Cranberry wild rice is a versatile side dish that elevates any meal with its rich flavors and textures. Packed with nutritious ingredients like mushrooms, almonds, and cranberries, this recipe not only satisfies your taste buds but also complements a variety of other dishes.
Versatile Dish to Suit Your Taste Preference
This nutty-flavored rice side dish is highly versatile! It includes almonds, which can easily be omitted for those who avoid nuts. Alternatively, you can substitute pecans or other nuts for the almonds, adding more if you prefer a nuttier taste. Feel free to adjust the amounts of dried cranberries and mushrooms in the recipe to suit your preferences. Additionally, if you’re looking for a vegetarian option, the recipe outlines suitable substitutes for chicken stock and bouillon base. These modifications won’t impact the overall outcome, though they may slightly alter the serving size. This recipe yields approximately 8 one-cup servings.
White and Wild Rice
This recipe uses both white rice and wild rice. The instructions are for using raw rice instead of instant. The cooking times differ for the two types of rice, so cook them in separate pans. Do not cook them together because the white rice cooks quickly, while the wild rice needs a long cook time to soften. You can cook the rice the day before and refrigerate it until you are ready to make this dish.
The recipe calls for using Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base and water to cook both types of rice. However, you can substitute your favorite chicken stock or broth for the bouillon. Be careful about adding salt until you taste the cooked rice because some broths and chicken stocks can be salty. Also, if you would like to make this vegetarian, cook the rice in plain water, vegetable broth, or Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base.
Toast the Almonds for Cranberry Wild Rice
Use a large skillet to toast the almonds. There is no need to add any cooking oil to the pan. Just add the almond slivers and heat on medium. When the pan is hot, stir the almonds constantly to prevent scorching. They can also go from no browning to over-browning in a few seconds, so be sure to remove them from the pan to another container when they are lightly browned.
Brown the Mushrooms for Cranberry Wild Rice
The mushrooms take a few minutes to brown, but it is worth the effort. You can use the same skillet that you used to toast the almonds. Just flip the mushrooms occasionally so that they brown on both sides. You can also use a six-ounce jar of canned sliced mushrooms in place of fresh ones. Be sure to drain them well so that the water doesn’t splatter in the hot butter.
Wilt the Onions and Add Garlic
Stir in the onions and cook until they have wilted. They usually shrink in size as they cook. Just before they are finished cooking, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the Rice
Add the wild and white rice to the pan and stir until well combined. If you made the rice ahead of time and it is cold from refrigeration, stir it over medium heat until thoroughly heated.
Add the Cranberries and Almonds
The dried cranberries will soften in the hot rice and have a pleasing taste. Make sure to break up any clumps of cranberries before adding them to the rice. Always add the almonds just before serving to keep their crunch.
Make Cranberry Wild Rice the Day Before
You can make this dish the day before you want to serve it. It keeps well in the refrigerator. Just stir in the almonds right before serving it. To reheat this side dish, place it in a nonstick skillet and cook on medium heat, stirring often. Enjoy!
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Cranberry Wild Rice
Ingredients
Wild Rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup wild rice
- ½ teaspoon Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (for vegetarian, use water or Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base)
White Rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup jasmine rice
- ½ teaspoon Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base (for vegetarian, use water or Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base)
Rice Side Dish
- ⅓ – ½ cup almond slivers
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms (or a 6-ounce jar of sliced mushrooms)
- 2 cups onions, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
Wild Rice
- Add the water to a medium-sized pan and bring to a boil. Rinse the wild rice and add it to the boiling water. Add the bouillon base. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and cook for 55 to 65 minutes. Drain well.
White Rice
- Add water to another pan and bring it to a boil. Add the white rice and bouillon base to the water. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The rice is done when all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove the lid and fluff the rice. Replace the pan lid to keep the rice warm until you are ready to use it.
Rice Side Dish
- Place the almond slivers into a large skillet. On medium-low heat, stir the almonds continuously until they are lightly browned. Move the browned almonds to a plate.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the mushrooms. Sauté them until they are golden brown on both sides. Add the onions and sauté until wilted. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the wild rice and white rice to the skillet. Stir until well mixed.
- Add the cranberries, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir in the almonds just before serving.