Heritage Recipe: Spinach Rice Casserole {vegetarian, gluten-free}

by Dorothy Reinhold on February 19, 2020


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Spinach Rice Casserole is a cheesy, comforting hug that is much more than the sum of its parts.  This simple heritage recipe finds new fans today. Serve with a salad, for lunch or dinner.

I often marvel at the culinary experiences my children take for granted — sushi, capers and smoked salmon on their bagels, Hatch chiles in their tamales, pad Thai when we go out to the neighborhood Thai restaurant. It’s all a wonderful global cornucopia, and these incredible delicacies are part of their everyday lives.

Lattes with vanilla syrup? Dinner at an authentic Basque restaurant with pickled tongue? Ho hum.

I grew up in far, far simpler food times. I can tell you when the first fast-food restaurant came to our town — 1973ish, those golden arches, a new idea to us — and it was a fact of life in a family of 6 that eating out was a very rare event. Four rambunctious children were no treat in a restaurant, not to mention the cost of the meal.

So we relished being invited to dinner to my great aunt’s house in a nearby city. She and my great uncle had no children of their own and were a bit proper by our thinking, so I imagine we were a great big noisy bunch to them, running in and out of the back door, nosing around to see what was in the candy bowl (we fought to be the first in the house to get there), getting in spats with each other (some resolved with fists, back in the day).

My mother tells a great story about my brothers and I at their house one day when I was playing with paper dolls, coloring their dresses or something, and one of my brothers sidled over to give me grief and tease me. I dispatched him quickly with a swift punch, leaving my great aunt agape at the entire exchange. Apparently I had (1.) experienced, and (2.) solved the problem, in under 15 seconds, before she even could form her thoughts. The merits of being a middle child.

And when we finally sat down to dinner at her table, with the good china and the nice silverware, what exotic things confronted us! These were recipes my mother didn’t cook, so by dint of that alone we thought they were quite unusual. My mother was a gifted home cook, so we never lacked for a great meal at my house, but oh, how interesting to taste someone else’s food!

Four dishes remain lodged in my memory from my Aunt Rosita’s kitchen.

First, her Christmas coconut candies dipped in chocolate. When we learned they had paraffin to help the chocolate set up, we dubbed them “wax balls.” Weren’t we delightful?

Second, her pink divinity. It was so sweet, so airy, so otherworldly…how did she make it? It was nothing like the sweets my mother made. We made fun of it (of course!) and then fought over the last piece.

Third, a divine lemon pudding dessert with sponge ladyfinger cookies and coconut. We called it Lemon Ladyfingers, and I really should attempt to recreate it. Spinach Rice Casserole | Heritage recipe for Spinach Rice Cheese vegetarian casserole | ShockinglyDelicious.comAnd fourth, her Spinach Rice Casserole. There is nothing unique about it, other than the fact we all loved it so much my mother asked for the recipe and made it many more times for us. Cooked rice, a block of frozen spinach, some shredded cheese and eggs — this was easy, everyday stuff that emerged as much more than the simple sum of its parts.

By today’s standards, it is a quiet dish. Perhaps we need a bit more quiet in our lives these days?
Spinach Rice Casserole heritage recipe on ShockinglyDelicious.com
Today I bring you that Spinach Rice Casserole. Thank you, Aunt Rosita, for your hospitality, the memories, and the recipe.

Priceless, all of them. Ingredients for Spinach Rice Casserole on ShockinglyDelicious.com Spinach Rice Casserole ready to bake on ShockinglyDelicious.com Spinach Rice Casserole baked and done on ShockinglyDelicious.com

Tips to make Spinach Rice Casserole

It is so easy, you barely need a recipe.  Here are a few tips:

