Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole

Name: Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 12 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 c. uncooked wild rice; 10 c. low-sodium chicken broth, more if needed for thinning; 3 heads broccoli, cut into small florets; 1 lb. white button or crimini mushrooms, finely chopped; 1/2 c. butter; 1 whole medium onion, finely diced; 2 whole carrots, peeled and finely diced; 2 stalks celery, finely diced; 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour; 1/2 c. heavy cream; 1 tsp. salt, more to taste; 1 tsp. black pepper; 1 c. panko breadcrumbs

This is a luscious play on the familiar broccoli rice casserole served on Thanksgiving.

By Ree DrummondPublished: Jan 3, 2024

3.8

4 Ratings

Jump to recipe

the pioneer woman's broccoli wild rice casserole recipe

Hector Sanchez

This is one of my very favorite Thanksgiving recipes from my new cookbook, and if I could eat it for breakfast right now, I could. It’s meant to be a play on the familiar, blessed broccoli rice casserole, which uses the bright orange cheese and cream of mushroom soup…but this one’s a little more rustic, contains wild rice instead of white, has no cheese, and is made entirely from scratch.

But other than that, it’s exactly the same! Ha. You will love this casserole, my friends. It’s beautiful, it’s tasty…and it really is a cinch to make.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Yields:: 12 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 20 mins
Cook Time:: 1 hr 15 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 35 mins

Ingredients

2 c.
uncooked wild rice
10 c.
low-sodium chicken broth, more if needed for thinning
3
heads broccoli, cut into small florets
1 lb.
white button or crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 c.
butter
1
whole medium onion, finely diced
2
whole carrots, peeled and finely diced
2
stalks celery, finely diced
4 tbsp.
all-purpose flour
1/2 c.
heavy cream
1 tsp.
salt, more to taste
1 tsp.
black pepper
1 c.
panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Step 1Add the wild rice into a medium saucepan with 5 cups of the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook the rice until it has just started to break open and is slightly tender, about 35 to 40 minutes. Set it aside.
2. Step 2Meanwhile, blanch the broccoli by throwing the florets into boiling water for 1½ to 2 minutes, until bright green and still slightly crisp. Immediately drain the broccoli and plunge it into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove it from the ice water and set it aside.
3. Step 3Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions and the mushrooms and cook, stirring them occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liquid begins to evaporate. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the mixture begins to turn darker in color.
4. Step 4Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir to incorporate it, then cook for about a minute. Pour in the remaining 5 cups of broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes. Pour in the heavy cream, stirring to combine. Let the mixture cook until it thickens. Season with the salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
5. Step 5Add half the cooked rice to the bottom of a 3-quart baking dish, then lay on half the broccoli. (You can do one layer of each or two layers of each. Using a ladle, scoop out the vegetable/broth mixture and spoon it evenly all over the top. Continue with the rest of the sauce, totally covering the surface with vegetables.
6. Step 6Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, then pour it into a separate bowl with the panko breadcrumbs. Toss the mixture together to coat the breadcrumbs in butter, then sprinkle the breadcrumbs all over the top.
7. Step 7Cover with foil and bake the casserole for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Image (1) 10917521035_06777265f9_z.jpg for post 11294

Image (2) 10917640126_8cc5534197_z.jpg for post 11294

First, take your very disturbing looking hand and throw a bunch of broccoli into a pot of boiling water.

Image (3) 10917637716_e67abd615c_z.jpg for post 11294

Bawl it—I mean boil it—for about a minute or so, then remove it with a slotted spoon…

Image (4) 10917581825_457f8a8227_z.jpg for post 11294

And plunge it into ice water to stop the cooking process. This is known as blanching, which reminds me of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which reminds me of Vivien Leigh, which reminds me that Gone with the Wind will be on TV all day next Wednesday, which means I have something hugely exciting to look forward to while I prepare the ingredients for this Broccoli Wild Rice Casserole.

And with that, everything just came full circle.

I love it when that happens!

Image (5) 10917713884_ef62d31a71_z.jpg for post 11294

You also need to cook some wild rice, and I mean the real stuff! I wanted to use wild rice for this casserole because it’s hearty and slightly chewy and holds up really well…and because I love the color of wild rice. It’s just so…so…

Brown. Actually, a nice dark taupe.

Image (6) 10917579935_be7ef69591_z.jpg for post 11294

Wild rice takes awhile to cook, so just be sure to read the package directions! This was about 35-40 minutes in, and the rice had just started bursting open. You can let it go longer, but since it’s going to continue cooking in the oven, I wanted to give it a little breathing room.

Image (7) 10917583645_9ab2e1c8a1_z.jpg for post 11294

Next, start on the luscious liquid mixture, which is sort of a play on cream of mushroom soup, which is used in all manner of broccoli rice casseroles. Cut up some mushrooms…

Image (8) 10917636146_e431b00cb6_z.jpg for post 11294

And keep going until they’re pretty finely chopped.

Image (9) 10917869823_fc6d53bddd_z.jpg for post 11294

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the mushrooms along with some chopped onions…

Image (10) 10917680034_a6122607e8_z.jpg for post 11294

And cook the mushrooms, stirring them occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until a lot of the liquid is reduced.

Image (11) 10917678434_8e176b4974_z.jpg for post 11294

Then add finely diced carrots and celery…

Image (12) 10917677144_ba230d4256_z.jpg for post 11294

And cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the mixture begins to turn darker in color.

Image (13) 10917675174_da2979674b_z.jpg for post 11294

Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir it until it’s all mixed together…

Image (14) 10917674414_e059b1cff8_z.jpg for post 11294

And cook it for another minute or so.

Image (15) 10917830733_6af33911e6_z.jpg for post 11294

Then pour in zee broth…

Image (16) 10917829673_dc2a6dcb83_z.jpg for post 11294

And stir it to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes.

Image (17) 10917590806_fd30f1e7ae_z.jpg for post 11294

After that time, pour in a little heavy cream, stirring to combine.

Image (18) 10917827723_e364640c9c_z.jpg for post 11294

Then just let it cook until it’s a nice thick soup consistency! You don’t want it to be overly thick like a gravy…just slightly thick but still nice and liquidy.

Image (19) 10917668864_77d4e0a47d_z.jpg for post 11294

Now, you could just mix the rice, broccoli, and sauce all together and put it in a casserole, but I wanted to keep the elements somewhat separate so every bite was different. So layer half the rice in the bottom of a buttered pan…