Mushroom, Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole

Now that winter has set in once more, it's time for baked dinners to hit the oven and table again. Many of us grew up with casseroles featuring regularly at supper times, and although our parents may have stuck to tried and tested but pretty ordinary casseroles — hamburger and tomato sauce, hamburger and noodles, tuna casseroles, to name a few — they strike a comforting chord in us. But now that we're grown up we can load up our casseroles with the top-quality ingredients and flavors that we really enjoy, and still create a comforting and simple meal.

My first casserole of this winter is perfectly suited to cold weather — warming, nourishing and filling, and loaded with two full pounds of succulent cremini mushrooms combined with nutty wild rice, broccoli, and chickpeas to give it that good helping of protein. A few gentle spices give it just a little bit of heat, and it's all cooked in a vegan cashew sour cream to make the casserole wonderfully creamy. It's an easy way to put together a delicious and complete meal in one pot, which is just what our parents used their casseroles for.

Mushroom, Broccoli and Wild Rice Casserole

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on December 10, 2020 Simple, warming and hearty casserole loaded with mushrooms, broccoli, wild rice and chickpeas Preparation: 30 minutes Cooking time: 55 to 65 minutes Print this recipe Casserole: 1 cup wild rice 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (1/2 cup dried or 1 14 oz can) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 shallot or onion, chopped 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 1 to 2 red or green chilies, seeded and finely chopped(optional) 2 tablespoons tamari (soy) sauce 2 teaspoons maple syrup or other liquid sweetener 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1 teaspoon dried dill 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional) 2 lbs (900 g) cremini or white mushrooms, sliced 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces 3/4 cup water or vegetable stock 1/4 cup almond milk (optional) 1 tablespoon apple cider vinger 1 tablespoon white or red balsamic vinger 1/3 cup fresh parsley, trimmed and chopped 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper, to taste 2/3 cup sliced almonds Cashew sour cream: 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water for 4 hours or overnight 3/4 cup water 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2/3 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste Instructions: In a medium saucepan, bring the wild rice and 4 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is just tender — 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and set aside. While the rice is cooking, make the cashew cream. Drain the cashews, transfer to a high speed blender or food processor, and add 3/4 cup of water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard and salt. Blend on high speed until smooth, adding more water as necessary — it should be thick like regular sour cream. Set aside. Grease a large casserole dish with oil and preheat an oven to 400°F. In a wok or large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the shallot or onion, garlic and chilies if using, and sauté for a few minutes until the shallot or onion has softened. Add the tamari, maple syrup or sweetener, hot and sweet paprika, dill, cumin, coriander, cayenne if using, and mushrooms. Stir well to coat the mushrooms, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms being to release their juice, about 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the cashew sour cream, water or vegetable stock, cooked wild rice and chickpeas. If the mixture seems too dry, add almond milk or more water, as the mixture will thicken in the oven. Stir in the vinegars and parsley, and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the contents of the pan to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle evenly with slice almonds. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the almonds begin to brown and everything is heated through. Serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Other casseroles to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Creamy Chickpea, Mushroom and Brown Rice Casserole
Kidney Bean Casserole with Mushrooms and Spicy Tempeh Strips
Black Bean and Quinoa Chili Casserole
Baked Tempeh and Black Japonica Rice Casserole
Azuki Bean Casserole

Audio accompaniment: Robert Fripp - Music For Quiet Moments 32 - A Move Inside I (Asheville 28 Feb 2006)