews, can I use another nut?
    Thank you, I’ll let u know how it goes.
    Take care

  59. Emmanuelle says

    Just tried this recipe tonight (with regular parmesan though) and it was absolutely delicious! I also made the three color pasta last week and is was very tasteful! Thanks for your great recipes, Minimalist Baker ! :)

  60. Mariana says

    Hello Dana!

    I want to try this one, but I can’t find nutritional yeast over here (I live in Colombia, I’ve asked around and not even the healthy eating stores have it). Do you think I could replace it with brewers yeast?

    Thanks for your wonderful recipes!

  61. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    A healthy zucchini gratin? I am soo impressed right now. This is one of my favourite dishes and I’m so happy you healthified and veganified it in such a beautiful way! Very excited to try this recipe. And by the way, I am having major pan-envy for your gorgeous pan used in these photos! :D

  62. Katherine B says

    AHH that “parm” is my FAVORITE thing to sprinkle on stuff. But I usually just call it “my cashew crumbly stuff” so people don’t expect it to be… cheese. I’m surprised you think the taste is so similar! It’s really good with herbs de provence instead of garlic powder, too. :)

  63. Chelsie @ Chelsie Nicole Health Coaching says

    I have always done vegan parmesan as toasted sesame seeds, nutritional yeast and salt… I will have to try it with the cashews. Thanks for the suggestion!

    • Vicky says

      Just tried this vegan parm with cashews but am definitely intrigued by a sesame version as well! To be tackled next : ))

  64. Carole says

    Wow, this looks DELICIOUS!! I miss gratin so much, I can’t have wheat or dairy… however this dish looks SUPERB!! Totally making this for dinner next week :) Your recipes inspire me so much!!

  65. Lauren@sweetenough says

    Oh, I love the twist on a dish that I’ve never been a big fan of either. Think I may need to give this a go, especially as it has two of my fav vegies, zucchini and asparagus. Yum!

  66. Leigh says

    That’s a seriously beautiful faux gratin. I am definitely making this and soon. I haven’t had much luck with vegan parm but this recipe and your reco will have me try one more time… I want to like it. I really do. Here’s hoping! ;)

  67. Abby says

    I’m BLOWN AWAY by this concept. I want this and a fork and some me time (which is ridiculous because I also always want ice cream and me time).

    I’m going to try this out with some other veggies too… squash and zukes are not always my go-to. Sweet potatoes! Broccoli! Cauliflower!

  68. SUNNIE says

    This recipe is simply awesome. This one will be added to my favorites. A big thank you to the creator of this dish. My husband and I had this for dinner and he loved it as well he had two helpings and he is not vegan but I am.

  69. Allison says

    This is Fantastico! I made it tonight, my husband even said it was a keeper, and he’s not vegan. And a Double thanks for the perfect parmesan cheese recipe! !

  70. Annie says

    Parmesan was like mother’s milk in our house. My dad nearly disowned me when I went vegan – because we could no longer bond over the sacred Sprinkling of the Parm. Maybe I can lure him (partly anyway) over to the Dark Side with a little sneaky vegan version.

  71. Tess @ Tips on Healthy Living says

    Wow, it does look like fairy dust gold, and I bet it tastes just as magical. Thanks for the tip! I can’t wait to try this recipe.

  72. Katy says

    What a beautiful dish! I haven’t had much luck with vegan parm yet but I haven’t tried it with cashews. I can see how delicious it looks!

  73. Katie @ Produce on Parade says

    This is completely beautiful! I love your homemade parmesan cheese. That’s awesomeness. Nutritional yeast is my jam. I eat probably too much of the stuff, if that’s possible. Todd told me I should try to get distributor pricing on it, haha.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha! At this rate, I probably need to do the same. I’m putting it on/in everything these days!

      • Beth Hornback says

        Dana, do you have a good source to buy it in a bulk goods section there in KC? That is usually the most affordable option, but I speak as a northwestener where the availability of formerly-known-as-hippie-foods is much higher. :)

  74. Alanna says

    What a stunning dish. I could eat nutritional yeast by the spoonful, so I’m sure I’d love that vegan parm (hello, popcorn!!!). I can’t wait to make all of this, Dana! Thank you for sharing your beautiful recipes.

  75. rika@vm says

    I’m a huge fan of Parmela vegan parmesan (comes in spicy red, pesto and original), but it’s lovely you can make your own parmesan with the flavor you want! Comforting dishes like veggie gratin are gonna be in my stomach soon!

  76. Trisha says

    I nearly just fell out of my desk chair looking at the photos! YUM!
    Do you think adding some broccoli would work well? (hubby doesn’t like squash)
    Maybe lowering the temp so it doesn’t burn?
    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Broccoli? Hmmm, I do, but it doesn’t cook as quickly as zucchini does. I would suggest lowering the temp and thinly slicing and even blanching the broccoli beforehand so it doesn’t taste just browned but still raw. Hope that helps! Thanks for the kind words, Trisha!

  77. Abbie @ Needs Salt says

    This gratin looks so delicious! Chashew + Nutritional Yeast Parmesan sounds amazing. I love finding (homemade!) cheese alternatives, and this one is definitely going on my “must try” list!
    Pinning!

  78. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says

    That parm! It’s calling my name! also, those pictures are gorgeous (as usual), just saying : )

  79. Tammy says

    This is beautiful, and though I am not a vegetarian I am intrigued to try the parmesan! The ease of your recipes are so wonderful, as are your photos.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks Tammy! You always say the sweetest things. And I always feel you mean them. Hugs :D

  80. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

    Cashews + nooch = the best stuff ever. When I make kale chips, that, as well as some pulverized red peppers, all in a blender, is the best coating. I need to remember to stop before adding those and just do like you did here with the nuts and nooch and use as parm!

    So, so beautiful! Lovely food styling (and patience!) and so eye catching! pinned

  81. Maryea {happy healthy mama} says

    A zucchini gratin without cheese? I’m intrigued! You definitely have me pining for summer with this one.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Give it a go and let me know if you do, Maryea! I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised :D