Name: Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 2-3
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the baking dish; 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup); 1 small red bell pepper, chopped; 1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped; 2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons; 2 cloves garlic, chopped; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried; 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional); 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice; 2/3 cup ricotta cheese (light is fine); 2/3 cup feta cheese (reduced fat or fat-free is fine); 1 tablespoon lemon juice; salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced; 10 Kalamata olives, halved and pitted

Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives is perfect vegetarian comfort food! Topped with fresh tomatoes, it’s especially wonderful in the late summer!

I have loved this recipe for many years. It’s inspired by one that first appeared in the classic Moosewood Cookbook published in 1977. The author, Mollie Katzen, reissued the cookbook in 1992 with lighter versions of all the dishes from the original that were heavy on eggs, cheese, dairy and other calorie-laden ingredients. The updated version of the recipe kept the cheese (which I also did). However, feel free to substitute light or fat-free versions.

Her version was called “Bulgarian Pepper Casserole” and because of the name, it wasn’t a big seller with my personal chef clients. Bell peppers, especially green bell peppers, can be a little difficult for some people to handle. Once I changed the name to be more descriptive and swapped zucchini for the green bell pepper, it’s now a hit!

Tips for cooking brown rice:

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.
When I cook brown rice at home, I always cook extra so that I can freeze it and have it available when needed.

Pitting Kalamata olives can be labor-intensive, but they are available pitted. When purchasing “pitted” Kalamata olives, I treat them as though they still have the pit. I never take for granted that the mechanical pitting process got all the pits—I look each one over.

This vegetable casserole is easily prepped ahead of time–up to a day before serving. Place the tomatoes and olives over the top just prior to baking.

A light soup or crisp green salad pairs perfectly with this tasty Brown Rice and Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives! Enjoy!

For more great vegetarian casseroles, be sure to try my:

Cheesy Brown Rice and Greens Casserole

Cheesy Brown Rice and Greens Casserole is a delicious, hearty, vegetarian casserole that’s also super flexible! Use any kind of grain such as quinoa, barley or lentils and any type of leafy green.

Yellow Squash and Tomato Gratin with Two Cheeses

Yellow Squash and Tomato Gratin with Two Cheeses is a lovely, late summer dish that's perfect as a side with roast meats or poultry or as a vegetarian main dish.

Zucchini Yellow Squash and Quinoa Casserole

Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Quinoa Casserole is a delicious way to use a summer bounty of zucchini and yellow squash either as a side dish or hearty meatless meal! With a delightfully creamy texture, the goodness and protein of quinoa, the crunchy topping, it's worth turning your oven on for!

Layered Zucchini Corn Casserole

Layered Zucchini Corn Casserole is Southern-inspired, creamy, cheesy and the perfect way to enjoy a summer vegetable bounty!

Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake

Southwestern Lentil and Brown Rice Bake is cheesy, delicious meatless comfort food even a carnivore will love and is super easy to prepare! Simply combine everything in a baking dish, pop it in the oven and let it bake away while you do other things.

Brown Rice Cheddar and Kale Casserole

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

Healthier Turkish Eggplant Casserole - Imam Bayildi

Healthier Turkish Eggplant Casserole is spin on the classic Imam Bayildi, known for the extravagant amount of olive oil that's typically in it. Here's a lighter version without all the oil but with all the flavor!

Italian Summer Vegetable Casserole

Italian Summer Vegetable Casserole is the best of summer produce in a beautiful Mediterranean-inspired dish! The vegetables are grilled first for a touch of smokiness, then smothered and layered with marinara sauce and cheese. This beautiful combination is then baked until bubbling and crusty!

Southwestern Squash Corn and Poblano Casserole

Southwestern Squash, Corn and Poblano Casserole is a spicy and delicious twist on a classic squash casserole with corn and earthy, slightly smoky poblano peppers!

Late Summer Vegetable Tian

Late Summer Vegetable Tian with tomatoes, zucchini and potatoes is a beautiful Provencal-inspired dish!

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Yield: 2-3

Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives

Brown Rice and Summer Vegetable Casserole with Feta and Black Olives is perfect vegetarian comfort food! Topped with fresh tomatoes, it's especially wonderful in the late summer!

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the baking dish
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 small yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2/3 cup ricotta cheese (light is fine)
2/3 cup feta cheese (reduced fat or fat-free is fine)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 medium plum tomatoes, sliced
10 Kalamata olives, halved and pitted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil an 8 or 9-inch by 5-inch baking dish. Set aside.
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped bell pepper and continue cooking 8-10 minutes or until bell pepper begins to soften.
Add the zucchini and cook 2-3 minutes more or until zucchini begins to soften.
Stir in garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, oregano, dill and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine vegetables, brown rice, ricotta and feta cheeses, lemon juice and salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
Place tomato slices over the top then sprinkle with halved Kalamata olives.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until hot throughout.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining chopped parsley.

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: Can be assembled 1-2 days in advance without the tomatoes. Top with tomatoes right before baking.

Prep time does not include cooking the brown rice. I like to make a big batch at a time and freeze it so I always have it on hand.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

2-3
Amount Per Serving Calories 650 Total Fat 33g Saturated Fat 14g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 17g Cholesterol 70mg Sodium 806mg Carbohydrates 68g Net Carbohydrates 0g Fiber 10g Sugar 13g Sugar Alcohols 0g Protein 26g

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.