BAKED RICE CASSEROLE WITH ZUCCHINI AND HERBS
WHITE VS BROWN RICE: Even though the milling process removes the rice’s husk, bran, and germ, it’s artificially fortified with nutrients. It’s also polished so it appears to be more palatable.
On the other side, brown rice is a whole grain thus it’s richer in nutrition as a whole. The key difference between these two types of rice is that brown rice is higher in fiber.
As far as flavor is concerned, brown rice has a heartier flavor than white rice. That’s due to the fiber in the bran. That’s also exactly the reason why brown rice takes longer to cook.
RATING
SERVES
6
PREP TIME
15 min
COOK TIME
40 min
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil plus more for brushing
- 2 large white onions diced
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup whole or skimmed milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups shredded Kefalotyri or sharp Cheddar plus extra for top
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 4 cups diced zucchini and/or summer squash (about 1 pound)
- 1 tsp freshly chopped parsley leaves
- 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Seasalt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350F (170C). Oil a large casserole dish.
-
In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft and translucent. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add the cheese, rice, parsley, thyme, oregano, and zucchini mixture and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.
-
Pour into the casserole dish and top with extra shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes and serve immediately.
Want to learn more easy, healthy Mediterranean diet recipes? Sign up for my online course “Mastering the Mediterranean!“
