Say goodbye to summer with one last bite of Southern heirloom tomatoes in our Cheesy Tomato and Rice Casserole.
Cheesy Tomato and Rice Casserole
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients
- 3 heirloom tomatoes, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 small chicken bouillon cubes
- ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 cups cooked long grain white rice (cooked with 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
- 1 cup fresh mozzarella pearls
- ½ cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 pint gourmet blend grape tomatoes, halved
- Garnish: fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Place tomatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed jelly roll pan, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Lightly spray a 3-quart or 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Add milk and bouillon cubes; cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper.
- In a large bowl, add rice, mozzarella, basil, and grape tomatoes. Gently stir in sauce until combined. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Place tomatoes on top of casserole, overlapping if needed. Cover with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes; uncover, and bake until bubbly, 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with basil, if desired.
