Description
This comforting Vegetable Casserole features a creamy blend of mushrooms, cheddar cheese, and mixed vegetables with a crispy Ritz cracker topping. Perfect for a hearty family dinner or a potluck side dish, it combines cooked rice, sautéed onions, and savory seasonings in a baked, cheesy dish that’s satisfying and easy to make.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 10.5 oz. condensed cream of mushroom soup
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 heaping cups frozen broccoli
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 2 cups cooked white long grain rice
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Topping
- 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed (about ¾ sleeve)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Sauté Onions: Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Combine Base Ingredients: Stir in the condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, and all the seasonings (garlic salt, salt, mustard powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper) until fully combined.
- Melt Cheese: Add half of the shredded cheddar cheese (1 cup) into the mixture and stir until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add Vegetables: Stir in the frozen broccoli and mixed vegetables, allowing them to heat through in the pot. Then remove the pot from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Incorporate Eggs and Rice: Stir the whisked eggs and cooked rice into the slightly cooled vegetable mixture until evenly combined.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and transfer the mixture into it. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
- Prepare Topping: While baking, combine the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter until all crumbs are coated.
- Add Topping and Finish Baking: Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the buttery cracker topping evenly over it, then bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the topping is golden and crispy.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and serve warm. Enjoy your cheesy vegetable casserole!
Notes
- Cook rice in chicken broth instead of water for enhanced flavor or add 1 chicken bouillon cube to the cooking water.
- You can substitute the condensed cream of mushroom soup with homemade cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup recipes.
- Use extra sharp cheddar cheese like Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp Yellow for best flavor; mixing white and yellow cheddar works well too.
- Vegetable substitutions such as carrots, peas, green beans, corn, cauliflower, mushrooms, spinach, or kale are excellent alternatives.
- If using fresh vegetables, steam or cook them until about 90% tender before adding to the casserole.
- Crispy fried onions make a delicious alternative topping to the Ritz crackers.
- For a make-ahead option, assemble the casserole and top with cheese, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking or add 10-15 minutes extra to the covered baking time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
