It was the last big harvest of the year – and I ended up with too many vegetables in the refrigerator. In combination with our CSA market basket, we were overflowing. When this happens, there is really only one thing to make – Garden-Rice Casserole. This recipe is yours to customize any way you want – I never make it the same way twice, because it always depends on the vegetables I have on hand. If you don’t have something I list below, just substitute it for something you do have – there are really no bad combinations. You could add shredded chicken to this, cooked ground turkey, the sky is the limit! If anyone makes this, do me a favor and comment on your substitutions. Hopefully you will think this is as foolproof as I do.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green or red pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 zucchini, shredded with skins on
- 2 cups carrots, shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 T fresh dill, chopped
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus 2 T
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add chopped onion and peppers and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add shredded carrots, zucchini and salt and cook until soft, about 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and cool.
In a separate bowl, mix together dill, rice, cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and bread crumbs. Add cooled vegetables and mix carefully. Add beaten eggs just until combined.
Spread mixture into a glass baking dish covered in cooking spray – I use a 10×10 square, but an 8 1/2 x11 would work as well. Sprinkle the remaining 2 T of parmesan cheese over the top. Bake until bubbly for 30-45 minutes. Broil for the last couple minutes until nicely browned on top.
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First Look, Then Cook 