5-Ingredient No Peek Wild Rice Casserole Recipe
Looking for a no-fuss casserole side dish? This wild rice casserole combines savory flavor with a super simple method!
Wild rice casserole is the kind of side dish that’s both comforting but a little bit fancy, without demanding a ton of time or fancy skills. The wild rice adds this cool nutty flavor and fun texture, and combining it with the crunch of water chestnuts and the umami flavor of mushroom is a slam dunk!
This recipe takes a while, but it’s all hands-off. You can put it in the oven, then move on to the next dish while it cooks. The only thing that’s hands-on is the first step. After that, we let the oven take the lead!
What’s in this wild rice casserole recipe?
This is a base recipe that you can dress up and personalize. The base recipe uses these 5 ingredients:
- Wild Rice: Wild rice is the star here, adding a chewy texture and earthy flavor that sets this casserole apart from the usual suspects. If you’re after a swap, brown rice or a wild rice blend can work, though the texture and flavor will be a bit different.
- Chicken Broth: This is the liquid that makes everything work. You can sub it with any other broth you’d like!
- Sliced Mushrooms: I prefer fresh mushrooms in this recipe, but you can sub with canned or frozen mushrooms.
- Water Chestnuts: These add a crunchy texture to the recipe. If you hate water chestnuts, you can just leave these out.
- Butter: A little melted butter brings this all together. It adds a richness to the recipe. Feel free to use salted or unsalted butter. You can even sub margarine!
Making 5-ingredient wild rice casserole
Step 1 | Boil
Start by boiling the chicken broth in a large saucepan over medium heat. This step makes sure that your rice comes out perfectly cooked each time!
Step 2 | Assemble
While the broth is boiling, you can start assembling the casserole.
Drain the water chestnuts and chop the butter into pieces.
Dump the rice in the bottom of a casserole dish, then spread the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and butter pieces over the rice.
Once the broth has boiled, you can pour it over the rice, mushrooms, butter, and water chestnuts. You can add salt and pepper to taste now.
Step 3 | Bake
Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Do NOT peek at the rice while it cooks! The foil basically turns the casserole dish into a steamer or giant rice cooker, which is what makes your rice come out so perfectly!
Bake your casserole at 350° for 45-50 minutes.
The rice is done when it is fluffy and the liquid is gone. Once your rice is done, you can fluff it with a fork.
Step 4 | Enjoy!
This makes a fantastic, and slightly fancy, side for so many dishes. Garnish it with fresh chopped herbs and cracked black pepper sprinkled on top of the casserole. It goes well with pork chops, chicken, steak, and fish. Add a roll and a veggie for a complete meal!
Flavor Boosters
- Herbs: Adding fresh rosemary or thyme to the rice before cooking adds the perfect amount of flavor!
- Worcestershire Sauce: Add 2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce when you pour the chicken broth over the casserole.
- Sautéed Onions: Sautéed onions mixed in after baking add a gorgeous flavor!
- Flavored Butter: Sub a flavored butter like garlic butter for the butter in this recipe!
More Delicious Side Dishes
FAQs
Yes! You can prepare the casserole up to the point of baking, then cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before placing it in the oven.
Water chestnuts add a nice crunch, but they’re optional. You can omit them or substitute with chopped celery or slivered almonds for a different texture.
Yes, you can substitute vegetable broth to make the dish vegetarian. The flavor will still be rich and savory, especially if you’re using butter and mushrooms.
Let the casserole cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
5-Ingredient Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup wild rice
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- 8 oz water chestnuts, drained
- 1/4 cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
- While the broth is boiling, pour the wild rice into a casserole dish. Add the mushrooms, drained water chestnuts, and butter cut into small pieces.
- Once the broth is boiling, pour it over the casserole.
- Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°. Rice is done when it is soft and the liquid is absorbed.
- Uncover the rice and fluff before serving.
