Yahoo Lifestyle The 34 Rice Casserole Recipes for Big Hearty Flavor On a Budget
We are huge, huge fans of rice. We love eating rice in every single form, whether in risotto, in rice bowls, as arancini, rice porridge, or even rice pudding! There's just something so comforting about the humble rice grain that you can use it in so many different recipes, and making a large rice casserole is no different! To get you inspired to fall in love with the dish as much as I do, I've gathered up 34 of the easiest rice casserole recipes. They're big on flavor but easy on the wallet.
Related: 39 Super Simple Rice Bowl Recipes
What is the Best Rice for Casseroles?
While white rice is usually more commonly used in casseroles, I find that the best rice for casseroles will depend on your preference. If you like a softer, starchier rice, white rice is probably your answer. However, if you prefer a healthier option with a bit more fiber, brown rice will be a better choice.
How to Determine a Liquid-to-Rice Ratio in Casseroles
Depending on which type of rice you use, the liquid-to-rice ratio will vary. Ideally, you want to add enough water so that the rice doesn't dry out in the oven once it's baked. For white rice, use 2 parts water to 1 part rice. For brown rice, I would suggest using at least 3 to 4 parts water to 1 part rice.
How to Freeze Rice Casseroles
Once your rice casserole is cooked, if you're not planning on eating it immediately or within the next few days, you can freeze it and enjoy later. To freeze, cover the rice casserole with foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag or large ziplock bag and freeze for up to three months. When you plan on eating it, thaw the casserole overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in the oven (loosely tented with foil) until it's ready.
The Best Rice Casserole Recipes
From vegetarian options such as Broccoli, Cheddar and Rice Casserole and Vegan Chickpea and Rice Casserole, to options for meat lovers like Chicken Rice Casseroles, Ground Beef Rice Casseroles, Turkey and Rice Casseroles and Cowboy Rice Casserole, there's definitely a casserole option for every palette in this mix!
Here are the easiest rice casseroles for a hearty meal—with plenty of leftovers to boot. Browse through them, make sure to pin your favorites and get ready for a lot of cozy meals this fall.
Related: Easy Chicken Casseroles to Feed a Crowd
The 34 Best Rice Casserole Recipes
Parade
This fiesta taco rice casserole brings together the flavors of tacos, salsa, and the side of rice all in one easy-to-make casserole. It’s perfect for any busy night, or when you’re craving Mexican food but are on a budget!
Get the recipe: Fiesta Taco Rice Casserole
Parade
Try this Red Beans & Rice Casserole, a bayou classic that gets an upgrade in the form of a cornbread topping. Add hot sauce to the beans to crank up the heat.
Get the recipe: Red Beans and Rice Casserole
Parade
There is just so much flavor in this simple but delicious chicken on rice casserole.
Get the recipe: Chicken on Rice Casserole
The Diary of a Real Housewife
A classic recipe made in the slow cooker. This slow cooker chicken and rice casserole is made with a creamy chicken sauced cooked low and slow.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Casserole
Yellow Bliss Road
Skillet garlic chicken and rice casserole is a simple go-to chicken dinner that is flavorful, and only uses one pan!
Get the recipe: Skillet Garlic Chicken and Rice Casserole
Crumbs and Caramel
Making a delicious and healthy vegan meal does not get any easier than this Mexican inspired rice casserole. Perfect for busy weeknights and filled with the goodness of beans, corn and rice for a budget friendly plant-based dinner!
Get the recipe: Easy Vegan Mexican Rice Casserole
This absolutely mouthwatering white chili rice casserole is entirely vegan, gluten free, and made in one pot. Super satisfying, creamy, and finger-licking good.
Get the recipe: White Chili Rice Casserole
This Greek chicken and rice casserole is about to be a big hit in your house!
Get the recipe: Greek Chicken and Rice Casserole
This Italian sausage and rice casserole with peppers is a back-on-track, one-pan plan kind of meal. It’s healthy food you won’t be sad to eat, weeknight fast, and leaves you with only one dish to wash at the end.
Get the recipe: Italian Sausage and Rice Casserole
This dump-and-bake chickpea and rice casserole is easy and delicious! Made from only 10 plant-based ingredients, it delivers big flavor with minimal effort.
Get the recipe: Vegan Chickpea and Rice Casserole
This cheesy skillet cowboy rice casserole features, ground beef and chorizo sausage, diced peppers, sweet onion, pinto beans and corn.
Get the recipe: Skillet Cowboy Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole is serious comfort food! My whole family loves how flavorful it is, and I love that it’s super simple to throw together for busy nights!
