Hearty Vegetable and Orzo Casserole

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SERVES 6 • TO PREP 45 MINUTES • STORE 8 TO 24 HOURS • TO FINISH 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Looking for a hearty vegetarian casserole that was a little different, we turned to orzo. For texture and flavor, we added mushrooms, butternut squash, and arugula, sautéing the mushrooms and squash in some butter. To give the dish a creamy, risotto-like texture, we toasted the orzo in the butter to give it a rich, nutty flavor and to help keep it from becoming mushy overnight. A combination of white wine, vegetable broth, and water made a bright, balanced base for the sauce. Stirring with abandon during the reheat was the key to this recipe—it helped release the starch in the orzo, which made the dish creamy and cohesive. Adding the arugula and some more Parmesan at the end of cooking helped keep the arugula bright, giving the dish an overall freshness. A sprinkling of pine nuts added a nice complementary crunch. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.

3	tablespoons unsalted butter
8	ounces (1½ cups) butternut squash, cut into ½-inch pieces
¾	teaspoon salt
1	onion, chopped fine
8	ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
3	garlic cloves, minced
1	pound (2⅔ cups) orzo
½	cup dry white wine
2½	cups vegetable broth
2	cups water

TO FINISH AND SERVE
3	ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1½ cups)
3	ounces (3 cups) baby arugula
2	tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

TO PREP

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add squash and salt and cook until beginning to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir in onion and mushrooms and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add orzo and stir until coated with butter, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine and cook until completely evaporated, about 1 minute.

2. Transfer orzo mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish, stir in broth and water, and let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.

TO STORE

3. Wrap dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.

TO FINISH AND SERVE

4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap dish, cover tightly with greased aluminum foil, and bake casserole until orzo is tender, about 40 minutes, stirring thoroughly 3 times during baking. Vigorously stir in 1 cup Parmesan until melted and orzo mixture is thickened and creamy. Stir in arugula, 1 handful at a time, until wilted, then sprinkle with remaining ½ cup Parmesan and pine nuts. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.