Wild Rice Pilaf

I love making recipes that are flexible and easy to prepare in advance, especially when I have a busy morning ahead. This Wild Rice Pilaf is one of those easy make ahead recipes.

 

Why You’ll Love This Wild Rice Pilaf

An easy side dish that can be served at room temperature- what’s not to love!

• Fantastic holiday side dish – What with the red cranberries and green pistachios and celery, the colors and flavors are perfect to make a tasty side dish for a holiday meal.
• Make ahead of time – Because you want the rice to be chilled, this is the perfect side dish to prep ahead for Christmas dinner.
• Ready in 10 minutes – You only need ten minutes to make this easy side dish (after you’ve prepared the rice, of course.)

Ingredients

You will easily be able to find all of these wild rice pilaf ingredients at your local grocery store.

• Wild rice – You should be able to find a wild rice blend near the regular rice at the grocery store. A wild rice mix consists varieties of rice like black rice and red rice. It has a chewy texture.
• Kosher salt – We just need a small amount for flavor. Keep in mind that different salts measure differently.
• Extra virgin olive oil – This will act as the base of the dressing we will toss the rice in. I like to use a good quality olive oil here.
• Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed lemon juice is the acid that we use in our dressing. The bottled version doesn’t pack enough punch.
• Dried cranberries – Adding a type of dried fruit takes plain wild rice up a notch. Plus the color is perfect for the holiday season. You can also use pomegranate seeds.
• Celery – I love the crunch and color than chopped celery adds to this easy wild rice pilaf. I like to finely chop mine.
• Pistachios – Speaking of crunch, chopped pistachios also add both color and flavor to this delicious wild rice pilaf.
• Feta cheese – You can really use an white, crumbled cheese. I like the flavor of feta, but you can also use goat cheese or blue cheese if you prefer. It adds the perfect finishing touch.

Variations

There are plenty of ways you can make this wild rice pilaf recipes your own. Here are a few ideas.

• Fresh herbs – Take the flavors of this nutty wild rice up a notch by adding some herbs. A bay leaf, fresh parsley, thyme or rosemary would add an earthy flavor to this east rice pilaf.
• Broth – Instead of using water to prepare your rice, try using chicken stock, vegetable broth or veggie stock. Follow the same cooking instructions on the package. It adds extra flavor to the rice.
• Nuts – Instead of using pistachios, you can swap them out for sunflower seeds, pepitas, almond slivers or pumpkin seeds to still get that nutty flavor but different texture.
• Citrus – Use orange juice and orange zest for an orange vinaigrette. Or try lime juice and lime zest.

How to Make Wild Rice Pilaf

Whether making for a dinner party or just an easy rice pilaf for a weeknight dinner, you’ll love how easy it is to make this dish.

1. Make dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt and lemon juice.
2. Toss rice in dressing. Toss gently with cooked and chilled wild rice.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Add dried cranberries, celery, pistachios and crumbled feta cheese, toss to combine.
4. Serve. Serve room temperature.

What to Serve with Wild Rice Pilaf

You can serve this rice with just about any main course you’d like to. A roast chicken, juicy steak or pork chops would be perfect.

I also like to pair with at least one other side dish, especially if adding to a holiday menu. Sweet potatoes or brussels sprouts are both great options.

Storage and Freezing

How to Store

You can store leftover rice in an airtight container for up to 6 days. Reheat in a microwave or on the stovetop until warm before serving.

Can I Freeze Wild Rice Pilaf?

Cooked rice can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let the rice cool completely then seal in an airtight freezer bag and store flat in the freezer. Reheat directly from the freezer or let thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to serve. 

More Easy Rice Recipes

Rice is one of my favorite easy side dishes. If you agree, you’ll love some of our favorite rice recipes.