This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure and privacy policy.
Wild Rice Stuffing is naturally gluten-free and makes a delicious alternative to traditional bread stuffing. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving!
Made with easy whole-food ingredients, this will quickly become one of your favorite stuffing recipes. It’s loaded with flavor, and won’t take up any space in your oven during a busy holiday meal.
It pairs perfectly with your Thanksgiving turkey or vegetarian meatloaf, along with any other holiday sides you love.
As written, this recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can swap them for your favorite poultry seasoning to make this dish as easy as possible.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe features crunchy pecans, dried cranberries, sweet apples, and chewy wild rice. Using a wild rice blend will give this stuffing a better combination of textures since it’s typically made with a blend of brown rice and wild rice.
In a pinch, you can use your own mix of half brown rice and half wild rice for a similar result.
Note: Be sure to check the label on your package when using a wild rice blend. Some brands may include a gluten-containing grain, like barley or farro. If you need to make gluten-free stuffing, stick to blends that are labeled as “gluten-free” on the package.
Mushrooms give this stuffing a meaty texture and extra nutrients, but if you’re not crazy about their texture, chop them into smaller pieces. This way you won’t bite into a big slice of mushroom later! When they are chopped, you can’t tell you’re eating mushrooms at all.
How to Make Wild Rice Stuffing
Add the dry wild rice blend to a fine mesh strainer and rinse the rice under running water. This will give the rice a better texture later.
Pour the rinsed rice into a saucepan and cover it with 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth. Season with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt, then bring the liquid to a boil.
Once it’s boiling, lower the heat and cover the pot with a lid. Let the rice cook for 40 minutes at a low simmer, then remove it from the heat but keep the lid on for an additional 10 minutes.
This extra step will ensure the rice is tender, without burning to the bottom of the pot.
While the rice is cooking, dice the onion and celery then add them to a large skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. (You can use butter if you don’t need a dairy-free recipe.)
Saute the veggies until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Then add in the garlic, sage, thyme, and chopped mushrooms.
Season with salt and pepper, then continue to cook the veggies until they are tender, about 8 to 10 more minutes.
When the rice is done cooking, fluff it with a fork, then add it to the pan of sauteed veggies. Stir well, so the mixture will be evenly seasoned.
Next, add in the chopped pecans, cranberries, and diced apple. Adjust any seasoning to taste, adding more salt, if needed.
Stir again, so everything will be warm, then serve immediately as a warm side dish. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Wild rice stuffing can be made up to 5 days in advance, but if you are making this ahead of time, don’t add in the apple and pecans until just before serving, so they will retain their crunch. Add them in after reheating the stuffing on the stovetop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! In that case, use equal parts dry rice to liquid. So, you’ll use 1 cup of rinsed rice plus 1 cup of vegetable broth. Cook at high pressure for 22 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes after that. (See my How to use your Instant Pot post if you need guidance.)
Yes, rice freezes well so this stuffing is freezer-friendly. Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer. Be sure to let it thaw for at least 24 hours in the fridge before warming it up again for serving.
Yes, this recipe will work with white rice, brown rice, or wild rice, but the texture will be slightly different with each variety. (The cooking time may also change so use the guidance on the package.)
Looking for more holiday side dishes? Try Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash Soup, or Sweet Potato Casserole for more ideas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice blend
- 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion , chopped
- 3 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms , sliced
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage (or 1 tsp ground)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- 1 large apple , cored and diced
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Pour the dry rice into a fine mesh strainer and rinse under running water. Transfer the rinsed rice to a medium saucepan, cover it with the vegetable broth, and add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover for 40 minutes. When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat but keep the lid on for an additional 10 minutes. (See notes for Instant Pot cooking directions.)
- While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, mushrooms, sage, thyme, and salt, and saute another 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.
- Combine the cooked rice and mushroom mixture, and stir in the apple, cranberries, and pecans. Adjust any seasoning to taste, and serve warm.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this Wild Rice Stuffing recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
Thank you..I read you usually reheat in the oven. Would you add some stock to keep it moist?
Can’t wait to make this for Thanksgiving. Has anyone made this a day in advance and reheated? Or is it better to make day of?
You can make it in advance, but I’d leave out the nuts until you reheat it so they stay crunchy.
Can you cook this on a regular pot?
We are driving and 2 hours away the day before thanksgiving. I don’t want to rely on making something in an unknown kitchen. Do you think this is something I can make ahead?
This is my ‘go-to’ dressing recipe since Thanksgiving 2017. It was an enormous hit! I often a mix of mushrooms. The rice I use varies as well, but I like variety there too. A wild rice blend works really nicely in this recipe. My family just loves it!
I’ve made this for a few years in a row for thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. It’s always been a big hit. Sometimes I use just brown rice, or omit the mushrooms or nuts. It works great for customization and always gets devoured any which way.
Just made this delicious stuffing with black rice to stuff my delicata squash . This recipie is a keeper.Thank you<3
Can you use dried herbs instead of fresh? My local supermarket is out however I really want to make this recipe! I made It last year and it was phenomenal!
I was wondering the same thing about dried herbs.
Fresh herbs are pricey and I always have dried on hand.
I usually use 1 teaspoon of dried for every 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs, but you can start with even less than that and add more to taste as you go.
Thank you, Megan!
We have some friends coming over for Thanksgiving and one person has to be gluten free. After looking at many different recipes on the Internet, yours is the one I’ll be making. It looks and sounds delicious! Thanks!
Thanks, Peggy! I hope everyone will enjoy it!
Thank you Megan!! We just wrapped up our first Thanksgiving feast of the week. Most of our sides were your recipes – Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing, Clean green bean casserole, and balsamic roasted brussel sprouts. Of course, I made your vegan gravy too (last week too with the portabella mushrooms and mashed cauli). And who can forget dessert – Easy vegan pumpkin pie (I have seriously been eating this weekly since you posted it!). It was so exciting to see my family embrace clean eating.Its been a transition over a few years for them, but My mom and mother in law both have your first cookbook and though they used to use it only when we came over, now they use Your recipes all the time! Just wanted to say thanks for what you do.