Vegan Classic Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries

Total time1 hr 20 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time1 hr

Vegan Classic Wild Rice Pilaf with Cranberries

Nubby wild rice cooks up chewy-tender with softened onion and celery, fragrant garlic, and a savory herb backdrop of thyme, then gets folded together with sweet-tart dried cranberries and toasted pecans for crunch in every bite. Fresh parsley and thyme leaves brighten the finished dish right before serving, giving it that fresh-from-the-holiday-table look and aroma. The rice itself takes on a deep, toasty flavor from being cooked right in the aromatics, so nothing about it tastes like an afterthought side dish. It's a hearty, textured pilaf that works beautifully as a main-dish grain bowl base or a stunning side for a special occasion spread. This one is a genuinely satisfying option to add to a vegan table, holiday or otherwise.

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 ½ cups wild rice blend
Floating Leaf Wild Rice Blend, Gluten Free Lundberg Wild Rice Blend, 4 lbs.Wild Rice Blend Basmati Brown & Wild Rice Blend Sprouts Farmers Market Organic Wild Rice Blend
See all
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Chef's tip
Use a stick or block-style dairy-free butter - not a soft tub spread - and swap one-for-one.
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Chef's tip
Use the same amount of low-sodium vegetable broth. The dish will be a little lighter in flavor than with chicken broth.
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Instructions

1
Rinse the wild rice blend in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear, then set aside to drain.
2
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5–6 minutes.

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