Spice up your family's dinner table with this easy and Creamy Coconut Curry and Rice Casserole! Bold yellow coconut curry is mixed with rice and veggies for a family-friendly meal that's easy to make, healthy and super yummy! This is a vegan and gluten-free dinner idea that everyone in your home will love!
Coconut Curry Casserole Ingredients
This easy, creamy coconut curry and rice casserole uses whole, nutritious ingredients for a filling meal. Here's what you'll need:
- Rice: You will want to have your rice already cooked for this recipe. You can use your favorite type of rice. Long grain white rice or brown rice both work well here!
- Chickpeas: Chickpeas add protein, fiber, and a wonderful texture to the dish.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: The full-fat canned coconut milk is what gives this casserole a lot of flavor and it's creamy texture. If you don't use full-fat coconut milk, you will lose out on a lot of flavor!
- Broccoli: You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets.
- Onion: Diced onion is added for flavor.
- Tomatoes: Fresh, diced tomatoes combine well with the spices in this curry casserole.
- Spices: Curry Powder, Turmeric, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Paprika, and Salt & Pepper.
- Fresh Parsley: Optional, for garnish.
How to Make Coconut Curry Casserole
Making creamy coconut curry and rice casserole couldn't be any easier! With just a casserole dish and a few mixing bowls, you will have a delicious meal in no time. Here are the simple steps:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x11 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cooked rice, coconut milk, chickpeas, broccoli, onions, and tomatoes. In a smaller, separate bowl, add the spices and mix. Pour the spices over the chickpeas and rice mixture and stir everything until the spices are evenly distributed. Alternatively, you can skip the bowls and mix everything together in the casserole dish.
Step 3: Transfer the chickpeas and rice mixture into the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. It should be lightly golden. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy warm.
Expert Tips
- Use Leftover Rice: If possible, cold rice is better than freshly cooked rice. If the rice is freshly cooked, it will be more of a mushy texture in the casserole. If you use cold rice, the rice grains will not stick together and become mushy. If you don't have leftover rice on hand, make your rice and let it chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes before using it.
- Add All The Veggies You Want: You can make this vegan coconut curry and rice casserole even more nutritious with more veggies. Consider adding red bell pepper, spinach, and cauliflower!
- Make it Spicy: If you love to make your meals spicy, add some cayenne pepper to the mix! Or, garnish with sriracha when you are ready to eat it.
- Add Protein: My non-vegan family loves to throw a little shredded chicken into the curry casserole before baking. Tofu squares would also be delicious in this!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! After baking the casserole, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheat in the oven when you are ready to serve. Alternatively, you can mix the chickpea and rice mixture together and freeze in and airtight container for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat it, let it thaw and pop it in the oven until heated through.
Storage Recommendations
- The baked casserole will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. When you are ready to eat those leftovers, simply reheat in the microwave.
- You can freeze the coconut curry casserole in a casserole dish with a lid and bake when you are ready. Let the casserole thaw a bit in the fridge before popping it in the oven!
More Easy Vegan Dinner Recipes to Try
- Coconut Curry Cauliflower Rice
- Easy Chickpea Salad
- Chickpea Meatballs & Tahini Brussels Sprouts
- Coconut Crusted Tofu
Creamy Coconut Curry & Rice Casserole
Ingredients
Ingredients for Coconut Curry & Rice Casserole
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 15 oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 13.5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- ⅔ cups diced yellow onion
- ½ cups diced tomatoes
- 3 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Coconut Curry & Rice Casserole Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x11 inch casserole dish with olive oil spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the cooked rice, chickpeas, coconut milk, broccoli, onions, and tomatoes. In a smaller separate bowl, add the spices and mix. Pour the spices over the chickpeas and rice mixture and stir until evenly coated. Transfer the chickpeas and rice mixture into the casserole dish.
- Alternatively, you may skip the bowls and combine all the ingredients in the baking dish and mix well.
- Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes. It should be lightly golden. Top with fresh parsley and enjoy warm. This dish also makes a great make-ahead meal and reheats well in the microwave!
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Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
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