This easy recipe for Church Lady Rice is just one of those great recipes you'll always find at a church potluck. This popular rice casserole features French onion soup, beef consommé, canned mushrooms, and yes - a whole stick of butter!
If you've been to a potluck, you've probably had this buttery baked mushroom rice casserole! In fact, it's so popular at potlucks it earned the moniker "church lady rice" - since it's always the sweet church ladies who bring it.
This recipe is very similar to my stick of butter rice, but it uses mushrooms and beef consomme (although you can use beef broth in a pinch) for extra flavor. It's delicious, SO easy to make, and you'll never come home with leftovers.
But best of all? You don't have to wait for a potluck to serve it! This is one of my husband's favorites, and it makes for a flavorful rice dish that can be served with grilled meats, veggies, and more.
Why You'll Love It:
- Easy to make. With just 5 simple ingredients, this simple side dish is perfect for those of us with busy schedules.
- Barely any cleanup. Everything is mixed right in the casserole dish it's baked in!
- Perfect for potluck dinners. Whether it's family reunions, holiday dinners, or church fellowship meals, this rice side dish is always a hit!
You Will Need:
- Rice: Use long-grain white rice for this recipe (basmati or jasmine are other options). Do not use parboiled or instant rice (like Minute Rice) - it won't turn out, and your rice will be mushy.
- Consomme: Canned consomme can be found in most grocery stores (Campbell's makes a good one). If you can't find consomme you can use beef broth, or even homemade (if you're adventurous!).
- Onion soup: Sometimes called "French onion soup", this is another canned soup option that should be fairly easy to find at your local grocery store.
- Mushrooms: Church lady rice is most often made with canned mushrooms, and even though I'm not a huge fan of them, I have to admit that they work for this simple comfort food dish. You will need an 8-ounce can (well drained), or 1 cup of sauteed fresh mushrooms.
- Butter: Yes, it's true - this recipe calls for a whole stick of butter! It makes for a buttery and decadent dish, but you can scale it back if you prefer a little less butter.
Recommended Equipment
- Medium baking dish: Although this recipe can be made in a classic 9 x 13" (23 x 33 cm) casserole dish, testing shows that the texture is a bit better when made in a medium baking dish. I used a 7.5 x 10.5" rectangular baking dish, but you could use a 9 x 9" square baking dish and have similar results.
- Foil (or a tight-fitting lid): It's essential that the rice is covered tightly for the first half of baking. You can do this with 2 layers of aluminum foil OR a well-fitting lid.
How to Make Church Lady Rice
This recipe is a variation of the popular Stick of Butter Rice...only with mushrooms. It's a very similar recipe with similar instructions, but you add a can of drained mushrooms (or freshly sauteed mushrooms). It's easy peasy and perfect for potlucks!
- Add 1 cup of rice to a lightly greased medium baking dish.
- Pour in 1 can of beef consomme, 1 can of onion soup, and 1 (drained) can of mushrooms.
- Stir well to combine.
- Slice 1 stick of butter into 8 pieces, and place them evenly throughout the casserole dish. Important: Tightly wrap the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes in a 400ºF (204ºC) oven. After 30 minutes, remove the foil, and return to the oven to bake for an additional 30 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed).
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes are up, fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately.
Top tip: If you want to add extra flavor, feel free to add your favorite seasonings! Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, and thyme are all good options.
Do I really need to let the rice rest? Yes! If you fluff your rice before resting you can end up with mushy rice. Allowing it to rest for 10 minutes gives the moisture a chance to evaporate as steam rises from the cooling dish.
Can I Double the Recipe?
Yes! If you want to double the recipe, prepare it in a 9 x 13" (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. You may need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes, but I personally haven't found that to be necessary.
Just check to ensure the rice has absorbed the liquid before moving onto the resting stage, and you should be good to go!
Storing Leftovers
Tightly cover the rice, or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Immediately transfer them to the refrigerator and store for up to 3 days, reheating portions as needed (rice should not be reheated more than once).
See more: Storing Cooked Rice - UofC Agriculture and Natural Resources
Reheating
Add the amount of rice needed to a shallow bowl and reheat in the microwave until steamy and hot. Before serving, it should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).
Expert Tips
- Long grain rice only. This recipe only works out if you use long grain rice like your basic white long-grain, basmati, or jasmine. Using instant rice (minute rice), brown rice, or parboiled will not yield the same results.
- Cover - then uncover. To ensure your rice has the perfect amount of moisture, cover it tightly with foil for the first half of baking, then remove the foil for the final 30 minutes. This is essential!
- Stir when reheating. After the rice is refrigerated, the butter may settle at the bottom and harden. Stir the rice once or twice during reheating to redistribute the butter evenly throughout the rice.
Variations and Substitutions
With chicken: Cut ½ pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks. Season to taste. Stir in with the rice, broth, soup, and mushrooms. Cook as directed in the recipe, checking to ensure each piece has reached a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC) before serving.
Without onion soup: If you can't find canned onion soup, you can use 1 package of onion soup mix and 1 ¼ cups of boiling water (or beef broth) instead.
Beef Consomme rice with mushrooms: Use 2 cans of beef consomme (instead of 1 of each consomme and onion soup).
Recipe FAQs
Since this recipe uses canned soups (which have plenty of sodium), unsalted butter is my top recommendation. That being said, I've made it plenty of times with salted butter and we haven't found it to be too salty. Use whatever you have on hand!
This is a hotly debated topic in the cooking world. Some folks like to rinse their rice - some don't. For this baked rice recipe I generally do not rinse the rice, but if you wanted to you could. Just reduce the liquid by 1-2 tablespoons to account for the extra water the rice retains during rinsing.
I haven't tested this recipe with brown rice, but I do think it could work if you increase the liquid level (and perhaps the baking time) as brown rice takes longer to cook.
More Potluck Favorites:
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Church Lady Rice (Buttery Mushroom Rice)
Ingredients
- 1 cup long-grain rice not instant
- 1 can (10.5oz) French onion soup sometimes called onion soup
- 1 can (10.5oz) can consomme or 1 ¼ cups beef broth
- 1 can (8oz) mushroom pieces and stems drained (or 1 cup of sauteed fresh mushrooms)
- ½ cup butter sliced into 8 squares
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and lightly grease a medium-sized baking dish (9x9" or 10 x 7.5"; see notes for using a 9x13 baking dish).
- Add the rice, french onion soup, consomme, and mushrooms to the baking dish. Stir well to combine,
- Top the rice evenly with the slices of butter, then wrap the baking dish very tightly with aluminum foil (or a well-fitting lid).
- Bake in the preheated oven (covered) for 30 minutes.
- Remove the rice from the oven and uncover it, stirring everything together.
- Return the rice to the oven to bake for an additional 30 minutes, leaving it uncovered.
- Once the time is up, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
- After it has rested for 10 minutes, fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with parsley (if desired). Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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