Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Casserole is a kid-friendly weeknight meal. Cauliflower, carrots and chickpeas are baked with rice and veggie broth then topped with a cheesy, cashew cream sauce. Yum!
Struggling to get your kids to eat vegetables? This casserole is a sneaky way to add TONS of vegetables into a delicious, wholesome meal. This delicious, cheesy veggie bake is on a weekly rotation at my house and my fiancé licks his plate clean every time. In order to make this casserole within an hour, you will have to maneuver some multi-tasking. But trust me, it isn’t as scary as it sounds!
My favorite component of this dish has to be the cheesy sauce on top, which is based on my recipe for Bitchin’ Sauce. This creamy sauce is made with blended up onion, carrot, garlic, cashews and a few other delicious ingredients. I can’t wait for you to try this amazing casserole for you and your family!
Ingredients for Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Casserole
Casserole
- cauliflower
- carrots
- chickpeas
- olive oil
- salt + pepper
- curry powder
- garlic powder
- uncooked Jasmine rice
- vegetable broth
Cheese Sauce
- vegetable broth
- yellow onion
- carrot – the carrot adds another dimension of flavor to the sauce and assists in creating that rich, golden color.
- garlic
- cashews
- sharp cheddar cheese – to make this recipe completely vegan, you can substitute with vegan cheddar.
- miso paste – miso paste will provide a more intense umami flavor and it’s deeper, red color will help create a golden, cheesy color.
- milk – any milk of your preference will work great in this recipe. I typically opt for plain unsweetened almond milk or oat milk which is a great option if you’re looking to make this sauce vegan.
- salt and pepper to taste
Panko Topping
- panko crumbs
- olive oil
Here’s what else you’ll need:
- 9×13 baking dish
- stirring spoon
- 1 small saucepan
- blender of food processor
- small mixing bowl
- cutting board and knife
- measuring cups and spoons
How to Make Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Casserole
Casserole
- Prep the oven broiler
- Broil the vegetables
- Add the rice then bake
Cheese Sauce
- Cook the veggies in broth
- Blend the sauce
- Add the cheese sauce to the casserole
Panko Topping
- Make the panko topping
- Top the casserole
- Broil the casserole
More Casserole Recipes
- Skillet Quinoa with Buttery Kimchi Shrimp
- Chicken Chili Pot Pie with Cornbread Biscuits
- Spaghetti Frittata with Gruyère Béchamel
- Curried Shepherd’s Pie
- Creamed Spinach Egg Bake
View all casserole recipes here
Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Cheesy Rice and Vegetable Casserole is a kid-friendly weeknight meal. Cauliflower, carrots and chickpeas are baked with rice and veggie broth then topped with a cheesy, cashew cream sauce. Yum!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Casserole
- 12oz cauliflower florets, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 carrots, sliced into thin half-moon shaped pieces
- 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups uncooked jasmine rice
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Cheese Sauce
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1/2 yellow onion, cut into big chunks
- 1 large carrot, cut into 1” chunks
- 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup unsalted cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes then drained
- 1/4 cup miso paste
- 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 6oz shredded sharp white cheddar cheese (substitute with shredded non-dairy cheddar for vegans)
- 1 cup 2% milk (substitute with oat milk for vegans)
Panko Topping
- 3/4 cup panko crumbs
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Casserole
- Prep the oven broiler: If you have the option, set your broiler to the high setting. Position an oven rack within 6″ of the broiler flame (If you have a separate broiler drawer at the base of your oven or if you don’t have a broiler, refer to the notes section below).
- Broil the vegetables: Grease a 9″x13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Add the cauliflower, carrots and chickpeas. Drizzle with olive oil then season with salt, pepper, curry powder and garlic powder then mix to combine. Place the baking dish in the oven on the rack directly below the broiler. Broil for 5 minutes, then stir and broil another 5 minutes or until the vegetables develop a nice char. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside.
- Add the rice then bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the rice to the baking dish with the veggies. Pour the vegetable broth into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling broth into the baking dish then mix everything together. Carefully cover the baking dish with 2 layers of aluminum foil (you don’t want any steam to escape). Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Prepare the cheese sauce while the casserole bakes. Remove the casserole from the oven and keep the aluminum foil cover on for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and set aside until the cheese sauce is ready.
Cheese Sauce
- Cook the veggies in broth: In a medium saucepan, add the vegetable broth, onion, carrot and garlic then bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally and let cook until most of the broth has been evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- Blend the sauce: To a blender, add the contents of the saucepan, cashews, miso paste, salt + pepper, cheese and milk. Blend on high speed for at least 1 minute until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cheese sauce to the casserole: Pour about 3/4 of the cheese sauce over the casserole then mix well. Use the back of a spoon to flatten the top of the casserole. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the casserole and use the back of a spoon to spread evenly over the top. Turn on your oven broiler to the low setting if possible (see notes below for other broiler options).
Panko Topping
- Make the panko topping: In a small bowl, combine the panko crumbs and olive oil.
- Top the casserole: Use your hands to evenly sprinkle the panko mixture over the top of the casserole.
- Broil the casserole: Place the casserole in the oven on the rack directly below the broiler. Keep an eye on it as it can burn easily. You’ll want to see a nice golden brown color on top, typically around 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
If you have a separate broiler drawer at the base of your oven, follow these steps:
- For broiling the vegetables: Turn on your oven broiler. Once you have prepared the vegetables in the baking dish, place in your broiler drawer for 4-6 minutes then stir and continue broiling for another 4-6 minutes. If you are not seeing a char on the vegetables, leave them in the broiler longer.
- For broiling the casserole: Turn on your oven broiler. Once you have topped the casserole with the panko mixture, place in your broiler drawer for 3-5 minutes but you’ll need to continually check on it to ensure it isn’t burning.
If you do not have a broiler in your oven (or if it’s broken), follow these steps:
- For cooking the vegetables: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Once you have prepared the vegetables in the baking dish, place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, then stir and roast for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables develop a nice char.
- For browning the top of casserole: Since you cannot broil the casserole to get the panko topping nicely browned, you can cook the panko in olive oil on the stovetop to brown it. Simply combine the panko crumbs and olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir the mixture continuously until you begin to notice the color getting darker. Remove from the heat then top the casserole with the mixture. You do not need to place back in the oven after this point.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Oven + Stovetop
Nutrition
- Calories: 417
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 825mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 49g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
Did you make this recipe? Tag @bitchininthekitchen__ on Instagram + #bitchinfoodthatslaps
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