Easy Wild Rice Pilaf With Cranberries and Pecans
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf recipe is a breeze to make and features onions, carrots, pecans, parsley, and delicious cranberries! This delicious and hearty rice side dish is the perfect colorful addition to any fall meal or holiday table.
My holiday table always highlights a meat dish – usually turkey or ham. But personally, I MUCH prefer the side dishes! I just find them so much more interesting and delicious. For me, the holidays are carb central, and I’m 100% ok with that!
Some of our family favorite side dishes include Vanilla and Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower Stuffing Casserole, and Air Fryer Carrot Fries.
This wild rice pilaf is a new favorite holiday-worthy side dish on my must-have list because it’s the ideal blend of sweet and savory and looks so festive.
It also makes a great (and hearty) vegetarian side dish or main course idea!
And it perfectly ties together the addition of anything “green” to your menu such as Crack Broccoli Casserole and Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad With Bacon.
Almost nothing beats a good rice pilaf, and this fall version is completely irresistible. It’s loaded with different flavors and textures and makes a great option for the holidays!
How To Make Wild Rice Pilaf With Cranberries And Pecans
This is a delicious Thanksgiving side dish with a wild rice blend and rich flavors (or follow our bonus instructions to make your own wild rice mix).
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious wild rice pilaf!
- Wild Rice Blend – if you use a box wild rice mix, discard the seasoning packet so you just use the plain wild rice
- Broth – feel free to use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even water
- Butter – vegan butter works if you want to make this dish vegan
- Onion – I’ve tried a yellow onion and red onion at different times – both are yummy!
- Carrot
- Salt and Pepper – add extra flavor
- Fresh Cranberries – can use dried if you prefer (or that’s what you have)
- Pecans
- Parsley – – fresh herbs are delicious, but dried herbs work well if you don’t want to buy them fresh
DIY WILD RICE BLEND: You can purchase a pre-made wild rice blend or mix 1/4 cup wild rice, 1/4 cup brown rice, and 1 cup long-grain white rice. I DO NOT recommend just using plain rice – the wild rice mix makes ALL the difference in this easy rice pilaf!
NOTE: Please check out the handy printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for more easy wild rice pilaf recipe details!
Wild Rice Pilaf Cooking Instructions
This wild rice recipe delivers a sweet and savory combo (with a hint of nutty flavor) that’s to die for. And it’s a perfect side dish for holiday dinners! Just follow these steps.
Step 1
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the rice and occasionally stir as you toast it off for about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Place the rice in a medium saucepan and add 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover as the rice cooks, about 12 minutes.
Step 3
As the rice is finished cooking, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan heats up, add the minced onions and carrots.
Cook for 4-6 minutes until soft and onions are golden.
Step 4
Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Stir in the minced cranberries, pecans, and parsley.
Serve immediately and enjoy! Aren’t the colors gorgeous? This rice has lots of flavor and tastes as good as it looks – it’s a definitely crowd pleaser for the holiday season!
Wild Rice Pilaf Variations To Try
Want to add a little variety to this recipe? Here are some delicious ideas to change things up.
- Toast the pecans before adding them to the recipe to add a roasted flavor.
- Add some diced apple (1 small apple-worth) to the recipe when you add the cranberries.
- Dice up some mushrooms and add them when you saute the onions and carrots.
- Love celery? Add 2-3 stalks of diced celery to the pan when you saute the carrots and onions to soften it up.
- Diced sweet potato or butternut squash would also make a delicious (and nutritious) addition!
- Want to add some citrus flavor? Include some orange zest for a refreshing zing!
- Want more depth of flavor? Replace the water with chicken or vegetable stock for cooking the rice.
- Play around with different seasonings! Try adding rosemary, sage, thyme, or any combination of them!
- Want to add protein? Add some roast chicken or leftover turkey to this easy wild rice pilaf.
Helpful Tips For Making Wild Rice Pilaf With Cranberries
- Make it vegan – substitute olive oil or vegan butter for butter and vegetable stock for chicken stock (if you use that instead of water).
- Add diced apples – I recommend using Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala apples so they don’t get too mushy.
- Don’t have pecans? Replace them with walnuts!
- No cranberries? Dried cherries would also be delicious and festive.
What To Serve With Fall Wild Rice Pilaf
I usually serve this wild rice pilaf as a side dish. However, it’s hearty enough to be a main course.
Try pairing rice pilaf with:
- Turkey Leftover Stuffing Muffins Recipe
- The BEST Herb Stuffing Recipe
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
- How To Make Cranberry Orange Sauce
- Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes (2 Ways)
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Turkeys
Wild Rice Pilaf FAQs
Got questions about how to make cranberry rice pilaf? Here’s where you’ll find answers. If you have a question but don’t see it answered below, leave it for me in the comments!
Basically, the definition of rice pilaf is rice that’s cooked in broth. Plus, rice pilaf usually contains other ingredients such as vegetables, herbs, fruits, and nuts.
I used a wild rice mix in this recipe, which is usually a combination of brown rice, wild rice, red rice and black rice.
I didn’t happen to have wild rice blend on hand when I made this, so I mixed what I did have: wild rice, brown rice, and white rice. You can also use regular brown rice if you want to.
I think a rice pilaf is best when there are varieties of rice blended together. Blends offer a balance of fluffiness, heartiness, and texture.
Yes! You can make it earlier in the day or even the day before and reheat it before serving.
If you make it the day before, you may need to add a dash of butter or a splash of broth or liquid when you reheat it to keep it from drying out.
IF you have leftovers (and that’s a big ‘if’!), store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Walnuts are a great option to replace the pecans. Another option is to omit the nuts altogether if you want this dish to be nut-free.
This wild rice dish has everything you could want! It’s a dish that’s so delicious it’ll be a crowd favorite and be requested by family and friends. It’s almost too pretty to eat!
Pin For Later:
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf
Cranberry Wild Rice Pilaf is a delicious side dish that features onions, carrots, pecans, parsley, and delicious cranberries! This colorful and hearty rice dish is the perfect addition to any fall meal or your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Wild Rice Blend, rinsed
- 3-4 cups Broth, as needed - feel free to use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even water
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1 Small Onion, minced
- 1 Carrot, minced
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cranberries, minced (can use dried)
- 1/2 cup Pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup Parsley, minced
Instructions
- Set a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the rice and stir occasionally as you toast it off for about 5 minutes.
- Place the rice in a saucepan and add 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cover as the rice cooks, about 12-15 minutes.
- As the rice finishes cooking, place the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once the pan heats up, add the minced onions and carrots.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes until soft and onions are golden.
- Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the minced cranberries, pecans, and parsley.