  1. Cook some rice, or better yet, use leftover cooked rice. My aunt used white rice, but these days I often use brown rice or even a rice-grain blend, for additional interest.
  2. Thaw a block of frozen chopped spinach and drain. There is no need to squeeze it totally dry, just drain it.
  3. What if you want to use fresh spinach instead of frozen? You can absolutely use fresh! Frozen spinach comes in a 10-ounce block, generally. So you’ll want *about* 10 ounces of fresh spinach. I have seen spinach in 5-ounce, 8-ounce, 9-ounce and 16-ounce bags and containers. Sheesh! So just get as close as possible to 10 ounces of fresh spinach, and don’t overthink it. Then throw it in a hot skillet (no need for any fat in the skillet), and wilt it quickly for a minute or two, until it is wilted down. Turn it frequently with a tongs so it wilts efficiently. Remove from the skillet to a cutting board, and when it is cool enough to handle, mass it on the cutting board and chop through it a few times. Voila….chopped spinach! For this recipe, you want chopped instead of whole leaves. It just works better.
  4. Grate a good quality cheese. I find that if I use a very sharp cheddar (my favorites are made by Cabot and Kerrygold), I can use 8-10 ounces instead of the 12 ounces the recipe calls for. That’s a good trick for cheese in general. If you have a super high quality flavor-packed cheese, you probably need less of it.
  5. Mix it all together in a mixing bowl, along with a few aromatics like chopped shallots, garlic (if you like), some melted butter and some eggs and milk.
  6. Bake, and what emerges will be irresistible! My husband kept picking at the leftovers one night after dinner, and finally said, “I can’t stay away from this stuff!”

Spinach Rice Casserole topped with chopped avocado with corn chips and apricot on the sideHere’s a quick snapshot of my lunch, with a piece of this casserole topped with chopped ripe avocado. I have a few tortilla chips alongside for crunch, and a fresh apricot to round things out. I wouldn’t be shy about even eating this for breakfast…that’s how good it is.

Spinach Rice Casserole

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: Serves 6.

Spinach Rice Casserole

Spinach Rice Casserole is a cheesy, comforting hug that is much more than the sum of its parts. This simple heritage recipe finds new fans today. Serve with a salad, for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cooked rice {She used white, I use brown}
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (no need to squeeze it bone dry)
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon finely minced onion {I use 1/4 cup chopped shallot or onion}
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt {I use seasoned salt}
  • 3/4 pound (12 ounces) grated sharp Cheddar cheese (I used 10 ounces Kerrygold Reserve Cheddar}
  • 1 cup milk
  • 4 eggs

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly mist a casserole dish with nonstick spray. I usually use a pretty oval dish, but you could use an 8- or 9-inch square dish if you like.
  2. In a large bowl, add cooked rice, spinach, butter, onion, salt and cheese. In a 4-cup measure, pour milk and add eggs. Whisk to combine. Pour into the bowl with rice-spinach mixture and stir well to combine.
  3. Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven and serve.
  5. Serves 6.

Notes

Note: In my notes at the bottom of the recipe, I have written "garlic," "cayenne," "other herbs." While my great aunt didn't use these, over the years I have added this and that, to bring it up to today's desire for bigger flavors. The original is a quieter dish. If you want to embellish, I suggest 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced, a few shakes of red pepper flakes, and maybe a pinch of oregano or dill, to start. . Recipe source: Rosita Renaldo

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/spinach-rice-casserole/

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Easy Spinach Rice Casserole Recipe on ShockinglyDelicious.com

Want another spinach-centric recipe?

Spinach Orzo Salad Recipe on ShockinglyDelicious.comSpinach Orzo Salad (Small Batch)

This post was originally published March 14, 2015 and has been updated and republished today.

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{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }

Renee - Kudos Kitchen March 16, 2015 at 7:59 am

This looks so amazingly delicious. I could eat spinach in just about everything, so mixing it with cheese and rice has me swooning!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 16, 2015 at 3:40 pm

Renee,
I’m with you. I think spinach does go in everything!

Reply

Heather | girlichef.com March 16, 2015 at 7:35 am

This is total comfort food. I love that you use brown rice, I bet it adds a nice nuttiness and chewiness. And that Kerrygold…can’t go wrong with that! 😉

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 16, 2015 at 3:41 pm

Heather,
Have you found with Kerrygold cheeses that they are so flavorful, you don’t need as much as with average cheese? I have.

Reply

Jennie @themessybakerblog March 16, 2015 at 5:48 am

This is such a great recipe!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 16, 2015 at 3:42 pm

Jennie,
Thank you so much! Wish my Aunt Rosita was here now so I could tell her.

