Nothing’s better than a warm-bellied comfort dish during the colder months. This homemade winter veggie casserole is no different. Served fresh out of the oven, it’s guaranteed to cure your winter blues. 

Check out this simple, versatile and zero waste recipe that you can interchange with different seasonal vegetables you’ve got lying around the house. 

Psst–here’s a secret. Stay tuned ‘til the very end to pick up on a few tips and tricks on how to accelerate your casserole game from 0-100. 

What have you got to lose? 

Ingredients

• ½ turnip or rutabaga (your choice) 
• 3 carrots
• 2 parsnips 
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1½ tsps salt (divided) 
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ package cream cheese 
• ½ panko or breadcrumbs

Instructions 

1. Peel your vegetables and cut them into cubes or small chunks. 
2. Combine them in a large pot with 1 teaspoon of salt, cover the top and bring to a boil. Cook the veggies until soft enough to pierce through with a fork, checking in on them regularly.
3. Drain your vegetables with a strainer, then put them back in the pot.
4. Use a potato masher or any flat kitchen tool to mash the vegetables into a creamy texture. Add butter, cream cheese and half a teaspoon of salt. Mix well until the batter has a thicker consistency to your liking.
5. Scoop the mixture, flatten it into a deep dish and preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with panko crumbs and bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown for the last few minutes on broil.
7. Serve hot and enjoy! 

5 helpful tips 

#1: Depending on what veggies you have at home, use them interchangeably to make your casserole.

#2: Chop the veggies into sizes based on how well they cook. For example, sweet potatoes cook better in slightly bigger chunks and turnips tend to cook faster in smaller pieces. 

#3: Save your broth once you’ve strained the vegetables for a delicious soup. 

#4: Keep leftovers and store them in the freezer, it’ll keep the casserole fresh! 

#5: Support your local agriculture, use the FoodHero app, and prioritize using up winter produce for this recipe—or add your own twist by adding seasonal vegetables like leeks, garlic, squash, potatoes, onions or beets. 

Favour these unique seasonal recipes and want to stay in the loop for more? Stay tuned for regular posts on the FoodHero blog and install the mobile app for major discounts on your groceries!