Green Rice Casserole

Course: Dinner, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1

Servings: servings

Calories: 435kcal

A cheesy baked rice casserole loaded with broccoli and spinach, made in one dish with no pre-cooking required.

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

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (the rice needs more room than an 8x8 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.

Use a 9x13-inch pan, not 8x8. 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.