Busy Night Calls for an Easy Dinner
Every family needs a go-to fast meal that is 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,” which is essentially everything in the dish. The magic of this formula is that it only contains four ingredients. It’s five ingredients, but the fifth ingredient is water! Keep the items for Harvest Casserole on hand because it will surely 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 that 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
Harvest Casserole 20-Minute Dinner Substitutions
- Do you have to use hot sausage? No, mild sage sausage or breakfast sausage will also work.
- Can’t find Stouffer’s frozen apples? Apparently, they discontinued the item.
- You can use canned apple pie filling, but strain off some of the juice to avoid it being too sweet.
- Bob Evans also has ready-made Glazed Apples, 14 oz.
- Make your own 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
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Harvest Casserole 20-Minute Dinner
This Harvest Casserole 20 Minute Dinner only has five ingredients, and one of them is water. It contains chunky baked apples, cinnamon, spicy sausage, and a hearty wild rice blend for a delicious sweet-spicy combination.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Pork
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Classic
Ingredients
- 1–1/2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup Rice Select Royal Blend -White, Brown, Wild & Red rice blend*
- 1 lb. spicy ground pork sausage, spicy or traditional**
- 1– 20-oz can apple pie filling, or 12-oz frozen Stouffer’s Classic Harvest Apples or 14-oz package Bob Evans Glazed Apples***
Instructions
- Prepare Rice: Place water and cinnamon in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk to combine. Bring water to a simmer, add rice, and then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for 15 minutes.
- Brown Sausage: Remove sausage from the package or casing and place in 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.
- Heat Apples: Place apples in a microwave-safe dish large enough to serve the entree. Cook on high for 6 – 7 minutes for frozen apples or 3- 4 minutes for refrigerated or canned apples.
- Combine Ingredients: Add cooked rice and meat into the apple serving dish and stir to combine. Serve.
Notes
* I use the brand Rice Select Royal Blend that cooks in 15 minutes.
** I use Bob Evans in a tube: Hot & Zesty, Savory Sausage, or Original.
*** If using pie filling, remove some of the filling or it will be too sweet. See the Stouffer’s 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.
9 responses to “Harvest Casserole 20-Minute Dinner”
I’ve made this recipe several times… it’s popular in our house!
I’m having more trouble finding frozen harvest apples, so a good substitute is chunky applesauce!
Hi Kris, thanks for the substitution tip. I now use apple pie filling or steam apples in the pressure cooker. I promise to add that recipe update soon!
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!