Rice with Spinach, Herbs & Cheese

This baked rice and spinach dish is somewhere between a casserole and an Italian torta di riso. Fresh spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, herbs, beaten eggs, and grated provolone all get folded into par-cooked rice and baked until set and golden on top.

Par-cooking the rice and leaving it slightly underdone is intentional. It finishes cooking in the oven as it absorbs moisture from the spinach and eggs, so it ends up tender without getting mushy or gummy. If you start with fully cooked rice, the final dish turns to paste.

The provolone melts through the mixture in stretchy pockets while the eggs bind everything together into sliceable portions. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds just enough warmth to keep things interesting without turning it spicy. Thyme and parsley provide that fresh herbal backbone.

Kitchen Tips

• Wilt the spinach in just the water clinging to the leaves after washing; no extra liquid needed
• Squeeze the cooked spinach well before chopping to avoid a watery casserole
• Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes so the top gets a light crust
• This reheats well the next day and the texture actually improves as it firms up

Variations

• Use brown rice for a nuttier, higher-fiber version (just allow extra par-cooking time)
• Swap provolone for fontina or Gruyere for a different melting cheese character
• Add sun-dried tomatoes or artichoke hearts for a Mediterranean twist