Packed with veggies in a rich and spicy tomato and gochujang sauce, topped with cheesy hash browns and baked to crispy perfection this spicy hash brown bake is easy, hearty and warming comfort food.

If you’re tired of the same old comfort food routine, let me introduce you to the spicy hash brown bake you didn’t know you needed. This isn’t your average “throw it in the oven and hope for the best” dish. We’re talking sautéed onion, savoy cabbage, bell peppers, parsnips, aubergine, and garlic, all cozying up in a rich tomato gochujang sauce. And just when you think it can’t get any better, it’s crowned with hash browns and vegan cheese, then baked to crispy, golden perfection. Ideal for busy weeknights or when you want to impress without breaking a sweat. Bonus: it’s perfect for batch cooking!

How to make this vegan bake

You’ll want to prep all the veggies first. Peel and finely dice the onion and finely shred the cabbage. Dice the pepper and peel and dice the parsnips (discard the woody core). Dice the aubergine and peel and finely dice or crush the garlic.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion, cabbage, pepper and parsnip for 8-10 minutes until just starting to soften and caramelise.

Stir in the garlic and aubergine followed by the lemon juice, Gochujang paste, tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock/broth. Bubble gently for 15-20 minutes until the veg is tender.

Stir in the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. If you’re batch cooking this allow to cool then put into airtight containers and chill or freeze.

To make the hash brown bake

Tip the Gochujang vegetables into a deep sided baking dish, add the capers and frozen peas and stir together. Arrange the frozen hash browns over the top so that they roughly cover most of it. Scatter over the vegan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until crisp, golden and bubbling.

Storing leftovers

This spicy hash brown bake is best eaten immediately after baking but if you do have leftovers cool completely before chilling. Reheat in the oven – the hash browns will go a little soft and won’t crisp back up if warmed in the microwave.

If you’re cooking for one, the spicy vegetables can all be batch cooked in advance and chilled or frozen until ready to use (defrost the sauce before baking though). I also really recommend using a smaller dish and baking with the hash browns as an individual portion.

Looking for even more easy vegan recipes with extra spice? Try these:

Spicy India Cauliflower Curry

Buffalo Broccoli Bites

Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry

Spicy Peanut Noodles

If you make this Spicy Hash Brown Bake or any of the recipes from The Cook & Him I’d LOVE to see! Just snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #thecookandhim and tagging @thecookandhim in the photo itself (as this guarantees I’ll see your picture!)

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