Minnesota Ground Beef and Wild Rice Hotdish Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a hot dish and a casserole in Minnesota? ›

the biggest difference between casserole and hot dish is the hot dish. will always be the main entry. hot dish will always have a protein a starch and often times a vegetable. usually bound together by some sort of creamy substance. usually canned cream of something soup.

Ask anyone who grew up in Minnesota, and they most likely have memories of enjoying the classic hotdish for a family dinner together around the table after a long day. Kids will remember the crispy layer of tater tots and the ooey, gooey cheese layer...not so much the vegetables so sneakily added to the hotdish.

In English-speaking Commonwealth countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, the term casserole is most commonly used to refer to a dish of meat with vegetables (especially root vegetables) and a gravy-style sauce; dishes containing a large proportion of starchy ingredients, e.g., pasta or those ...

Macaroni and cheese is the oldest written casserole recipe found in 1250.

What is known, though, is that the term "hotdish" first appeared in a 1930 Mankato cookbook, published by Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid. "What's clearer is that the dish has become a symbol of Minnesotan identity," Deustch said. "That is exactly why there are so many debates over what a hotdish can be."

What Minnesotans — and some North Dakotans — call hotdish is a type of casserole, although its definition is somewhat narrower. A hotdish must be a main course, and almost always a hearty one that includes a protein, starch and at least some vegetables. It can't be a breakfast or side dish, for instance.

In her pitch, she asked the stars to provide the recipe for their favorite dish. Wayne offered a simple concoction of egg souffle, cheese, green chiles, and tomatoes. His basic recipe became known as John Wayne Casserole, and it's now adored as a breakfast classic in many households.

But in general, hotdish is a meal that consists of veggies, a starch, a protein, a canned soup base, and a crispy topping such as tater tots or bread crumbs all cooked together in one big, well, hotdish. However, the exact ingredients in hotdish do vary, with some home cooks preferring rice to pasta, or the reverse.

The term hot dish is typically utilized in the upper parts of Minnesota and North Dakota because people up there like to coin their own verbiage, much like “uff da” or “you betcha.” You probably called it a casserole, like this one, and, not to sound like a hot dish snob, but the parameters of hot dish are a bit more ...

A hotdish or hot dish is a casserole dish that typically contains a starch, a meat, and a canned or frozen vegetable mixed with canned soup.

Is a hot dish the same as a casserole? ›

A hotdish or hot dish is a casserole dish that typically contains a starch, a meat, and a canned or frozen vegetable mixed with canned soup.

Purpose: A casserole can serve any function, for example, a main dish, side dish, breakfast, or even dessert. A hot dish is a main meal only, as it (purportedly) contains all the nutrients one needs in a hearty meal. Well, there you have it folks.

According to Eater, the elements that are absolutely necessary to include in hotdish are a starch, protein, and vegetable bound together by a creamy sauce, usually cream of mushroom soup. It's all baked in one dish and served piping hot.