Creamy Mushroom Wild Rice (Print View)
Savory wild rice and mushrooms blended in a creamy sauce, baked to golden perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
02 - 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
03 - 1 cup water
→ Vegetables
04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake), sliced
09 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
10 - 2 medium carrots, diced
11 - 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
12 - 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
13 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Sauce
15 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
16 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
17 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
18 - 1/2 cup sour cream
19 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
20 - 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
→ Topping
21 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
22 - 2 tablespoons melted butter
23 - 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice blend, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes until rice is tender and most liquid is absorbed. Drain any excess liquid.
03 - Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
04 - Add garlic, mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
05 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 1 minute.
06 - Gradually pour in milk and heavy cream while stirring constantly. Cook until mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.
07 - Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, Parmesan, and Gruyère until smooth. Add cooked wild rice and mix thoroughly.
08 - Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and level surface.
09 - In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle mixture evenly over casserole surface.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly and golden brown on top.
11 - Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The wild rice soaks up all the creamy sauce and stays perfectly chewy, not mushy.
- You can prep it in the morning and bake it right before dinner without reheating weird textures.
- It tastes expensive but uses pantry staples and whatever mushrooms are on sale.
02 -
- Don't skip draining the rice if there's extra liquid, or your casserole will turn into soup halfway through baking.
- Stir the sour cream in off the heat or it'll curdle and ruin the smooth texture you worked for.
- Use a large enough skillet for the mushrooms or they'll steam instead of brown, and you'll lose all that deep flavor.
03 -
- Toast the panko in a dry skillet for a minute before mixing it with butter, it gets even crispier and adds a nutty flavor.
- If your casserole looks dry after baking, drizzle a few tablespoons of warm broth or cream over it before serving, it'll soak right in.
- Use a mix of mushroom types for deeper flavor, but if you only have one kind, just use more of it and it'll still taste great.