Servings
Serves 6
This rustic casserole transforms humble summer vegetables into something truly special, combining tender rice grits with a medley of garden-fresh squash, sweet peppers, and juicy cherry tomatoes. It’s both comforting and refined, perfect for serving as a vegetarian main course or alongside grilled meat. The casserole tastes wonderful hot from the oven or at room temperature, and can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated before baking; add 5-10 minutes to the cooking time if baking cold.
Ingredients
-
¾ cup WHF’s Charleston Gold Rice Grits
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 medium yellow squash, sliced into ¼-inch rounds (8 ounces)
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch rounds (8 ounces)
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt, divided
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup whole milk
- 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about ½ cup)
Directions
Cook the rice grits: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice grits and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and let cool to room temperature.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter melts, add onion, bell pepper, yellow squash, and zucchini. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften but don't brown, 5-7 minutes. Add cherry tomatoes, garlic, and thyme; cook until garlic is fragrant and tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish.
Assemble the casserole: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until smooth. Stir in cooled rice grits, sautéed vegetables, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Add half of the Gruyère and half of the Parmesan, mixing gently to combine.
Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle remaining cheeses evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown and bubbling around the edges, 30-35 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the casserole to set. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
