Wild Rice Casserole
🕒 Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
🥘 Recipe Category: Rice
🔑 Keywords: Cheese, Fruit, Vegetable, Nuts, Winter, Weeknight, Oven, < 4 Hours
🍗 Description: Goes great with roast turkey, chicken, salmon, or trout. An impressive dish to have when guests arrive. Very hearty eating.
🍽️ Recipe Servings: 8
📝 Recipe Yield: N/A
Ingredients:
| Quantity | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | Wild rice |
| 2 1/2 cups | Vegetable broth |
| 1/4 tsp | Salt |
| 1 | Onion |
| 1 | Celery stalk |
| 1/4 | Green pepper |
| 1 clove | Garlic |
| 2 tbsp | Butter |
| 1/4 cup | Cheddar cheese |
| 1/2 tsp | Black pepper |
| 1/4 cup | Sliced almonds (for garnish) |
Instructions:
-
Prepare Rice:
- Place the wild rice in a strainer or sieve and rinse it with cold water for about 1 minute, scouring the rice with your fingers. Then, drain it thoroughly.
-
Cook Rice:
- In a saucepan, combine the rinsed wild rice with the vegetable broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and let the rice simmer for 40-45 minutes or until it’s tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
- If there’s any excess liquid remaining after the rice is tender, drain it off.
-
Prepare Vegetables:
- While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, celery stalk, green pepper, and garlic clove.
-
Sauté Vegetables:
- In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
-
Combine Ingredients:
- Once the rice and vegetables are cooked, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked wild rice, sautéed vegetables, shredded cheddar cheese, and black pepper. Mix everything together until well combined.
-
Assemble Casserole:
- Grease a 2-quart casserole dish with butter or cooking spray. Transfer the rice and vegetable mixture into the greased casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.
-
Bake Casserole:
- Cover the casserole dish with a lid or aluminum foil to trap the moisture. Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the casserole is heated through and the flavors meld together nicely.
-
Garnish and Serve:
- Once the casserole is done baking, remove it from the oven and uncover it. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top of the casserole for a crunchy garnish.
- Serve the wild rice casserole hot as a delicious side dish alongside roast turkey, chicken, salmon, or trout. Enjoy the hearty flavors and impress your guests with this wholesome dish!
