Mixed vegetable casserole with Ritz crackers on top
- Carbohydrate 18.54336 g
- Cholesterol 43.0903 mg
- Fat 20.387125 g
- Fiber 3.08480000501871 g
- Protein 6.3988 g
- Saturated Fat 9.7529788 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (144g)
- Sodium 415.99175 mg
- Sugar 15.4585599949813 g
- Trans Fat 1.2666175 g
- Calories 271 calories
Step-by-step
- Drain veggies very well.
- Mix all ingredients except crumbs and butter.
- Put into greased baking dish.
- Top with crushed Ritz and pour butter on top.
- Bake 30 minutes at 350 until bubbly.
Combining canned mixed vegetables with mayonnaise and cheese creates a dense, cohesive matrix that behaves very differently than a standard cream-sauce casserole, requiring precise moisture control to avoid sogginess. Canned vegetables hold significant surface liquid within their cells that will bleed out during baking if not rigorously expelled through colanders or mesh strainers. Pressing the drained vegetables gently with paper towels guarantees that the binding mayonnaise and grated cheese adhere properly rather than sliding off watery produce surfaces. When substituting frozen mixed vegetables for canned varieties, thaw them completely and pat them dry beforehand, keeping in mind that frozen carrots and peas generally retain a slightly firmer bite than their canned counterparts. Onion and celery add essential aromatic structural integrity, but they should be chopped finely to 1\/4-inch dice so they soften uniformly alongside the surrounding bulk ingredients within the thirty-minute baking window. Traditional mid-century casseroles of this style relied heavily on pantry staples to stretch fresh dairy and produce budgets, utilizing crushed crackers as an economical alternative to fresh breadcrumbs. The Ritz cracker topping provides necessary sodium and high fat content, which browns rapidly under heat when combined with the poured melted butter. Watch the baking progress closely at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, removing the dish from the oven immediately when the edges bubble vigorously and the topping turns golden brown. Leftovers should be covered tightly and consumed within three days, though the cracker topping will inevitably soften once refrigerated as it absorbs ambient moisture from the vegetable base.
