Wild Rice Casserole (Broccoli Cheese!)

Here’s a modern take on the wild rice casserole! It’s broccoli-cheese flavored, easy to make, and a healthy option that weighs heavily on whole foods.

Here’s a modern take on wild rice casserole that’s convenient and wholesome! Why ban this healthy whole grain only to wild rice soup? There are many other ways to serve it and this one is truly spectacular. It’s broccoli cheese flavor sprinkled with savory chunks of broccoli, gooey white cheddar and an easy to make creamy filling. Though it has a vaguely vaguely 1970s vibe, this place is all about whole foods and plants. (No, there is no cream of mushroom soup!) Ready to cook?

What’s in that pot of wild rice?

This Wild Rice Casserole with Broccoli and Cheese is all about comfort food! At the same time, Alex and I tried to keep it healthy: only whole foods, just enough cheese, and no rich roux sauce. This is what we have in this vegetarian and gluten-free casserole:

• Perfect Wild Rice: Here we used our favorite method of cooking this grain, simmered with vegetable broth, onions, and celery. It comes out perfectly soft and tender!
• Broccoli: It is cut into small bouquets and simply sautéed on the stove with some spices. It’s our favorite way to eat it as a side: we nicked it for this casserole!
• Sour cream: Who wants to mess up another pan to make cheese sauce? You will mix the sour cream right into the rice to make it creamy. If you have it on hand, you can also use sour cream.
• White Cheddar Cheese: A strong white cheddar cheese is perfect here. You can use aged cheese for even more flavor.
• Parmesan cheese: The addition of grated parmesan adds just the right amount of complexity!

Did you know that wild rice isn’t actually…rice?

Did you know that wild rice is not rice at all? (Stunning, isn’t it?) It’s actually the seed of a native grass that grows in lakes and streams throughout the northern United States and Canada. But because it looks a lot like rice, wild rice is treated like rice in most kitchens! Wild rice was an important staple for Native Americans in the upper Great Lakes region of the United States. I’m originally from Minnesota so wild rice was part of the heritage and history of where I grew up!

Wild Rice vs Brown Rice

Although not actually related, wild rice is often compared to brown rice. They’re often served similarly, and wild rice makes a great substitute for rice (as in a wild rice casserole!). Is wild rice healthier than brown rice? Here’s how they stack:

• Wild rice has fewer calories than brown rice, about 66% less! 1 cup of cooked wild rice has 166 calories and 1 cup of brown rice has 248 calories. (Source)
• Wild rice contains slightly more protein than brown rice. 1 cup of cooked wild rice contains 6.5 grams of protein compared to 5.5 grams of brown rice. (Source)
• Wild rice and brown rice have the same amount of fiber, about 3 grams per 1 cup cooked.

Advise!

Wild rice takes about 45-55 minutes to cook…that’s why Alex and I avoided it in our recipes! But we learned that it was definitely worth it. To make this super easy wild rice casserole, here’s what you can do:

• Prepare the wild rice in advance. Prepare the rice and refrigerate until ready to serve! On the day of the service, mix it with the hot broccoli in a bowl that needs to be warmed up.
• On the same day, prepare the broccoli while the oven is preheating. Sauté the broccoli while the oven preheats, then toss with the wild rice to reheat.

How to serve wild rice casserole

This wild rice casserole can be served as a side dish or as a vegetarian and gluten-free main course! What could you serve him for dinner? Here are a few ideas:

This recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten free.