Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole

Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole is perfect meatless comfort food that’s also super versatile!  Vary the grains and vary the greens!

The inspiration behind this recipe:

If you’re getting back in the swing of things after the holiday season, here’s something that tastes good anytime:  Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole.

I had brown rice left from my Spicy Asian Pork Cabbage Rolls and kale that was crying out to get used.  Because we’re both cheeseheads from Wisconsin, we ALWAYS have a wide variety of cheese in our house.

We generally only buy grape or cherry tomatoes this time of year.  However, the tomatoes I found weren’t bad and they made a great topping for this casserole.  Other tomatoes that are okay in the off-season are Campari or Roma (plum) tomatoes.

Tips for making Brown Rice, Cheddar and Kale Casserole:

• Similar to my Grains and Greens Casserole, you can vary the grains and vary the greens.  Quinoa or lentils will also work and spinach, Swiss chard or broccoli raab work well instead of kale.
• When I cook brown rice at home, I always cook extra so that I can freeze it and have it available when needed.
• My favorite way to cook brown rice is to get a large saucepan of water boiling, add some salt then the rice and simply boil it until it is tender—I don’t even measure.
• Drain thoroughly in a sieve and the result will be beautiful, fluffy brown rice.

That’s it!  Easy, cheesy, pleasey hearty vegetarian comfort food that you can also make ahead of time and bake at a later time.

For more great vegetarian casserole recipes, try my:

• Italian Summer Vegetable Casserole
• Grains and Greens Casserole
• Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives
• Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake

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Yield: 6

Brown Rice Cheddar and Kale Casserole

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Brown Rice Cheddar Kale Casserole is perfect meatless comfort food that's also super versatile! Vary the grains and vary the greens!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons canola oil plus more for oiling baking dish
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large bunch kale, stems removed, coarsely chopped
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 medium tomatoes, sliced to create 12 slices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a large baking dish such as a 13 x 9-inch pan.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium and cook 7 to 8 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the garlic and kale. Continue cooking, stirring often until the kale is wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
4. Add the brown rice and Cheddar cheese. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in eggs and milk.
5. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Top with sliced tomatoes.
6. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until set.

Notes

Prep time does not include cooking the brown rice. To make 3 cups cooked brown rice, use the instructions for 4 servings on the package of uncooked brown rice.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 384Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 363mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 17g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

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