Wild Rice and Walnut Pilaf
Elevate your side dish game with this hearty and nutritious Wild Rice and Walnut Pilaf, a perfect blend of earthy flavors and wholesome ingredients. Featuring tender wild rice simmered in savory vegetable broth, this recipe is brought to life with sautéed aromatic vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery. The addition of toasted walnuts lends a satisfying crunch, while fresh parsley and a hint of thyme brighten every bite. Quick to prepare and naturally gluten-free, this versatile pilaf is ideal as a show-stopping side or a light, plant-based main dish. Whether you’re serving it alongside roasted meats or as part of a vegetarian spread, this dish is sure to impress. Perfect for weeknights or special occasions, it’s a delicious way to bring more texture and flavor to the table!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 medium celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 0.5 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Rinse the wild rice thoroughly under cold running water to remove excess starch. Drain and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over medium heat.
In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
Add the rinsed wild rice to the skillet and stir to coat the grains with the vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle in the dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Carefully pour the simmering vegetable broth into the skillet with the rice mixture. Stir well and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the rice simmer for approximately 40 minutes, or until the grains are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid.
While the rice is cooking, toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool, then roughly chop.
Once the rice is cooked, fluff it with a fork and stir in the toasted walnuts and chopped parsley.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper, if needed.
Serve warm as a side dish or enjoy as a light main course.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
288 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 18.4 g | 24% | |
| Saturated Fat | 2.2 g | 11% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 617 mg | 27% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 26.9 g | 10% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.9 g | 18% | |
| Total Sugars | 5.2 g | ||
| Protein | 7.7 g | 15% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 54 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 1.9 mg | 11% | |
| Potassium | 513 mg | 11% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
