Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf04 / 13 / 16

Vegetarian-loaf. That just doesn’t sound sexy.

Nothing ending in “loaf” can possibly capture your attention in a way that makes you think, “yes, this—this is what I want to make to impress friends and win competitions.”

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

But I’m hoping that by telling you what’s in it—all those mushrooms, all that spinach, and a healthy dose of brown rice—can make at least the vegetarians out there take another glance.

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

Food in loaf form. Who thought of this? Why is it the quintessential, all-American thing? Are we allowed to take riffs on it and still call it meatloaf? What about when there isn’t a single drop of meat in it? Does it fit in the same category?

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

I’ll leave all that for you guys to figure out.

In the meantime, I’m thinking about vacation. Vacation of the beach variety, which I depart for in T minus 7 days.

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

We’ll be spending a week in St. Croix and Miami, celebrating the marriage of two dear friends, letting sun hit our arguably translucent limbs, and hopefully eating some Cuban food that inspires me to think about how it could be recreated. All of that is next week.

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

But this week it’s plain, unceremonious, vegetarian loaf. And no one is complaining, because it is delicious.

Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf | Things I Made Today

Print
Mushroom, Spinach, and Brown Rice Loaf
Author: 
Recipe type: Main Dish
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup brown rice, dry
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 celery ribs, chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed, sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach
  • 3 ounces sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 eggs, whisked
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Cook rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent. Stir in garlic and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add in mushrooms and tarragon and cook until mushrooms release their juices and the liquid evaporates, about 5 more minutes. Add in spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in sun dried tomatoes, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, mustard, and broth. Add in vegetable mixture and rice and stir to combine.
  6. Generously grease a loaf pan with olive oil. Pour in vegetable mixture and smooth to flat with a spatula. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until edges are nicely browned. Let cool slightly, then run a knife along edges and flip onto platter.

 

You may also like:

6 Comments