One of my favorite appetizers to order when we go out for Italian is arancini (Sicilian rice balls). So I was super excited to see a casserole version of it in my friend Gina’s new cookbook: Skinnytaste Meal Prep (affiliate link), among hundreds of amazingly tasty, meal-prep and family friendly recipes! About this rice casserole…Who doesn’t love a comforting dish that’s also on the healthier side?
Sicilian rice ball casserole! So much to love…
Simple. An easy casserole (no need to worry about forming rice balls). And it uses familiar and readily available ingredients like rice, sweet chicken sausage, and peas. Delicious. The combination of sweet chicken sausage, marinara sauce and just the right amount of cheese, is all the comforting and delicious Italian flavors everyone loves! A healthier option. This rice casserole is on the “skinny” side. It uses some cheese (not a lot); no butter (just a little bit of extra virgin olive oil); and it skips the need for any heavy cream-based sauces. Freezer-friendly! You can assemble this rice casserole and freeze it to bake at a later time! (more on meal-prep and freezer instructions below).
Do I cook the rice before adding to casserole?
In this arancini casserole, the rice is cooked first before assembling the casserole. This is especially important if you plan to freeze the casserole and cook it later. Also, because this is not a liquid or cream-heavy rice casserole, the rice needs to be fully cooked separately before adding to the casserole. Cooking the rice is an easy step that you can even do one night ahead and refrigerate until ready to use.
How do you make rice casserole?
(print-friendly recipe with ingredient list below)
Cook the rice. You’ll start with 2 cups uncooked white rice. Simply follow the package instruction to cook it; add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to your cooking water though. Make the chicken sausage and pea mixture. Use a non-stick pan to cook the chicken sausage (14 ounces) until browned. I found that adding a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil to the pan helps. Once browned, add the onions (1/4 cup minced onions) and cook those too until browned. Then follow with the peas (5 ounces)_and 1 cup marinara sauce (use store-bought or you can try my spaghetti sauce). Let the mixture simmer for a good 20 minutes or so (Stir occasionally) Combine the rice mixture. Mix the cooked rice with grated Pecornio (1/2 cup), 2 eggs (lightly beaten), and 1/2 cup marinara sauce.
Assemble the casserole. Grab a baking dish (9 x 13-inch) and lightly oil the bottom and sides then sprinkle in about 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs to coat the bottom and sides. Add about 1/2 of the rice mixture and press on the bottom and sides. Now add the sausage and peas mixture. Sprinkle about 3/4 cup mozzarella.
Top with the rest. Add the remaining rice mixture, make sure to press until the top is nice and even. Top with marinara sauce (1/2 cup), bread crumbs (2 tablespoons) and 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella.
Bake! Cover with foil and bake in a heated oven (400 degrees F) for about 30 minutes or until hot. Garnish with parsley if you like.
I like to serve this hearty casserole with a side of fresh salad. When tomatoes are in season, I love this panzanella salad. You can also try my lemony arugula salad or this simple Mediterranean salad.
To freeze
If you’re doing some meal prep and plan to freeze the casserole for later, here’s what you do: Assemble the entire rice casserole but do not bake it. Instead, cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil then freeze (freezes for up to 3 months). Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before baking in an oven heated at 350 degrees F. More recipes to try
Spanish Chicken and Rice
Italian Rice Salad
Vegetarian Baked Ziti
Chicken Schnitzel Tahdig (Crispy Persian Rice)
Check out more Italian Recipes. 50+ Mediterranean Diet Recipes.
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