Thanksgiving Rice

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“Made this for Thanksgiving this year. Absolutely delicious. So easy to bake in the oven. Was perfect at 50 minutes.”

—Cindy

Thanksgiving Rice Pilaf Deserves A Spot Next To The Stuffing

Since we have a small group for Thanksgiving each year, we keep the menu simple. A giant feast would just mean way too many leftovers, and we really hate wasting food.

But here on the blog, we get to dream big. We test recipes like it’s Thanksgiving every day in November and imagine tables loaded with cozy side dishes.

That’s where this Thanksgiving Rice recipe comes in. It’s hearty, seasonal, and delicious whether it’s warm, hot, or even room temperature. Perfect if you’re bringing a dish to share. You can also make it a little early and keep it warm in a crockpot on low for up to an hour.

This Thanksgiving rice recipe is made using the classic pilaf technique I learned in culinary school – sautéing aromatics (shallots, carrots, mushrooms) in butter on the stovetop, adding the rice, liquid and other ingredients and bringing to a boil, then covering the pot and transferring to the oven to complete the cooking process.

Thanksgiving Wild Rice Pilaf Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• rice – we will be using a combination of brown rice and wild rice in this pilaf.
• carrots – these add great aromatic flavor and color to this Thanksgiving rice dish.
• shallots – we seem to always have these on hand for Thanksgiving, and they add a nice mild onion-like note to the rice.
• mushrooms – you don’t need anything fancy, just a box of classic button mushrooms will work. Creminis (baby bellas) are also great.
• pear – we love the subtle sweetness of the pear that balances all of the savory flavors.
• dried cranberries – dried cherries or even golden raisins are good subs.
• walnuts – these are stirred in at the end to add a bit of crunchy texture.
• broth – we like chicken broth, but you can use vegetable broth to keep this a vegetarian dish. If you need to keep the dish gluten-free, be sure to read broth labels and choose a gluten-free broth.
• apple juice – this again adds a subtle sweetness to this rice for Thanksgiving, and more autumn flavor!
• herbs – thyme, rosemary, parsley and a bay leaf will provide the herby notes for this recipe.
• butter – you will need unsalted butter to saute the aromatic vegetables and rice before adding the liquid.
• salt and pepper – always!

How To Make Thanksgiving Rice

1. SIMMER. In a medium saucepot, bring the broth and apple juice to a simmer over medium heat.

2. SAUTE. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots and shallots and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss in the mushrooms and cook until they’re nice and browned.

3. TOAST. Stir in both types of rice and toast them for a minute – this brings out a nutty flavor.

4. MIX. Add the thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, diced pear, cranberries, salt, pepper, and that warm broth-juice mixture. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.

5. BAKE. Once boiling, cover and transfer the pot to a preheated oven. Bake until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender.

6. REST. Let it rest (lid off) for 5 minutes. Fish out the herb sprigs and bay leaf.

7. FINISH. Stir in the walnuts and parsley, and serve warm or at room temperature.

How To Store Thanksgiving Wild Rice

If you have leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and place them in the fridge uncovered for a few hours until they are fully chilled, then cover them with the lid and keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.