Name: Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup wild rice; 1 1/2 lbs ground beef; 1 yellow onion (chopped); 8 oz mushrooms (sliced); 16 oz frozen mixed vegetables; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp seasoned salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 14.5 oz diced tomatoes; 2 cups cheddar cheese (shredded)

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Your whole family will go wild for this Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole. You’ll love it because it’s an easy dinner made with simple ingredients. This effortless, healthy-ish meal is my new favorite recipe and about to become a staple in your weekly rotation.

Wooden spoon with ground beef wild rice casserole on top, hovering over a pan of the final dish.

Why You’ll Love this Hamburger Casserole Recipe

An easy, family-friendly dinner made with simple pantry ingredients—perfect for busy weeknights.
Wild rice brings a nutty, earthy flavor that makes this casserole stand out from the usual fare.
Packed with cheesy ground beef, tender veggies, and hearty rice, all baked into one comforting dish.
It’s a wholesome, healthy-ish option that feels indulgent but can easily be lightened up.
Totally customizable! Add fresh herbs, your favorite seasoning blend, or extra greens like spinach or kale.
Great for meal prep or feeding a crowd, with leftovers that reheat beautifully.
Warm, filling, and guaranteed to have everyone coming back for seconds.

Hamburger with Wild Rice Casserole Ingredients

This casserole is made with everyday ingredients you may already have on hand!

Ingredients for ground beef wild rice casserole in individual bowls lined up on a white counter.

Wild rice – Provides a great texture and a nutty flavor. Prepare according to package instructions. Note that wild rice takes approximately 45 minutes to prepare, so plan for this amount of time and do other cooking and prep while the rice is cooking.

Ground beef – Lean ground beef, ground turkey or ground chicken can be used to make it an even leaner dish. For extra flavor, use ground sausage.

Yellow onion – White or red onion can be substituted.

Mushrooms – Fresh or canned.

Mixed vegetables – Frozen or canned.

Garlic powder

Seasoned salt – I like to use Lawry’s because it adds so much flavor, but you can use your favorite seasoning salt.

Black pepper

Diced tomatoes – Use a seasoned or fire roasted variety for a flavor boost.

Shredded cheddar cheese – Any type of melty cheese can be used, such as provolone, muenster or mozzarella.

How to Make Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole

Once the rice has cooked, this hamburger rice casserole comes together quickly and easily! Follow these easy steps for reference; the full instructions are at the bottom of the post in the recipe card!

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare wild rice according to package instructions. Remember, some wild rice recipes can take up to 45 minutes.

Step 2

While the rice is cooking, brown ground beef in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Strain off any excess grease.

Add the onions, mushrooms, frozen veggies, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes to the beef and vegetable mixture and stir until just combined.

Skillet filled with cooked ground meat, veggies and canned tomatoes.

Step 3

Pour vegetable beef mixture into the prepared casserole dish.

Add the cooked rice to the baking dish and stir all the ingredients together.

Top with the shredded cheese and cover dish with foil.

Casserole with meat, veggies and cheese, ready to bake.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Wild rice takes approximately 45 minutes to cook, so plan for this amount of time and do other cooking and prep while the rice is cooking.
You can sub ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef.
Add extra flavor using any of the suggestions in the section below.

Top view of finished pan of ground beef wild rice casserole.

Add Extra Flavor To This Beef Casserole Recipe

This great casserole is already super delicious, but if you’re looking to add something extra in the flavor department these are my top tips:

Fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, rosemary, or thyme or dried herbs like Italian seasoning work as well.
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce or soy sauce.
A few drops of your favorite hot sauce or a dash of cayenne pepper for extra heat.
Add some beef stock or beef broth to the liquid when you’re cooking the rice.
Minced, dried onion or onion powder.
Add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the hamburger and rice mixture before baking.
Additional spices of your choice, such as paprika, turmeric, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, or oregano.

How To Season Wild Rice

Wild rice mix has a fresh nutty flavor I don’t like to mess around with too much. Other than salt and pepper, there are a few other subtle ways to enhance the earthy flavor of your wild rice.

Fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary are great flavor complements to wild rice.
A little Italian seasoning goes a long way.
Additional spices of your choice, such as paprika or smoked paprika, cumin or coriander, cinnamon, or oregano.
Try a little bit of lemon zest to add a little zip to the nutty flavor of the rice.
A dash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce adds a good depth to the flavor to the rice without overpowering it.

Wild Rice Substitute

I understand that depending on the region, it might be a challenge to find wild rice in grocery stores. You can use any variety of rice in this dish as a substitute: Use white rice or brown rice, short or long grain – as long as it’s cooked to package directions first.

Serving of wild rice veggie ground beef casserole on a plate.

What To Do With Leftover Wild Rice

Leftover wild rice can actually be far more versatile than you think. If you end up with too much rice, use it to make any of these great wild rice recipe options!

Wild Rice Soup – Creamy mushroom, chicken, or even veggie-based soups love a wild rice boost. Add cooked rice near the end so it doesn’t overcook and get mushy.
Grain Bowls – Layer rice with roasted veggies, greens, a protein, and a sauce – like tahini, miso-ginger, or even chimichurri.
Stuffed Peppers or Squash – Mix the rice with sautéed onions, garlic, beans or lentils, and herbs, then bake it in halved peppers, acorn squash, or zucchini boats.
Fried Rice – Toss wild rice into a hot skillet with veggies, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, and whatever extras you like. Great with edamame and scallions.
Wild Rice Salad – Serve it cold with chopped celery, dried cranberries, pecans, green onion, and a citrus vinaigrette.
Wild Rice Fritters – Mix it with a binder (like an egg), chopped veggies, and pan-fry into crispy little patties.
Stuffed Mushrooms – Chop some herbs and walnuts into the rice and spoon into mushroom caps. Bake until golden.
Wild Rice Pudding – It’s got a nutty chew that works really well in a coconut milk-based pudding. Add some maple syrup, cinnamon, and raisins or chopped dates.
Breakfast Bowls – Warm up leftover rice with a little milk, cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla. Top with fruit and nuts. Kind of like an oatmeal alternative.

How to Serve Wild Rice and Hamburger Casserole

This wild rice casserole is a meal in itself, but if you still want an extra something to go with it. These are a few of my favorite ideas.

How to Store Leftover Casserole

Cool any leftover casserole completely before storing. Store any leftovers in an appropriately sized airtight container and refrigerate for 5-7 days. See freezing instructions below.

How to Reheat

Reheat leftover casserole in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Stir, and heat for an additional minute or until heated through.

Pan of a hearty, cheesy casserole in a baking dish.

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Hamburger Wild Rice Casserole