Everyone always asks for seconds of our family's favorite Wild Rice Recipe. Made with mushrooms, dried cherries & pistachios, this side dish always disappears. Perfect for holiday meals!
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Looking for something a little bit different to serve over the holidays? This easy Wild Rice recipe, made with dried cherries and pistachios - is our family's favorite Thanksgiving side dish and instantly elevates any meal.
Bonus: it can be made ahead of time and served warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
The list looks long but it isn't complicated. A few specific ingredient notes:
- Wild rice: The funny thing about wild rice is it isn't actually rice; it's a type of aquatic grass with a nutty, earthy flavor. Authentic Native American wild rice was hand harvested by canoe. Most wild rice you find at the grocery store is cultivated in paddies and machine harvested. It's sold as either regular wild rice or cracked/broken wild rice. Both can be used in this recipe but I prefer the regular wild rice for its shape and visual appeal here.
- Dried cherries: I prefer tart dried cherries for this recipe. If you can only find sweet dried cherries, dial back the amount you add to the rice to keep the sweet and savory flavors balanced.
Instructions
I usually make the rice ahead of time since it takes a while to cook and then add the dressing just before serving.
Step 1: Saute mushrooms and shallots in butter.
Step 2: Stir in wild rice and broth. Cover and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Step 3: Drain rice. Stir in cherries, pistachios and Maple-Dijon dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Wild rice cooking tips
If you've never cooked wild rice before, follow these tips for success:
- Thoroughly rinse your rice before cooking it. In this recipe, you'll have liquid that isn't fully absorbed into the rice after cooking.
- Drain immediately or the rice will continue to absorb liquid as it stands and become gummy.
- Watch the cooking time. If you cook the rice too long, it will explode. Properly cooked wild rice will retain most of its shape and just a bit of chew.
Variations
- Can't find tart dried cherries? Try swapping in dried cranberries instead. Not a fan of pistachios? Use pecans.
- You can also use a combination of white and wild rice (often sold as a blend or pilaf) as long as you haven't added any additional seasoning to it. Cook according to package directions
- Add orange juice in place of the lemon juice in the dressing for a slightly sweeter flavor.
Serving suggestions
- This rice is always at our Thanksgiving table. Not hosting a big crowd this year? Follow our guide for How to Cook a Turkey Breast!
- If beef is more your thing, you'll definitely want to check out our tips for How to Cook Beef Tenderloin. An impressive cut of meat like that deserves an extra special side dish.
- Wild rice also makes a tasty side to these Baked Chicken Thighs or this Feta Chicken recipe.
Looking for more side dish inspiration? You'll find all of our side dish recipes in our archives.
Recipe
Wild Rice Recipe with Pistachios and Cherries
Ingredients
Wild Rice:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 medium shallot thinly sliced
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ⅓ cup roasted pistachios
Maple Dijon dressing
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
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Instructions
Wild Rice:
- Melt butter in large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté for 7-10 minutes or until soft.1 tablespoon butter, 8 ounces mushrooms, 1 medium shallot
- Add wild rice and stir until coated. Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 45 minutes.1 cup uncooked wild rice, 3 cups chicken broth
- Remove cover, turn up heat to medium high and cook for additional 10 minutes. Taste for doneness. The rice should still retain a bit of chew. Be careful not to overcook the rice (it will look like it exploded).
- Drain any remaining liquid from rice mixture and return rice to pan. Stir in cherries and pistachios.1 cup dried cherries, ⅓ cup roasted pistachios
Dressing:
- Meanwhile combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over wild rice. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil
Notes
Make ahead tips:
You can make the rice mixture and the salad dressing a few days in advance and store in the fridge. Rewarm the rice and add the dressing just before serving. This recipe also tastes great at room temperature.VIDEO
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Everyone always asks for seconds of our family's favorite Wild Rice Recipe. Made with mushrooms, dried cherries & pistachios, this side dish always disappears. Perfect for holiday meals!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
Ever since moving to Minnesota I, too, have noticed the high esteem in which wild rice is held 🙂 -- but no wonder, because it's mighty tasty (especially with pistachios and cherries, YUM).
Julia says
This is a beautiful dish! Perfect on the holiday table.
Julie says
What a festive addition to Christmas dinner!
Paula - bell'alimento says
You had me at pistachio and wild. Okay diving in now.
Aimee @ ShugarySweets says
What a delicious, festive side dish this holiday! LOVE the pistachios and cherries with the wild rice. YUM.