Description
Cranberry Walnut & Sweet Potato Wild Rice Pilaf brings festive warmth to holiday tables with its rich, earthy blend of textures and flavors. Hearty wild rice mingles with roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy walnuts, and tart cranberries, creating a delightful side dish you’ll crave season after season.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup wild rice/brown rice blend
- 1 cup sweet potato (peeled and diced small)
- 1 can (14 ounces/400 milliliters) low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
Protein and Nuts:
- 2 slices bacon (chopped small)
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup (50 grams) chopped red onion
Herbs, Spices, and Extras:
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a medium saucepan and bring of vegetable broth to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Carefully add bay leaf, chopped fresh parsley, dried thyme, and wild rice blend to the boiling liquid.
- Reduce heat to low, creating a gentle simmer, and cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, ensuring no steam escapes during cooking.
- Allow the rice mixture to cook undisturbed for approximately 45-50 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice reaches a tender consistency.
- Remove saucepan from heat and let the rice rest, keeping the lid sealed to maintain moisture and continue steaming.
- In a separate skillet, warm walnuts over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, gently stirring to prevent burning, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Using the same skillet, pour of olive oil and introduce diced sweet potatoes, finely chopped onions, crumbled bacon, minced garlic, with a sprinkle of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sauté the vegetable mixture, stirring intermittently, until sweet potatoes become fork-tender and develop a golden exterior, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Introduce dried cranberries to the skillet, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes to slightly soften the fruit.
- Fold in toasted walnuts, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Remove bay leaf from the rice, then use a fork to gently fluff and separate the grains.
- Combine the rice with the sweet potato and cranberry mixture, folding carefully to maintain the pilaf’s light texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately while the pilaf remains warm and aromatic.
Notes
- Gather all ingredients beforehand to streamline your cooking process and reduce kitchen stress.
- Toasting walnuts amplifies their nutty flavor, transforming this pilaf from ordinary to extraordinary with minimal extra effort.
- Sweet potatoes provide a creamy, caramelized foundation that perfectly balances the wild rice’s earthy texture.
- Bacon adds a smoky depth, creating unexpected complexity in this seemingly simple side dish.
- Cooking wild rice demands patience; the longer simmer guarantees tender, perfectly separated grains that elevate the entire recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Boiling, Simmering, Frying, Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 356 kcal
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 230mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 12mg