Wild rice pilaf is a delicious and flavorful rice dish with fresh veggies. The perfect side dish for chicken, salmon, or even Thanksgiving!
I'll be honest here. This rice pilaf with wild rice is another one of those recipes I grew up eating. My dad always makes wild rice pilaf recipes when he's cooking salmon for dinner and it wasn't until I decided to share this recipe with you all that I even found a name for it! We just called it wild rice and veggies.
Sometimes we add in mushrooms and have a wild rice mushroom pilaf, but my kids are picky and I can't hide those in this dish as easily as I can others. Either way, this recipe is easy to make and packed full of flavor.
For more side dish recipes, check out my Easy Salsa Rice, Mini Spinach Artichoke Dip Bread Bowls, Easy Dairy Free Coleslaw, and Instant Pot Zucchini.
Why This Recipe Works
- It's fast and easy. Saute some veggies, add in the broth and rice, and let it simmer. This recipe requires very little hands-on effort and is great for cooking while you focus on other things.
- It's perfect for holidays. We can enjoy this dish almost any night of the week, but rice pilaf recipes are very popular around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whenever you plan on serving it, this rice is sure to be a hit!
- Minimal ingredients are needed. You don't need much to make this flavorful rice dish which keeps it frugal and simple (just another reason to love it!)
🥘 Ingredients
Wild rice- You will need a blend of wild rice. I usually grab cheap boxes of Rice a Roni, but since we don't need a seasoning packet, you can use other wild rice mixes and be fine.
Mirepoix- A mirepoix is an aromatic mix of onion, carrots, and celery. When sauteed, they will give a great depth of flavor without browning. This is used as a base in many different recipes (usually soups).
Broth- you will need some vegetable or chicken broth to hydrate the rice. Using broth instead of water gives us a fabulous flavor.
Olive oil- To saute the veggies, you'll need some olive oil.
Salt and pepper- To keep our seasonings simple, you only need salt and pepper, and they are added to taste.
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
🍽 Equipment Needed
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🔪 Instructions
Check out how to cook wild rice pilaf with these simple step-by-step instructions:
In a large saucepot, add your olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to sizzle.
Toss in your onions, carrots, and celery.
Stir until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery are softer (not too soft).
Add your dry rice. If using Rice a Roni, omit the seasoning packet (we only need the rice inside).
Stir together until the white grains of rice are brighter in color.
Pour in your broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
Place the lid on top and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the water looks absorbed.
Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and fluff with a fork.
Serve and enjoy.
🍴 Recipe Tips
If you want a little more flavor from this easy wild rice pilaf, you can choose to use salted butter instead of olive oil for sauteeing the veggies in. Margarine and plant based butter also work (I've tried).
Chicken broth is my go-to for making this instead of water, but vegetable broth also works great and helps to add in more flavor. You can also use bullion and water to DIY a broth.
💭 FAQs
This recipe can easily be vegan by choosing vegetable broth instead of chicken and sticking with the olive oil or plant based butter for the veggies.
It's a side dish made from sauteed veggies and a rice cooked in broth or stock. With some seasonings mixed in, this dish is delightful and aromatic.
Check out these other great side dish recipes!
- Easy Cornbread With Cake Mix
- Crispy Fried Tuna Patties
- Old Fashioned Creamed Corn
- 20 Delicious Summer Squash Recipes
📖 Recipe
Wild Rice Pilaf
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil ($0.26)
- ½ Onion, diced ($0.30)
- 2 large Carrots, peeled and sliced ($0.28)
- 2 stalks Celery, chopped ($0.24)
- 2 cups Wild Rice Rice-a-Roni boxes ($2.00)
- 3 cups Chicken broth or veggie stock ($0.99)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large saucepot, add your olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to sizzle.
- Toss in your onions, carrots, and celery.
- Stir until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery are softer (not too soft). They'll continue to cook in the broth so you don't want them too soft or they'll be mushy!
- Add your dry rice. If using Rice a Roni, omit the seasoning packet (we only need the rice inside).
- Stir together until the white grains of rice are brighter in color.
- Pour in your broth, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Place the lid on top and reduce the heat to low. Let simmer for about 15-20 minutes until the water looks absorbed.
- Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and fluff with a fork.
- Serve and enjoy.
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