Brown Rice Casserole
Submitted by yush
Brown rice casserole with tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, and cheese seasoned with cumin and nutritional yeast. A hearty vegetarian baked main dish loaded with vegetables.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
45 minREADY
90 minThis casserole is packed. Brown rice, cubed tofu, five different vegetables, cheese, and a savory hit of cumin and nutritional yeast all bake together into a filling vegetarian main course.
The vegetables get braised on the stovetop first with a splash of broth so they’re nearly tender before hitting the oven. Carrots and celery go in early since they need more time. Zucchini and mushrooms join later so they don’t turn to mush. This staggered cooking keeps every vegetable at the right texture in the finished dish.
Draining the tofu before cubing is a must. Press it on a slanted board to squeeze out the excess water. Wet tofu steams instead of absorbing the flavors around it.
Kitchen Tips
- Cut all vegetables to roughly the same half-inch size so they cook evenly and every forkful has a good mix
- Nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy depth. If you don’t have it, the casserole still works, but it’s worth adding
- Bake covered for the first 30 minutes to steam everything through, then uncovered for 15 minutes to dry the top and get a slight crust
- Add broth sparingly throughout. The casserole should be moist but not soupy. Too much liquid makes the rice mushy
Variations
- Vegan version: Skip the cheese and butter, use olive oil only, and increase the nutritional yeast for that savory, cheesy flavor
- Grain swap: Quinoa or farro work in place of brown rice and cook faster
- Mexican-spiced: Add chili powder alongside the cumin, use pepper jack cheese, and stir in a can of black beans
Ingredients
Directions
Cook rice.
Set the tofu on a slanted board or pan to drain, and prepare the vegetables.
Chop the onion, carrots, celery, pepper, and zucchini into pieces about ½-inch square.
Quarter mushrooms if they are small, and cut them into sixths or eighths if they are large.
Cut the tofu into ½-inch cubes.
Heat the olive oil and the butter and fry the onion over medium heat until it is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, nutritional yeast, if using, cumin and salt.
Stir until blended and cook for 1 minute.
Add the carrots, celery, green pepper and ½ cup of the liquid, cover pan, and braise the vegetables until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook 7 to 10 minutes.
The vegetables should be nearly, but not completely, cooked.
If the pan gets dry while they cook, add a little more liquid.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Combine the vegetables with rice and cheese.
Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Gently mix in the tofu, and put mixture into lightly oiled casserole.
Add a little more liquid to moisten.
Cover with foil and bake ½ hour.
Remove foil and bake 15 minutes.
Garnish with fresh herbs.
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