Fall Tortellini Casserole with Caramelized Onions

As soon as summer starts winding down, we're secretly dreaming of hearty pasta casseroles that warm us right up. Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food for us, but we love a little twist too — special ingredients or a fun pasta shape. Back in our early vegan years, we used to eye store-bought tortellini enviously, since they only came filled with meat or cheese. Thankfully, that's long behind us, and more and more vegan varieties are popping up on the shelves.

Today, we're taking them on a little imaginary fall stroll through France. The result: our tortellini casserole in French onion style, with a creamy sauce, caramelized onions, smoked tofu, and a crunchy fried onion crust.

What Does French Onion Style Mean?
Our casserole is named after the classic French onion soup. We slowly sauté three onions over low heat until they turn beautifully golden, sweet, and mellow. Patience really pays off here! Together with dried or fresh thyme, vegan cream, and a splash of vegetable stock, that's what becomes the base of our sauce. The smoked tofu cubes take on the role of the bacon from the original and add a bit of savory depth. Then all that's left is to add the tortellini — and just like that, fall couldn't taste any better.

Where Can I Get Vegan Tortellini?
What would a tortellini casserole be without tortellini! But where do you even find the vegan versions if you don't happen to live in a big city? For this casserole, we recommend the vegan pumpkin-apple tortellini by D'Angelo — their light sweetness pairs wonderfully with the hearty onions, the creamy sauce, and the savory tofu. D'Angelo specializes in vegan and vegetarian filled pasta made entirely organically and with gentle production methods. We especially love that the pasta can be stored unrefrigerated for 12 months, so it's always on hand for a quick lunch or dinner. And since we know not all of you live in vegan heaven Berlin: you can easily order tortellini, ravioli, and more online in the D'Angelo online store and have it delivered right to your door.

How Do I Get My Crust Nice and Crunchy?
A creamy casserole is great and all, but a little crunch makes it even better. So we treat our vegan tortellini casserole to a crust of shredded cheese, crispy fried onions, plus a small amount of panko breadcrumbs. If you don't have the latter on hand, regular breadcrumbs work just as well. A drizzle of olive oil on top, then under the broiler it goes. That's how the topping turns beautifully golden brown and crispy, no complicated tricks required.

Craving More Vegan Casserole Coziness?
Then be sure to check out our vegan mac'n'cheese casserole with peas and ham, our vegan mushroom croquette casserole, or our vegan potato casserole with plant-based mince.