This easy plant-based, oil-free rice pilaf highlights the simple, delicious flavor of Anishinaabeg Manoomin Wild Rice. This whole grain is part of the Ark of Taste movement to preserve endangered foods. Rice is naturally gluten-free and full of healthy nutrition.
This is an essential side dish for holidays and a go-to recipe for plant-based dinners. Serve with Meaty Mushroom Lentil Loaf, Sweet Potato Pineapple Casserole, and 5-Ingredient Butternut Squash Apple Bisque to complete your vegan meal.
What is Wild Rice?
Contrary to what the name suggests, wild rice isn’t actually rice. Wild rice is a semi-aquatic grass native to North America’s Great Lakes region. Unlike white rice, wild rice has a firmer texture and nutty flavor. A hearty grain, it requires longer cooking times and holds up well as a satisfying plant-based option in soups, side dishes, and stuffings.
Watch this Video to Learn More About Wild Rice:
Simple Flavors: A Basic Mirepoix
The flavors for this wild rice pilaf come from a simple mirepoix. Mirepoix simply refers to the French “trinity” of onion, carrot, and celery, used as the base for many soups, stews, and sauces. The ratio is usually 2 parts onion to 1 part celery and 1 part carrot. Simple herbs like thyme and bay leaf round out the flavors to create a healthy, oil-free broth for this plant-based recipe.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Simple Seasoning: Keep the seasoning pretty basic for this recipe. Especially if serving with heavy braises or roasted dishes, it’s okay to go easy on the salt.
Make it a Meal: To turn this into a Rice Bowl or make it into a full meal, serve the rice over a bed of greens. Then add in some roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, steamed broccoli, roasted cauliflower, or cooked green peas.
Vegan Bouillon Cubes: For adding flavor to plant-based soups, stews, braises, and sauces, I always keep a few of the Edward and Sons vegan bullion cubes on hand. They come in Beef, Chick’n, and Low-Sodium Veggie flavors. Plus, it’s easy to keep a few in your pantry.
Easy Wild Rice Pilaf – Oil-Free, Gluten-Free
Print Recipe
Easy Wild Rice Pilaf — Oil-Free, Gluten-Free Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Anishinaabeg Manoomin Wild Rice or other wild rice pilaf mix
- 1 small carrot diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
Instructions
- To prepare the Easy Wild Rice Pilaf: Use a fine mesh strainer, and rinse the rice under water to get rid of any dust. Transfer the rice to a small pot. Cover and heat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, to toast the rice. Stir often to even toast the rice. When the rice smells nutty and starts to “crackle”, add the carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme, and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, until rice is tender.
- Remove the lid, fluff rice, and let sit a few minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper and serve
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (about 3/4 cup)
Calories 134.56
Calories From Fat (5%) 7.34
% Daily Value
- Total Fat 0.82g 1%
- Saturated Fat 0.02g <1%
- Cholesterol 0mg 0%
- Sodium 79.14mg 3%
- Potassium 134.91mg 4%
- Total Carbohydrates 28.54g 10%
- Fiber 3.36g 13%
- Sugar 2.5g
- Protein 3.28g 7%
- Calcium 1.61mg <1%
- Iron 16.81mg 93%
- Vitamin A 2196.09IU 44%
- Vitamin C 0.13mg <1
Shopping and Gear List
- Edward & Sons Low Sodium Veggie Bouillon Cubes
- RiceSelect Royal Blend, Texmati White, Brown, Wild, & Red Rice
- Frontier Thyme Leaf Cut and Sifted
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