Mushroom and Rice Pork Chop Casserole

Tender, juicy pork chops nestled atop a mattress of creamy rice infused with earthy mushrooms and fragrant spices. This Mushroom and Rice Pork Chop Casserole is not only a meal; it’s a melody of flavors that can fill you with the heat of house and luxury.

This pork chop casserole recipe embodies the essence of home-cooked goodness. With fundamental pantry staples, contemporary elements, and simple directions, you possibly can effortlessly recreate the magic of this beloved Southern traditional in your individual kitchen.

Whether or not you’re cooking for family members or desirous to take pleasure in a comforting meal after an extended day, this casserole guarantees to fulfill your cravings and soothe your soul.

Why you’ll love this casserole: 

Wealthy and Comforting Flavors: This casserole combines tender pork chops with creamy rice and savory mushrooms, making a dish that’s each hearty and comforting. The wealthy flavors are excellent for warming up on a cold night or satisfying a yearning for home-cooked consolation meals.

Versatility: With its mixture of protein, grains, and greens, this casserole is an entire meal in a single dish. It’s versatile sufficient to function a weeknight dinner for the household or as a comforting dish for particular events and gatherings.

Ease of Preparation: Regardless of its spectacular flavors, this casserole is surprisingly straightforward to make. With easy elements and simple directions, even novice cooks can whip up a scrumptious meal that’s certain to impress.

Make-Forward Possibility: This casserole will be assembled forward of time and saved within the fridge or freezer till able to bake. It’s excellent for meal prepping or for busy days once you wish to have dinner able to go along with minimal effort.

Customizable: Whereas the recipe supplies a scrumptious base, it’s additionally extremely customizable to go well with particular person tastes and preferences. You possibly can simply alter the seasonings, swap out greens, and even strive completely different proteins to create a dish that’s uniquely yours.

Household-Pleasant: With its crowd-pleasing flavors and comforting enchantment, this casserole is bound to be successful with the entire household. Even choosy eaters will love the mixture of tender pork chops, creamy rice, and flavorful mushrooms.

Substances for Mushroom and Rice Pork Chop Casserole

Lengthy grain white rice: A staple ingredient in lots of African American dishes, rice provides substance and texture to the casserole. Substitute with brown rice or jasmine rice for a nuttier or aromatic taste.

Cream of mushroom soup: Offers creaminess and umami taste to the casserole. Substitute with cream of hen soup or selfmade mushroom gravy for a extra personal touch.

Bitter cream: Provides tanginess and richness to the dish. Greek yogurt can be utilized as an alternative choice to a lighter possibility.

Low-sodium hen inventory: Infuses the casserole with the savory depth of hen inventory, this additionally helps cook dinner the rice to perfection and infuse taste. Vegetable broth can be utilized as a vegetarian various.

Thick bone-in center-cut pork chops: A hearty and flavorful lower of meat that stands up effectively to the creamy rice and mushrooms. Substitute with boneless pork chops or hen thighs for a unique protein possibility.

Impartial oil and unsalted butter: Used for cooking the pork chops and greens, including richness and taste to the dish. Substitute with vegetable oil or olive oil if desired.

Cremini mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic: These fragrant greens create a flavorful base for the casserole and add depth to the dish. Be happy to make use of your favourite mushrooms or alter the ratio of greens to fit your style.

Apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard: These elements add tanginess and acidity to stability the richness of the dish. Substitute with white wine vinegar or complete grain mustard if most well-liked.

Herbs: Contemporary parsley for garnish and coloration. Dried thyme is added for some additional natural notes. Dried rosemary or oregano might be used as a substitute.

Seasonings and Spices: A daring and flavorful mixture of floor black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

How To Make Mushroom and Rice Pork Chop Casserole

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the rack within the center place. Spray a 13×9 pan with nonstick spray.

Within the ready pan, add raw rice, cayenne pepper, soup, bitter cream, 1 cup of inventory, 1 tablespoon of parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir collectively.

