One of our favorite things to do when we’re cooking is to incorporate seasonal ingredients into the meals we prepare. Whether it’s a fall recipe like butternut squash salad or this cranberry wild rice pilaf, using seasonal ingredients is a delicious way to mix things up and add an element of surprise.
For this wild rice pilaf recipe, we included dried cranberries and chopped pecans for a fall twist. The rice is incredibly flavorful due to the chicken broth and apple juice that’s used in the recipe. The rice is cooked in this liquid until tender, absorbing all the savory and sweet notes from the broth and juice.
For the pecans, we recommend toasting them first to get the best flavor out of them. They not only add nutty flavor but great texture to this wild rice pilaf as well. With the sweet and tart dried cranberries, this rice pilaf has more than enough elements of intrigue and yumminess to delight your palate.
This cranberry wild rice pilaf recipe will take you about 50 minutes to make, however, only a few minutes of those include hands-on prep. The rest of the time is devoted to letting the rice simmer away on its own with the occasional follow-up just to make sure the pot has enough liquid in it.
This dish would be lovely as a side for Thanksgiving or just a scrumptious addition to your weekly dinner rotation.
For more fall recipes, check out our collection here.
Summary |
Cook time: 50 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Idle time:
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups apple juice
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- To a large pot, add the chicken broth, apple juice, butter, salt, pepper, oregano, and rosemary. Stir together to combine then bring to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the wild rice, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the rice for about 45 minutes or until the rice is tender. Make sure to periodically check the rice throughout the cooking process to add more liquid to the pot if needed. You can add water or more broth as needed.
- Once the rice is ready, drain any excess liquid and fluff the rice using a fork. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, and apple cider vinegar, gently tossing everything to combine. Taste test for salt and pepper, adding more as needed.
Additional information
Recipe adapted from lmld.org