Brown rice is a staple in my household— we have a rice maker and many weeks will just make a pot of rice at the beginning of the week and use it throughout. I love our rice maker because it is so easy to use— just throw in some rice, water, and seasonings (i.e. salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, sauteed onions, etc.) and plug it in. Then I can go about getting some other things done while the rice cooks (like… cleaning up, prepping other foods, throwing some laundry in, working out… always so much to do!) And I can use brown rice with so many different recipes!
I came across this recipe last week and gave it a try and it is definitely a winner. Super easy and flavorful, and makes enough for leftovers, too. I used boca crumbles in this, but if you prefer you can use some kind of chicken sausage. And add in any vegetables you want! I think this could also be tasty if you wanted something more Italian and topped it with tomato sauce.
Brown Rice Casserole
Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Button Mushrooms
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- Olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. crushed fennel seed
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. dried basil
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Boca Crumbles (about 1/2-1 cup)
- 1 1/2-2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
- 1/4-1/2 Cup Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock
- 3/4 Cup Shredded Cheese (I used low-fat Mozzarella and Parmesan)
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat ~1 tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add pepper and mushrooms and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes longer. Add garlic.
2. Add boca crumbles to the pan and cook until heated through. Add fennel, red pepper, oregano, basil, and salt and pepper to the pan and toss. Add brown rice to the pan. Slowly add in vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes longer until broth reduces.
3. Pour rice mixture into a baking dish (the one I used was about 7x9”. Top with cheese mixture. Bake until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Turn broiler on high and brown the top, about 1-2 minutes longer.