Mix 2 ½ teaspoons salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme in a small bowl. Stir collectively. Season each side of the pork chops

In a 12-inch skillet, warmth 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high warmth. As soon as scorching, add pork chops and cook dinner for about 3 minutes on the primary aspect till golden brown. Flip and proceed cooking for two minutes. Take away from pan and put aside on a plate.

Rapidly add butter, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pan. Cook dinner till the onions grow to be translucent, the celery softens, and the mushrooms have given up their liquid, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic, the remaining ½ teaspoon of thyme, and the ultimate ½ teaspoon of salt and proceed cooking for about 1 minute. Pour within the remaining ½ cups of inventory, vinegar, and mustard. Rapidly carry to a boil, then take away from warmth and stir into the elements in a 13×9 pan.

Nestle pork chops partway into the creamy combination. Cowl with foil. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, till rice is cooked and pork chops attain 145F on a digital thermometer. (Relying on the thickness of pork chops, they could be completed cooking earlier than the rice is prepared. Test them at Half-hour, and take away them from the pan, if obligatory. Get well the rice and proceed cooking.)

Take away from the oven, let sit for 10 minutes earlier than serving. Uncover, garnish with last 1 tablespoon of parsley and serve.

Suggestions for making the most effective Pork Chop Casserole with Mushrooms and Rice

Seasoning: Don’t skimp on seasoning the pork chops. Be beneficiant with the salt, pepper, and spices to make sure the meat is effectively seasoned all through.

Searing the Pork Chops: Correctly searing the pork chops earlier than baking provides a wealthy taste and locks in juices. Ensure the skillet is scorching earlier than including the chops to attain a golden crust.

Masking and Baking: Cowl the casserole with foil earlier than baking to stop the pork chops from drying out. This additionally permits the flavors to meld collectively whereas the dish cooks.

Checking Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to make sure the pork chops attain an inner temperature of 145°F for protected consumption. Moreover, examine the rice for doneness to make sure it’s cooked by means of.

Resting Time: Let the casserole relaxation for a minimum of 10 minutes after eradicating it from the oven. This enables the flavors to settle and makes for simpler serving.

Garnishing: Sprinkle contemporary parsley over the casserole earlier than serving so as to add a pop of coloration and freshness. This easy garnish enhances the presentation and taste of the dish.

What to serve with Pork Chop Casserole

Collard Greens: Serve with tender collard greens cooked with smoked ham hocks or turkey necks for a traditional Southern aspect dish that enhances the richness of the casserole.

Cornbread: A slice of selfmade cornbread pairs completely with the savory flavors of the casserole.

Candy Potatoes: Roasted or mashed candy potatoes add a contact of sweetness and vibrant coloration to the meal.

Macaroni and Cheese: Serve a creamy and tacky macaroni and cheese alongside the casserole for the final word consolation meals.

Black-Eyed Peas: Cook dinner up a pot of seasoned black-eyed peas for a standard Southern aspect dish that provides protein and taste to the meal.

The way to retailer & reheat 

Enable the casserole to chill fully earlier than storing. Switch any leftovers to an hermetic container or cowl the unique baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

How lengthy will Mushroom and Rice Pork Chop Casserole final within the fridge? The casserole will be saved within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. Guarantee it’s correctly sealed to take care of freshness and stop it from absorbing any odors from different meals.

Can I freeze pork chop casserole? Sure, you possibly can freeze the casserole for longer storage. Place particular person parts or the complete casserole in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. Take away as a lot air as potential to stop freezer burn. The casserole will be frozen for as much as 3 months.

There are a number of strategies you should utilize to reheat the casserole:

Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Switch the frozen or refrigerated casserole to an oven-safe dish if obligatory. Cowl with foil to stop drying out and warmth for 20-Half-hour, or till heated by means of.

Microwave: For particular person parts, microwave on excessive in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, till heated by means of. Bigger parts could require longer heating instances. Cowl with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel to stop splattering.

Stovetop: Switch the casserole to a saucepan or skillet and warmth over medium-low warmth, stirring often, till warmed by means of. Add a splash of hen inventory or water if the casserole appears dry.

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