Fried Rice Casserole

This rice casserole takes the flavors of fried rice and turns them into a hands-off oven dish. Uncooked long grain rice gets toasted in margarine until golden brown, which adds a nutty depth you don’t get from plain boiled rice. Sautéed onions, a can of chicken gumbo soup, and bouillon-spiked boiling water go into the casserole dish, and the rice absorbs everything as it bakes for an hour.

Toasting the raw rice before baking is the move that makes this work. Those six minutes of browning in the skillet give each grain a firmer texture and a richer flavor that holds up during the long bake. Untoasted rice would turn mushy in the same liquid.

The chicken gumbo soup pulls double duty as both a flavor base and a thickener. It brings vegetables, seasoning, and body to the casserole without needing to prep a bunch of extras. Scrambled egg substitute gets cooked separately and scattered on top, giving you that classic fried rice look.

Kitchen Tips

• Stir the rice constantly while toasting. It goes from golden to burnt fast, and burnt rice tastes bitter.
• Use boiling water to dissolve the bouillon cubes completely. Undissolved cubes leave salty pockets.
• Keep the lid on for the full hour. Lifting it lets steam escape, and the rice needs that moisture to cook through.
• Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes after removing the lid before serving. The rice absorbs the last bit of liquid.

Variations

• Add diced cooked chicken or shrimp to the casserole for a more substantial meal.
• Stir in frozen peas and carrots with the soup for a more traditional fried rice look.
• Use real eggs instead of egg substitute and add a splash of soy sauce for a more authentic flavor.