Wild Rice with Brats & Vegetables

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Get dinner on the table quickly with Johnsonville Brats, wild rice, sweet corn kernels, carrots and a few more veggies. This easy dinner idea is not only healthy, but also delicious for the whole family to enjoy!

Wild Rice with Brats & Vegetables

The year-long clock is tick-tocking. And before we know it the long days of summer will be a thing of the past. And autumn will give way to the cooler months and shorter daylight. With the cooler months comes one my favorite seasons: Fall! I love everything about Fall. The cooler days are a welcome relief, and I get to indulge in my sweater fetish obsession. Cardigans anyone?! Plus, fall also means our boys will be back to school. All of these things are wins in my book. Although, it was nice to have the kids home for the summer, I must admit our household runs better with the structure and balance of the school year. We’ve let them be lazy tweens and teens this summer, but we’re all ready for schedules and routines. YIKES! I may not be ready for the massive amount of homework (and common core), it will nice to get everyone (me included) back on a good schedule.

Here is some of the things we’ve enjoyed this summer: Chili Cheese Brats, Cheddar Brats Wrapped in Bacon (Zayd’n’s favorite), swimming, traveling, reading, and having fun as a family.

As I think about the back-to-school schedules, what to pack in the lunch boxes and the joys of homework (not), I think about our meal plans.

During the week, I like to whip up easy, 30-minute dinner ideas. I’m a sucker for our pressure cooker and anything that will help me get dinner on the table in 30-60 minutes. Since we’re big fans of Johnsonville, this month’s recipe idea focuses on using brats, we put together a super-duper-easy dinner idea that is not only healthy, but it looks amazing! And as bonus, it just so happens to taste pretty delicious too! Win. Win. And WIN!

And as we usher in the back-to-school season, here comes a great reason to celebrate Johnsonville’s Bratsgiving National Bratwurst Day. This day is coming up on the 16th of this month (August), so it’s a fun reason to celebrate and toss some brats on the grill!

I have a natural love for food because I grew up in a household where good food was important. I am continuing the tradition of good food with my Wild Rice with Brats & Vegetables. This is an easy recipe to make that will also work perfect for a side dish during the holiday season. Typically wild rice is reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, but because wild rice is healthier than traditional long grain white rice it is also perfect non-holiday meals too. Plus, with the addition of so many fresh vegetables it not only packs tons of flavor but it looks spectacular with so many contrasting colors, it’s like eating a rainbow! I put in carrots, sweet corn kernels, onions, turnips, collard greens, and red sweet bell peppers tossed into the rustic old world matrix of nutty wild rice. And finally, the Johnsonville Brats make it one heck of a hearty meal. After you try this one, it may just end up in the family cookbook.

What are some ways you plan on celebrating National Bratwurst Day? Drop me a line in the comment section and let me know!

And now, here’s the recipe for you to enjoy (and perhaps make it this August 16th for your own Bratsgiving!)

Ingredients:

• 6 Johnsonville Original Bratwurst
• 2 cups wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 6-8 young carrots washed and scrubbed then cut into slices
• 1 large sweet red bell peppers
• 1 cup turnips cut into cubes
• 2 cups collard greens, chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black peppercorns to taste

Directions:

Using an Instant Pot add a tablespoon of EVOO (olive oil), 2 cups of wild rice and four (4) cups of water.

Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook with pressure for 3o-minutes.

While the wild rice is cooking, chop and prepare all of the vegetables.

After the rice is finished cooking transfer it from the Instant Pot and into a large serving dish.

Clean the Instant Pot and add a single tablespoon of EVOO. Put the Instant Pot on the “sauté setting” and add the vegetable mixture. Sauté the vegetables for 8 – 10 minutes or until the carrots and turnips are tender. Add the mixed veggies to the wild rice.

Add one-half (1/2 tsp) of EVOO to the Instant Pot using the “sauté setting,” when the oil is hot add the chopped collard greens and sauté for six (6) minutes, add sea salt and freshly cracked peppercorns. Remove from the pot and add to the rice and vegetables.

Next, add the brats to the Instant Pot and cook until the juices run clear. If you cook the brats with pressure, it will only take only ten minutes.

When the brats are finished place them on a cutting block and cut them into thick slices. Add the brats to the wild rice and vegetables.

Toss mixture to evenly combine all of the ingredients and serve as a main dish or as a side.

Wild Rice with Brats & Vegetables

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 Servings

Author: D. Durand Worthey

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Ingredients

 

1x2x3x4x5x

• 6 Johnsonville Original Bratwurst
• 2 cups wild rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup sweet corn kernels
• 6-8 young carrots washed and scrubbed then cut into slices
• 1 large sweet red bell peppers
• 1 cup turnips cut into cubes
• 2 cups collard greens chopped
• 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil divided
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black peppercorns to taste

Instructions

• Using an Instant Pot add a tablespoon of EVOO (olive oil), 2 cups of wild rice and four (4) cups of water.
• Secure the Instant Pot lid and cook with pressure for 3o minutes.
• While the wild rice is cooking, chop and prepare all of the vegetables.
• After the rice is finished cooking transfer it from the Instant Pot and into a large serving dish.
• Clean the Instant Pot and add a single tablespoon of EVOO. Put the Instant Pot on the "s
• auté setting" and add the vegetable mixture. Sauté the vegetables for 8 - 10 minutes or until the carrots and turnips are tender. Add the mixed veggies to the wild rice.
• Add one-half (1/2 tsp) of EVOO to the Instant Pot using the "s
• auté setting."
• , when the oil is hot add the chopped collard greens and s
• auté for six (6) minutes, add sea salt and freshly cracked peppercorns. Remove from the pot and add to the rice and vegetables.
• Next, add the brats to the Instant Pot and cook until the juices run clear. If you cook the brats with pressure, it will only take only ten minutes.
• When the brats are finished place them on a cutting block and cut them into thick slices. Add the brats to the wild rice and vegetables.
• Toss mixture to evenly combine all of the ingredients and serve as a main dish or as a side.

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