This recipe for wild rice hotdish is guaranteed to be a family favorite! The nutty, chewy wild rice blend paired with smoky cubes of ham, along with fresh vegetables, all in a creamy, cheesy sauce. This casserole is comforting, hearty, and perfect for a cold day dinner.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Homemade Cheesy Sauce - No Condensed Soups!
- Great textures, ranging from fresh cooked veggies to chewy wild rice.
- Recipe can be adapted to be gluten free and low FODMAP.
Featured Ingredients
- Cooked Wild Rice Blend - I love to use the Instant Pot to quickly pressure cook a budget-friendly wild rice blend from the grocery store. However, if you want to use wild rice, that will also be a delicious option. Purchasing already-cooked canned wild rice is another option.
- Ham - Already cooked ham adds a lovely smoky flavor. Purchase the already cubed ham for a great shortcut.
- Vegetables: Carrots, Celery, Broccoli, and Mushrooms - All add wonderful texture, pops of color, and flavor.
- Cheese Sauce: Butter, Flour, Chicken Broth, Milk, Cheddar Cheese, Salt, and Pepper - Creates a homemade, creamy, cheesy sauce from scratch.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
To Do In Advance: Cook the wild rice in advance. Make Instant Pot wild rice blend, or follow the package cooking instructions. Cooking it in chicken broth versus water will add great flavor to the rice.
It is okay to cook the wild rice while making the rest of the casserole. You may end up waiting for the rice to finish cooking.
Step 1: In a medium skillet, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil or any neutral oil. Turn to medium heat and add the shredded carrots and diced celery. Saute until veggies are tender, about 8-10 minutes.
Step 2: In a different skillet, over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour. With a flat whisk, stir until the butter and flour are combined.
Step 3: Pour in ½ cup chicken broth at a time and whisk in until it looks like a sauce.
Step 4: To the flour mixture, add the milk, salt, pepper, and whisk.
Step 5: Add the shredded cheese to the sauce skillet and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.
Step 6: In a 9x13-inch casserole dish, add the cooked wild rice, sauteed carrots and celery, cubed ham, drained mushrooms, and broccoli florets and stir.
Step 7: Pour the cheese sauce over it all and gently stir again.
Step 8: Bake in a 350 degree F oven, uncovered for 30 minutes. The hotdish is done when it is bubbly around the edges. Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped green onions.
Tips and Tricks
Cook the wild rice in advance to save time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Use leftover oven baked ham steaks, Dutch oven chicken, or turkey. It is a great way to repurpose leftovers into a new dinner option.
Make a double batch of this hotdish and freeze one for next month. Freezer before baking and defrost overnight before cooking. Half the amount of work, with fewer dishes! Win-Win!
Ingredient Swaps
- Meat Options - Swap out cubed ham for chopped cooked skinless chicken breasts or chopped turkey. Leftover rotisserie chicken would also be a great shortcut!
- Veggie Options - Swap out the veggies for your favorites. Chop up a red pepper, add baby spinach, and drained water chestnuts - all delicious options.
- Broth Options - Use chicken stock instead of broth. Use a low-sodium broth to keep the salt level under control.
- Milk Options - Use heavy cream for a decadent option, or use canned unsweetened coconut cream for a dairy-free option.
- Cheese Options - Swap out the cheddar cheese for parmesan cheese. Hold off on adding any additional salt until tasted. Parmesan cheese can be salty.
Special Diet Variations
Dairy Free Wild Rice Casserole: Swap out the butter for dairy free butter spread. Use canned coconut cream in place of the milk, and skip the cheese in the cheese sauce.
Gluten Free Wild Rice Casserole: Use gluten free flour in the cheese sauce. I love Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 in the blue bag. Wild Rice is naturally gluten free.
Low FODMAP Wild Rice Casserole: Use a low FODMAP chicken broth, lactose-free milk, and gluten free flour. Rice is a great low FODMAP ingredient!
Storing and Reheating
Store: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheat: Using a microwave-safe plate, reheat leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir halfway between cooking time and stir.
Freeze: Store chilled leftovers in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to four months. Defrost before reheating.
FAQs
Sure! Follow the package instructions for cooking it. Use chicken stock instead of water for a better flavor.
Use a wild rice blend, like Lundberg’s wild rice blend. It contains four kinds of rice: black rice, brown rice, red rice, and wild rice.
Omit the diced ham, and swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
In Minnesota, it is called a hotdish. It usually is a complete meal with meat, starch—like rice, noodles, or potatoes, and a vegetable or two, sometimes topped with cheese. To the rest of the world, this is called a casserole.
What To Serve With Wild Rice Hotdish
This casserole is great with a side salad with either dairy free ranch dressing or Italian dressing. It pairs great with a slice of warm gluten free cornbread or a slice of sourdough bread topped with strawberry jam.
Looking for other delicious dinner recipes? Find a new favorite or a classic!
Additional Casserole Recipes
- Tater Tot Casserole - Another great casserole option without condensed soups.
- King Ranch Casserole - Uses a homemade spicy, cheesy sauce with chicken and tortilla chips.
- Breakfast Casserole With Tater Tots - Make it the night before for a relaxing, delicious breakfast.
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Recipe
Wild Rice and Ham Hotdish
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked wild rice or wild rice blend (Note 1)
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 2 cups carrots shredded (Note 2)
- 1 cup celery finely diced
- 1 pound ham cubed, about 2 cups
- 1 4.5 ounces sliced mushrooms canned and drained
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons butter salted
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons flour or gluten free flour (Note 3)
- ½ cup milk (Note 4)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the wild rice blend according to package instructions or use an Instant Pot. This step can be done in advance.
- In a medium skillet on the stovetop, add the avocado oil, shredded carrots, and diced celery. Saute over medium heat until tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle the with flour. With a flat whisk, stir until the butter and flour are combined. They will create a paste-like consistency.
- To the flour-butter mixture, add ½ cup chicken broth at a time. Keep adding chicken broth in ½ cup increments and whisk until it looks like a sauce.
- Next, add the milk, salt, and pepper to the sauce and whisk.
- Finally, add the shredded cheese and stir until melted. Remove from the heat.
- In a 9x13-inch prepared casserole dish, add the cooked wild rice, sauteed carrots and celery, cubed ham, drained mushrooms, broccoli florets and stir.
- To the casserole dish pour in the cheese sauce and stir until ingredients are coated with the sauce.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven, uncovered for 30 minutes. The casserole should be bubbly around the edges. Garnish with fresh parsley or chopped green onions.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days.
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