I love ANY meal that I can make once and eat twice (or several times for that matter), especially meals that seem to get better the second time around, like this Spinach, Feta, & Brown Rice Pie.
This recipe is similar to a Summer Squash Frittata or a Potato Crusted Swiss Chard Quiche except, it’s heavier on the ‘fillings’ and lighter on the eggs.
I originally saw this recipe in Eating Well Magazine and immediately thought it would be a great ‘make-ahead-lunch-idea’.
It’s one of those recipes that works hot, cold, or at room temperature and can be eaten with a spoon, fork, or fingers (because we all know that as much as we try to avoid it, sometimes lunch has to be eaten on-the-go, in the car!).
If you think of the recipe as a blueprint you can make this dish 101 different ways simply by changing up the fillings. I’ve got quinoa, broccoli & cheddar on the brain right now but I bet a black bean, tomato, corn, and spicy jack cheese version would be great too!
Would love to hear if anyone gives this a try with some new flavor combinations… be sure to come back and let me know in the comments!
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 cup non fat or low fat milk
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 10- ounce package of spinach thawed and squeezed dry
- 3 cups of pre-cooked brown rice
- 1 cup of Feta cheese crumbled in large pieces (not crumbs)
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 425. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray or olive oil.
- In a medium bowl beat together eggs, eggwhites, milk, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes or until they are translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and spinach and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Transfer veggie mixture to a large bowl and stir in rice and Feta cheese and egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and then transfer everything into the pie pan. Smooth out the top using a spatula.
- Bake the pie for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for a few minutes before cutting up. Enjoy!
- Makes 6 servings.
Meline says
Delicious! I used fetta and hallumi cheese. And, I combined spinach with broccoli since I didn’t have enough spinach. And, I took your advice and used quinoa. This will be a meal I can prepare so quickly in the future. Thank you!
Susan says
It was great! We don’t like onions so I substituted mushrooms. I didn’t have feta so I used cheddar.
Dani says
sounds delish!
Darla Layfield says
Soooo good!!! I am a mother of six and have decided to live healthier and longer. I don’t want diabetes, heart disease, joint pain and all the other nastiness that comes along with being as overweight as I am. I want to see my children grow up and play with my grandchildren and even great-grandchildren!
With all that being said, boy am I glad I found you!!! I love your videos and even though I am a pretty terrible cook most times, I find your instructions easy to follow.
For this recipe I used golden quinoa (think next time tri-colored quinoa for a nuttier taste), 24-oz chopped spinach (cause I love the taste), four whole eggs, and goat cheese instead of feta. DEEEEEELICIOUS!
Thank you, Dani…you’re the best!
Dani says
Your substitutions sound delicious! Thats what I love about recipes like this, they are so flexible! I’m so glad we found each other:)
Alina Havas says
Can we replace the rise with smashed potato, or do you have other idea? I’m not a big fan of rise…
Dani says
I’m not sure about the smashed potato but I would imagine any type of grain would work in place of the rice. So maybe quinoa, farro, barley, wheat berries, etc…
Melody says
Has anyone tried freezing the leftovers?
Dani says
I haven’t myself, but it should be fine.
Melody Rawles says
I made this last night. It was delicious, absolutely delicious!
Dani says
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Megan says
This is one of my favorite recipes ever. Do you think it would freeze well after baking?
Dani says
Yes! I think it would freeze well.
Anastasija says
Can almond or coconut milk be used instead of the normal milk ?
Dani says
Yes!
Fernanda says
OMG. The best pie ever. Super easy and healthy. Very yummy and filling.
My bf loved it
Dani says
So glad to hear that!