It is always the case. When preparing a holiday dinner for a crowd, there is often that one person who is gluten-free, vegan, or managing other dietary restrictions, and finding a delicious dish that suits everyone is always a challenge. And when it comes to stuffing, we all know the traditional recipe made with bread usually won’t cut it.
Well, today’s recipe, wild rice stuffing with apples and cranberries, fits every need.
An old recipe I saw in The New York Times Cooking many years ago, and I have been making (and perfecting) it for over 7 years now. It is naturally vegan and gluten-free, yet features all the characteristic flavors of Thanksgiving with the earthy, nutty complexity of a wild rice blend.
The best news? It is satisfying enough for meat-eaters and vegans alike, with simple additions you can make to suit both. Serve it as a dressing side dish, or confidently stuff your turkey with it-it’s make-ahead friendly and always a hit.
Wild Rice vs Wild Rice Blend – Which one should I use?
The short answer is, yes, you can use both.
I like wild blend because I feel like you get more bang for your buck, as it offers a richer experience, as most wild rice blends are made up of multiple grains like sweet brown rice, red rice, black rice, and wild rice.
I use Lundberg Wild Rice Blend, which is certified organic, non-GMO, kosher, and gluten-free (according to their website), and available in most grocery stores. However, any wild blend you like would work in this recipe. Just follow the instructions on the packaging to cook it.
That said, you can make this wild rice dressing recipe with only wild rice. It would need a longer simmer since wild rice cooks more slowly than the blends. If you are a beginner, check out my detailed recipe posts on how to cook wild rice perfectly on the stove top or in the Instant Pot.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Once the wild rice blend is cooked and ready, you will need onion, celery, salt, pepper, garlic cloves, butter, cored and cubed apples, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries, along with butter, vegetable oil, and cooking liquid for the wild rice (vegetable or chicken stock is best).
The sprinkling of fresh sage and pomegranate seeds is optional, but I highly recommend including them if at all possible as they add a fresh bite of herby and fruity flavor to the rich, savory wild rice stuffing.
A Few Helpful Tips for the Ingredients
- Cook your wild rice blend with chicken or vegetable broth. This Thanksgiving side dish can be made vegetarian by opting for vegetable stock and serving as a dressing or casserole. Or, if your family eats meat, you could cook it with chicken broth and bake it inside of your turkey as a traditional stuffing.
If you want to take it up a notch, you can add a bay leaf into the cooking liquid for extra flavor, but be sure to remove it before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. - Do I have to peel my apples? This is more of a personal choice. I personally like to keep it on because (1) I am lazy, and (2) it adds an additional color to the overall dish.
- No apples, no problem: You can also make a variation of this recipe by using pears instead of apples. Simply use two firm (not-so-ripe) pears and turn this into a delicious cranberry pear wild rice stuffing.
- Any fresh herbs you have on hand would work. I used fresh sage as it is a classic stuffing flavor we all love but other herbs like fresh parsley or thyme would also work.
- Add pomegranate arils for color. As you can see in the pictures, I garnished it with a handful of pomegranate arils for a pop of color and some additional sweetness/ However, it is optional.
- Add more veggies to your liking! Sliced or chopped carrots would work beautifully in this vegan wild rice stuffing recipe, as would shallots or leeks (in the place of onion), a chopped bell pepper, and even minced sautéed mushrooms. It’s truly up to you!
- It is also optional, but if you want to brighten it up, you can add a teaspoon of orange zest to complement the sweet apple and cranberry flavors.
- If you want to make this wild rice stuffing with sausage, you certainly can. Simply saute 1/2 pound of sausage (pork, turkey, or chicken) in the skillet until browned. Remove excess fat and transfer it to a plate. Then continue cooking the vegetables as directed in the recipe. Once everything is cooked, add the reserved sausage to the vegetable and rice mixture, then warm it in the oven.
How To Make It?
Step 1 – Cook the wild rice blend: As I mentioned earlier, you can use my Instant Pot Wild Rice Blend recipe or cook it on the stovetop by following the instructions on the packaging to cook it. Once it is cooked, let it rest for 10-15 minutes off the heat and fluff it with a fork.
