Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms)
Wild Rice Stuffing with Sausage and Mushrooms is a gluten-free stuffing idea for Thanksgiving, or serve it as a tasty side dish. And wild rice is probably lower in carbs than you think, so this stuffing with wild rice, sausage, and mushrooms is surprisingly low in net carbs!
PIN the Wild Rice Stuffing to try it later.
Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms) is a tasty Thanksgiving idea that I’m reminding you about for Friday Favorites this week! This is a tasty option if you’re wanting a gluten-free stuffing for Thanksgiving! The recipe uses wild rice as the main ingredient, with sausage, mushrooms, and fresh or dried thyme adding so much flavor.
And wild rice is much lower in carbs than many people think, and this recipe has lots of low-carb sausage and mushrooms too! I’m such a fan of wild rice and I’d love this as a low-carb stuffing option. I’m hoping this recipe can get you interested in trying wild rice if you’ve never cooked with this interesting ingredient!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Wild Rice (affiliate link)
- canned chicken broth (affiliate link) or turkey stock
- butter
- pork sausage
- onion
- fresh thyme
- brown mushrooms
- fresh parsley
- black pepper
What is Wild Rice?
Wild Rice is a species of grass that’s grown in North America and China, and it’s actually a seed that’s cooked like rice and used in recipes the same way as rice. It’s chewy and flavorful and high in protein, low in carbs, and gluten-free which makes is a fun ingredient to add to soups, salads, or to use in side dishes like this recipe. (You may have seen products where the distinctive long pieces of wild rice are mixed with regular rice and that isn’t low in carbs, but wild rice is so delicious when it’s used as a low-carb ingredient by itself.)
How low in carbs is Wild Rice Stuffing?
This delicious gluten-free stuffing option has only 7.9 net carbs per serving and 14 grams of protein!
What sausage did I use for the Wild Rice Stuffing?
I used ground pork sausage for this recipe, but you can use turkey sausage if you prefer. Be sure to choose sausage without added sugar if you’re watching carbs.
What mushrooms did I use for the Wild Rice Stuffing?
I used brown Cremini mushrooms for this recipe, but regular white mushrooms would also be fine.
How to Make Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms):
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Wild Rice (affiliate link) isn’t a quick cooking food’ you need to simmer it in stock until some of the rice grains start to split apart and it’s soft but slightly chewy. (If the rice has been sitting on the shelf for a while in the store, it may take even longer to cook.)
- When wild rice is nearly done, start to brown the sausage.
- Mix the cooked wild rice and browned sausage in a bowl.
- Then saute the onions and then the mushrooms.
- Cooking the onions with plenty of chopped fresh thyme adds flavor to this dish, but I think you could use Dried Thyme (affiliate link) here with good results.
- I used brown mushrooms, but use regular white mushrooms if that’s what you prefer. Be sure the mushrooms are well browned after you cook them.
- Mix cooked onions and mushrooms into the wild rice/sausage mixture, then add 1/2 cup stock and some chopped parsley.
- Put the mixture into a casserole dish and cover with the lid or foil.
- Bake 30 minutes, or until it’s piping hot and most of the stock has been absorbed.
- Serve Wild Rice Stuffing hot and enjoy!
Another fun idea for Wild Rice:
If you’re a fan of wild rice you might also like this interesting Salad with Bacon and Arugula!
Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms)
Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms) is a perfect gluten-free stuffing idea for Thanksgiving, or just serve it as a side dish any time of year. And wild rice is probably much lower in carbs than you realize!
Ingredients
- 2/3 uncooked cup wild rice, rinsed and drained
- 3 cups plus 1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock, homemade or canned
- 2 T butter (see notes)
- one 12 oz. pkg. ground pork sausage (see notes)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme leaves (see notes)
- 12 oz brown mushrooms, stems removed and coarsely chopped
- 3 T finely chopped fresh parsley
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In saucepan combine wild rice and 3 cups stock. (Original recipe added salt, but I didn’t think it needed it.)
- Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender, about 60 minutes. or longer if the rice has been stored for a while. (I cooked the wild rice at the lowest possible simmer, in a pan with a very tight fitting lid. You will probably need to check after a few minutes, and possibly add some water during the cooking time, depending on how old the wild rice is, how tight the lid is on your pan, and how low your stove burner goes.)
- Rice should be tender to the bite with some grains starting to break apart when it’s done.
- Dump rice into colander and let it drain well. Begin preheating oven to 350F/175C.
- In medium sized frying pan, cook sausage over medium-high heat until it is lightly browned. I use a potato masher (affiliate link) to break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks.
- Drain off any excess fat and add sausage to the cooked rice. Put drained rice and sausage into a mixing bowl.
