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<\/em><\/p>\nWhat’s your favourite summer squash recipe? I have so many, but this is the one I make most often.<\/p>\n
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Why this recipe is so popular<\/h2>\n
This baked rice dish is full of fresh, simple ingredients. Caramelized onions give it a sweet and fragrant flavour, while fresh thyme and ground nutmeg add a distinctive earthiness. The zucchini rounds on top of the creamy baked rice hold the gratin cheese topping, which comes out of the oven with a crispy top.<\/p>\n
I make this recipe every summer for my Italian family reunion. I have to triple the recipe to make sure there’s enough to go around! Our family loves eating zucchini and many of us grow them in our backyard gardens. This is one of my most requested recipes at family potlucks.<\/p>\n
How to make Zucchini Rice Gratin<\/h2>\n
This is a simple recipe that can be assembled ahead of time and baked when needed. Start by gathering and prepping all the ingredients and then follow my steps below for cooking the rice.<\/p>\n
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Heaps of onions are given a good amount of cooking time in butter and olive oil until tender and caramelized.<\/p>\n
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Rice, broth, milk, cheese, ground nutmeg, and fresh thyme are added to the caramelized onions and slow simmered to a rich creamy texture.<\/p>\n
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The cooked rice is transferred to a baking dish and covered with zucchini rounds arranged scallop style. The zucchini are sprinkled with cheese then the dish is baked in a preheated oven.<\/p>\n
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Tips for recipe success<\/h2>\n\n- Use sweet onions<\/strong> for this recipe if possible, but other types of onions like yellow cooking onions or Spanish onions work well too.<\/li>\n
- Cook the onions low and slow<\/strong> as directed. Don\u2019t skimp on the cooking time.<\/li>\n
- Make this dish vegetarian by using the vegetable broth option<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
- Use fresh thyme<\/strong> (as opposed to dried thyme) since the fragrance and flavour of thyme (sharp grass, wood, and floral notes) is what balances out this dish.<\/li>\n
- Slice the zucchini rounds about \u00bc\u201d<\/strong> thick as you want them to hold up during the baking time and keep a bit of their crunch after they\u2019re baked.<\/li>\n
- This recipe can be assembled early in the day or a day ahead, stored in the refrigerator then baked when needed<\/strong>. In this case, bring the dish to room temperature for 1 hour before placing in the preheated oven, and increase the baking time by 10 \u2013 15 minutes.<\/li>\n
- Allow about 5 \u2013 10 minutes for the baked rice to set before serving<\/strong>; this makes it much easier to divide the portions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Serve this cheesy and creamy rice while it\u2019s still hot and enjoy the naturally sweet and fragrant flavour. Let me know what you think about this dish!<\/p>\n
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Serve this cheesy and creamy rice while it\u2019s still hot and enjoy the naturally sweet and fragrant flavour. Let me know what you think about this dish!<\/p>\n
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