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    Home » Main Dishes

    Wild Rice Hot Dish

    Published: Dec 7, 2020 · Modified: Sep 8, 2023 by Ashley · As an Amazon affiliate, this post may contain affiliate links · 21 Comments

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    When attending a family gathering with my dad's side of the family, it's almost a guarantee that this hot dish will be on the menu. My "Auntie T" is famous for this Wild Rice Hot Dish. Since we weren't able to get together for the holidays this year, I was seriously craving this hot dish!

    Wild Rice Hot Dish in white dish

     

    Wild Rice Basics

    Wild rice actually grows on stalks in shallow lakes and is harvested by canoe. It's collected by pulling the stalks over the canoe and using a wooden paddle to gently knock the wild rice off the stalk into the bottom of the canoe. It's harvested in the summer months in Minnesota, and is a traditional grain harvested by Native American tribes. Growing up in northern Minnesota, I've had the opportunity to purchase locally harvested wild rice. Different brands and varieties of wild rice can be found in the grain/pasta aisle of the grocery store and will work just as fine. Harvesting wild rice is truly a labor of love. 

    One important tip when making wild rice is rinsing it before cooking. While much of the debris is removed in the collecting and drying steps, some might still remain. Rinsing also prevents the rice from becoming gummy when cooked. Place wild rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Using your fingers, stir the rice around and allow to sit for a minute. Remove anything that comes floating to the top of the water. Drain water. This step may need to be repeated more than once depending on the rice you are using.

     

    Raw Wild rice

     

    Wild rice also requires a longer cooking time than a typical white or brown rice. For most recipes, the wild rice could be cooked ahead of time and be stored in the refrigerator for a day to two until ready to use. Wild rice naturally has a more chewy texture than other rice and I just love the nutty flavor. 

    To cook the wild rice, place 6 cups water and 1 tsp. salt in a large saucepan. Add rinsed wild rice and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer 45 minutes. The wild rice should just start to "pop", or open up and get puffier. If there is extra liquid left, drain well. The rice will continue to cook in the oven so don't be alarmed if it still has a little crunch to it. 

    Making the Wild Rice Hot Dish

    While the wild rice is cooking, add the pork sausage to a skillet. Break into bite size pieces and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess grease and add to a large mixing bowl. In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and sauté celery & onions until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Mix with cooked sausage.

     

    wild rice hot dish is casserole dish

     

    To the bowl mix in cooked rice, cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper and soy sauce. Mix until well combined. Pour into 9x13 dish. Cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes remove foil, stir and cook another 15-20 minutes. At this point all the liquid should be soaked up and the rice should be puffier. Serve this Wild Rice Hot Dish alongside steamed vegetables and it's ready to enjoy! My family has also enjoyed this as a side dish, almost as a stuffing substitute, the choice is yours! 

     

    Hot dish on white plate

     

    I'm always grateful for recipes like this Wild Rice Hot Dish that are able to remind me of time together with my family. Whether you remember who you've made it with in the past or the conversations had around the dinner table, I find it amazing that something as basic as food can convey such emotion.

    I hope you have recipes that do the same for you. If not, there is no moment like the present! Why can't a certain tradition or celebratory dish start with you? Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive or difficult.  The most important ingredient is love. 

     

    Other easy weeknight meal ideas:

    Hamburger Casserole

    Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

    Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

     

    Wild Rice in a white baking dish with a wooden spoon
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    4.27 from 19 votes

    Wild Rice Hot Dish

    This creamy & flavorful casserole is a family favorite that can double as a main dish or side!
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Cooking Wild Rice45 minutes mins
    Total Time2 hours hrs
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: sausage and rice casserole, wild rice casserole, wild rice hot dish, wild rice hotdish
    Servings: 8 people
    Author: Ashley Leonard

    Ingredients

    Wild Rice

    • 1 ½ cups raw wild rice
    • 6 cups water
    • 1 tsp. salt

    Hot Dish

    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 # pork sausage regular
    • 1 cup celery chopped
    • 1 cup onion chopped
    • 1 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
    • 2 cups chicken broth
    • 2 tbsp. soy sauce
    • ½ tsp. black pepper

    Instructions

    Preparing the Wild Rice

    • Place raw wild rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Using your fingers, mix it up and remove anything floating on top of the water. This may need to be done twice. Drain.
    • Place 6 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt into a large saucepan. Add wild rice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cover. Allow rice to simmer for 45 minutes. Drain any excess liquid.

    Hot Dish

    • While the wild rice is cooking, brown and cook pork sausage until no longer pink. Drain any grease and place in a large mixing bowl.
    • In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and saute celery & onion until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add to bowl with sausage.
    • Stir in cooked rice, cream of chicken soup and chicken broth.
    • Add salt, pepper and soy sauce. Mix well and pour into 9x13 pan. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
    • Remove foil and cook another 15-20 minutes until liquid is soaked up.

