Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole

A comforting turkey and wild rice casserole baked with winter herbs and topped with melty Havarti cheese for a cosy, flavourful dinner..

This Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole is a hearty, comforting bake that’s perfect for winter.

It’s packed with tender turkey, earthy wild rice, mushrooms, and seasonal herbs, then finished with a generous layer of melted Havarti cheese.

A cosy family meal that makes the most of leftover turkey and works just as well any time of year.

Tips for the Best Turkey and Wild Rice Casserole

• Choose a good wild rice blend. Blends with a higher proportion of wild rice (rather than mostly white rice) will give the best flavour and texture.
• Toast the rice before simmering. Briefly cooking the rice in the pan before adding liquid brings out a nutty aroma and prevents the grains from turning mushy.
• Check for doneness early. Rice blends cook faster than pure wild rice, so start checking 5–10 minutes before the suggested cooking time.
• Cut turkey into even pieces. Small, uniform cubes heat through quickly and evenly.
• Shred the Havarti fresh. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly—grating it yourself makes for the best topping.
• Let it rest before serving. Give the casserole 5–10 minutes after baking so the layers settle and slice more cleanly.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Olive oil – Used for sautéing the vegetables. You can swap with butter for a richer flavour.
• Yellow onion, celery, and carrot – Classic aromatics that form the flavour base. Shallots or leeks can be used instead of onion, and parsnips work as a nice substitute for carrot.
• Cremini mushrooms – Add earthiness and depth. White mushrooms or even a mix of wild mushrooms can be used.
• Garlic – Fresh is best, but 1 teaspoon garlic powder works in a pinch.
• Wild rice blend – A hearty, nutty base for the casserole. If you prefer, you can use brown rice, but the flavour and texture will be different.
• Chicken broth – Adds savoury depth. Turkey or vegetable broth also works well.
• Dijon mustard – Adds a subtle tang and complexity. Don’t skip it – it really elevates the flavour.
• Dried sage, marjoram, and thyme – Seasonal herbs that complement turkey beautifully. If you’re missing one, Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning can stand in.
• Salt and black pepper – Adjust to taste.
• Cooked turkey – A great way to use holiday leftovers, but cooked chicken works just as well.
• Baby spinach – Adds freshness and colour. Kale or Swiss chard are good alternatives.
• Havarti cheese – Melts beautifully for a gooey topping. Mozzarella, gouda, or Monterey Jack can be swapped in if needed.
• Fresh parsley – For garnish. Optional, but it adds a nice pop of freshness.

Looking for More Casserole Recipes?

Check out more of my favourite casseroles!

This Homestyle Chicken and Stuffing Casserole is warm, comforting, and packed with tender chicken, creamy veggies, and buttery stuffing.

Get your family together for a comforting weeknight meal with this easy chicken pot pie casserole recipe. It’s an effortless hearty meal!

This easy cowboy casserole recipe is the perfect way to feed a hungry crowd! Loaded with Tex-mex flavour, this dish is sure to please.

Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole

Yields: 6–8 servings | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrot
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups uncooked wild rice blend
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2–1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound cooked turkey, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2–3 cups shredded Havarti cheese, for topping
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the vegetables: In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Add mushrooms and garlic: Cook mushrooms 5 minutes until softened and releasing juices. Stir in garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Combine rice, turkey, spinach, and sauce: Stir uncooked wild rice into the vegetable mixture. Stir in the chicken broth, turkey, spinach, Dijon mustard, all dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
5. Bake covered: Cover the skillet or transfer mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender and sauce slightly thickened.
6. Add cheese topping: Remove from oven and top evenly with 2–3 cups shredded Havarti.
7. Finish baking: Bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
8. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy immediately.

Continue to Content

Yield: 8 Servings

Turkey & Wild Rice Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

A comforting turkey and wild rice casserole baked with winter herbs and topped with melty Havarti cheese for a cosy, flavourful dinner..

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup sliced carrot
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups uncooked wild rice blend
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2–1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound cooked turkey, diced
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2-3 cups shredded Havarti cheese, for topping
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cook the vegetables: In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Add mushrooms and garlic: Cook mushrooms 5 minutes until softened and releasing juices. Stir in garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Combine rice, turkey, spinach, and sauce: Stir uncooked wild rice into the vegetable mixture. Stir in the chicken broth, turkey, spinach, Dijon mustard, all dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
5. Bake covered: Cover the skillet or transfer mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, until rice is tender and sauce slightly thickened.
6. Add cheese topping: Remove from oven and top evenly with 2–3 cups shredded Havarti.
7. Finish baking: Bake uncovered for another 10–15 minutes until cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
8. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy immediately.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Pyrex Deep Baking Dish Set
• 
  Pyrex Basics 3 QT Glass Baking Dish With Plastic Lid
• 
  Casserole Dish

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

2 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 896mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 30g

This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag your creations with #FrugalMomEh on Instagram & subscribe for more!