February 8, 2019
Cheesy Veggie Casserole
| Prep Time | 45 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Passive Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
large squares
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Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked brown rice start this early as it takes awhile
- 2 cans beans black, pinto, kidney, or a mixture of any
- 1/2-1 cup any other veggie you like shredded carrot, diced cauliflower, diced bell peppers, green beans, whatever you like
- 1 12 oz. package frozen broccoli or fresh, but it's easier to get a bag
- 1-2 cups corn I like Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 small to medium diced onion
- 2-5 cloves minced garlic the more the merrier, I say
- 1/4 cup flour for gluten-free, use potato flour (not starch) for the Maillard reaction.
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika regular is ok, but the smoked stuff is the bomb
- some dashes black pepper to taste
- 2 cups milk I use skim, though any will do, but I'd avoid sweetened soy milks
- 1/4 cup cream cheese light or regular
- 1-2 cups shredded cheese use your favorite; I use Monterey Jack for its low sodium mixed with cheddar
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Cook that brown rice however you like. Our fancy rice cooker takes 100 minutes to cook 2 cups of brown rice, so plan accordingly. I throw in a few minced/mashed cloves of garlic before I start it and that does a lot of work for me.
- Once the rice has about half an hour to go, pre-heat the oven to 375F and start making your sauce. Melt the butter on medium-high heat and get it crackling. Saute the chopped onion. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Whisk in the flour, paprika, and black pepper. And salt to taste if you want, but I don't use it. Let it cook for a few minutes.
- Whisk in the milk, one cup at a time. Cook and stir until thickened, anywhere from 3-8 minutes depending on heat and kind of milk.
- Remove from heat and add both kinds of cheese. Stir until combined.
- Steam your frozen veggies. Chop up any larger veggies and remove excess moisture. Drain your beans and do the same. I throw everything in a salad spinner. No one likes a soggy casserole.
- Mix the veggies, rice, and cheese sauce together in a big baking pan. I use our big 15x9 but a normal 13x9 will be fine if not quite full. Smooth the top over with a spatula and sprinkle extra shredded cheese.
- Bake for half an hour. Enjoy with sour cream and hot sauce, if you'd like.
Recipe Notes
You can always make the brown rice ahead of time to speed things up in the evening. You can add any spices or herbs you'd like; it's a very forgiving dish.
Author: DD