Step 2 – Get your oven ready: While your rice is resting, preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Step 3 – Sauté the aromatics: Add the chopped onion, chopped celery, salt, and black pepper to a large skillet coated with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Sauté until the veggies are softened but not translucent. You want them to maintain some bite while they bake in the stuffing. Stir in your minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until you can smell it. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Don’t you dare wash that pan! You’ll do away with all of the flavors we just created with those sauteed veggies.
Step 4 – Sauté apples: In the same pan, heat a tablespoon of butter over medium heat and add the cubed apples and sauté. Stir frequently until it turns light golden brown, then remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.
Pro tip: You might think of sauteing apples as an extra step, but that 5 minutes of sauteing helps soften them and bring out their natural sweetness.
Step 5 – Combine everything in a bowl: Combine the cooked apples and wild rice blend in the large bowl housing the sautéed veggies. Add the remaining ingredients: chopped pecans, dried cranberries, chopped fresh sage, and then give it a gentle, but thorough, toss.
Step 5 – Transfer to a baking dish: Transfer the cooked rice mixture to a prepared 9×11 or 9×13 baking dish, or a round casserole dish (as shown in the pictures), and warm in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
This step is not to cook anything, but rather to warm all of the ingredients and help them meld together.
Step 6 – Garnish: Turn off your oven, and remove the wild rice stuffing casserole. Garnish with a generous sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, chopped fresh sage, and pecans.
Step 7 – Serve: Enjoy it right away or cover it with foil to keep it warm.
How To Stuff a Turkey with This Wild Rice Stuffing (Important Food Safety)
If you want to use this wild rice stuffing for a whole turkey, you can. Just know that the recipe makes about 8 to 9 cups (loosely packed), which is more than enough to fill a 12 to 14-pound turkey. You will have some leftovers, which you can serve as a side dish.
To stuff the turkey:
• Cook the wild rice blend
• Cook the vegetables and apples
• Mix everything together (leave out the pecans and pomegranate seeds)
• Let the mixture come to room temperature. You can do all of this a day ahead.
• On the day you plan to cook the turkey, loosely stuff the bird. The amount you’ll use depends on the size of your turkey.
• Roast the turkey as you would normally do. When it comes out of the oven, have a little warmed vegetable stock or chicken stock ready. Stuffing cooked inside the bird can dry out a bit, so a small splash helps restore the texture.
Important Safety Tip: When stuffing stuffing turkey, there are 2 things that you must pay attention to:
- The stuffing should reach 165°F (74°C) before serving. It is important to measure it to ensure that any bacteria from the raw turkey are fully cooked out. I recommend using a digital thermometer and avoiding contact with the turkey meat to get an accurate reading.
- Stuff the turkey right before roasting. Do not do this in advance, as the cold, moist environment will make it easier for bacteria to grow.
Storage, Make-Ahead, and Freezing Instructions
One of my favorite aspects of this gluten-free stuffing recipe is that it can be made ahead of time, which all of you Thanksgiving hosts and hostesses can appreciate. Anything to cut down on the amount of cooking to be done on Turkey Day, am I right?
To turn this easy side dish into a make-ahead wild rice stuffing recipe, follow the steps below:
- To make ahead: Follow the recipe as written (except skip adding the pomegranate, sage, and pecans) until it is time to warm it in the oven. Bring it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container. On the day you plan to serve it, add the garnishes and warm it as directed in the recipe. You can do this 2 days in advance.
- To store leftovers: You can refrigerate the leftover wild rice stuffing in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
When ready to serve, transfer it to a casserole dish and heat it in a preheated 325°F (165°C) oven for 20-25 minutes, until thoroughly heated. I highly recommend checking it halfway through and adding a splash of (no more than 1/4 cup) stock if it feels dry. - To freeze: Cook this wild rice stuffing as directed in the recipe, then let it cool completely and come to room temperature. Omit the pomegranate seeds and save those for when you serve the stuffing. Ideally, you would freeze this in a container that is both freezer- and oven-safe, but you could also freeze it in a Ziplock bag, then transfer it to a disposable or glass baking dish when you’re ready to reheat.
- To reheat from frozen: Let the frozen wild rice stuffing first thaw completely in the fridge overnight. The day of serving, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Then, transfer it to an oven-safe baking dish. If needed, add in a splash of vegetable broth to moisten. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed through. Top with pomegranate seeds, fresh sage, and chopped pecans before serving.
What Pairs Well with This Recipe?
