This sausage wild rice casserole works perfectly as a side dish or a standalone meal. It is packed with flavorful and budget-friendly ingredients including pork sausage, a wild and long grain rice mix, mushrooms, almonds, and cream of mushroom soup.
We combine the ingredients for this casserole with canned cream of mushroom soup. It binds the ingredients and adds a rich and creamy layer of flavor. So, if you have a can of cream of mushroom hanging around your pantry since Thanksgiving this sausage and rice bake is the perfect way to use it.
Did you know that wild rice is not rice at all. It’s a grass that grows in shallow waters in parts of the U.S. and Canada. The grass produces an edible grain that is long and black with a satisfying, nutty flavor. If you’re wild for wild rice try our mushroom rice pilaf and our creamy ham and wild rice soup.
Ingredients
- Sausage – We use pork sausage (in a roll), there are several brands available, including store brands. You will also find flavored options like sage and hot. We used regular because we’re adding our own flavor. Other pork sausage will work too, like breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, etc. just remove the casings.
- Rice – We use a wild and long grain white rice mix in this recipe. Wild rice is usually combined with other grains to make a mix. You can find wild rice and mixes in the rice section of most grocery stores. If you find yourself with extra make a chicken wild rice soup that’s sure to please.
- Produce – Mushrooms work beautifully with the sausage and the rice in this tasty dish. We use white button mushrooms, but baby bella (cremini) mushrooms will also be delicious. Yellow (or white) onion, celery, garlic, and sage add even more flavor.
- Spices – With all the wonderful ingredients we have going on a little salt and pepper is all we need.
- Oil – We use olive oil to cook the vegetables but any oil that’s suitable for sautéing will work. We also need cooking spray to coat the dish, or you can apply a thin film of oil with a paper towel.
- Pantry – From the pantry we need chicken broth, canned cream of mushroom soup, and sliced almonds. If you are sensitive to salt use reduced sodium chicken broth and canned soup. Give your almonds a longer shelf life by keeping them in the refrigerator in an airtight bag or container. This sausage stuffing is an excellent way to use them up!
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
Cook’s note
There are a few components to this dish. I recommend the preparing them in the following order.
- Start the rice.
- While it is cooking, toast the almonds (give them your undivided attention).
- Then, get the sausage mushroom mixture started. Everything should be ready around the same time.
Instructions
Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice mix and salt. When the liquid is back to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low to low, cover, and simmer the rice for 25 minutes or until both are tender and the cooking liquid has been absorbed.
Stir the rice a few times as it gets going to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom. Once the rice is covered stir only one or two times during the cooking time, then again at the end.
Place the almonds in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook them gently for 5-6 minutes until golden. Shake the skillet often to prevent burning. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Cook the sausage mushroom mixture
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium. Add the onions, mushrooms, and celery. Cook gently for 7-10 minutes until the onions and mushrooms soften and any liquid has cooked out. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, raise the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Cook, about 5-6 minutes to brown. Stir frequently and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the sliced almonds and sage, stir to combine. Continue cooking 3-5 minutes until the sausage is cooked through. Stir often. Turn off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the sausage mixture, cooked rice, black pepper, and cream of mushroom soup, stir well.
- Spray a medium baking dish (1.5 quart) lightly with cooking spray. Add the sausage rice mixture.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown, and the internal temperature is at least 165°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
Storing instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze it for 2-3 months. Reheat the sausage with rice in the microwave or in a covered non-stick skillet over medium-low heat.
Reheat leftovers to a temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines visit U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Sausage Wild Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- ½ cup Wild Rice Mix we used long grain white rice and wild rice combo
- 1¼ cup Chicken Broth
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Sliced Almonds
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 8 ounces Mushrooms sliced (white button mushrooms or baby bellas/cremini work well)
- 1 Small Onion finely diced (white or yellow onion)
- 2 Celery Ribs sliced or diced
- 2-3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 16 ounces Pork Sausage roll, bulk, or casings removed (torn into small pieces)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Sage minced (plus extra for garnish – optional)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 (10.5 ounce) Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice mix and salt. When the liquid is back to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low to low, cover, and simmer the rice for 25 minutes or until both are tender and the cooking liquid has been absorbed.
- Stir the rice a few times as it gets going to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom. Once the rice is covered stir only one or two times during the cooking time, then again at the end.
- In the meantime, place the almonds in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook them gently for 5-6 minutes until golden. Shake the skillet often and keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking add the onions, mushrooms, and celery. Cook gently for 7-10 minutes until the onions and mushrooms soften and any liquid has cooked out. Stir occasionally.
- Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Next, raise the heat to medium-high and add the sausage. Cook, about 5-6 minutes to brown. Stir frequently and break up any large pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and add the sliced almonds and sage, stir to combine. Continue cooking 3-5 minutes until the sausage is cooked through. Stir often. Turn off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Combine the sausage mixture, cooked rice, black pepper, and cream of mushroom soup, stir well.
- Spray a medium baking dish (1.5 quart) lightly with cooking spray. Add the sausage rice mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown, and the internal temperature is at least 165°F. Use an instant read thermometer to make sure.
Notes
- Use reduced sodium broth and cream of mushroom if you are sensitive to salt.
- There are a few components to this dish. I recommend starting the rice. Then, toasting the almond (give them your undivided attention). Finally, get the sausage mushroom mixture started. Everything should be ready around the same time.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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