A Really Great Mushroom Casserole
A remix of the mushroom casserole I loved as a kid. Brown rice, mushrooms, garlic, onions along side a bit of cottage cheese and sour cream and Parmesan for texture and creaminess.
I had one favorite thing to eat when I was a kid - mushroom casserole. It was the one dish I was loyal to above all else. I would request it when I was recovering from the flu, pneumonia, or strep throat. I would request it weeknights, weekends, and holidays. It was a simple dish, and one of four (maybe five) recipes my mom had in her culinary arsenal. She combined rice, mushrooms (or creamy mushroom soup), and cheese in a casserole dish, and baked it until it was creamy, melty, and golden at the edges. Simple enough.
My Version of Mushroom Casserole
I made a healthier, from-scratch remix of my mom's classic the other night using brown rice, sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and onions -all made creamy with a blend of cottage cheese and a bit of yogurt or sour cream.
Variations on Mushroom Casserole
You can certainly use whatever cooked grains you like. I suspect this would be delicious with barley, wheat berries, quinoa, whole grain rices - or even a mix of grains. I love it made with wild rice.
Add-ins: My mom used to hide all sorts of things in this casserole (pre-cooked chicken breast or pork chops), but because we don't roll like that anymore (vegetarian), I sometimes play around with other ingredients. Anything from chopped leafy greens, toasted nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, or pre-cooked lentils are great as add-ins. But, honestly, the simple version is really good - just like I've written down below.
A Make Ahead Recipe
This is a great recipe to make ahead of time! You can prepare the rice and mushroom mixture up to a few days in advance, and then simply bake it off when you're ready.
Premium Ad-Free membership includes:
-Ad-free content
-Print-friendly recipes
-Spice / Herb / Flower / Zest recipe collection PDF
-Weeknight Express recipe collection PDF
-Surprise bonuses throughout the year
A Really Great Mushroom Casserole
Use any cooked grain you like. Feel free to use low-fat cottage cheese, sour cream, or yogurt if you prefer.
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
- 1 large onion, well chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- toppings: toasted almonds, or a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped
-
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.
-
In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt. Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat. Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.
-
In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.
-
Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan, and toasted almonds (and/or tarragon) and enjoy.
Related Recipes
Mushroom Scallion Tartine with Poblano Yogurt
A substantial, delicious, mushroom sheet pan sandwich recipe. You roast a bunch of mushrooms and scallions in a hot oven, whip up a simple poblano yogurt while those are roasting. So good!
Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff with Vodka
Make this stroganoff your dinner tonight, seriously! Made with caraway-spiked vodka, and a hearty mushroom base, you get all of what you love about mushroom stroganoff, without the all the butter and cream.
17 of the Easiest Dinners on 101 Cookbooks
A collection of the easiest dinners in one list. The ones that are super weeknight-friendly. The ones with reasonable ingredient lists. The ones that are simple and delicious.
10 Minute Instant Pot Mushroom Broth
You can use this Instant Pot mushroom broth a thousand different ways. If you have dried porcini mushrooms, a few cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and a bit of thyme, you're in business.
Post Your Comment
Comments
Heidi-I love everything about this dish. Looks delicious. Ok if egg substitute is used instead of the real thing?
Made this last night, was a HUGE HIT! Even my meat/cream/butter/fat loving boyfriend was swooning. Definitely will be on regular rotation in my house. Thanks!
Natalie - would you be willing to share your rice milk bechemel recipe??
This was divine! Tastes like a BETTER version of my mom's old broccoli/mushroom casserole... that was full of velveeta. I think I'm going to try adding the chopped broccoli next time! Thanks, as always!
Thank you so much for the nice recipes you give us it is really all very interesting I am going to try the mushroom casserole it looks good. Keep it up. Thank you again.
Thanks for the clarification. It's on the menu this week!
I'm not a vegan, but I was on a dairy free diet for a while. You can substitute a white sauce made with your choice of milk and butter substitutes (white wine and olive oil?) for the sour cream. I don't know what you can do about the cheese though. The texture will be very different without it. I think Heidi's on the right track - moving away from the dairy binders to something a little jazzier. More like a warm rice salad.
I can't wait to make this! I love mushrooms. My husband always feels that he needs meat with his dinner, but I think this might satisfy him. Keep these delicious recipes coming Heidi!
It's in the oven right now! I wasn't sure about the cottage cheese, but when I mixed it in, it smelled just right (my mom also made rice or egg noodle + condensed mushroom soup comfort food). I threw in some chestnuts and kale because they were around, but perhaps simpler is better here - I'll know in a few minutes when it's done. thanks, Heidi!
Saw this today and had to make it for dinner. I added some dijon mustard to the mix. Yummy! Husband loved it (he's been asking me to make a casserole hehe). As always, wonderful work Heidi.
I love the meaty texture of a mushroom in a casserole like this one.
Man, I hardly ever eat mushrooms because I'm the only one in my household who likes them, and every week I pass them longingly at the farmer's market. Well, no more. I'm going to make this, and my husband and kids can have cold cereal for dinner for all I care. Looks wonderful.
I would love to know your mothers other four dishes!!
Oh my word. I love love love love love love mushrooms and feel fortunate to live near the Mushroom Capital of the World (or so they say). I haven't converted the rest of my family yet, but more for me, right? This might work, though...thanks for another perfect recipe!
Made this for dinner tonight: delightful! I made it "straight", but I definitely want to try variations on the theme next. I'm also pointing every friend I have to this recipe -- it's that good!
Of course i bought waaay too many mushrooms this thanksgiving and was wondering last night what to do with all of them. deciding on another pasta sauce i came upon this recipe this afternoon. and i have everything in the fridge already! yay! this looks really tasty and it has everything my 4 kids love. thanks so much you're a life saver!
I couldn't agree more about the scent of mushrooms bringing back fond kitchen memories. And what a wonderful break from cream of mushroom soup in the mix! On my way to the store right now...
This looks divine!!!
So, unlike many of the other fans posting here...I hate mushrooms. I've often wondered what would be a good 'meaty' substitute for mushrooms, for recipes like this that look SO yummy. Any other hearty veg suggestions?
I'm not usually a mushroom person, but this recipe sounds intriguing. 101 Cookbooks has already given me the gift of so many other "new" favorites (quinoa chief among them), that I'll give this a shot too.