Paradise Casserole, adapted from Candle Cafe.

Vegetarian Candle Café in NYC is well known for its creative takes on cuisine, and recently published a cookbook for hungry fans. The Paradise Casserole has been featured on other sites, which piqued my interest. There are a couple variations circulating for this appealing ‘casserole’, so I tried my hand at it, and was pleasantly surprised. Though I am often hesitant to make anything that is blatantly a casserole, I then remember the ‘casseroles’ in the world that I love: lasagna, enchiladas, tortilla.


I wasn’t sure what direction to go in terms of the flavors. I frequently make burritos that include sweet potatoes and black beans, so I wondered if I should serve it with a salsa and go for a Southwest infusion. According to the Candle Cafe menu, the Paradise Casserole is served with ‘country gravy’. I decided to try it according to their suggestion, but experimented with the spices a bit.


I have given approximate measurements for the spices I used, but I think the joy of a recipe like this is the opportunity to really experiment with the flavors. As long as the structure is in place and the ingredients are of good quality, there isn’t much to worry about, just season how you prefer.


This recipe may seem like it has a lot of components, but they can be made simultaneously and are all very simple to do.


Here is a screen shot of the Candle Cafe’s website showing the Paradise Casserole:

Paradise Casserole, adapted slightly by me


4 Large sweet potatoes (if you would like a thinner layer of potatoes, use 3)
2 Tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or use 1 Tablespoon Tamari (to taste)
2 Tablespoons milk, or non-dairy liquid for mashing sweet potatoes (to taste)
2 cups cooked black beans (you could also get away with the approximate 1.5 cup yield from a can, depends on your preference)
Dried spices: rubbed sage, Mexican oregano, cumin, thyme, ground celery seed, ground rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter (optional)
Salt & Pepper
1 cup dry millet
4 cups of vegetable broth, or 4 cups of water + 1 Rapunzel bouillon cube
Oil for pan
8 inch square glass pan, or equivalent volume baking pan (This would be nice in a pie or quiche pan)

Click here for the rest of the recipe…

I served this with the infamous kale chips, a basic brown gravy, and sauteed mushrooms with garlic. For the gravy, I used cornstarch for the thickener, and seasoned it with ‘poultry’ type spices (similar to seasonings used for beans), and some Bragg’s Aminos for color.

I would like to experiment with a different sauce…Maybe something with Mascarpone and sage? Red pepper? Roasted tomato? I definitely liked it with the classic gravy, and it reminded me of Thanksgiving, but I am curious how it would take to other sauces. Also, a crunchy topping might be interesting; pecans? Butter browned walnuts?

We’ll see how this recipe evolves, but it is nice to have something around that packs a lot of nutrition and can be baked in a single dish, even if I don’t readily admit to its ‘casserole’ classification.