It goes without saying that this wild rice apple cranberry stuffing is wonderful with turkey but it is also pairs well with other vegetable sides making it an ideal dish for your holiday table.
You see check out my collection of holiday side dishes or pick from my personal favorites below:
- For a Full Thanksgiving Spread: This stuffing is the perfect naturally gluten-free side to the turkey. You can round out your plate with holiday staples like Homemade Turkey Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, and Sweet Potato Souffle.
- With Chicken: I usually pair it with my Roasted Cornish Hens (or Air Fried Cornish Hens) for Christmas, especially if I am serving a smaller crowd.
- Vegetable Side Dishes: For a more colorful spread, I love pairing it with quick Roasted Asparagus Recipe, my Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe, or my Butternut Squash and Quinoa salad.
FAQs:
The terms “stuffing” and “dressing” are often used interchangeably, and they have become synonymous with each other (Northerners tend to make stuffing, and Southerners make dressing), but they are distinctly different in terms of how they’re cooked.
According to the New York Times, a true stuffing is prepared and baked inside of a Thanksgiving turkey. If you were to do this with this wild rice stuffing recipe, you would need to literally stuff it inside the emptied body cavity of your raw, seasoned bird before you place it in the oven to roast.
A dressing or a casserole, on the other hand, is traditionally prepared more like this recipe is – cooked and prepared separately from your turkey and warmed through in a baking dish.
I would recommend serving 1 cup per person. My recipe yields about 8-9 cups which is ideal for 8 servings.
Keep close eye on it as it cooks and have some additional vegetable stock on hand to add if it gets dry. You can easily add some if you feel like it is drying, which helps keep it moist.
You technically can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I think what makes this recipe so special is the earthy flavors and the hearty texture coming from the wild blend. Brown rice would give you a much softer texture, and you would lose some of the depth that the wild rice brings. If that is all you have on hand, it will still work, but it won’t be the same.
Other Wild Rice Recipes You Might Also Like
If you enjoyed this cranberry and wild rice stuffing recipe, I suspect that you are a fan of wild rice like I am. Below are a few more recipes from the archives using wild rice:
- If you are in need of a savory side dish for your holiday table, my Wild Rice Pilaf, made with mushrooms,carrots, onion and celery is just as satisfying.
- For a comforting and 45-minute dinner, try my version of everyone’s favorite, Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup, which uses whole milk instead of heavy cream.
- If what you need is a colorful salad, then try Ina’s Vegan Wild Rice Salad. It is a wonderful make ahead recipe that you can serve cold or at room temperature.
Adapted from this New York Times’ Wild Rice Stuffing recipe with minimal changes to the original recipe.
Wild Rice Stuffing Recipe
Ingredients
For The Wild Rice Blend:
- 2 cups wild rice blend, I use Lundberg Wild Rice Blend
- Cooking liquid, water, vegetable or chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For The Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped – approximately 1 cup
- 4 stalks celery, chopped – approximately 1 cup
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 apples, cored and cut into ½ inch cubes (no need to peel)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, roughly chopped – Plus more as garnish
- Handful of pomegranate arils for color, optional
Instructions
- Cook the wild rice blend according to package directions, using broth instead of water. When the cooking is done, take it off the heat and let it rest with the lid on for about 10-15 minutes. *
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Meanwhile, prepare the stuffing. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan. Add in the onion, celery, salt and pepper and saute until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer into a large bowl and set aside. Do not wash the pan.
- Heat butter over medium heat in the now-empty pan and add in the apple cubes. Sautee, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice.
- Place the cooked apples and wild rice blend into the bowl with the onion and celery mixture. Add in the pecans, cranberries, and sage. Give it a toss.
- Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and warm in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Garnish with pomegranate arils (if using) and chopped sage. Serve.
Notes
- *Alternatively, if you have an electric pressure cooker (like Instant Pot), you can use my Instant Pot wild rice blend recipe to cook wild rice.
- Yields: This wild rice stuffing recipe makes around 8-9 cups of stuffing, which I think is ideal for serving 8 people. This amount is generally enough for a 12-14 pound turkey. The nutritional values below are per serving.
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
- Make Ahead: Cook the rice and veggies (and apples). Mix them in a large bowl and bring them to room temperature up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container. On the day you are planning to serve it, add the remaining ingredients, place in a casserole dish and bake in the oven following the recipe.
