Our latest produce basket came with a bunch of broccoli. In the past we've used this to make broccoli soup and/or cheese-y broccoli & rice. I wasn't really in a soup mood though and the cheese-y rice was alright, but a bit heavy, so I went in search of new broccoli recipes and came across this casserole. I'm pleased with how it came out. The mushrooms and breadcrumbs make a very nice complement to the broccoli and rice.

Broccoli & Wild Rice Casserole

Slightly adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice
• 5 c. vegetable broth
• 1 large head broccoli (florets and tender upper parts of stem)
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 227g cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream¹
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Combine rice with 2 c. broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes.
2. Steam broccoli for 1-2 minutes, then transfer to ice bath to stop cooking.
3. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter over medium heat in a large pot.
4. Add mushrooms and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid begins to evaporate.
5. Add the carrot and celery and cook until vegetables soften.
6. Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables, stir to incorporate, and cook for another minute or so.
7. Pour in the remaining 3 c. broth and stir to combine.
8. Bring to a boil and allow to thicken.
9. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine.
10. Cook until thickened.
11. Add salt and pepper.
12. Combine rice and broccoli and pour into a baking dish (we used a lasagna pan).
13. Ladle the vegetable-broth mixture over the broccoli-rice mixture.
14. Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and toss it with the breadcrumbs.
15. Top the casserole with the buttered breadcrumbs.
16. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes.

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Alternate Versions

FODMAP-Friendly Version

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice
• 5 c. home-made (garlic and onion-free) broth
• 2 medium heads broccoli (florets only)
• 3 Tbsp. onion-infused oil
• 250g lean ground beef
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. sweet (glutinous) rice flour OR 3 Tbsp. plain rice flour + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. firm tofu, blended smooth
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips
• 1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Vegan Version

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice
• 5 c. vegetable broth
• 1 large head broccoli (florets and upper parts of stem)
• 1/4 c. margerine
• 227g cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. firm tofu, blended smooth
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
• 1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Gluten-Free Version

• 1 c. uncooked wild rice
• 5 c. vegetable broth
• 1 large head broccoli (florets and upper parts of stem)
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter
• 227g cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1/4 c. sweet (glutinous) rice flour OR 3 Tbsp. plain rice flour + 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. heavy (35%) cream
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips
• 1 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

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¹ I used heavy cream as called for in the original recipe, but if you are wary of the extra calories, I suspect you could substitute table (18%) cream or even half-and-half (10%) to no ill effect.^Back