Reply

Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips March 15, 2015 at 6:31 pm

I think I could seriously eat that entire dish!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:27 pm

Brianne,
I think I DID!

Reply

Alyssa @ Simply Quinoa March 15, 2015 at 6:12 pm

This looks wonderful!! I’m thinking I might try it with quinoa 🙂

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:27 pm

Alyssa,
Go for it!

Reply

Laura March 15, 2015 at 5:01 pm

The difference between how my children eat and I ate growing up is also night and day. I don’t know if my food is always so much more high falutin’ lol so much as just way more global. But they are definitely spoiled with good food, that is for sure! I have dishes like this from my childhood that I also love. Thanks for sharing!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:28 pm

Laura,
You’re right. We are far, far more global in our eating than I was as a child.

Reply

Valerie Cathell Clark March 15, 2015 at 3:36 pm

I love the story and I love that it is not difficult to make! It looks yummy!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:28 pm

Valerie,
Put a pot of rice on and you can have this for dinner!

Reply

Valerie Cathell Clark March 15, 2015 at 3:33 pm

I love this gluten free comfort dish! Looks like total comfort food to me!! YUM!

Reply

Carol Borchardt March 15, 2015 at 12:33 pm

How great that your kids are having such wonderful food experiences at such a young age and not stuck on boxed mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. I love recipes with a history and this casserole looks wonderful!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 1:35 pm

Thank you Carol!

Reply

Wendy (The Weekend Gourmet) March 15, 2015 at 11:50 am

Same here…my Mom’s a basic cook, but she does the classics well. I have an aunt who’s a more adventurous cook and doesn’t repeat stuff often. It was always an adventure to go eat at her house!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:14 pm

Wendy,
I really like an eating adventure!

Reply

Marion@Life Tastes Good March 15, 2015 at 10:19 am

Dorothy, thanks for sharing your childhood memories. I so enjoyed reading about them and giggling over how you so easily resolved that issue with your brother haha. I adore all of the flavors in this dish and would definitely add those spices from your notes! Sounds wonderful!!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:15 pm

Marion,
A bit of a punch was a common solution, back in the day. 🙂

Reply

Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers March 15, 2015 at 10:05 am

What a beautiful recipe! I love your story!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:15 pm

Jennifer,
Thank you!

Reply

Toby @ Plate Fodder March 15, 2015 at 9:31 am

We still (40 years since) tease my mother for the vegetable stew she made once. It became the benchmark of all her recipes – “At least it’s better than the stew.”
It is amazing though, that such simple ingredients can bring back floods of memories and satisfy the worst of days. Love me some rice twice cooked with all kinda of goodies.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:18 pm

Toby,
We were incredible teases at my house. Nothing was sacred!

Reply

Family Foodie March 15, 2015 at 9:24 am

Love the story behind this recipe. Such special memories. Love this casserole.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:17 pm

Family Foodie/Isabel,
Thank you! I wish my Aunt Rosita were here today so she could read it and laugh!

Reply

Lizthechef March 15, 2015 at 9:21 am

I love posts like this, reminding me of my childhood, growing up in PA in the 50’s and 60’s. All those casseroles!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 12:17 pm

Liz,
That must be why I luvs me a good casserole. I was born in PA.

Reply

Liz March 15, 2015 at 7:59 am

4 kids in my family, too, but we were loaded with estrogen! I cannot imagine how my parents got through the teen years. Great casserole—my spinach loving family would go nuts for it!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:11 am

Liz,
It’s a wonder we emerged alive. 🙂

Reply

Liz March 15, 2015 at 7:53 am

Sounds nice. Thank you and have a great Sunday!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 8:11 am

Liz,
Hey there! Back atcha…have a great Sunday!

Reply

Nichole March 15, 2015 at 6:21 am

Haha, there are four kids in my family and I don’t know how my parents survived sometimes! This casserole while simple looks so so good! I love the memory behind it, too!

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Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 7:07 am

Nicole,
I often think back and wonder how they did it. Thank you!

Reply

Renee March 15, 2015 at 3:06 am

Yep, it may be a quiet dish but it sure is oh so good!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold March 15, 2015 at 7:08 am

Renee,
Quiet can be just what is needed sometimes, right?

Reply

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