Wild Rice, Orzo & Mushroom Pasta

Written by on in For the Freezer, Light and Healthier, Recipes, Whole Grains

Yum! I love wild rice – a love that probably traces back to my upbringing in northern Minnesota. My grandpa used to harvest wild rice and we always had it in the pantry. These days it’s a bit harder to find, and more expensive – but it’s SO WORTH IT!

First you must endure a little lesson about wild rice – because it is one of my favorite things. Fact #1 – It’s a grain – not a rice. Fact #2 – It has been found in layers of the earth dated as far back as 12,000 years. It is most definitely an ancient grain.

Fact #3 – Any wild rice that is actually growing wild in Minnesota’s state waters can only be harvested with a permit -and must be harvested the same way the First Nation tribes harvested it years ago. Which is actually a pretty cool process.

I love the flavor of wild rice, but it does take awhile to cook – so plan accordingly – 1 cup of wild rice in about 3-4 cups water cooks in about 45-55 minutes.  If you’ve never made, or eaten, wild rice – this recipe is an amazing intro – it’s easy, flavorful, and good for you.  Get adventurous and trade out the orzo for another ancient grain – maybe faro or barley would be good!

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Wild Rice, Orzo & Mushroom Pasta

Tasty - easy - and an amazing side dish! I actually eat this as dinner when I'm home without the troops.
Author Carrie Hill

Ingredients

  • 6-8 C Chicken Stock Reserve 1/2 C for final product
  • 1 C Wild Rice prepared using chicken broth or stock according to package instructions
  • 1 C Orzo cooked in chicken broth
  • 1/2 C Onion minced
  • 8 oz Mushrooms sliced
  • 2 tsp Garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Parsley
  • Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare the orzo and wild rice according to package instructions - but use chicken stock instead of water. You could also use vegetable stock if you wanted to keep this vegan/vegetarian. Wild rice doesn't absorb as much water as white or brown rice - but it does need to cook for a long time - don't be afraid to use a lot of water and just drain it when it's done. Refer the the photo to see what it looks like when it's done - it will curl up and expose the white inside of the grain.
  2. While the grains and pastas are cooking - slice your mushrooms and mince your onions and garlic.
  3. Heat the coconut oil in a saute pan and add onion and mushrooms - saute until mushrooms are nearly done, then add in the garlic and heat through.
  4. Add the orzo and wild rice into the mushroom mixture and stir well. Add in reserved 1/2 cup of stock and taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Let simmer for just a few minutes so the stock can come together with the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and minced parsley.

Recipe Notes

Adapted from BakersBeans.ca