There are so many ways to eat rice: fried, steamed, boiled, etc. Well, who knew you could eat it with a green tint and baked, for that matter?! Green Rice Casserole makes that a reality and takes some fluffy basmati rice and mixes it with some greens–nutritious chopped spinach, sweet green bell peppers, and sharp green scallions. Then, everything gets tossed in a creamy, cheesy mixture and sent to the oven to bake to bring the flavors alive. Ready in less than 40 minutes, Green Rice Casserole will be the only way you eat rice from now on!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups basmati or long grain rice, cooked
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 scallions, chopped
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Butter a 2-quart baking dish or cast-iron pan.
Step 3 –In a large bowl, add the cooked rice, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, the ricotta, the sour cream, the garlic, the salt, and the pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 4 –Add the spinach, the bell pepper, and the scallions to the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 5 –Pour the veggie and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 6 –Evenly sprinkle the veggie and rice mixture with the remaining cheese.
Step 7 –Bake, until the cheese is golden and melted, about 30 minutes.
Step 8 –Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes.
Step 9 –Serve.