Busy Night Calls for an Easy Dinner
Every family needs a go-to fast meal that sits ready to be made on short notice. Harvest Casserole 20-minute dinner is the solution for my family. My children call it “apples, sausage, and rice,” practically everything in the dish. The magic to this formula is that it only contains five ingredients, one of which is water! Keep the items for Harvest Casserole on hand because it is sure to become a family favorite.
No Brainer Recipe Becomes a Family Tradition
My kids all made Harvest Casserole in college and shared it with their roommates, and it remains in their household meal rotation as adults. My neighbors all made it because their kids were over at the house and insisted their mom get the recipe from me. But the sheer delight in this recipe is that it checks off so many boxes:
- Budget-Friendly
- Great Leftovers
- Make-Ahead
- One-Pot
- Staple Meal
- Fabulous Back To School Meal
- Easy Brunch Side Dish
Substitutions
- Do you have to use hot sausage? No mild sage sausage will also work. Or use plant-based ground sausage (savory or hot) for a vegan dish.
- Can’t find Stouffer’s frozen apples? Use canned apple pie filling but strain off some of the juice, or it will be too sweet.
- Make your own – see the recipe below.
- Or make the apples from scratch. Try this copycat recipe created by Extraordinary Life to make a gluten-free version of Stouffer’s Frozen Apples.
What to Serve with Harvest Casserole 20 Minute Dinner?
A simple salad kit as a side or your favorite frozen vegetable will keep the dinner simple. Other options include making one of the below recipes earlier in the week and serving the leftovers.
Serve With
Harvest Casserole 20 Minute Dinner
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
This Harvest Casserole 20 Minute Dinner only has 5 ingredients. It contains chunky baked apples, cinnamon, spicy sausage, and a hearty wild rice blend for a delicious sweet, spicy, and savory combination.
Ingredients
- 1–1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup wild rice mix*
- 1 lb. spicy ground sausage, pork or plant-based**
- 12–oz frozen Stouffer’s Classic Harvest Apples***
Instructions
- Prepare Rice: Place water and cinnamon in a medium-size saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring water to a simmer and add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Brown Sausage: Remove sausage from package or casing and place it into a large skillet over medium heat. Break up with a fork or meat chopper and cook until browned – about 7 minutes. Drain off the fat.
- Microwave Apples: Open the frozen apple package and place it in a microwave-safe dish large enough to serve the entree. Cook on high for 6 – 7 minutes.
- Combine Ingredients: add rice and meat into the apple serving dish and stir to combine. Serve.
Notes
* brown, white & wild rice mix; I use Select Royal Blend
** I use Bob Evans Hot & Zesty or Impossible Sausage, Savory or Hot 14-oz tube
*** canned pie filling can also be used or see copycat recipe in the post.
Nutritional information includes pork sausage.
Serve with a salad kit that your family enjoys. Josie’s Organic Sweet Kale Chopped Salad Kit is in the photo above.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pork
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Classic
Keywords: easy back to school meal, wild rice
7 responses to “Harvest Casserole 20 Minute Dinner”
Love, love this recipe! It is quick, easy and budget friendly meal. This is such a good recipe for fall and winter! Love the sweet and savory flavor combination. Always a do over here.
★★★★★
Thanks, Julie! It is a favorite at my house too.
Love this recipe! I have made it several times with hot Italian meatless sausage links from the Beyond brand that I turn into grounds. If we have fresh parsley on hand, I found that chopping about 1/4 cup and stirring it in at the end adds some color and fresh flavor. Thanks for posting it!
★★★★★
Great substitution idea to use plant-based sausage!
Hi Rob, I am happy to learn that it is a regular recipe in your rotation. That says a lot. I also love the creative way to use plant-based protein.
The harvest casserole (known in our home as Apple-Sausage-Rice) is a staple meal on our busy weeknights that always pleases. The combination of apples and cinnamon is truly sublime. All in, this is a quick and delicious dish that I will continue to share with friends and family.
★★★★★
Ohhh, my heart is happy that you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as mine! Thank you for your review!