    Notes

    • You could also add sliced mushrooms, green pepper, water chestnuts or slivered almonds. 
    • Serve with a steamed vegetable for a hearty dinner.
    • Could also serve as a substitute to a traditional bread based dressing side dish!

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    Comments

      4.27 from 19 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Kara Renny says

      December 20, 2020 at 9:50 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this meal. Definitely comfort food for me from growing up.

      Reply
    2. Kathy says

      September 30, 2022 at 7:51 pm

      2 stars
      I never post reviews if I don’t like something, but this just did not even come close to being anything I would do again. Cooked as directed, except cooked the rice an extra 10 minutes then baked covered at 350 instead of 325, also an extra 10 minutes. Too much liquid still remained. Didn’t look anything like the photo, and while what we ate was ok I will not make again. We like wild rice, and I hate wasting food, but we threw the rest out. I’m an experienced cook and have no idea what I could possibly have done wrong.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        September 30, 2022 at 9:02 pm

        Hi Kathy, I'm so sorry to hear the recipe didn't turn out to your liking. One key is to remove the foil and cook another 15-20 minutes. This helps get the rest of the liquid absorbed.

        Reply
    3. Jamie O. says

      February 18, 2023 at 12:23 pm

      5 stars
      Just so darn good!!!🤍

      Reply
    4. Dot says

      March 13, 2023 at 2:24 pm

      Kathy, Did you drain the wild rice after cooking?

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        March 13, 2023 at 2:55 pm

        Hi Dot,

        You'll want to drain any excess liquid after initially cooking the wild rice (there's usually not too much). Then, after baking the hot dish for the first 45 minutes there will be quite a bit of liquid left. This is where you remove the foil and cook another 15-20 minutes. This is when all that extra liquid will absorb or evaporate. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    5. David says

      August 14, 2023 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      A little light on the seasoning. But otherwise very good and will make again. Had no problem with the liquid. Drained and uncovered for 20min. as suggested and all’s well.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        August 15, 2023 at 12:43 pm

        Thanks for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
      • Lori Bickel says

        January 01, 2024 at 2:55 pm

        Can you make this in the crockpot? Want to make it so it's done when I get home from work.

        Reply
        • Ashley says

          January 02, 2024 at 1:45 pm

          I have not tested this recipe in a slow cooker. More liquid may be required so it doesn't dry out before the rice is cooked through. I'd love to hear if you try it!

          Reply
    6. Lisa says

      January 17, 2024 at 10:08 pm

      4 stars
      Recipe was delicious. I added some Velveeta cheese.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        January 19, 2024 at 1:09 pm

        So glad you liked it, Lisa! And everything is better with cheese, right?

        Reply
    7. Emily says

      November 01, 2024 at 1:22 pm

      5 stars
      Tasted great! Made wild rice in insta pot to save time and it turned out delish! Will definitely be a staple in our household!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        November 06, 2024 at 2:57 pm

        Great idea to cook the wild rice in the Instant Pot! Thanks for the review!

        Reply
    8. Rachael says

      December 24, 2024 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent! Reminds me of the traditional dish of my Minnesota youth. I undercooked my rice just a little bit (I also do this with wild rice soup - it keeps rice firm for additional baking/simmering), before adding it to the sausage mixture and I had very little liquid after removing cover prior to additional baking time. After the added 15 minute bake time, the result was a perfectly moist and nutty wild rice texture! The flavors are spot on and the overall dish is wonderful. So glad to have found this recipe. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 26, 2024 at 9:00 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Rachael!

        Reply
    9. Megan says

      December 24, 2024 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this last night using turkey sausage. I had never made wild rice before as it takes so much more time, but was worth the wait! I did swap cream of mushroom soup and added a drained rinsed can of mushrooms (didn’t have any fresh on hand) and I sprinkled a little dried rosemary and thyme as well. I was worried it would be too runny but let it cool for 10 minutes before serving and it was perfect. Both teen boys loved it as much as husband and I did! Will make again.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        December 26, 2024 at 9:01 am

        So glad it was a hit with you and your family, Megan!

        Reply
    10. CE says

      March 07, 2025 at 12:49 pm

      5 stars
      This turned out great for me. Used 3 Cans of Canoe Wild Rice instead of making rice then followed the recipe. It's a staple in this household.

      Reply
      • Ashley says

        March 07, 2025 at 1:11 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, and love to know it turned out great with canned wild rice too! A huge time saver!

        Reply

    Welcome to The Darling Apron! I'm a wife, mom, & chai tea latte lover who uses food as her love language. I believe some of life's best moments happen when gathered around the kitchen table. Whether making time-honored family recipes or developing new favorites, I love creating memories through delicious food. I hope this space inspires you to do the same!

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