This Easy Zucchini Brown Rice Casserole is a delicious, healthy way to get your protein and vegetable needs met. It’s kid-approved and freezer-friendly too! This is a great weeknight meal that is good for your gut, gluten-free, vegetarian, and also high in protein, carbs, fiber, and antioxidants. Top it with cheese or vegan shreds, a little sprinkle of panko (exclude for gluten-free), and broil to perfection. The recipe makes enough for about 6-8 servings so it’s great for meal prepping as well as dinner parties and potlucks!
Zucchini Brown Rice Casserole
Please note that this post does contain affiliate links, if you choose to click and purchase I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Click here for my full disclosure policy.
Health Benefits of Zucchini
Information Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor, this is simply my opinion based on research and should in no way be construed as medical advice.
zucchini, also known as courgette, is a summer squash in the Cucurbitaceae plant family, alongside melons, spaghetti squash, and cucumbers. Although zucchini is often considered a vegetable, it is botanically classified as a fruit.
While squashes originated in the Americas, this particular variety was first developed in the early 1800s in Italy.
Zucchini has been used in folk medicine to treat colds, aches, and various health conditions.
Zucchini is rich in several vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds as well as being rich in antioxidants.
One cup (223 grams) of cooked zucchini provides:
- Calories: 17
- Protein: 1 gram
- Fat: less than 1 gram
- Carbs: 3 grams
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Fiber: 1 gram
- Vitamin A: 40% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Manganese: 16% of the RDI
- Vitamin C: 14% of the RDI
- Potassium: 13% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 10% of the RDI
- Vitamin K: 9% of the RDI
- Folate: 8% of the RDI
- Copper: 8% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 7% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 7% of the RDI
- Thiamine: 5% of the RDI
It also contains small amounts of iron, calcium, zinc, and several other B vitamins.
In particular, its ample vitamin A content may support your vision and immune system.
Health Benefits of Brown Rice
Brown rice is often associated with healthy eating. Considered a whole grain, brown rice is less processed than white rice, which has had its hull, bran, and germ removed. Brown rice only has the hull removed, leaving the nutrient-packed bran and germ.
As a result, brown rice retains the nutrients that white rice lacks such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
One cup of brown rice contains:
- Calories: 216
- Carbs: 44 grams
- Fiber: 3.5 grams
- Fat: 1.8 grams
- Protein: 5 grams
- Thiamin (B1): 12% of the RDI
- Niacin (B3): 15% of the RDI
- Pyridoxine (B6): 14% of the RDI
- Pantothenic acid (B5): 6% of the RDI
- Iron: 5% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 21% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 16% of the RDI
- Zinc: 8% of the RDI
- Copper: 10% of the RDI
- Manganese: 88% of the RDI
- Selenium: 27% of the RDI
This whole grain is also a good source of folate, riboflavin (B2), potassium, and calcium.
Additionally, brown rice is exceptionally high in manganese. This little-known mineral is vital for many important processes in the body, such as bone development, wound healing, muscle contraction metabolism, nerve function, and blood sugar regulation
Health Benefits of Black Beans
Beans and legumes are the fruits or seeds of a family of plants called Fabaceae. They are commonly eaten around the world and are a rich source of fiber and B vitamins.
They are also a great replacement for meat as a source of vegetarian protein.
Beans and legumes have a number of health benefits, including reducing cholesterol, decreasing blood sugar levels, and increasing healthy gut bacteria. Like many other beans, black beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and folate.
One cup (172 grams) of cooked black beans contains roughly :
- Calories: 227
- Protein: 15.2 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
- Folate (vitamin B9): 64% of the RDI
- Manganese: 38% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 30% of the RDI
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 28% of the RDI
- Iron: 20% of the RDI
Noom: Helping people everywhere lead healthier lives
through behavior change.
The Last Weight Loss Program You’ll Ever Need
Personally, I have always struggled with self-esteem and used to believe that my self-worth was solely measured by my weight and jean size. Why you ask?! Well, I had no idea until I joined Noom. I wish I knew back then what I know now. Through Noom’s personalized program I have learned how to eat mindfully and keep the weight off. I also learned the science and psychology behind my eating habits and how to alter my mindset to make a permanent change. I lost 20 pounds in only 3 months.
All you have to do is take a short quiz about your goals and eating habits and almost instantly you will receive a personalized plan with your very own Noom coach to help you achieve your goals in as little as 4 months!
Recommendations
I love kitchen products by Made In. The craftsmanship is extremely high quality and it’s something that you can buy for your kitchen with peace of mind, knowing that it will last a lifetime. Inspired by tradition and innovation, Made In partnered with a family-owned, 5th generation knife maker from the knife capital of the world to create a fully-forged, nitrogen-treated chef knife. Hammered from one single rod of nitrogen-treated, premium X50CrMoV15 metal, this chef knife achieves a Rockwell score of 58-60 and will become the star in your knife block.
The 8″ Chef Knife is the perfect addition to any kitchen in need of a do-it-all prep knife. Made In’s versatile Chef Knives were specially designed to excel at slicing, dicing, chopping, mincing, deboning, and even scoring dough.
Check out all of their other amazing kitchenware here.
Masterclass.com
My new obsession! I highly recommend and LOVE this service. Basically, it’s only $20/month (billed annually) and you get to learn online from professionals like Wolfgang Puck, Gordon Ramsay, and Alice Watters to name a few and there are 11 different categories to choose from. There are more than 100 classes and new classes added every month! I can’t say enough great things about masterclass.com, you can gift classes to someone as well, which I love! Don’t stay stuck in your old routine, if you want help learning a special skill, you don’t have to wait for things to re-open and you don’t have to limit yourself to what your current city has to offer.
Learn from the best of the best!
Pin for Later – Zucchini Brown Rice Casserole
Zucchini Brown Rice Casserole
Equipment
- saucepan
- frying pan
- 9x13 casserole dish
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini squash, diced or shredded
- 1 tbsp cooking oil of choice I prefer coconut oil
- 1 cup brown rice, uncooked cook according to package
- 2-3 beyond sausages, crumbled
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1-2 cups sharp cheddar, grated use dairy-free shreds for vegan option
- 2 large eggs substitute aquafaba from black beans for vegan option
- 1 can black beans
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 small can or ½ cup verde salsa
optional add-ons
- ½ cup corn
- ½ cup bell pepper
- ¼ cup hot sauce
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs for topping
- 1 dollop garnish with a dollop sour cream each piece
Instructions
- in a saucepan cook rice according to package (2 cups water, 1 cup rice, bring to boil, simmer 30 minutes)
- in a small frying pan over medium heat, add cooking oil, saute onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes until translucent add crumbled beyond sausage and saute for an additional 3 minutes
- add diced jalapeno, diced or shredded zucchini, and black beans, saute 2 more minutes, set mixture aside
- preheat oven to 350°F
- when rice is ready, in a large mixing bowl add rice, ingredients from the frying pan, 2 eggs and the salsa verde sauce, mix until combined
- add this mixture to a greased casserole dish, top with shredded cheese and optional break crumbs. Bake for 27 minutes. Broil for 3 minutes.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes & enjoy! Optional: serve with a dollop of sour cream.
If you liked this recipe & want to know more:
Be sure to check out my organizational resources:
If you find this recipe useful, I’d love to hear about it! Take some snapshots of your zucchini brown rice casserole, share them with me on Instagram and I will repost on my stories!
