Italian Rice Bake with Vegetables and Mozzarella Recipe
This rice bake is a simple way to use up leftover cooked rice and vegetables. In Italy, similar dishes often appear on Mondays – after Sunday lunch nothing is allowed to go to waste. The creamy mozzarella on top melts into an appetizing, stretchy crust.
In Italian homes, rice bakes are a way to use up leftover rice from the previous day, similar to arancini. They often change depending on which vegetables and cheeses happen to be in the fridge.
Italian rice bake is the essence of a “nothing goes to waste” kitchen – from leftover rice and vegetables you get a hearty, homely dish with stretchy mozzarella on top. It’s a bit like lasagne, but instead of pasta you have delicate layers of rice that soak up the tomato sauce and herbs. This recipe shows how to turn very simple ingredients into something that smells like Sunday lunch.
Why this version works
- Using cooled, loose rice prevents overcooking and keeps the bake from falling apart.
- The vegetables are only sautéed, so after baking they keep their structure and don’t turn to mush.
- Combining mozzarella and Parmesan gives a stretchy topping and a pronounced cheesy flavor without heavy cream.
Chef's tips
The rice should be completely cooled before going into the bake – warm rice releases steam and the bake can turn out watery. Sauté the vegetables briefly, just until slightly softened, so that after baking they still have some texture and don’t turn into mush. It’s a good idea to pat the mozzarella dry from its brine and tear it by hand so the cheese spreads evenly over the top.
How to serve
Serve it as a main course for a relaxed Monday dinner, ideally with a simple salad of tomatoes and red onion. It also works great as a warm, family‑style dish on the table, where everyone helps themselves from a big baking dish – for example during a lazy Saturday get‑together with friends. To drink, choose a light red wine such as Chianti, or an herbal tea if it’s a weekday family dinner.
Watch out for
- If the tomato sauce is too runny, the rice will turn soggy; cook until the sauce clearly thickens.
- Don’t cut the bake immediately after taking it out of the oven – while very hot it will spread and be hard to portion.
- Don’t use hot, freshly cooked rice, as it easily turns into a dense, compact mass.
Substitutions
- You can replace the zucchini with diced eggplant sautéed until tender.
- Mozzarella can be swapped for another well-melting cheese, such as Gouda or fontina.
- Parmesan can be replaced with another aged hard cheese, for example Grana Padano.
- You can swap part of the rice for cooked pearl barley for a more nutty flavor.
Ingredients
- cooked rice preferably slightly cooled - 350 g
- zucchini medium - 1 piece
- carrot medium - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 1 piece
- chopped canned tomatoes - 200 g
- grated or ball mozzarella - 150 g
- grated Parmesan or other hard cheese optional - 30 g
- olive oil - 2 tablespoon
- dried oregano or Italian herb mix - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Lightly grease a baking dish of about 20×25 cm with olive oil, including the sides, so the rice doesn’t stick and the portions are easy to remove after baking.
- Wash the zucchini, carrot and pepper (peel the carrot) and cut into small, even cubes. Similar-sized pieces help the vegetables bake at the same rate and stay slightly firm instead of overcooking.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrot and pepper and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened and just starting to brown lightly at the edges, but not blacken.
- Add the zucchini and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables are semi-tender but still firm. There shouldn’t be much liquid left in the pan; if you see water, cook a bit longer until it evaporates.
- Add the canned tomatoes, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the sauce noticeably thickens and, when you drag a spoon through it, the bottom of the pan stays visible for a moment without liquid immediately running in.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooled, loose rice with the hot vegetable sauce. The grains should be evenly coated with sauce but not swimming in it; if you see a layer of liquid at the bottom, add a bit more rice or 1–2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
- Transfer half of the rice with vegetables to the baking dish and smooth the surface, pressing down lightly so there are no empty gaps. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella, distributing it evenly over the whole surface.
- Spread the remaining rice on top, smooth again and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and grated Parmesan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil so the cheese browns nicely in the oven and doesn’t dry out.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted, lightly golden in spots, and the edges of the bake are gently bubbling. When lightly pressed, the top should feel springy rather than liquid.
- Remove from the oven and let the bake stand for 5–10 minutes until it firms up slightly and no longer “wobbles” when you move the dish. Cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife and lift out with a wide spatula.
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven or in a covered pan over low heat; you can add a splash of water so the rice doesn’t dry out.
I usually make this bake on Sunday evening with rice left over from chicken soup – on Monday I just pop the dish into the oven when I get back from work. It’s one of those meals that taste even better the next day, reheated in slices in a pan.
