Easy Wild Rice Stuffing
This easy wild rice stuffing is packed with a whole-grain wild rice blend, apples, cranberries, nuts, sunflower seeds, and a secret healthy ingredient that helps the rice stick together much like bread stuffing. It’s a delicious, gluten-free, higher-fiber twist on stuffing (or dressing) and so easy to make.
It deserves a spot on your Thanksgiving, holiday, or weeknight dinner table.
Try this stuffing with a platter of roasted fall vegetables, my sweet potato soufflé, and some Boursin mashed potatoes for your holiday dinner.
Why This Recipe Works
This wild rice stuffing is such a great side dish for so many reasons.
- Gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it, even if they’re on a gluten-free or wheat-free diet.
- Stuffing-like texture. “Flax eggs” (AKA ground flaxmeal mixed with stock) help bind the ingredients, giving this stuffing a moist, chewy texture similar to bread stuffing. Plus, it’s packed with fruit and nuts for an explosion of flavors and textures.
- Fast and easy. Once your rice is cooked, it takes about 10 minutes to assemble this recipe and 30 minutes to bake, saving you valuable time and oven space. It’s also an ideal side dish for a weeknight dinner.
- Make-ahead recipe. You can make this recipe a day or two in advance, and it reheats beautifully.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients for wild rice stuffing. Substitutions and variations are listed below.
Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.
Wild rice. Use all wild rice for a nutty, chewier texture, or a wild rice blend (look for it with the packaged rice) for a variety of colors and flavors. Wild rice blend often contains some brown rice, which is fluffier and more tender than wild rice. It’s also stickier than wild rice, which enhances that stuffing-like texture.
Leeks. These have a milder flavor than onions, which works well with the sweet apples and cranberries in the recipe.
Apple and cranberries. These add a surprising pop of sweetness and more texture.
Pistachios and sunflower seeds. I love the crunchiness, fiber, and healthy fats these provide.
Flaxseed meal (ground flaxmeal). When combined with stock, this forms an egg-like consistency that helps bind the ingredients. It gives this dish a stuffing-like texture rather than a pilaf texture. Plus, flaxseeds have so many health benefits! Flaxseed meal is high in cholesterol-lowering fiber and heart-healthy fats. It’s a key ingredient in my lemon coconut flaxseed protein balls.
Herbs. In addition to dried poultry seasoning, which adds that “Thanksgiving stuffing” flavor, I like to add some fresh chopped herbs for an extra bright pop of flavor and color. Any combination of fresh parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, or marjoram will work.
Stock. Use vegetable stock to keep this recipe vegan, or turkey or chicken stock for a non-vegan option. Using low-sodium stock lets you control the sodium in your stuffing.
Substitutions and Variations
- Toasted walnuts or pecans add a nice flavor and crunch instead of pistachios.
- Add a sprinkle of chopped fresh cranberries or pomegranate arils to the top of the cooked stuffing for a bright pop of color.
- For heartier stuffing, cook some breakfast pork sausage with the leeks, apples, and celery.
- For a “half-and-half” bread-and-rice stuffing, swap half the rice for cubed gluten-free bread.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Make the flax egg mixture. Combine the flaxseed meal with stock or water and let it sit for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. The mixture will thicken and develop a texture similar to beaten eggs.
2. Sauté the vegetables and apple. Finely chop the leek, celery, and apple, and sauté them in olive oil for about 5 minutes, until softened and light golden.
3. Combine the ingredients. Add the precooked rice, apple-leek mixture, cranberries, pistachios, and sunflower seeds to a mixing bowl. Pour the flaxmeal mixture over everything and stir.
4. Stir everything well and season with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh herbs. Transfer the stuffing to a 2-quart casserole dish and bake it for 30 minutes or until hot. If you’re making this stuffing in advance, cover the casserole and refrigerate it overnight, without baking. Add an extra 10 minutes of bake time when reheating the cold casserole.
Expert Tips
Cooked rice will only keep for three or four days in the refrigerator so plan accordingly if making this in advance.
If you add bread to this stuffing recipe, choose a firm bread like sourdough or french, or a whole grain bakery bread and let it dry on the counter for several hours or a day. Don’t use a soft sandwich bread because it will get too soggy.
Double this stuffing recipe and freeze half (or portion it) for later. It freezes and reheats beautifully.
Stuffing (or dressing) isn’t just for Thanksgiving! This recipe is fast and easy, so try it for Christmas or a weeknight dinner.
What to Serve with Wild Rice Stuffing
Serve this delicious stuffing with:
- Roast turkey, chicken, or pistachio-crusted salmon
- A side of fresh cranberry orange relish
- A fall harvest salad or chopped kale apple salad
- A flourless dark chocolate torte or pear tart for dessert
Yes, it’s high in protein and fiber, and it has more than 15 vitamins and minerals including B-vitamins, and iron. A 1/2 cup cooked serving provides about 80 calories, 7 grams of protein, 17 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber.
Yes! You can make this stuffing the day before. Cover it, refrigerate it overnight. Add about three tablespoons of water or stock to moisten the casserole, then reheat it for about 30 minutes at 325ºF, covered lightly with foil. Or, cover the casserole with a damp paper towel and microwave it for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Store cooked rice in the refrigerator for up to three to five days, or in the freezer for up to six months.
Related Thanksgiving Side Dishes
These side dishes are great with wild rice stuffing.
Wild Rice Stuffing
Ingredients
- 2 cups wild rice blend cooked according to directions
- 5 tablespoons flaxseed meal ground flaxseeds
- 1 cup vegetable stock or turkey or chicken (divided)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium leek sliced into thin rounds
- 1 medium sweet apple chopped
- 1 medium stalk celery chopped
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1/4 cup minced herbs any combination of parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, depending on how salty your stock is.
Instructions
- Prepare the rice according to the package directions, then set it aside while you prepare the recipe. Note that 2 cups of dried rice will yield about 6 cups cooked.
- Combine the flaxseed meal with 3/4 cup of stock in a small bowl. Stir well, then set this aside for about 10 minutes to thicken.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Finely chop the apple (peeled or unpeeled), leek, and celery. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the chopped apple and vegetables. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice with the apples and vegetables, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and cranberries. Toss everything well to combine. Add the poultry seasoning and fresh herbs.
- Season with pepper and salt to taste. You may need more or less salt depending on how salty your stock is. If the stuffing seems too dry, add the remaining stock to moisten it.
- Pour the stuffing into an 8×8 casserole dish. Cover lightly with foil, and bake the stuffing for about 30 minutes or until it's evenly hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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Love the idea of ground flax to bind the rice!