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 hotdish and a casserole? ›

Definition: Casserole is the name of the dish used to cook with, whereas hot dish is the meal itself. Ingredients: Casseroles can contain any ingredients under the sun practically, where hot dishes have set ingredients they have to have.

Why is wild rice so popular in Minnesota? ›

Wild rice became was adopted as the state grain in 1977.

Wild rice (Zizania aquatica or Zizania palustris), called manoomin in the Ojibwe language, has been a staple food for Minnesota's Indians for centuries. It was adopted as the official state grain in 1977. It is an aquatic grass not related to common rice.

Why do Minnesotans call it hotdish? ›

What is known, though, is that the term "hotdish" first appeared in a 1930 Mankato cookbook, published by Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid. "What's clearer is that the dish has become a symbol of Minnesotan identity," Deustch said. "That is exactly why there are so many debates over what a hotdish can be."

What is a hotdish in North Dakota? ›

In Fargo, ND, a hot dish is basically a warm-ya-up, comforting casserole that's bursting with goodness. We think we hit the nail on the head with our recipe for Fargo Hot Dish. It's a layered casserole that features hearty noodles, ground beef tossed with tomato sauce, a savory cheese filling, and more.

Is hotdish a Minnesota thing? ›

The dish originates in the Upper Midwest region of the United States, where it remains popular, particularly in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and eastern Montana. Hotdish is cooked in a single baking dish, and served hot (per its name).

What is a hotdish in Minnesota? ›

A traditional main course, hot dish is cooked and served hot in a single baking dish and commonly appears at family reunions and church suppers. Hotdish is constructed on a base of canned cream of mushroom soup and canned vegetables. The other ingredients are as varied as the Minnesota landscape.

Why is wild rice not a true rice? ›

Despite its name, wild rice is not rice at all. Although it is the seed of an aquatic grass like rice, it's not directly related to it. This grass grows naturally in shallow freshwater marshes and along the shores of streams and lakes.

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.

Is wild rice just black rice? ›

Are Black Rice and Wild Rice the Same? No, black rice is a whole grain rice that's similar to brown rice, while wild rice is technically the seed of a semi-aquatic grass. They require different cooking techniques and taste quite different.

What do only Minnesotans say? ›

Duck duck gray duck versus duck duck goose. Some phrases that are popular is “going up north” regardless of the actual direction. Going to the “Cities” always means traveling to Minneapolis or St. Paul.

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

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.

What foods do Minnesotans eat? ›

The majority of dishes are comfort foods. Meats in Minnesota cuisine typically include: Spam, white fish, walleye, pork, beef, turkey, chicken, lake herring, salmon, trout, and cod. Grains such as corn, wild rice, and wheat are used. Canned fruits and vegetables are used in hotdishes and dessert salads.

What makes a hotdish a 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 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.

What are the similarities between a hotdish and a 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.

What do the French call a casserole? ›

In France, un casserole refers specifically to a saucepan, and nothing else. However, une cassolette—a baked dish that's akin to what Americans call a casserole—is somewhat popular in French home cooking.

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