Want to breathe new life into your dinner routine? This cranberry wild rice pilaf is the answer. It's the perfect blend of nutty wild rice, sweet-tart cranberries, and toasted pecans that'll make any meal feel special. Easy enough for weeknights, yet impressive enough for holidays, this dish is about to become your new go-to side.
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Let's talk about this cranberry rice pilaf – it's a total game-changer for your dinner table! Sure, mashed potatoes and roasted veggies are classics, but sometimes you want something a little more exciting, right? That's where this pilaf comes in.
The best part? It's way easier to make than you might think. No fussy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients here! This pilaf brings a touch of elegance to weeknight dinners, but it's also fancy enough to steal the show at holiday feasts. It's the kind of dish that'll have your guests asking, "Ooh, what's in this?" – and you'll love telling them how simple it was to whip up.
Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
- Cranberry rice pilaf is just as great for weeknight dinners as it is for special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- It's a meal prep dream! You can make it ahead of time, which is a real lifesaver during the busy holiday season or when you're having friends over.
- The combination of nutty wild rice, sweet-tart cranberries, crunchy toasted pecans, and zesty orange dressing is perfectly balanced and super delicious.
- This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
👨🍳How To Make Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf
Step 1
- Rinse the wild rice mix under cold water.
- In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed wild rice mix, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender and the broth is absorbed. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
Step 2
In a dry skillet, toast the chopped pecans over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
Step 3
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the thyme, cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Cook for another 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the cranberries to soften.
- Stir in the juice and zest of the orange. Let it simmer for a minute to combine the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
- Add the cooked wild rice mix to the skillet and mix well to combine with the sautéed ingredients. Fold in the toasted pecans and chopped parsley.
- Taste the pilaf and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or orange juice if desired.
⏰Make Ahead Instructions
This pilaf is perfect for prepping in advance. You can cook the rice and prepare the rest of the ingredients up to 2 days ahead. S
Store the cooked rice and the sautéed cranberry-onion mixture separately in airtight containers in the fridge. When you're ready to serve, gently reheat the rice and cranberry mixture in a large skillet, then fold in the toasted pecans and fresh parsley. This way, you'll have a freshly-tossed pilaf with minimal last-minute effort!
❄️Storage Instructions
Refrigerator
Transfer the cooled pilaf to an airtight container. It'll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you're ready to eat, gently reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of water if needed to prevent drying out.
Freezer
Place the completely cooled pilaf in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. It'll keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm it up in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring occasionally and adding a bit of broth or water if it seems dry. For best texture, you might want to add a fresh sprinkle of toasted pecans after reheating.
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups wild rice mix blend of wild and long-grain rice
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth or according to the rice package instructions
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans toasted
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Zest and juice of 1 orange approx. ¼ cup juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the wild rice mix under cold water.
- In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed wild rice mix, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender and the broth is absorbed. Typically, a wild rice and long-grain rice mix takes about 25-30 minutes, but times may vary depending on the brand. Follow the instructions on your package. Once the rice is cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside.
- In a dry skillet, toast the chopped pecans over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the thyme, cinnamon, and dried cranberries. Cook for another 2 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the cranberries to soften.
- Stir in the juice and zest of the orange. Let it simmer for a minute to combine the flavors. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked wild rice mix to the skillet and mix well to combine with the sautéed ingredients. Fold in the toasted pecans and chopped parsley.
- Taste the pilaf and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or orange juice if desired.
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