Feta and Spinach Rice Casserole

Jump to Recipe

Our easy Feta and Spinach Rice Casserole is a healthy take on traditional rice casserole. This creamy rice casserole is filled with fresh and bright flavors of feta cheese and lemon making it very different than heavier rice casseroles. Filled with tons of flavor, it is our favorite.

A round baking dish filled with a cooked mixture of leafy greens, crumbled cheese, and small red pieces, possibly vegetables or seasoning. A portion of the dish is missing, revealing the mixture's texture. A plate is partially visible in the background.

There is not much better when it comes to comfort food than a rice casserole. Traditionally made with cream of soups to get the flavor and texture we normally expect. Here with our more Mediterranean inspired Feta and Spinach Rice Casserole, we shake that up a bit.

It is slightly healthier as we add flavor from seasonings and replace the can of soups with creamy feta cheese. We brighten it up with lemon zest and lemon juice to bring you a light but creamy rice casserole that is perfect for Summer.

Ingredients

We don’t use anything crazy here. The only thing that might be a different purchase for you is the sun dried tomatoes. But it won’t be a purchase that you will regret as they are perfect in this and go with so many other dishes too.

A close-up of a black pot and a blue-patterned bowl filled with a dish made of rice, spinach, and crumbled feta. A spoon is placed in the bowl. The background is a white countertop.

What You’ll Need

Olive oil
Green onion
Sun dried tomatoes
Garlic, oregano, salt and pepper
Frozen spinach
Vegetable Broth, lemon zest and lemon juice
Jasmine rice
Crumbled Feta cheese

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

Just like our BROCCOLI AND BROWN RICE CASSEROLE, the ingredient list looks a bit intimidating. We do a simple saute and simmer here before transferring to the oven to do the hard work. Preheat the oven to 400 °.

A person is zesting a lemon with a green zester over a wooden cutting board. Nearby are chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a chef's knife, a yellow citrus juicer, a black pepper grinder, and an empty frying pan on a stove.

Zest the lemon and set aside. Preheat a large oven safe skillet over medium heat.

A person preparing food on a wooden countertop next to a black stove. A pan on the stove contains diced sun-dried tomatoes and green onions. Nearby are a grater, sliced lemon, and a knife held by the person, with a pepper mill to the left.

Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil and allow it to heat up. Add chopped green onions an sun dried tomatoes.

A hand holding an open jar of minced garlic over a frying pan with chopped ingredients. A knife, wooden spatula, and grater are on the wooden countertop near a stovetop with a black pan.

Saute with minced garlic and cook until soft.

A person holds a jar of oregano leaves over a skillet on a stove. The wooden cutting board beside the stove has a knife and a grater. Ingredients, including chopped vegetables, are in the skillet. A tattoo with numbers is visible on the person's arm.

Add oregano.

A person is adding chopped spinach from a blue bag into a pan on a black stove. A knife, a lemon, a grater, and a pepper grinder are on the wooden countertop. The person's wrist has a bracelet and a tattoo.

Add in thawed chopped spinach and cook until softened for about 5 minutes.

Overhead view of a kitchen counter with a cutting board holding a knife, lemon halves, and a grater. A person holds a measuring cup with a light brown liquid, pouring it into a pot on a stove. A pepper grinder is visible on the side.

Carefully add in vegetable broth.

A person holds a green colander with rice over a wooden countertop. Nearby are a knife, a grater, lemon halves, and a yellow measuring cup. Part of a stovetop with a pan is visible on the right.

Stir in rice.

A person is seen grinding pepper into a pan on a stove. To the left, a knife, lemon squeezer, lemon half, and grater rest on a wooden countertop. The pan contains a green, leafy dish. The scene suggests cooking in progress.

Season with black pepper.

A person sprinkles salt from a wooden container into a pan on a stove. A cutting board with a knife, a grater, and a cut lemon are on the left. The pan on the stove contains chopped greens.

Add the salt.

A person grates lemon zest over a pan with greens on a stove. A wooden spoon rests in the pan. A knife lies on a wooden countertop next to half a lemon and a yellow peeler.

Mix in the reserved lemon zest.

A kitchen scene showing a stovetop with a frying pan containing cooked greens and a piece of salmon. A hand is squeezing a lemon over the pan. A knife and half a lemon are on the wooden countertop nearby.

Add in the lemon juice.

A person crumbles feta cheese into a pan on a stove. Next to the pan is a wooden spatula, a kitchen knife, and a spoon. A package labeled "feta" is on the wooden countertop. The pan contains leafy greens.

