This easy and healthy casserole is a great way to use up all those vegetables from your garden. It feeds a crowd and tastes amazing! Perfect meatless dinner for a summer night.
Tomato Basil Summer Veggie Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cottage cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 1 lemon, juiced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound broccoli, 2 crowns (or you can use frozen florets. Thaw them first.)*
- 12 ounces rotini pasta, I used the multicolored kind
- 1 large tomato, chopped**
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, divided
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic , minced
- 15 ounces white beans, 1 can, drained
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, chopped
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 8 ounces mozzarella, fresh, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan
- olive oil
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, fresh, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, stir together cottage cheese, eggs, lemon juice, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Bring about 2 quarts of water to a boil in a 3-quart pot. Add about a tablespoon of salt.
- While it's heating up, cut your broccoli into similar-sized florets.
- When the water is boiling, add the broccoli then immediately cover with a lid. Keep the heat on high. Set a timer for 3 minutes, then use a slotted spoon (don't drain!) to remove the broccoli to the bowl with the cottage cheese.
- Bring the remaining water back up to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander, then add the noodles to the bowl and stir.
- Add the chopped tomato to the bowl. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, and reserve about a cup for the top of the casserole. Throw the rest in the bowl.
- Add the chopped onions and garlic to the bowl. If you don't love raw onions/garlic, you can saute them in a little oil for a few minutes before adding them to the bowl. They won't become completely cooked in the oven, so be aware.
- Add the white beans, 1/2 cup basil, and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Stir well.
- Grease a deep 9x13 inch casserole dish and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pour the mixture into the dish. Top with the remaining cherry tomato halves. Sprinkle with the chopped fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle with 1/4 up Parmesan. Drizzle the dish with a bit of olive oil, just a tablespoon or 2.
- Bake at 375 for about 35 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown. When it's done baking, immediately sprinkle with fresh chopped basil. Serves a crowd!
Notes
**Use any kind of tomatoes you like (all regular or all cherry). I just used what I had on hand. Source: adapted from The Kitchn
Nutrition
Easy Cheesy Asparagus Tortellini Bake: (you could try this with zucchini in place of the asparagus, that would be good)
Poblano, Corn, and Zucchini Lasagna: << this is soooo good
Broccoli Quinoa Casserole from Eat Good 4 Life
Cheesy Taco Casserole from Cookie Monster Cooking
Mediterranean Quinoa Casserole from Making Thyme for Health
This sounds delicious, Karen! :)
I made this for dinner and both my picky husband and toddler loved it! Thanks for the recipe.
Woohoo! Glad you all liked it Stephanie! Thanks for coming back to comment!
What a beautiful casserole! So summery! It looks delicious.
This casserole looks divine, Karen! Love the colours and all the summer veggies packed into the dish! Perfect dinner recipe!
What an awesome looking casserole and meatless!!! What a great way to use up all those yummy veggies. It’s great you have an awesome neighbor to help take care of your garden! Could you send them my way cuz I need some help in that department!! ;)