Wild Rice Pilaf with Butternut, Pecans, and Warm Fall Spices

This wild rice pilaf is the ultimate autumn and winter dish. The recipe is a healthy dairy-free, gluten-free, and plant-based side that’s loaded with butternut squash, apples, pecans, currants, and spices. It’s also rich in fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

This autumn-inspired wild rice pilaf recipe with photo was shared with us by AmericanPecan.com.

Special Diet Notes: Autumn Wild Rice Pilaf

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / n0n-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, optionally vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian.

Wild Rice Pilaf with Butternut Squash, Pecans and Warm Spices

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

This healthy side dish recipe has been adapted slightly to be dairy-free and optionally vegan.

Author: American Pecan Council

Serves: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¾ cup wild rice, rinsed
• 1 cup black rice, rinsed (can sub brown rice)
• 2 tablespoons extra-light olive oil or pecan oil
• ½ large sweet onion, diced
• 2 cups diced butternut squash
• 1 medium tart apple, peeled and diced
• Black pepper, to taste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup chopped pecans
• ⅓ cup dried currants

Instructions

1. Put the stock, water, 1 teaspoon salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a boil. Add the rice and bring it back to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and half cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove and discard cinnamon stick.
2. While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the butternut squash and cook, stirring often, until the squash is tender and beginning to caramelize at the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the apples and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the apples soften.
5. Season the squash mixture with with the thyme and cinnamon. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the chopped pecans and currants, and cook until the pecans are slightly golden and fragrant. Remove the mixture from heat.
6. Stir the squash mixture into the cooked rice and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Key Pantry Ingredients: Autumn Wild Rice Pilaf

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