Hearth Baked Wild Rice Pilaf (Printable Version)
Fragrant wild rice baked with citrus, herbs, nuts, and dried fruit for a flavorful grain side or main.
# Ingredient List:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup wild rice, rinsed
02 - 1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
→ Liquids
03 - 3 cups vegetable broth
04 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
05 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
→ Vegetables & Fruits
06 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 1/2 cup dried cranberries
10 - Zest of 1 orange
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Nuts & Herbs
12 - 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
13 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Fats & Seasonings
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot for 4 to 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add rinsed wild rice and brown rice to the pot, sauté for 2 minutes, stirring to coat grains evenly with oil and aromatics.
04 - Pour in vegetable broth, orange juice, lemon juice, and add orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
05 - Stir in dried cranberries. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil.
06 - Place the covered pot in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
07 - Remove pot from the oven. Fluff rice with a fork and gently fold in chopped nuts and parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The oven does most of the work while you're free to set the table or pour a drink.
- Nutty wild rice mingles with sharp citrus in a way that feels fancy but requires zero fussing.
- It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're not cooking two different dishes for different guests.
02 -
- Don't skip rinsing your rice before it goes into the pot—wild rice especially can hold onto dust and debris, and you'll taste the difference.
- If your liquid seems mostly absorbed but the rice still feels slightly firm, add a splash more broth and give it another five minutes in the oven rather than forcing it.
03 -
- Use a microplane zester instead of a regular zester—you'll get finer, more fragrant zest that distributes evenly throughout the pilaf.
- If you're cooking this ahead, undercook it slightly, then reheat gently in a 325°F oven with a splash of broth; it'll finish cooking as it warms and you'll avoid mushy rice.