Piece of spinach-rice casserole on a plate with a baking dish in the background

Mainely Dish: Spinach-Rice Casserole

April 1, 2024 Recipes, Spoonful

— By Alex Gayton, Assistant EFNEP Coordinator & Social Media Coordinator, Expanded Food Nutrition and Education Program (EFNEP), University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Visit EFNEP’s recipe website for the Spinach-Rice Casserole recipe and recipe video.

Casserole recipes are great because usually, all you have to do is add all the ingredients in a casserole dish or baking pan and then get it in the oven to bake. This Spinach-Rice Casserole is filling and easy to make. Writing this blog inspired me to make this recipe again, so I decided to add it to my lunch meal plan this week. I used the leftover fresh kale I had frozen last fall and was able to quickly make this dish on Sunday night for lunch on Monday. I will admit, I didn’t plan ahead and had to wait for the rice to cook, but while the rice was cooking I prepped the rest of the ingredients and had it ready to go when the rice was done cooking. This recipe is composed of simple ingredients and it’s quick to prepare. I had all the items on hand for this casserole so I didn’t need to go shopping for anything. The casserole takes on the flavor of the leafy greens you choose. I prefer the taste of spinach over kale so I will plan to use spinach next time or try a new leafy green like bok choy or Swiss chard because I haven’t tried those greens yet. My daughter and husband smelled the butter, onion, and garlic cooking and were immediately interested in what I was making, it did smell great!

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