Get the recipe: Creamy French Onion Chicken Rice Casserole
Make dinner fun and flavorful with this Cajun shrimp and rice casserole recipe. This hearty, nutritious meal will be a new family favorite!
Get the recipe: Cajun Shrimp and Rent Casserole
This cheesy and flavorful chicken enchilada rice casserole is made with cauliflower rice. It’s an easy dish that comes together in under an hour.
Get the recipe: Chicken Enchilada Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Amazing rice casserole packed with the best flavors of beef enchiladas. This flavorful casserole is made with ground beef and bell pepper mixture, spices, homemade enchilada sauce, and topped with lots of cheese.
Get the recipe: Beef Enchilada Rice Casserole
The best vegetarian mexican casserole recipe with bell pepper, corn, black beans, enchilada sauce, and cheese. A hearty and delicious vegetarian dinner recipe.
Get the recipe: Vegetarian Mexican Rice Casserole
This is a dump-and-bake chicken rice casserole with broccoli that’s made from scratch. It’s creamy, cheesy, comforting and tastes like a risotto but so much easier to make!
Get the recipe: Emergency Chicken Rice Casserole
A cozy and filling chicken and wild rice casserole made with butternut squash and cranberries. This easy and healthy chicken dinner is a winner every time!
Get the recipe: Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole with Butternut Squash
This cheesy ground beef and rice casserole is easy to make with pantry ingredients like cream of mushroom soup. Your family will love this quick dinner recipe!
Get the recipe: Cheesy Ground Beef and Rice Casserole
One-skillet Mexican rice casserole is an easy option for dinner with almost zero clean up. It’s gluten-free and can easily be made vegan too!
Get the recipe: One-Skillet Mexican Rice Casserole
This Sicilian rice ball casserole takes one of my favorite appetizers (arancini) and turns it into a weeknight meal. Freezes well for make ahead meals and it’s also great for potlucks.
Get the recipe: Sicilian Rice Ball Casserole
No-peek chicken and rice casserole is full of comfort and tender, fall apart chicken overtopping a flavorful rice that makes this meal a family favorite! Baking to perfection with the warm, steam cooking the chicken and rice to perfection.
Get the recipe: No-Peek Chicken and Rice Casserole
Bacon ranch one-pot chicken and rice casserole - the easiest and most flavorful chicken and rice recipe ever! Packed full of juicy chicken, crisp bacon, ranch, rice, and gooey cheese!
Get the recipe: Bacon Ranch One-Pot Chicken and Rice Casserole
This garden vegetable and brown rice casserole is a lighter and healthier alternative to the typical dinnertime side dish because it uses just a small amount of cheese, eggs and herbs to bind together the crust and garden vegetables.
Get the recipe: Garden Vegetable and Brown Rice Casserole
Deliciously cheesy rice and vegetable casserole. A great go to casserole dish to feed a crowd! You can’t go wrong with this classic favorite vegetable side dish.
Get the recipe: Creamy Vegetable and Rice Casserole
This cheesy ham and broccoli rice casserole is an easy-peasy weeknight dinner that's filled with extra veggies and ham!
Get the recipe: Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Casserole
Saving Dessert
Chicken wild rice casserole with tender, flavorful chicken nestled in a bed of wild rice and mushrooms.
Get the recipe: Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
This taco cauliflower rice casserole is made with ground beef and cauliflower rice-filled layered in between grain-free tortillas! It’s gluten-free, and can easily be made dairy-free and paleo.
Get the recipe: Taco Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Cheesy, comforting, and filling, zucchini rice casserole is going to become a favorite around any family table. It’s also a great use for leftover rice!
Get the recipe: Healthy Zucchini Rice Casserole
With this creamy chicken and rice casserole skillet recipe, you can get all you need in one dish.
Get the recipe: Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
This broccoli, cheddar and rice casserole is warm, filling, comforting and delicious, and best of all, it's economical and easily feeds a crowd!
Get the recipe: Broccoli, Cheddar and Rice Casserole
This Southwest-inspired salsa verde chicken and rice casserole is filled with bite-sized chunks of juicy chicken, black beans, sweet corn, and tender rice in a cheesy salsa verde sauce!
Get the recipe: Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole is so easy to make and tastes like a million bucks!
Get the recipe: Million-Dollar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Abbey's Kitchen
This cauliflower rice casserole with chicken and broccoli is a perfect baby and toddler friendly family dinner. Have dinner on the table in less than an hour.
Get the recipe: Cauliflower Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
More Fall Cooking Inspiration:
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