Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (2024)

Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe

This old school comfort food casserole is hearty, delicious and just like Grandma used to make! This is a family favorite and perfect for any winter meal.


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (1)




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Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (2)

What's better on a winter day than an amazing casserole?

Not much, in my opinion!

Today's recipe reminds me SO much of my childhood! "Hotdish" recipes like this one were a staple in my childhood growing up in Minnesota.

These casseroles were served for dinner, at potlucks, parties and everything in between. The term hotdish is unique to the midwest, especially Minnesota.

Hotdish meals were a great way to feed large families on a budget using small amounts of meat, canned or fresh vegetables, cream soups, rice or pasta.

Once two words, hot dish, then evolved into the one word phrase that us Minnesotans use today.

Another Minnesota thing... wild rice!

I love the earthy flavor and texture of wild rice. Wild rice is gluten free, low in calories, fat and sodium and isso great in soups and casseroles.

I love that it's a local product that I can purchase at the farmer's market.

Wild Rice grows in Minnesota lakes, marshes and streams and ripe wild rice is harvested every year between August and September. It's found in over 2000 Minnesota lakes and rivers!

Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (3)



What is in wild rice hotdish?

  • Wild rice: If you haven't tried it before, now is the time! Find it on Amazon here!
  • Ground beef: One of my absolute favorite meats to use in recipes! I buy 90% lean ground beef in bulk at Sam's Club, then package into one pound packages with freezer paper for our meals!
  • Carrots: Packed with vitamin a and fiber, carrots are a favorite vegetable at our house. I only buy regular carrots because the flavor is SO much better than the pre cut baby carrots.
  • Celery: Rich in vitamin k, folate and potassium, Celery is mostly water, but is a great dietary fiber. I only love raw celery with buffalo wings, but I like it cooked in so many different dishes.
  • Cream soup: You either love it or hate it! I love it in casseroles because it reminds me of flavors from my childhood, but don't eat it often because of the high sodium. You can also use homemade cream soup if you prefer!

Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (4)

Other wild rice recipes you may like:

This recipe is ready in these steps:

  • Preheat the oven and grease a glass baking dish
  • Brown the ground beef and onion, drain excess grease
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet, pour into the baking dish
  • Bake and let stand before serving

Full recipe below


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (5)

You can add or substitute with the following ingredients:

  • sliced white mushrooms
  • ground turkey
  • chopped fresh rosemary
  • cream of celery soup
  • chopped bell pepper
  • green beans
  • sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • ground sausage
  • minced garlic
  • peas
  • chopped fresh parsley

Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (6)

Looking for more casserole or hotdish recipes?

Things you may need:


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (7)




What to serve with this recipe:

  • Parmesan Dill Garlic Bread
  • Buttery Garlic Bread
  • Roasted Mushrooms with Garlic Paprika Butter


I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!


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Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (8)


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish

Yield: 4 servings

Author: Hot Eats and Cool Reads

ingredients:

instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef and onion until beef is cooked. Drain excess grease.
  3. Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet, stir until fully combined. Remove from heat and pour into the baking dish.
  4. Bake for 2 hours or until rice is tender. Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Created using The Recipes Generator


Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (9)

What readers are saying about this recipe:

  • Pam- Make this all the time. Love it.....I also add mushrooms!
  • Garit- Great recipe! Didn't change a thing and it was delicious! Made this twice already and hubby loves it! It's really worth trying!
  • Madinah- One of the best things I have made. Brings me back to summers in Wisconsin. Tastes way better than it looks.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a hot dish and a casserole in Minnesota? ›

so that counts. just keep in mind a hot dish is a one pot meal. a casserole is either a one casserole meal. or a side dish that you bake in a casserole dish and hope that heals.

Where to find wild rice in Minnesota? ›

Wild rice grows naturally in the shallow waters of lakes in central and northern Minnesota; the wild rice pictured here, in bloom, was growing in the Island River, near Isabella.

What is a Minnesota casserole called? ›

According to Howard Mohr, author of How to Talk Minnesotan, "A traditional main course, hotdish is cooked and served hot in a single baking dish and commonly appears at family reunions and church suppers." The most typical meat for many years has been ground beef, and cream of mushroom remains the favorite canned soup.

Can I use Pyrex instead of casserole dish? ›

So, if you're in a pinch and need to use glass or ceramic cookware for recipes that call for baking pans, reduce the baking temperature by about 25ºF. It's also important to note some glassware, such as Pyrex, can be prone to thermal shock, meaning rapid temperature change could cause your bakeware to shatter.

What is classic Minnesota food? ›

Gravlax, Spätzle, halušky, cabbage rolls, potato dumplings, and pierogis are very popular in Minnesota, all of which were brought by immigrants from Northern Europe. "Minnesotan sushi" is an appetizer that contains a pickle, covered in cream cheese and wrapped in ham, and cut into slices like sushi.

Why is wild rice so expensive? ›

Because of its unique harvesting needs (learn more about it here), wild rice is significantly more expensive than brown rice. In fact, it's one of the most expensive grains. In Washington State, as of January 2023, wild rice costs $5.16 per pound and brown rice costs 80 cents a pound.

Why is wild rice so popular in Minnesota? ›

Wild rice, or manoomin (good seed) in Ojibwe, is sacred to Indigenous peoples in the Great Lakes region, because it's part of their creation story — and because for centuries it staved off starvation during harsh winters.

Is Minnesota wild rice Healthy? ›

Wild rice is a wonderfully balanced food source, providing a healthy mix of protein and fiber. What's more, it's also relatively low in calories. One micronutrient abundant in wild rice is Manganese. Manganese is an antioxidant, and plays a role in keeping the mitochondria in your cells healthy.

What do British people call casserole? ›

' In the UK, the terms casserole and stew tend to be used interchangeably, although some distinguish them by saying stews are cooked on a stovetop while casseroles are cooked in an oven.

Why is it called a John Wayne casserole? ›

Why Is It Called A John Wayne Casserole? The origins of this delicious casserole can be traced back to a cookbook called “Cooking with Love from Cara and Her Friends.” John Wayne contributed an egg and cheese casserole recipe to that book.

What casserole dish does Mary Berry use? ›

The Mary Berry Signature collection 2.5L casserole dish is made from Fine China featuring a delicate raised dot design and grey rim. The Signature collection by Mary Berry is understated elegance for everyday living encompassing Marys quintessential english style.

Is a hot dish the same as casserole? ›

What Minnesotans — and some North Dakotans — call hotdish is a type of casserole, although its definition is somewhat narrower. A hotdish must be a main course, and almost always a hearty one that includes a protein, starch and at least some vegetables. It can't be a breakfast or side dish, for instance.

What is a Midwest hot dish? ›

Only a Midwestern staple for which every home cook has a go-to recipe waiting in their back pocket. A hotdish is essentially a casserole that typically consists of a starch (potatoes or pasta are most common), frozen vegetables, a meat, and a can of cream-of-something soup.

What makes a hot dish a hot dish? ›

Here is all you need to know to get started creating your own version of hotdish. According to Eater, the elements that are absolutely necessary to include in hotdish are a starch, protein, and vegetable bound together by a creamy sauce, usually cream of mushroom soup. It's all baked in one dish and served piping hot.

What is the difference between a tater tot hotdish and a tater tot casserole? ›

All hotdishes are casseroles, but not all casseroles are hotdishes. But the main difference between hotdish and other casseroles is where you make it. What someone in Minnesota or North Dakota would call hotdish, a person in Indiana would simply know as tater tot casserole.

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