Wild Rice Hearty Casserole (Printable version)

Baked wild rice with mushrooms, colorful vegetables, and savory herbs for a hearty dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth (gluten-free if needed)
03 - 1 cup water

→ Vegetables

04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 2 cups cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 1 celery stalk, diced
10 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
11 - 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
14 - ½ teaspoon salt
15 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Dairy (optional)

16 - ½ cup grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese (optional for topping)

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant.
03 - Add mushrooms, carrot, celery, and red bell pepper to the skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are softened and mushrooms release liquid.
04 - Stir in spinach, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until spinach wilts.
05 - Transfer wild rice, sautéed vegetables, vegetable broth, and water to the prepared baking dish. Mix thoroughly.
06 - Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, or until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
07 - If using cheese, remove foil, sprinkle cheese evenly over the top, and bake uncovered for 10 minutes until melted and golden.
08 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that transforms humble ingredients into something that tastes like it took all day, but actually fits into a weeknight timeline.
  • Vegetarian doesn't mean boring here—the mushrooms bring a deep, savory richness that makes everyone forget it's not the main event.
  • Leftovers actually taste better the next day, which is the hallmark of any truly good casserole.
02 -
  • Rinse the wild rice thoroughly under cold water before using; I learned this the hard way when grit ended up in someone's teeth.
  • The foil cover matters—it traps steam and keeps the rice from drying out at the edges, which is the difference between tender and tough.
  • Taste the liquid before it bakes; it should taste like you'd want to drink it, because that's what flavors your rice.
03 -
  • Use real vegetable broth, not the bouillon-heavy kind—the difference in flavor is noticeable when everything else is simple and clean.
  • Don't skip sautéing the vegetables first; it concentrates their flavors and keeps the casserole from tasting watery or dull.
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