Easy Wild Rice Stuffing

This easy wild rice stuffing is packed with whole-grain wild rice, apples, cranberries, nuts, and your favorite gluten-free or regular bread. It’s a delicious twist on stuffing (or dressing) and so easy to make.

It deserves a spot on your holiday or weeknight dinner table.

Try this stuffing with a platter of roasted fall vegetables, my sweet potato souffle, and some Boursin mashed potatoes for your holiday dinner.

Why This Recipe Works

This stuffing is such a great side dish for so many reasons.

  • It’s gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy it, even if they’re on a gluten-free or wheat-free diet.
  • It’s a perfect blend of savory, sweet, crunchy, and chewy in every bite.
  • It’s 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.
  • You can make it a day ahead and heat it if you’re serving it for a party.

Recipe Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients needed to make wild rice stuffing. Substitutions and variations are in the section below.

Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients with measurements.

Ingredients needed to make wild rice stuffing.

Wild rice. The texture of wild rice is perfect. It lightens up the stuffing and lends a delicious flavor and chewy texture.

Bread. Choose a hearty, whole-grain bakery bread for this recipe. Gluten-free bread keeps this recipe gluten (and wheat) free for anyone with celiac, allergies, or sensitivities.

Leeks. These have a milder flavor than onions, which works well with the sweet apples and cranberries in the recipe.

Herbs. (Not pictured) 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, and marjoram will work.

Stock.  I recommend turkey stock if making this for Thanksgiving, but chicken stock is also delicious. And if you want an easy vegan option for your table, stick to vegetable stock. 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 chewier stuffing, use short-grain brown rice instead of wild rice. 
  • For heartier stuffing, cook some breakfast pork sausage with the leeks, apples, and celery.

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Cook the rice and vegetables. If desired, cook the rice according to package directions the day before. Saute the chopped apple, leek, and celery in a saute pan until golden.

Steps 1&2 to make wild rice stuffing.

2. Combine the ingredients. Add the cooked rice, sauteed apple-vegetables, bread cubes, pistachios, cranberries, and poultry seasoning herb mix to a large mixing bowl. 

3. Stir well and add stock to moisten the stuffing well. Since this is a rice-based stuffing, you’ll only need about ⅔ cup of liquid to moisten everything. At this step, I also like to add minced fresh herbs if I have them.

Steps 3&4 to make wild rice stuffing.

4. Transfer the stuffing to a two-quart casserole dish. Cover lightly with foil and bake at 325ºF for 30 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to allow the top of the stuffing to crisp.

A square white casserole dish with wild rice stuffing, garnished with a fresh rosemary sprig. A plate and fork and next to the casserole.

Expert Tips

Stuffing (or dressing) isn’t just for Thanksgiving! This recipe is fast and easy, so try it for Christmas or a weeknight dinner.

Use a firm bakery bread like sourdough, french bread, or a hearty whole-grain bread. Don’t use soft sandwich bread for stuffing, as it will get too soggy.

Make sure your bread cubes are crispy and dry. I save the ends of homemade sourdough bread in my freezer and they’re perfect for making stuffing. Cube them up and let them sit in the refrigerator for a few days. If starting with a fresh load of bread, cut it into cubes and bake them in a low oven (about 200ºF) for about 20 minutes or until they’re crisp. 

What to Serve with Wild Rice Stuffing

Serve this delicious stuffing with:

Is wild rice healthy?

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.

Can you make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! You can make this stuffing the day before. Cover it, refrigerate it, and reheat it for about 30 minutes at 325ºF, covered lightly with foil.

Related Thanksgiving Side Dishes

These side dishes are great with stuffing.

A square white casserole dish with wild rice stuffing, garnished with a fresh rosemary sprig. A plate and fork and next to the casserole.

Wild Rice Stuffing

An easy make-ahead side dish for the holidays or a weeknight dinner.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Lower Carb, Heart Healthy, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
rice cook time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 200kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wild rice rinsed
  • 3 1/2 cups low sodium turkey stock or chicken or vegetable, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium leek sliced into thin rounds
  • 1 medium sweet apple chopped
  • 1 medium stalk celery chopped
  • 2 cups gluten-free bread cubes (about 1" x 1"), toasted or regular whole grain bread if preferred
  • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 cup minced herbs any combination of parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste, depending on how salty your stock is.

Instructions

  • Combine the rice and 2 3/4 cups of stock in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the rice simmer for about 30 minutes or until tender. Remove it from the heat. NOTE: you can prepare the rice a day ahead of time if desired.
  • When the rice is nearly cooked, preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • While the rice is cooking, heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, apples, and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes or until lightly golden.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked apples and vegetables with the bread cubes, pistachios, cranberries, and cooked rice. Toss everything well to combine. Add the poultry seasoning and fresh herbs.
  • Add 2/3-3/4 cup of stock to moisten everything. You may need slightly less or more.
  • Add the salt to taste. You may need more salt if your stock is low sodium.
  • Pour the stuffing into an 8×8 casserole dish. Cover lightly with foil, and bake the stuffing for about 20 minutes . Remove the foil for the last 10 minutes to allow the bread to get toasty.

Notes

If desired, prepare the rice the day before and refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the recipe.
You can also prepare this entire recipe a day in advance. Refrigerate it and reheat it at 325ºF for about 30 minutes, covered lightly with foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 278mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 233IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
https://cravingsomethinghealthy.com/wild-rice-stuffing-casserole/
5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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