Description
A hearty, homey casserole filled with wild rice, mushrooms, bacon, and your choice of venison or beef. This comforting dish is perfect for lunch or dinner and makes great leftovers!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces bacon
- 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped (any kind)
- 1 white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 pound sausage (cut into chunks)
- 4 cups cooked wild rice
- 3 ounces water chestnuts, chopped (fresh or canned)
- 1 can (10 oz) cream of celery soup
- 1 tsp dried marjoram
- 1 tsp dried savory or thyme
- 4 ounces grated gruyere, Swiss, or Emmentaler cheese
Instructions
- Fry the bacon in a pan until crispy. Eat a piece. Chop the rest. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat (save it for another dish). Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Sauté the sausage, mushrooms, onion, and celery in the bacon fat until the vegetables are soft and everything is just beginning to brown. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the water chestnuts and cooked wild rice. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cream of celery soup, marjoram, savory (or thyme), and half the cheese.
- Butter a 9×13 casserole dish. Pack the mixture into the casserole, top with chopped bacon and the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Check at 45 minutes to avoid overbaking.
Notes
- Feel free to use venison or beef sausage depending on your preference.
- If you prefer a different cheese, feel free to substitute with another melting cheese like cheddar or mozzarella.
- This dish can be prepared ahead of time and baked when ready to serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg