California Blend Vegetable Casserole
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Happy Cinco de Mayo! I know, I know! Where's my Mexican dish? Well, I focused on Mexican in a few of my posts the last couple weeks so you could prepare and plan your menu ahead of time! If you missed the recipes, you can still check them out at the end of the post.
So although my dish today is quite American, it does include "mayo" as one of the ingredients. Does that count for Cindo de MAYO? Horrible joke, I know. This California Blend Vegetable Casserole is so yummy when you just don't know what to make for a side, and for me, that's pretty often. I always have a couple bags of California Blend veggies in the freezer, so this is a cinch to whip together.
It's a true medley of veggies and cheesy goodness topped off with a cracker crumb topping. It's SO good, in fact, you may ignore your main course altogether and go back for seconds on the vegetables. So, this evening, go ahead and party it up Mexican style. When you're ready to get back to the American comfort food, try this casserole as a side dish. It may soon become a family favorite!
California Blend Vegetable Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 1 lb bags california-blend frozen vegetables, thawed
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ¼ cup butter (melted)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup Ritz crackers (crushed)
- 1 ½ - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease a 13x9" baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl mix the onions, butter, mayo, sour cream, salt and garlic pepper.
- Add the vegetables and mix until well coated.
- Fold in the Ritz crackers and cheese and transfer the mixture to the baking pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and cheese is melted.
Notes
- Customize with Seasonings: Enhance the flavor of the casserole by experimenting with different seasonings or herbs. Consider adding smoked paprika, dried thyme, or crushed red pepper flakes for a flavor boost. Adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences.
- Crunchy Topping Variation: For an extra crunchy topping, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter before sprinkling them over the vegetable mixture. This creates a golden and crispy topping that adds texture contrast to the soft vegetables.
- Add Protein: Boost the nutritional value of the casserole by incorporating protein-rich ingredients. Add cooked diced chicken, ham, or bacon to make it a heartier main dish. Alternatively, mix in cooked quinoa or white beans for a vegetarian-friendly option that adds protein and fiber.
Nutrition
If you're looking for some fun recipes to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, check these out!
Mayo should be 1 1/2 cups. I made this according to recipe. Not enough sauce
I don't know of too many ways to serve vegetables. Especially frozen. I came across this recipe and it was just what I was looking for. I had everything except for the cheese so I made a couple of changes on mine. I used a mixture of monterrey jack and parmesan topped with a little bit of cheddar that I had. My goodness!! My family loved it and asked me to make it again for Easter. Very good flavor! Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🙂
I'm so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Susan! I love the substitutions you made!
I'm trying "my" version of this right now, it's in the oven. I say my version because I didn't have everything it called for.. Haha it's time to do some grocery shopping! I had to use miracle whip as substitute of mayo. I used veggie straws instead ritz. hope it turns out as well as yours looks!!
HAPPY COOKING!
Ooh, veggie straws! I would have never thought to use those. Let me know how it turned out!
Wow, what a beautiful and easy dinner recipe! We'll be sharing on our blog! 🙂
Thank you for the share!
Delicious, Sara! This looks like the perfect weeknight dinner....something everyone would eat without complaining - lol!! 🙂
Thanks so much, Cathy! And we have some little picky eaters in our house too!
Yum this looks so delicious and I love that it has Ritz crackers in it! Pinning! Thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂
Thank you for linking up to Tasty Tuesdays last week. As one of the co-hosts, I will be featuring your recipe on Tasty Tuesdays tomorrow on my site, Detours in Life. Congrats! Please stop by and grab a feature button when you get a chance.
That's wonderful news, Alecia! Thank you for letting me know. I'll definitely be stopping by to party again this week. Thanks in advance for the feature!
I'm always looking for some different side dishes. This looks just perfect for my bunch. If it has cheese on it, they are sure to love it. Thanks for linking up to Creative Spark.
Glenna @ My Paper Craze
Cheese is definitely a necessity in our house as well! Have a great weekend, Glenna!
This looks delicious! I'm going to try and sub out the crackers for pork rinds to make it low carb.
Interesting idea, Melinda! I don't think I would have ever thought of pork rinds!
This looks so yummy! And I love that it is quick and easy too for those busy work nights. Thanks for sharing on Lovely Ladies Linky.
You are so welcome, Linda! Thanks for hosting such a great party!
Found you on What's Cookin' Wednesday - sounds like a yummy meal!
It's a great side to any meal, Carole. Thanks for visiting!
Yum this looks wonderful. It's loaded with all the things my family love to eat. Visiting from Pint Sized Baker linky party.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Erlene! Have a great day!
This looks amazing!! Found your recipe at Sweet Sharing Mondays. I am one of the hostesses of Tasty Tuesdays and would love you to stop by and link up this recipe if you have not yet already. Here is the link http://bit.ly/1g5mVQa
Lori
Lori, thanks so much for the invite. I will definitely stop by and add Tasty Tuesdays to my list of parties!
Where's the amount of cheese required? Also, garlic "pepper"?
Hi Carla, for cheese, add 1.5-2 cups shredded cheddar and garlic pepper can be bought in your grocery store's spice aisle. The brand I use is McCormick. Good luck!
Wow! This sounds amazing! Thank you for the yummy recipe! I'm so pinning this =)
My pleasure, Stephanie! Thanks for stopping by!
Can you make the California Blend Vegetable Casserole a day ahead if so should I bake it the day ahead or wait and bake the next day?
I would wait and bake the next day!