Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf is an easy vegan side dish option for Thanksgiving! Cooking the wild rice blend in the stock, spices, and shallot adds so much flavor! And the dried cranberries infuse with the whole dish and add sweetness. Perfect for a holiday or an everyday comforting meal.
What You'll Need for this Recipe:
- Vegetable Stock
- Canola Oil
- Shallots
- Wild Rice Blend
- Dried Cranberries
- Pecans
- Fresh Parsley
- Spices: Dried Bay Leaf, Dried Thyme, Salt and Pepper
Tips and FAQs!
What is Pilaf?
Rice Pilaf is made by sautéing aromatics (in this case, shallots) in oil before then cooking the rice in broth or stock and spices. The result is a far more flavorful rice dish then just boiling rice in water.
Why use a Wild Rice Blend vs just Wild Rice?
In some recipes, I prefer to use just wild rice vs a blend - such as in my Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup. But in a pilaf, I prefer the varieties of rice in the blend. It gives a texture balance of tenderness, fluffiness, and slight chewiness.
Can the pilaf be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! You could make it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat before serving. I would wait to add the pecans and fresh parsley until serving. You also may need to add a splash of broth or liquid when reheating to keep it from drying out.
How long do the leftovers last?
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
What can I substitute for the pecans?
Walnuts are another great nut option. Or you can omit all together if you would like this to be nut-free.
What type of pot should I use?
You'll want to use a pot that can go from stovetop to oven. This is a great use for your Dutch Oven! Pictured is an enameled 4qt Staub Dutch Oven.
Like this Vegan Rice Pilaf Recipe. Check out some other Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes:
- Fall Harvest Vegan Pasta Salad
- Pomegranate Brussels Sprout Salad
- Cauliflower Stuffing - from Wholesome Yum
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
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PrintRecipe
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf is an easy vegan side dish option for Thanksgiving! Cooking the wild rice blend in the stock, spices, and shallot adds so much flavor! And the dried cranberries infuse with the whole dish and add sweetness. Perfect for a holiday or an everyday comforting meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Canola Oil
- 2 large Shallots, minced
- 2 cups Wild Rice Blend
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock
- ⅔ cup Dried Cranberries, roughly chopped
- 1 Dried Bay Leaf
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Pinch of Ground Black Pepper
- ⅔ cup Pecans, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup minced Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 375 F.
- Sauté Shallots. Heat a medium-large oven-safe pot, such as a Dutch Oven, over medium heat with the oil. Once oil is hot, add the shallots and sauté for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the rice blend, cranberries, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat and combine.
- Bring to simmer. Add stock, stir to combine, and cover. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir one more time, cover and transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes to an hour until rice is fully cooked and liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven.
- Top and Serve. Sprinkle the pecans and parsley on top of the pilaf and serve.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙ of recipe
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 16.6 g
- Sodium: 476.9 mg
- Fat: 14.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 5.8 g
- Protein: 9.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Vegan Thanksgiving Recipe, Vegan Holiday Recipe, Wild Rice Pilaf, Wild Rice Blend Recipes
Katie says
The cranberry flavor was great in this recipe
★★★★★