Perfect Baked Rice with Herbs and Veggies
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side dish
This baked rice recipe requires little prep time, but does need time to cook and bake. It’s worth the wait! The recipe is also highly adaptable: think cilantro, black beans, and cherry tomatoes for a Mexican-inspired version, or roasted red peppers, sliced kalamata olives, and feta or goat cheese for a Mediterranean style. Beans definitely make it feel more substantial; this version was mighty tasty with leftover Great Northern beans. Depending on your chosen ingredients, try adding lemon zest or balsamic vinegar for more kick.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 1/4 cups water
- 1 cup veggie broth (or an additional cup of water)
- 1 1/2 cups long grain brown rice, rinsed and drained (I used half brown basmati rice and half wild rice, both long grain)
- 3/4 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 small bunch curly parsley, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make sure your oven rack is in the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
- Add the water and broth (optional), cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover and bake until the rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. Near the end of the baking time, prepare the veggies (chop the parsley and red pepper, etc.)
- Remove the pot from the oven, uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Expect that some of the rice will be stuck to the sides/bottom of the pot; just use a big wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the rice in with the rest.
- Mix in the veggies, herbs, cheese and lemon juice. Place a clean, folded kitchen towel over the top of the Dutch oven and cover. This helps absorb excess moisture. 10 minutes later, season with salt and pepper and serve!
Notes
Recipe adapted from The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
Special equipment: A medium Dutch oven (I love my Le Creuset, a very worthy investment).
Change it up: You may substitute short grain brown rice for the long grain.
Make it vegan: Simply skip the Parmesan cheese.
▸ Nutrition Information
Recipe from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/healthy-baked-rice-recipe/