Description

A flavorful and hearty Thanksgiving Wild Rice Pilaf featuring a blend of wild rice, fresh and dried cranberries, aromatic herbs, and vegetables, simmered to perfection in a vegetable stock and white wine. This vegan-friendly dish is a perfect festive side that combines nutty, sweet, and herby flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Grains and Liquids

1.5 cups wild rice blend
1/3 cup vegan white wine
3 cups low sodium vegetable stock or water

Vegetables and Fruits

1 small leek, chopped and rinsed well
1 bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup dried cranberries (for cooking)
1/3 cup dried cranberries (for garnish)

Herbs and Spices

2 bay leaves
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh oregano
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 pinch red pepper flakes (or to taste)

Other

1 splash water (or 2 tsp olive oil for sautéing)

Instructions

Sautee Leeks: Preheat a large deep skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or a drizzle of olive oil along with the chopped leeks and a pinch of sea salt. Sauté the leeks until they become translucent, which should take a few minutes.
Add Herbs and Wild Rice: Stir in the grated carrot, fresh thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes. Then add the wild rice blend and mix well to combine all ingredients. Allow the mixture to toast together with the aromatics for about two minutes to deepen the flavors.
Add Vegetables and Wine: Incorporate the diced bell pepper and half a cup of dried cranberries into the rice mixture. Pour in the vegan white wine and simmer until it reduces by half, intensifying the flavor. After reduction, add the vegetable stock or water, stirring well. Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning with additional sea salt if needed.
Simmer: Bring the rice to a gentle simmer. Cover the skillet or pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice mixture for 50 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. Do not remove the lid after cooking; turn off the heat and let the rice sit covered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, allowing it to continue steaming in its own heat.
Fluff the Rice: Remove and discard the bay leaves and woody herb sprigs from the rice. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice to separate the grains and mix in the infused flavors evenly.
Serve: Serve the Wild Rice Pilaf warm or cold, garnished with the remaining dried cranberries and fresh herb sprigs for a festive and colorful presentation.

Notes

For a richer flavor, you can substitute the water with vegetable stock.
If vegan white wine is not available, use any dry white wine suitable for cooking or skip it for a non-alcoholic version.
To adjust spiciness, increase or decrease the amount of red pepper flakes.
This pilaf pairs wonderfully with roasted turkey or as a stand-alone vegetarian main dish.
Ensure the wild rice blend you use is suited for pilaf and follow the cooking times as some blends may vary.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Thanksgiving wild rice pilaf, wild rice side dish, vegan Thanksgiving recipe, holiday rice pilaf, cranberry wild rice, herbed wild rice