- Wipe out pan with a paper towel if there is a lot of fat, then heat 1 T butter, add onions and cook on low until starting to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped thyme and cook 2 minutes more. Add thyme/onion mixture to the rice.
- Add 1 T more butter to frying pan as needed, add chopped mushrooms and saute until lightly browned and all liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms to the wild rice mixture.
- Add the chopped parsley and 1/2 cup stock and season with black pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to glass or crockery casserole dish with a lid.
- Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
Use butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer. Use lower-fat turkey sausage if you prefer. If you don't have fresh thyme use 1-2 tsp. dried thyme.
Recipe adapted from Thanksgiving Wild Rice at the Food Network.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 268Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 7.5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10.8gCholesterol 62mgSodium 1034mgCarbohydrates 9.8gFiber 1.9gSugar 3.2gProtein 14g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach DietSuggestions:
Wild Rice is a seed and not really rice, and it’s higher in protein, more nutritious, higher in fiber, and much lower in carbs than rice.This Wild Rice Stuffing is gluten-free and relatively low in carbs, so this is a great holiday option for low-carb diets. This is also a good choice for the original South Beach Diet Phase 2.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Side Dishes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Wild Rice Stuffing with Sausage and Mushrooms was first posted in 2009! It was updated with better photos in 2013 and last updated with more information in 2025.
40 Comments on “Wild Rice Stuffing (with Sausage and Mushrooms)”
Kaylan, I need a large portion for Thanksgiving, should I double the recipe to be able to cook it in a 9×13” casserole dish? Do I need to cover the dish with foil during cooking since I don’t have a lid? Thanks for the recipe because my mom (at 91 years old) can’t find hers or remember whether she doubled the recipe 🙂
I want to help but it’s hard for me to tell you the size pan because I’ve never doubled the recipe. I’d say do the first steps and then use the size pan you need for that amount. And yes, I would cover with foil.
What size dish do you normally use when not doubling the recipe? Thanks again!
It’s a square corning ware dish that’s just slightly bigger than 9″ x 9″. But you can see in the photo it’s not completely full so it could be a bit smaller if needed. I don’t think the size of the dish will be that big of a deal; just use a dish that fits all the ingredients if you double it.
Plan to make the night before any reason this wouldn’t be a good idea?
I haven’t ever purposely made it ahead like that, but I have kept it in the fridge and reheated. I will say I think it’s a bit better freshly made, but not bad reheated. Let me know what you think.
What type of wild rice do you use?
Anything that’s labeled simply “Wild Rice” will be fine. Don’t get something called Wild Rice Mix; that will have other kinds of rice added.
This recipe sounds very yummy!
I bought an Instant Pot recently. Any way to make the rice portion in the instant pot?
I think that’s a good idea, but I’m not a good enough Instant Pot cook to be able to estimate how to cook that but you could google “how to cook wild rice in the Instant Pot” and see if someone has instructions for it. I’d love to hear how it works if you try it. Seems like it would be perfect for the Instant Pot.
I made the wild rice, sausage and mushroom dish and also your sheet pan sausage, sweet potato and broccoli recipe. that was our dinner tonight and it was delicious and got rave reviews from my family, who are all serious foodies. The taste celebrates the fall season and was full of great flavors. these two recipes will be keepers . Thank you
So glad you enjoyed!
This looks delicious! I’m thinking it would pair nicely with prime rib for Christmas dinner. Have you ever made this ahead of time? If so, what would you recommend for reheating instructions? Thank you!
I haven’t made it ahead. But I think it could be reheated. I’d just use the same covered casserole dish (or just cover a casserole dish with foil) and reheat at 400F for about 20 minutes. Maybe cook for a slightly shorter time initially if you know you’re going to reheat.
Or if this works for your schedule, it might work to assemble the dish and store in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature and bake right before you are going to eat it.
I’m so glad this was posted. I originally saw this recipe in Sunset Magazine about 10+ years ago and been serving it instead of stuffing (because I hate stuffing) ever since. So last Thanksgiving when I went to get that magazine that I’ve been holding onto all these years, I realized that it had been misplaced. I tried looking for it online last year and couldn’t find it. This year I listed the ingredients in the search and here I am 🙂 I love love love this recipe. And to put it in perspective, I hate cooking! I really do. This recipe is a challenge for me, particularly dealing with Thyme, but the point is that’s how much I like it and so glad that I can now bookmark it etc for more years than perhaps my poor lost Sunset Magazine. Thanks again!!!
Oh good, so glad it’s useful for you. I think this version is from The Food Network, but they may well have gotten it from Sunset Magazine, who knows!
Hi! I was looking for a rice side for Thanksgiving, and I love the sound of this! I need to leave out the sausage, so are there any seasoning adjustments you would recommend? Thanks!