- The best way to store leftovers: Bring them to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Cook the wild rice stuffing as directed in the recipe, then let it cool completely and come to room temperature before freezing. Place it in a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze.
- To reheat from frozen: Let the frozen wild rice stuffing first thaw completely in the fridge overnight. On the day of serving, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking. Bake at 325°F (165°C) for about 20-25 minutes, or until thoroughly warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I want to use this to stuff a turkey.There are actually not enough directions for me to feel comfortable with this. For example, can I make it a day ahead and then stuff it into the bird on Thanksgiving, before roasting? Should I bake it for the 20-25 minutes if I’m going to put it inside of a turkey?
Hello Ann,
Here is how I would use this stuffing to stuff a turkey:
– Cook the wild rice blend
– Cook the veggies and apples
– Mix them with the rice, sage, and dried cranberries (leave pecans out at this stage)
– Let it come to room temperature. (You can do all of this a day in advance)
– On the day you are planning to cook the turkey, loosely stuff the bird with the stuffing. I wouldn’t pack it too tightly as it could lead to uneven cooking. The amount you’ll use will depend on how big your turkey is. You can reserve the rest (or warm up in the oven). This way you have enough to go around.
– Right before serving, you can garnish the stuffing with pecans.
I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can answer any other questions.
Happy Thanksgiving.
This is the best stuffing I’ve ever had, with no exceptions. Lots of prep chopping, but simple to make. I put half in the bird and baked half by itself, so the vegetarians and the omnivores were all happy. Made it kosher by using margarine instead of butter.
YAY! I am happy to hear that you liked it Keren.
Thanks for coming by, sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
My oven on Thanksgiving Day will be full. I want to make this and freeze. I assume rewarming in a microwave would also work ok? Maybe at half-power?
Hello Eddie,
We are making this Wild Rice Stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving as well. I hope that you like it as much as we do.
To answer your question:
I would prep the recipe exactly as written but do not add the apples, nuts and cranberries a day or two in advance. Bring it to room temperature, place in an airtight container and freeze. Then thaw it in the fridge overnight (on Wednesday.) Prior to warming it up, you can mix in the apples, nuts, and cranberries.
We highly recommend that you warm it up in the oven (perhaps while the turkey is resting) but if you only have the option for warming it in the microwave, then we recommend mixing it with a few tablespoons of water so it won’t dry out. When it comes to warming large amounts of rice (and food in general), my rule of thumb is to warm it up in 30 second increments and mixing it after each session to ensure it is not drying.
As you do that, if you feel like it needs a bit more liquid, then you can easily add and continue to reheat until it is fully heated through.
I hope this helps. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can answer any other questions.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Aysegul
Can I use fresh cranberries?
You technically can, but I find that they could be too tart and not as sweet. I’ll be honest, if I was making this dish for my family I wouldn’t use fresh cranberries. A good substitute would be raisins, perhaps.
Hope this helps.
Too many flavors contradicting each other. I’m going to leave out the pecans next time and maybe add slightly more apples and craisins. It has a lot of potential.
Hello Moriah,
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave an honest review of the recipe.
Can I substitute fresh cranberries in this recipe? If yes, should I reduce the liquids slightly?
Hey Naomi,
Though I have never tried it, I think you can use fresh cranberries in this wild rice stuffing. The only thing that I would say is that it would probably be a bit tangy. However, I think the sweetness coming from apples would do a good job of balancing the flavors. In terms of the liquid, you don’t really add any liquid to the recipe. The only liquid used in the recipe is for cooking the wild rice.
Did this answer your question? Please let me know if I can help in any other way.
Cheers!
Aysegul
This is amazing! Made it exactly as outlined. My whole family loved it, and wonderful to have a gluten free alternative.
So happy to hear that Anna. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
I just tested this recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner and I have to say that it is a winner. I would change nothing, the recipe as it is written is perfect. The only change I made was to use chicken stock (as you suggested). Thank you.
This is music to my ears Sara. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.
Cheers!
Ummmm THANK YOU! I needed a side dish to take to a family gathering and wasn’t sure what to make until I saw this. I made it and SO glad that I did because everyone LOVED it!
YAY! So happy to hear that this recipe worked for you Jessica. Cheers!
Just tested this, such great flavor. I am looking forward to serving this at Thanksgiving!
YAY! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it Jessica.