This Cheesy Vegetable Casserole is a delicious and satisfying way to enjoy a medley of vegetables wrapped in a creamy, cheesy sauce, topped with a crunchy cracker crust. Ideal for potlucks, family dinners, or as a comforting side dish, this casserole combines the goodness of broccoli, mixed vegetables, and rice in a rich, flavorful blend of cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. It’s a dish that brings the family together around the table, making even the pickiest eaters crave their veggies.
Ingredients:
- For the Casserole:
- 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 (carrots, peas, corn, and green beans)
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 2 cups cooked rice (white long grain recommended)
- Seasonings:
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- For the Topping:
- 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed (about ¾ sleeve)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions:
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter and set it aside for later use.
- Cook the Onion: In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Incorporate the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes tender and translucent, which should take around 5 minutes.
- Mix the Base: In a large bowl, combine the condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, sautéed onion, 6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese (reserve the rest for topping), whisked eggs, and seasonings (garlic salt, salt, mustard powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper). Stir until well combined.
- Add Vegetables and Rice: Fold in the frozen broccoli, mixed vegetables, and cooked rice into the creamy mixture. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the vegetable and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with Cheese and Crackers: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cheese layer to create a crunchy topping.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm as a side dish or a hearty vegetarian main course.
Conclusion:
This Cheesy Vegetable Casserole is a versatile dish that brings comfort and flavor to any meal. Its combination of creamy, cheesy goodness and a crisp, buttery topping makes it an instant crowd-pleaser. Whether served as a side dish or enjoyed on its own, this casserole is a delicious way to get your daily dose of vegetables. Easy to prepare and sure to impress, it’s the perfect addition to your recipe collection.
Cheesy Vegetable Casserole with Crispy Cracker Topping
A creamy, cheesy vegetable casserole topped with acrispy cracker crust. Perfect as a comforting side dish or a hearty maincourse.
Ingredients
- For the Casserole:
- o 1 small yellow onion finely diced
- o 1 tablespoon butter
- o 10.5 oz. condensed cream of mushroom soup
- o ½ cup milk
- o ½ cup sour cream
- o 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese divided
- o 2 heaping cups frozen broccoli
- o 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables carrots, peas, corn, and green beans
- o 2 large eggs whisked
- o 2 cups cooked rice white long grain recommended
- Seasonings:
- o ½ teaspoon garlic salt
- o ½ teaspoon salt
- o ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- o ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- o ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- For the Topping:
- o 1 cup Ritz crackers crushed (about ¾ sleeve)
- o 2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or butter and set it aside for later use.
- Cook the Onion: In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Incorporate the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes tender and translucent, which should take around 5 minutes.
- Mix the Base: In a large bowl, combine the condensed cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, sautéed onion, 6 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese (reserve the rest for topping), whisked eggs, and seasonings (garlic salt, salt, mustard powder, Italian seasoning, and pepper). Stir until well combined.
- Add Vegetables and Rice: Fold in the frozen broccoli, mixed vegetables, and cooked rice into the creamy mixture. Stir until everything is evenly distributed.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the vegetable and rice mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with Cheese and Crackers: Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the cheese layer to create a crunchy topping.
- Bake: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling around the edges.
- Serve: Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm as a side dish or a hearty vegetarian main course.