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.
Simple and easy to make, this Wild Rice Pilaf is an ideal potluck recipe. It can be prepared ahead of time, perfect for those days you just don’t have time to prepare anything.
Since becoming a mom, the time I’m able to spend in the kitchen has significantly decreased and been reduced to naptime and nighttime after my daughter is sleeping for the night.
Though, realistically, when my daughter is sleeping at night is when I want to watch some TV or read a book and relax before falling asleep myself. That means most of my cooking time happens during afternoon naps.
Recipes that I can prepare quickly and that don’t need to be cooked right before serving have become my new favorite recipes. This Wild Rice Pilaf recipe is one of them. It’s quick, easy, and flexible according to the ingredients I have on hand.
Wild Rice
What is wild rice?
Wild rice actually isn’t a rice at all. It’s made from a grass that grows in the United States, Canada and other parts of the world. While the texture is similar to white or brown rice, it has a very distinct flavor, which is why it works so well in rice pilaf recipes.
This wild rice pilaf is perfect for a potluck or picnic because it is served chilled or room temperature! It is also make-ahead, making it the ultimate rice recipe.
You can make it the night before, pull it out of the fridge and serve it or cook it just a few hours before eating.
I like to use a wild and brown rice, cooked at least one day ahead of time. You can even use regular white rice, if you prefer.
Cranberries can be substituted for pomegranate seeds, feta cheese for goat cheese or pepitas or almonds slivers for pistachios. The combinations are endless and able to make even the pickiest of eaters happy.
I tend to mix and match what I add based on what I have in the kitchen at that moment. Cranberries and feta cheese are one combination I’ve grown to love but there are so many other delicious flavors that can be added as well.
I typically make this is as a side dish for picnics and potlucks because it’s easy to make a large portion and the flavors tend to satisfy everyone but I’ve also made it as a side dish for dinner at home. It pairs nicely with chicken or fish and some veggies.
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Wild Rice Pilaf
4.82 from 11 votes
This Wild Rice Pilaf recipe is an easy side dish for your next potluck, picnic or dinner. Quick and easy to make in advance it’s the best rice pilaf recipe!
Just like with any other type of rice, it's a good idea to rinse the rice before cooking. Pour a cup of wild rice into a mesh sieve and give it a good rinse. This will rid the rice of any starch that's lingering on the outside of the grain.
The most commonly used, of course, is water, but you can also use a stock such as vegetable stock or chicken stock for extra flavor. Just keep in mind that if you are cooking white rice, using stock may change its color.
Some popular flavors associated with pilafs are saffron, cinnamon, coriander, and garlic. You could also get fancy and even add crushed pistachios on top! That'll impress your friends. Another huge factor in distinguishing basic rice from pilaf is the liquid you cook it in.
The chief reason to rinse is to remove surface starch from rice grains, which can make them gummy as they cook. Soaking allows rice to absorb water, giving it a leg up on cooking.
Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water. Add rice and liquid to a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
What's the water to rice ratio for wild rice? Although it's pricey, the good news is that with a 1 to 4 ratio (1 cup wild rice to 4 cups water) you get a big bang for your buck. One cup of raw wild rice translates to about 4 cups of cooked wild rice.
Wild Rice should be cooked until it puffs and the inside, lighter portion of the grain can be seen. Overcooking may cause mushiness. To keep the grains of rice from sticking together for use in cold salads, toss four cups of cooked wild rice with one tablespoon of cooking oil.
Then add white, brown or wild rice or any other grain to saute with the vegetables. The oil coats the individual grains so they don't stick together. Then a hot liquid is added such as stock, water, wine or even fruit juice. You can even use a combination of liquids.
Since it has a low smoke point, the idea of frying with butter might give you pause since fried rice calls for cooking in very high heat to achieve that desired, slightly crisped-up texture. One tip when using butter is to mix it with oil so you can cook the rice at a high temperature.
Orzo is a thin, oval pasta shaped to look like rice. In some countries, it's called risoni. I enjoy using orzo in my pilaf because of its light brown color and nutty taste.
The general consensus is that pilaf originated in Persia, where it's first mentioned in recorded history. Pilaf follows the migration patterns of ancient Persians through the Middle East, Asia and Europe. From there, colonization brought pilaf to the Americas.
Maybe you took the lid off of the pot too early, letting the steam escape. Maybe you didn't add enough liquid to begin with. Whatever the case, if your rice is looking dried out, or the texture is still hard or crunchy when all the liquid has been absorbed, add up to ½ cup water and return to a simmer with the lid on.
You can make great rice without soaking it, but if you want to create the ultimate rice, soak it. Soaking rice is just one of the tricks to keeping rice just the right amount of sticky. Soaking any variety of rice covered in water for just 30 minutes plumps the grains of rice.
Personally, if I am going to eat rice, I am going to cook it, BUT I do bloom/soak it before speed up the cooking time and to make it easier on digestion. Another key ingredient to help this process is kombu seaweed. It is known for reducing blood cholesterol and hypertension.
That being said, wild rice looks and cooks like rice. Similar to cooking brown rice, it takes longer to simmer on the stovetop because it's a whole grain. You need to simmer until the hull splits and gets tender, which usually takes about an hour.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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