The sausage adds a lot of flavor so I'd definitely add something like poultry seasoning and maybe a little ground fennel. It's hard for me to say for sure, since I haven't made it without sausage. Hope you enjoy!
Jamie, the only thing I can think of is that I cooked my rice at the lowest possible simmer, and I had a pan with a very tight fitting lid. I do think that if you ended up with rice that had been sitting on the shelf at the store for a while, it might take this long to cook though. I think I will edit the recipe to caution people they might need to check occasionally and add water, thanks!
I made this last night, delicious! I did have a problem with the wild rice though. I've never made it before, so maybe I'm doing something wrong?? I started off with the 2/3cup rice and 3cups chicken stock in the pan. Brought it to a light boil, and put the lid on. Since it said it needed to cook for 60 minutes, I walked away for about 20 minutes, came back and all the liquid was gone! The rice was starting to burn to the bottom of the pan and barely any of it had popped open. So I quickly added about a cup of water and brought it back up to the light boil. Came back 10 minutes later, same thing! So in total I ended up having to cook it for about 80-90 minutes and having to add water by the 1/2 cup full every 10 minutes or so. Even when I finally took it off the burner, there still weren't many kernels open and it wasn't very soft/chewy. Any suggestions? Did I do something wrong? Even with the rice debacle; this was still an excellent dish with great flavor that I will make again…given I can figure out what I'm doing wrong with the rice! Thankyou for all the great recipes!!!
I have found that soaking the wild rice for about an hour will alleviate the loss of liquid problem.
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve never had a problem with this recipe, but think using fresh wild rice will make a difference. It’s something I buy in small amounts to be sure it doesn’t sit in the cupboard too long.
I don't use wild rice nearly often enough and this looks like a really tasty way to enjoy some.
If wild rice isn't rice, that explains a lot. I don't care for rice, but do like wild rice! 🙂
Now, I never knew that wild rice wasn't actually rice. I still have things to learn!
Kalyn, this sounds unreal. I am always looking for one-dish dinners and this one sounds like I winner. I cannot wait to make it, I just know that when I eat I am going to feel cozy and warm despite the chilly Montreal weather.
If being a grass means not being a rice, then regular rice is not rice either – it's a grass too!
This looks delicious and I plan to make it the next time I'm on my own for dinner, maybe with spicy sausage… LOVE spicy sausage… because my husband doesn't eat mushrooms and I don't want to omit them!
Oh delicious!
*sings*
Wild rice and mushroom and Jimmy Dean sausage,
These are a few of my favorite things…."
This is a great fall dish.
I'm saving this recipe for Thanksgiving. I didn't know wild rice wasn't a rice! I love that mustard colored bowl. Great picture
I live in Minnesota and my husband picks wild rice every year. We make a similar recipe with sausage, but we also use chicken, pheasant or duck with excellent results.
Joan
Wow! That looks so flavorful! I bet that it is very delicious. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe. I'm craving for the mushrooms.:)
Perfect dish for the winter. I love that earthy flavor that mushrooms add.
Have you tried the brown rice medley from Trader Joes? It's my fav.
I have also been cooking a lot with the Trader Joes chicken sweet Italian sausage. Yum.
I wonder if this would taste good if I used the very lean "homemade" chicken sausages a local meat shop makes right there… they're good and spicy… so it might work?!
looks great… will have to try this one. I need to use up all the onions my husband planted this year!
Gracie, hope they like it!
Alanna, I didn't know that there were two kinds. Thanks for that tip. Now I want to try the quicker-cooking type!
Katie, it was meant as a stuffing on the Food Network site. I'm thinking a mixture of this with cornbread stuffing mix might make a good Gluten-free stuffing.
Dara, rice freezes very well, so I'm thinking this will freeze well too.
Chris, fun. Glad I could give a memory of Thanksgiving past!
Jimmy Dean always makes things better! I'll have to give this a try because it sounds similar to a dish my mom's best friend made for our thanksgiving get togethers each year.
Wild rice has such lovely, nutty flavor which would work so well with mushrooms. Another great dish, Kalyn! I must admit that I have never frozen cooked rice. Does the texture of the rice hold up okay?
I love the idea of using this as a stuffing for Thanksgiving! This will be my first gluten-free T-giving, and I've been contemplating stuffing ideas for a few days now. Although it's not traditional, I don't think that anyone in the family will be complaining about this!
Looks great! As a native Minnesotan, we grew up with wild rice as a staple. So it wasn't until I moved 'south' that I learned that there is a huge difference between 'cultivated' wild rice (which is what's mostly found in grocery stores) and takes a long time to cook and natural wild rice (which is hard to find outside its growing areas) but cooks in just a few minutes. If you're interested, my recipe for Wild Rice Salad includes a side-by-side photo of the two kinds of wild rice.
I am going to make this for my "picky" son and husband. I think they'll love it!!!