Brown Rice Stew

Yes, this all happens in the microwave, and yes it works. Brown rice, chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and a mirepoix of carrot, celery, and onion go into a single 12-cup casserole and cook hands-off while you do anything else. The sliced knackwurst goes in at the end with the herbs to warm through without overcooking.

Brown rice usually wants forty-five minutes to an hour on the stove and constant attention to prevent scorching. The microwave method skips all of that, surrounding the rice with steam from the broth and tomatoes inside the covered casserole for even tender cooking with zero stirring.

The ten-minute high-power blast first brings the liquid to a full boil, then the longer medium-power cook gently simmers everything together. Cooking brown rice at full power blasts the outer grains to mush before the centers cook through, so the two-stage approach is doing real work.

The fifteen minute rest at the end is just as important as the cook. This is when the rice finishes absorbing the last of the liquid and the sausage warms gently through, and skipping it gives you watery stew with chewy rice.

Pro Tips

• Use a vented microwave-safe casserole with a tight lid, the steam trap is doing the work
• Stir well after the initial 10 minute boil to distribute heat evenly, microwaves cook unevenly
• Choose a smoky knackwurst, bratwurst, or kielbasa, this dish needs the flavor punch from the sausage
• Taste before serving and add salt as needed, the broth and sausage saltiness varies by brand
• The stew thickens as it sits, thin with extra broth when reheating leftovers

Variations

• Swap knackwurst for andouille for a Cajun spin or chorizo for a smoky Spanish version
• Add a can of drained white beans or chickpeas for extra protein and body
• Stir in a handful of spinach or kale at the end of the rest for greens