Dinner for the Week: Greek Style Veggie Casserole

I love to cook in bulk. Casseroles, soups, salads.. you name it! If I can make more than three servings at a time it's my favorite type of recipe. This love for cooking in bulk started when I worked 10-11 hour days and ate lunch and dinner at my job (for most people this sounds like hell, luckily for me I worked at an amazing place with amazing people so it was fabulous). As a result I got into the habit of spending all day Sunday cooking one or two bulk meals for the week ahead to make sure I'd be able to eat delicious food everyday even if I didn't have time to make it. This skill has now become particularly handy as a grad student and I am sure will be useful whenever life gets busy in the future. 

This greek inspired veggie casserole is one of my favorite bulk recipes. I'm a sucker for roasted red peppers, and the combination of lemon juice and feta creates a yummy, tangy flavor. It's also totally adaptable so you can make it super hearty in the winter or fresh and delicious in the spring/summer. If these aren't your favorite vegetables, you can also add other roasting vegetables (eggplant, squash etc.), or switch up the amount of each ingredient - just make sure you don't overstuff the baking dish! You can also sauté pieces of chicken and add them in at the end or keep it completely vegetarian. It's delicious served over couscous, quinoa, rice or thick crusty bread.  

Greek Style Vegetable Casserole

Adapted from Bon Appetit 

Ingredients

1 zucchini cut crosswise into four sections and then quartered (I used mini zucchini for the photographed version)

1 red pepper cut into wedges

1 small onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges

1 pound potatoes (yukon gold, red, fingerling potatoes are all great - basically anything with a soft skin otherwise they should be peeled), cut into 1 inch wedges 

1/2 pound green beens, trimmed

1 14 ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, cut into quarters, juices reserved

4 garlic gloves, sliced

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper 

Herbs: Completely up to you! The original recipe calls for oregano and dill, but I normally use red pepper flakes and rosemary 

1/4 cup crumbled feta

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°. Place zucchini, onion, and 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt. Transfer to a large baking dish (9x13" or larger) and roast until zucchini is slightly dried and beginning to turn brown, 12–15 minutes. Transfer zucchini and onion to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, toss remaining 3 Tbsp. oil, potatoes, green beans, red pepper, tomatoes with their juices, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs in a medium bowl. Season with salt. Place mixture in same baking dish; top with roasted zucchini and onion. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and stir vegetables; bake until pan is nearly dry and potatoes are tender and beginning to brown, 25–35 minutes longer. If you like your feta cooked and browned, 15 minutes before the casserole is done, sprinkle the top with feta. 

Let casserole sit for 10 minutes. Garnish with feta and serve.