Wild Rice Pilaf Recipe

Wild rice pilaf placed in an oval plate garnished with parsley

Learn how to prepare this hearty, gluten-free, and vegan wild rice pilaf recipe packed with veggies and tons of flavor, making it the perfect side dish for any meal.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 265kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 large onion chopped
2 medium-sized carrots cut into small ½ inch pieces
3 stalks of celery cut into small ½ inch pieces
8 oz. mushrooms wiped with a paper towel and sliced (button, baby bella or wild mushrooms would all work)
2 cloves of garlic minced
2 cups of wild rice blend rinsed
3 cups of vegetable stock chicken stock would also work
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add in onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 4-5 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Stir in wild rice blend, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Put the lid on and bring it to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed and wild rice blend is cooked through.
Once it is cooked, let it rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Notes

Follow the instructions below for storing, freezing, and reheating:

Store any leftover wild rice pilaf in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze, cook this wild rice pilaf as directed in the recipe, then let it cool completely and come to room temperature. Freeze the pilaf in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to three months.
To reheat, allow the frozen wild rice pilaf to thaw completely in the fridge overnight. The day of serving, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before reheating in the microwave at 30-second intervals until warmed through (likely 3 minutes total, depending on your microwave). Have some chicken or vegetable stock (or even water) nearby to add to the pilaf as it reheats if it starts looking a little dry, but not so much that it won’t evaporate in the microwave. Place in the desired serving bowl or platter, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy!
Full disclosure, the texture for the frozen and thawed pilaf may not be exactly the same as it is fresh. Ensuring that it doesn’t dry out during the reheating process will help the wild rice not become spongy and retain it’s flavor.

Nutrition