Made with creamy Boursin cheese and baked in a casserole dish, this easy collard green rice is an amazing way to enjoy leafy greens! The cooking method is perfect for making the greens tender and enjoyable. Plus, it’s a fully vegetarian recipe that uses simple and minimal ingredients. Add more collard greens to your diet via this delicious side.
It’s comfort food season, and I’m craving ALL the hearty and cozy foods. But in the Veg World, we celebrate this season a little differently…by adding a healthy twist and veggie-loading the classics!
This baked collard green rice is a prime example of that. At its core, it’s a simply cheesy rice dish, but it gets elevated with the addition of leafy greens and creamy herbed cheese. I love how the collards add a pop of color, so much extra nutrition, and earthy undertones!
Collard greens are delicious when braised (see Slow Cooker Collard Greens for an example), so I knew I had to use a cooking method that would soften them. By baking them in vegetable broth alongside the rice, they come out perfectly! Plus, this method is super easy. You’ll only need one dish and a handful of ingredients!
Jump to:
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Collard greens: You’ll remove the stems and just use the leaves. If you don’t have collards, you technically could make this recipe with another leafy green like kale, chard, or spinach!
- Onion: Use white, yellow, or red. Shallots also work.
- Basmati rice: I used organic white Basmati rice. This is a long-grain rice, so if you want to make a substitution, I recommend using another long-grain rice like Jasmine. You can use white or brown varieties.
- Vegetable broth: Sub chicken broth if that’s what you have. If using low-sodium broth, you’ll want to add an extra ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt.
- Extra virgin olive oil: This helps the rice get fluffy. Sub butter if needed.
- Boursin cheese: Use a 5.2-ounce package of Boursin. I like the Garlic and Fine Herbs variety, but you can use other varieties (like the Shallot and Chive flavor) if that’s what you prefer. Other herbed cheeses, such as Alouette, would also work as a substitute. If you don’t have a store-bought version, make your own by combining softened cream cheese or mascarpone with garlic, herbs, and salt.
- Lemon juice: I recommend squeezing this into the rice before serving to bring out the flavors!
Instructions
The full recipe card for collard green rice is at the bottom of the post. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos to guide you.
Remove the stems from the collard greens and cut them into strips or pieces. See my tutorial on How to Cut Collard Greens for more information.
In a 9×13 or other rectangular baking dish, combine the rice, olive oil, broth, onion, and collard greens. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the dish with a lid (if it has one) or tightly with foil.
Bake until the liquid is absorbed, the rice is tender, and the greens are softened.
Stir the Boursin cheese into the hot rice and greens. Season with more salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover collard green rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. You can also reheat in a skillet with some splashes of broth to prevent drying out.
Serving
I love to enjoy this recipe as a side dish with a lean protein. However, you can also bulk it up as a main dish. Stir in beans, chicken, or even shrimp and enjoy! Serve with parmesan cheese, extra lemon juice, or even hot sauce.
More Veggie Rice Recipes
Love this cheesy baked collard green rice?! You may also enjoy:
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Collard Green Rice
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 bunch collard greens - about 4 heaping cups chopped
- 1.5 cups Basmati rice - rinsed, or other long-grain rice
- 1 yellow onion - chopped
- 3.5 cups vegetable broth - more as needed, see instructions
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt - more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper - more to taste
- 5.2 ounces Boursin cheese - or other herbed cheese
- 1 lemon - juiced, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/177 degrees C. Grease a 9×13 baking dish or other rectangular casserole dish.
- Prepare the collard greens by washing and drying, removing the stems, then cutting into thin strips or pieces.
- Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Then, transfer it to the baking dish.
- Add the chopped greens and onion to the dish, followed by the olive oil, vegetable broth, salt, and pepper. The rice should be covered by the liquid but the greens may not be fully covered.
- Cover the dish with an oven-safe lid if it has one or tightly with foil. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the rice is tender, the liquid is absorbed, and the greens are softened. I recommend checking the dish at 35 or 40 minutes and giving it a good stir. If it seems dry, add ½ cup of vegetable broth and return to the oven.
- Remove the rice and greens from the oven. Stir the Boursin cheese right into the dish. It will melt into the hot rice. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.
- Squeeze ½ to 1 lemon into the dish (depending on how much lemon flavor you like) and stir. Serve and enjoy!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- You can also serve the dish with parmesan cheese or even hot sauce if you want a spicier version.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave in intervals, stirring between them, until warmed through.
- You can easily make this a main dish by stirring in some beans, chicken, or even shrimp.
Diane Winters
Delicious and very satisfying! I’ve liked and cooked collards before, but didn’t know collards & rice was a regular dish. Somehow I stumbled on this version and after making it, would not even consider making any of the other versions I’ve now seen on the internet. It was so easy to make too (though for me more than 10 minutes of prep: washing, chopping, measuring, etc), It’s not only the flavor, but the added effect of what I can only describe as a very tender crunch sensation, despite the ingredients all being very well cooked.
I followed the recipe to a T, except that I had to use an 8″ x 11″ baking dish, and after mixing in the package of Garlic & Herb Boursin, I decided to add about 1/3 of a package of Black Pepper Boursin. This will become a staple dish.
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN
Hi Diane, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for your review. I bet the Black Pepper Boursin was a delicious addition!!