Step 1

Soak the cashews. Start by soaking the cashews overnight in cold water. You can speed up the process by pouring boiling water over the cashews and letting them sit for 25-30 minutes.Drain them. Next, rinse the cashews and drain them well.

Step 2

Transfer the cashews to a blender. Transfer the soaked cashews to a high-speed blender. Note: you must use a blender for this recipe. A food processor would yield a very chunky texture.

Step 3

Add the remaining ingredients. To the blender, add the water, white wine, nutritional yeast, oil, white miso, sugar, onion powder, salt, and garlic.

Step 4

Blend until smooth. Blend on high speed for 40-60 seconds or until the sauce is completely smooth.

Step 5

Thicken the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a medium saucepan and add the tapioca starch. Heat it over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. This step will take approximately 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 6

Coat the rice with the sauce. Transfer the cooked rice and cheese sauce to a mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir to coat the rice with the sauce. Add the broccoli florets and stir to combine.

Step 7

Transfer to a baking dish. Transfer the rice and broccoli with the sauce to a 9x7-inch (23x18cm) oven-safe baking dish.

Step 8

Cover with foil. This will prevent the top from browning too quickly and help the casserole to stay creamy.

Step 9

Bake until golden brown. Finally, bake the casserole for 35 minutes in a 350°F (175°C) preheated oven. Remove the foil and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the top is slightly golden brown.