Chickpea Casserole with Lemon, Herbs, and Shallots

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8 Servings

This recipe from my new cookbook, Not Your Mother’s Casseroles, is perhaps the perfect expression of what I love about casseroles. It’s quick and easy — a modern, lightened-up version of a “dump-and-mix” dish, where you open up a few cans and mix everything together. But it also has fresh flavors, lighter dairy, and — the best part — no pasta. Instead, protein-rich, toothsome chickpeas take center stage

Ingredients

2/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed, or 5 cups cooked chickpeas
1 cup cooked long-grain brown rice
4 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves (from about 2 sprigs)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese, preferably small curd
1 cup regular full-fat plain yogurt (not Greek yogurt; it has too little moisture)
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon
Juice of 1 medium lemon

Instructions

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch or 3-quart baking dish with olive oil or cooking spray; set aside.
Place the breadcrumbs and olive oil in a small bowl and stir until the breadcrumbs are well-coated and slightly wet. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine; set aside.
Place the chickpeas, rice, shallots, garlic, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, and stir to combine; set aside.
Place the eggs in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, broth, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the bowl with the chickpea mixture and stir until well combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top. (At this point the casserole can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.) Bake until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.