Stir in half of the crumbled feta cheese and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes. Top with remainder of feta and bake for about 20 minutes.

A blue and white bowl contains a dish of rice, cooked greens, and crumbled cheese. A spoon rests inside the bowl. The dish is placed on a white surface next to a black pot with more of the same food.

Once browned and bubbly, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve and enjoy!

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Comfort food is my favorite food. Rice and casseroles always are the perfect side dishes for any occasion. This spinach feta rice feels a bit fancy and can be for any special occasion. It is healthy, easy and one of our favorite feta and rice recipes.

Variations and Substitutions

This is more of a creamy Mediterranean take on rice casserole and it is so good as is. Here, we show you a few variations to help make it new and different and your own.

Spinach – We use frozen and chopped but if you wanted, you could use fresh. Just remember to get more than you think you need as it does cook down a good bit.
Rice – use brown rice or even cauliflower rice (uncooked) in place of the jasmine rice. My daddy’s favorite rice, yellow rice would be great here too!
Make it a meal – adding in cooked chicken or shrimp make this a complete one pan meal. No additional dishes required!

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

Want to save this recipe?

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!

How to Store this Easy Feta and Rice Casserole

This creamy rice casserole will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.

We do not recommend freezing this casserole as the spinach, cheese and rice will get too mushy.

A blue and white patterned bowl filled with a mixture of rice, cooked leafy greens, red peppers, and crumbled white cheese. A metal spoon rests on the side of the bowl. Part of a black container is visible in the background.

⭐ LOVE THIS RECIPE? It would mean so very much to me if you would take a moment to rate this recipe and leave me a sweet comment in the recipe card below! ❤️❤️We hope you love all of the Southern and healthy recipes we share here at The Buttered Home and would love to see you back here often!

**DON’T MISS OUR TIPS AND TRICKS BELOW THE RECIPE CARD!

A serving of a rice and greens dish is on a blue-patterned plate, featuring chopped leafy greens, rice, red peppers, and crumbled cheese. A spoon is resting on the plate, and a black pot is partially visible in the background.

Feta, Spinach and Rice Casserole

Bright and delicious, this creamy Feta and Spinach Rice Casserole is the perfect rice dish for Summer. Packed with flavor from spinach and sun dried tomatoes, this will become your favorite rice casserole dish.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Serving Size

Ingredients

1/4 cup green onion diced
2 Tbsps olive oil
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes drained if packed in oil
1 Tbsp garlic fresh minced
1 tsp oregano dried
16 oz frozen spinach thawed and drained
3 cups vegetable broth
1.5 cups jasmine rice uncooked
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
1.5 cups feta cheese crumbled, divided

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Heat olive oil in a large oven safe skillet. Saute green onions, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Just until softened.
1/4 cup green onion, 2 Tbsps olive oil, 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 tsp oregano
Add thawed spinach and cook just until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and about half of the crumbled feta cheese. Mix well and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
16 oz frozen spinach, 3 cups vegetable broth, 1.5 cups jasmine rice, 1 tsp lemon zest, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp black pepper, 1.5 cups feta cheese
Remove from heat and top with the other half of the crumbled feta cheese. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes until top is browned and rice is bubbly.
1.5 cups feta cheese

See How To Make It!

Notes

Be sure to test rice at the 20 minute mark to make sure it has cooked thoroughly.

What to serve with this Spinach Feta Rice:

Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork Tenderloin

Pan Seared Filet with Blackberry Chutney

Blueberry Glazed Pork Loin Recipe

Easy Low Carb Skillet Philly Cheese Steak

🍴 PRO TIP!

If you didn’t want to use sun dried tomatoes, you can seed and chop some fresh tomatoes or even bell pepper for the same pop of flavor and color!

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

How can I make this even more creamier?

Adding about 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream can add even more creamy texture.

How can I get the cheese a bit more browned?

After the cooking time is done, turn on the broiler and watch it closely until it reaches your desired brownness.

How can I add more or different flavor?

The lemon and oregano add a ton of flavor but adding dill or other herbs can really brighten this up. Feel free to experiment. Just remember dried herbs are much stronger so only use small amounts of those.

If you make this recipe, be sure and post it to Facebook or Instagram and tag us. We love pictures of food.

Also, if you pin this recipe, we would appreciate that when you make it, you use the Made It function in Pinterest too.

And don’t forget to subscribe to our YOUTUBE channel for some great tutorial videos!