This creamy vegetable casserole, also called a vegetable bake or cheesy veg bake, starts on the stove, then bakes in a 9×13 pan or ramekins with a golden, crispy topping. Easy, budget-friendly comfort food for any night.

Creamy Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Topping

This bake is what happens when you toss a bunch of everyday veg into a pan and let them do their thing. I used carrots, potatoes, butternut, zucchini, onion, and bell pepper, but really, just grab what’s in your veggie drawer.

Once the vegetables are tender, I cheat my way into a creamy sauce by stirring in flour, hot water, cream, and a bit of cheese. No whisking. No extra pot. Just one pan bubbling into creamy goodness.

Finished it off with a light layer of cheesy crumbs so that filling can peek through. (Double the crumb if you’re feeling crunchy, no judgement 😉)

How to make Creamy Vegetable Casserole

These are the visual steps. For the full recipe with exact measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post

Breadcrumbs, flour, cheese, and herbs mixed in a bowl, then crumbled by hand into a coarse topping for the vegetable casserole

Combine breadcrumbs, flour, shredded cheese, and herbs in a small bowl.
Use a fork or your fingers to mix into a light, crumbly topping. Set aside.

Breadcrumbs: Regular dried breadcrumbs or panko both work. For a softer topping, use regular. For extra crispiness, go with panko.

Chopped vegetables sautéed in butter and oil, then coated with flour to start the base of the creamy casserole

Cook the chopped vegetables in butter and oil until almost tender. Season with garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Remove from the heat, sprinkle with flour and stir to coat.

Vegetable swaps: You can use mushrooms, broccoli, or frozen mixed vegetables instead of any of the recipe.

Water and cream added to flour-coated vegetables, creating a smooth and rich sauce in the same pan.

Place the pan back on the heat and pour in the hot water, stirring to combine with the flour.
Pour in the cream, stirring as you go. This blends with the flour to create a smooth, creamy sauce right in the pan.

What cream to use

Use heavy cream, double cream, or pure cream, depending on what it’s called where you live.

United States: Look for heavy cream (about 36–38% fat).
United Kingdom: Use double cream (similar fat content to heavy cream).
Australia: Pure cream works well (typically 35% fat with no thickeners).
Avoid light or reduced-fat cream, as the sauce may split or turn watery.

Cheese stirred into the hot pan, melting into a creamy vegetable mixture with a thick, luscious texture

Stir in shredded cheese.
Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes until thick and creamy.

Cheese options: Cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or any good melting cheese works well.

Vegetable mixture spooned into ramekins and sprinkled with cheesy crumb topping, ready to bake until golden and crisp.

Spoon the creamy vegetable mixture into ramekins, filling each about ¾ full, or transfer to a baking dish if making a single large casserole.
Top with a light layer of the crumb topping, and bake until golden and crisp. Serve warm.

Pan size note

This recipe makes enough to fill 7–8 ramekins (1-cup size) or a 6-cup (1.5-liter) baking dish, such as an 8×6-inch (24×15 cm) pan.
If you're baking it in a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan, double the recipe for best results. Otherwise, the filling layer will be too shallow and may overcook.

Storage and reheating

Fridge: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Warm in the oven at 160°C (325°F) until heated through, or microwave until warmed through.
Freezing: This casserole can be frozen before baking. Wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 10–15 minutes to the baking time.

Recipe