Broccoli and Rice Casserole spells winter for me. It is such a comforting dish, and also nostalgic. This was a staple on my office cafeteria menu in the Midwest, and was just the right thing for cold windy days. The word ‘casserole’ is a tough one, because there is no specific meaning to it. In India, a casserole is a container that keeps things hot, and was all the rage in the 80s and 90s.

As far as I can tell, a casserole is anything which is baked with lots of cheese. So we have tuna noodle casseroles, pasta bakes, lasagnas etc. broadly falling in this category. For a great casserole, you start with something made in a cheesy sauce and then pile more cheese on top. Sound good to you?

This recipe for broccoli and rice casserole is a ‘fake bake’ in a way. This is because most of the ingredients are already cooked. Old fashioned recipes just layer ingredients and then pour egg based liquid over the top. The oven takes care of the rest. But since we are not using eggs, and since my oven is fledgling at best, I am going for the easier option. You can finish the dish off in a microwave too. You just won’t get the browning effect you get from a broiler.

Broccoli is hard to find and very expensive in Pune, generally 5 times the price of ordinary vegetables. So I don’t leave any opportunity to make the most of this favorite cruciferous vegetable.

The recipe for Broccoli and rice casserole is as follows –

 

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:78]

 

This casserole makes a Lot of servings and the leftovers taste great too. Try this and let me know what you think!