Confetti Casserole

This crispy, buttery, and heart warming casserole is a spin on a dish originally found on the back of a bag of Carolina rice. And, this vegan version still packs the same down south, stick to your ribs flavor.

Pick fun colors for the bell peppers to get the full confetti experience!

Ingredients

• 1.5 Cup Short Grain Rice
• 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 1 Medium Onion
• 2 Bell Peppers
• 5 Tbsp Vegan Butter
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Block of Tofu
• 2 Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 Tsp Paprika
• 2 Tsp Poultry Seasoning
• ¹⁄₄ Cup Soy Sauce
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Steps

First, press your tofu. Then, cut it into long thick pieces about the size of your finger.

Soak these pieces in a mixture of soy sauce and ¹⁄₄ cup of the vegetable broth. I find superfirm tofu pressed very well works best for this recipe.

In the mean time, dice the onion and bell pepper and set aside.

Once the tofu has marinated (ideally at least 2 hours), remove it and reserve the liquid. We’ll add that to the rice later.

Next, butter a large casserole dish. Ensure the whole bottom and sides are coated and leave the remaining butter in chunks in the bottom of the pan.

Now, prepare a dredge from the 1 cup of flour plus 1 teaspoon of each of the seasonings. Whisk together. Then, coat each piece of tofu and place them in the buttered pan slightly spaced apart.

Bake these tofu pieces on 400F for 15 minutes, then flip them over to brown on the other side.

Once the tofu is browned, remove it from the pan and set aside momentarily. Pour the rice evenly on the bottom of the pan. Then, add the reserved marination liquid and remaining vegetable stock.

Next, add the remaining 1 teaspoon of seasonings: Old Bay, Paprika, and Poultry Seasoning. Then, add back the pieces of browned tofu on top of the rice & stock. And finally, top with the diced onion and bell pepper.

Return to the oven to cook for 45-50 minutes on 400F. Check occasionally to see if it needs a small amount of extra stock or water.