Veggie Rice Bake

4.50 from 2 votes

This is a dump & bake rice casserole that features kale, spicy peppers, and zucchini topped with feta and fresh lemon zest.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 394kcal

Preheat the oven to 375F.
To a 9x13-inch baking dish, add the rice, beans, zucchini, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chilis, shallot, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Top the rice with the kale. Drizzle with a little bit of oil. Don't stir the kale into the rice, just spread it on top.
Cover tightly with a lid, foil, or an upside down baking sheet. Bake at 375F for 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through.
Stir everything together. Top with the feta. Return to the oven and cooked uncovered for 5 minutes, or until the feta is melted.
Remove from the oven and garnish with zest from the lemon. Serve each portion with a lemon wedge. Enjoy!

Calabrian chilis: This is optional but recommended. These are spicy chilis and the oil is great drizzled on the finished veggie rice bake. A little (1 tablespoon chopped) goes a long way. This is the brand of Calabrian chilis that I use.
Rice: Medium grain also works. Brown rice does not work as a direct swap in this recipe because it requires additional liquid and cook time.
Other veggies: Yellow squash, bell pepper, mushrooms, peas, and broccoli florets are all great additions or swaps.
If using spinach in place of kale, I recommend stirring it into the rice bake when you add the feta because it cooks much more quickly than kale.
Best within 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or cover tightly and reheat at 325F for 25-30 minutes in the oven.
Want to speed up the cooking time? Simmer all liquids on the stove before adding them to the casserole dish. Check the rice at 20 minutes, adding additional time as needed.