Skillet Spinach, Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole

Comfort food that doesn’t take all day? Yes, please. This Skillet Spinach, Mushroom & Wild Rice Casserole uses smart shortcuts—like microwaved wild rice and garlic-and-herb cheese—that bring big flavor and save you time in the kitchen. Brimming with antioxidants from the mushrooms, garlic, spinach and herbs, this dish is a healthy crowd-pleaser. Read below for even more time-saving tips, plus how to use the dried herbs you already have on hand in place of fresh. 

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Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

• We use microwaveable rice to save time, but you can use 3 cups of freshly cooked or leftover wild rice if you prefer.
• Squeeze the thawed frozen spinach to eliminate as much moisture as possible. This will help ensure a creamy casserole rather than a watery one. If you’re using fresh spinach, it’s best to add it gradually to the milk mixture, handful by handful.
• We prefer the taste of fresh herbs in this recipe, but if you opt for dried herbs, use about half the amount.

Nutrition Notes

• Mushrooms are the umami-packed and meaty star of this recipe. Mushrooms are packed with B vitamins, which are essential for a healthy metabolism. If you find mushrooms grown in ultraviolet light, you’ll also get some vitamin D—the only natural source of vitamin D in the produce section. 
• Leeks are part of the allium family, which also includes onions, garlic and chives. Leeks are milder in flavor than some alliums, but contain the same anti-inflammatory compounds like vitamin C and fiber that are beneficial for your heart, your digestive system and metabolic health. 
• Spinach is a source of folate, which is essential in many life stages, including during pregnancy, and for optimal heart health. Spinach also has plant-based iron, which isn’t absorbed as well as animal-based iron; you can help your body absorb the iron from spinach by pairing it with a food that contains vitamin C, like oranges, bell peppers and cabbage. 
• Wild rice adds an earthy, nutty flavor to this dish. A gluten-free grain, wild rice gives this dish a punch of extra fiber, which can help you feel fuller after eating, and eating more fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.