My green rice casserole bakes raw basmati rice, broccoli, and spinach right in the dish, no separate pot needed. Ricotta and sour cream keep it creamy under a cheddar crust, and it comes out of a 9×13 pan tender in about an hour. I built this version to feed six without babysitting a saucepan.
Why I moved this classic casserole to a 9×13 pan
This is an old-fashioned green rice casserole at heart, built on rice baked with cheese and a green vegetable until it sets into something close to a savory pudding. I fold in both broccoli and spinach, because broccoli holds its bite better than spinach alone!
What makes this version worth remaking is using raw rice instead of pre-cooked. Basmati goes straight into the dish with the broth and absorbs everything as it bakes, so there is no extra pot and no gluey, overcooked grains, but it only works in a wide pan. I tested this in an 8×8 first and the center stayed underdone while the edges dried out, so I moved to a 9×13, which gives the rice a thin enough layer to cook through evenly.
Scaling up to a 9×13 also means this feeds a full table of six, which is the size I plan for now that most of my cooking is for a crowd.
If you have already-cooked rice to use up instead of raw, my cheesy rice casserole takes that shortcut and skips the broth-absorption step entirely.
What goes into this broccoli and spinach rice bake
Full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Rinse the basmati rice well before it goes into the dish raw; skipping that step is the fastest way to end up with a starchy, clumped casserole instead of separate, tender grains.
- Ricotta and sour cream carry the creaminess here. The ricotta holds its structure under the broccoli and spinach, and the sour cream keeps the cheddar from tasting flat once it melts in.
- Cut the broccoli small, into roughly half-inch pieces. Bigger florets stay crunchy in the time the rice needs to cook, the same reason I keep pieces small in my broccoli cheese casserole.
- The spinach goes in raw and wilts down as the casserole bakes, so skip pre-cooking it for this spinach rice casserole. Five ounces looks like a lot raw and cooks down to almost nothing, the same disappearing act it pulls in my creamed spinach.
- Serrano or Thai green chilies add background heat, not a spicy kick, once the seeds come out. Leave the seeds in for adults only, or skip the chilies for a table with kids.
- Salt amounts here are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is less dense than Morton. Use about half as much if that is what’s in your pantry.
Shruthi’s Top Tips
How to keep the rice from drying out or turning mushy
This is where the recipe actually goes wrong if you rush it.
- Seal the foil tight before this goes in the oven. The rice cooks by trapping steam, and a loose seal means dry, crunchy edges instead of tender rice.
- Scrape into the corners of the dish when you stir everything together. Rice hides there and stays raw if you rush the mix.
- If the mixture looks paste-thick instead of loose, stir in a couple tablespoons of water before it goes in the oven.
- Check at the 50-minute mark. If the rice still has bite, re-cover with foil and bake 5 to 10 minutes more before adding the last of the cheese.
How to make green rice casserole
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add everything to the dish and stir until the rice and vegetables are evenly coated.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until the rice begins to soften and the vegetables wilt. Remove the foil, stir gently, and scatter the remaining cheddar over the top.
- Bake until the cheese melts and turns golden and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes, then scoop and serve.
How to serve green rice casserole
This is a side, but it does not have to stay one. Fold a cup of cooked chickpeas or eight ounces of crumbled paneer in at the mixing step for a fuller plate, or top individual servings with a fried egg the next day and turn leftovers into dinner.
For a holiday table with meat-eaters, this holds its own next to a roasted turkey or a glazed ham instead of getting treated as the token vegetarian dish. It sits easily alongside my green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole if you’re building out the full spread. Skip the chilies, or leave the seeds out, so kids get a mild plate without a second casserole. I bake it the morning of and reheat it covered in a 350F oven while the rest of the meal finishes.
Variations
- Swap the cheddar for pepper jack if you want the heat to come from the cheese instead of the chilies.
- Use short-grain brown rice instead of basmati, and add 15 minutes to the covered bake time since brown rice takes longer to absorb the broth.
- Leave the chilies out entirely for a fully mild version, no swap needed.
Storage and reheating suggestions
Store leftovers airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions covered in the microwave, or reheat the full dish covered in a 350F oven until warmed through.
Green Rice Casserole
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
For the casserole
- 1½ cups basmati rice, rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 5 oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 lb broccoli florets, cut into small bite-size pieces (about ½ inch, 5-oz)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 serrano peppers, or Thai green chilies, finely chopped (seeds removed for mild)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish (the rice needs more room than an 8×8 to cook evenly).
- Add the rinsed rice, broth, ricotta, sour cream, 1 cup cheddar, spinach, broccoli, garlic, scallions, chilies, olive oil, salt, and pepper directly to the greased dish. Stir well until evenly combined, scraping the corners so no dry rice hides there. If the mixture looks paste-thick rather than loose, stir in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake on the middle rack for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil, stir gently, and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar on top. Bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden and the rice is tender.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a 9×13-inch pan, not 8×8. The rice needs a thinner layer to cook through evenly, and a deeper dish leaves the center undercooked.
- The foil seal has to be tight. The rice cooks by trapping steam, so a loose seal gives you dry, crunchy edges.
- Mix everything right in the baking dish to save a bowl. Reach into the corners, since that is where unmixed rice ends up.
- Check at 50 minutes. If the rice still has bite, re-cover and bake 5 to 10 minutes more before adding the cheese topping.
- For a fuller main, fold in 1 cup cooked chickpeas or 8 oz crumbled paneer at the mixing step, or top each serving with a fried egg.
- Salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton, use about half.
- Store leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat covered in the microwave or in a 350F oven until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi I’m wanting to make this, but I’m making it vegan and I do not have sour cream. Can I use a vegan have cream or can I just leave the sour cream out altogether? Thank you!
Hi! You can use vegan sour cream or leave it out!
We grew up eating a very similar version. Pro tip: It’s DELICIOUS and even more comforting with brown gravy to top it.
I didn’t make this yet, I plan to very soon. But I have a question. You statePa that you shouldn’t keep cooked rice in fridge for more than a day, but can refrigerate the casserole for 3 or 4 days? I’m a little Isn’t it still cooked rice?.
Thanks
Technically, you can store cooked rice in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. But the issue in storing cooked rice as-is in the fridge is that it tends to dry out quite a bit. I’ve found that the casserole retains moisture, so it is okay to refrigerate for a couple more days!
This was so delicious!! For the first time my 9yo niece didn’t complain about greens in the food ahah she loved how cheesy it was!