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Sicilian Rice Casserole
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Sicilian Rice Casserole Recipe

Sicilian Rice Casserole, all the flavors of arancini (rice balls) but without the fuss and the frying!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Sicilian-Italian
Keyword Sicilian rice casserole, rice ball casserole, Sicilian rice and peas
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Resting time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 399kcal
Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1 large onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1/2 package mushrooms, about 100 gramsor 4 oz (sliced)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 450 grams combined ground veal/beef/pork (1 lb)
  • 720 ml tomato passata (24 oz)
  • 1 1/2 cups peas, frozen

For the rice

  • 2 cups long grain rice
  • tbsp butter

To assemble

  • butter for greasing the casserole
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup combined Parmigiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses plus 1 tbsp for top

Instructions

For the sauce:

  • Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan.  Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, celery and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
  • Add the wine and cook stirring until it has evaporated, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the ground meat and cook stirring to break up the pieces until no longer pink.
  • Pour in the tomato passata, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes with the lid loosely covering the pan.
  • After 30 minutes add the peas and continue cooking for 15 minutes longer.  Adjust the seasoning as needed. 

For the rice:

  • While the sauce is simmering, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan.  Add salt, rice and cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in the butter. 

To assemble the dish:

  • Preheat oven to 350F.  Butter a 10"x14'"rectangular casserole and coat with 2 tbsp breadcrumbs. 
  • In a large mixing bowl combine rice, sauce and 1/2 cup Parmigiano/pecorino cheese. Stir to combine.
  • Place the rice mixture in the prepared casserole and spread out evenly.  Top with remaining 2 tbsp breadcrumbs and 1 tbsp Parmigiano/pecorino cheese. 
  • Bake for 20 minutes.  Preheat broiler and bake 3 minutes longer until lightly browned on top.  Let sit 15 minutes before serving. 

Notes

 

  • This casserole can be prepared ahead of time.  You can either cook the rice and meat sauce the day before and assemble and bake the day you're serving it.
  • Alternately, assemble the entire casserole the day before and simply bake before serving.
  • You can also freeze the casserole unbaked.  Thaw by placing in the freezer the night before serving and bake for an extra 15-20 minutes.  If the top becomes too dark or crispy, simply cover with foil until it is warmed through.
  • If you love your casserole extra cheesy, stir grated or cubed mozzarella into the rice mixture.
  • Please note that the nutritional information is approximate and may vary according to exact portion size and ingredients used. 

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3310IU | Vitamin C: 23.4mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 3.2mg