Wild Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms

wild rice pilaf with cranberries and mushrooms

5 from 1 vote

This easy and delicious wild rice pilaf with mushrooms, cranberries, and almonds is the perfect fall side dish. It's packed with great flavor, texture, and freshness.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Resting10

Total Time1 15

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Tania

Equipment

Wooden spoon
4.5 to 5 qt Dutch Oven or 5-quart medium pot

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 medium onion, small diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
⅓ cup white wine (or chicken broth)
2 cups wild rice blend such as Lundgerg brand Wild Blend
3 ¾ cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
⅓ cup diced honeycrisp apples
⅓ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted see note
½ cup chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

In a medium Dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and slightly golden brown for about 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add garlic and thyme, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes until softened.
Add wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the sides and bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine is reduced, about 1-2 minutes. Tip: Brown bits form from the caramelization of the ingredients and pack TONS of flavor. Deglazing releases them. Use a wooden spoon to avoid scratching the pot.
Add the rice blend and toast by stirring occasionally for about 2-3 minutes until its nutty fragrance is released. Note: This process is called “toasting” the rice, and it’s a great flavor builder.
Add broth and bring to a boil. Deglaze any remaining brown bits one more time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Then lower to a simmer, and cook (covered) for about 45 minutes, or until rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and gently mix in the dried cranberries. Cover with the lid again and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This will allow the cranberries to rehydrate a bit and the rice to finish absorbing all the liquid.
Transfer the rice and cranberry mixture to a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes. Then, mix in the toasted almonds, diced apples, and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Notes

Wild rice blend: I use Lundberg brand's "Wild Blend." It's a blend of wild rice, long grain brown rice, regular brown rice, red rice, and black rice. You can use any similar wild rice blends.
How to toast almonds: Simply add a layer of sliced almonds to a skillet over medium heat and toss a few times until their nutty fragrance is released. This takes only a few minutes.
I'd recommend dicing the apples at the end to prevent them from turning brown.
Make-ahead: You can cook the rice (along with the dried cranberries addition) the day before and refrigerate. The almonds can be toasted in advance too. When ready to serve, toss with the remaining ingredients.
Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Substitutions:

Apples: Pears.
Almonds: Pecans, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts.
Dried cranberries: raisins
Other add-ins: pomegranate, scallions, peas.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only.

Nutrition