Wild Rice Pilaf Recipe with Butternut Squash

Spruce up your rice pilaf for fall with this Wild Rice Pilaf recipe with butternut squash! A delicious whole-grain salad made with wild rice, squash, almonds, cranberries and a simple balsamic vinaigrette for an easy dinner side dish or meal.

Every October C and I try to make our way to Minnesota to visit family. Every year we end up deciding on the same week to visit because we assume we’ll get great fall weather. And for the last 3 years it has snowed…you’d think we’d have learned right? Well apparently not, but nonetheless it is always so nice to be back in Minnesota even if it means spending most of our time indoors sitting by the fire.

When I think of wild rice, my mind immediately goes to Minnesota. I don’t think I had ever tried true wild rice until I met C and we started visiting his family there. Now I’m totally hooked. Admittedly it is a bit more time-intensive to cook, but it’s absolutely worth it. There nothing quite like the crunchy texture of a wild rice pilaf recipe!

What is Wild Rice?

Let’s chat about wild rice and what makes it different from other types of rice. Wild rice is native to several regions in the world but 3 of the 4 varieties are most commonly grown in the Great Lakes region of North America (hence the connection to Minnesota!). It was originally grown and harvested by Native Americans. Interestingly it technically is not related to the rice plant. It is an aquatic grass like rice but it is grown along the banks and shores of streams and lakes. Wild rice has a stronger, nuttier flavor than conventional rice and is also higher in protein and nutrients. It’s a great, whole-grain substitute for any dish featuring rice, including pilaf!

How to cook wild rice on the stove top

Wild rice takes longer to cook than conventional rice. Typically it is a 3:1 liquid : wild rice ratio for cooking and takes 45-60 minutes to fully cook. Just combine water or stock and wild rice in a pot (add salt!) and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to a simmer and cover for roughly 45-60 minutes. Strain any excess remaining liquid.

Can I cook wild rice in the Instant Pot?

Yes you can definitely cook wild rice in an instant pot! It is much faster as well. You’ll want to reduce your liquid ratio so its 1.5:1 liquid : wild rice. For this wild rice pilaf recipe you’ll combine 1 1/2 cups of stock with 1 cup of wild rice. Add salt. Set Instant Pot to pressure cook for 20 minutes. Allow slow release for at least 10 minutes. Strain any remaining liquid.

What is a Wild Rice Pilaf?

So what is a pilaf? Pilaf is a rice dish in which rice is cooked with stock (veggie or meat) to bring out the flavor of the rice. In the case of this wild rice pilaf, wild rice is combined with veggie stock (or meat if not vegan or veg) and cooked until rice is fluffy. Typically pilaf is combined with other ingredients such as cranberries, nuts and veggies which in this case is butternut squash and onions. You can also skip the squash and add in cooked mushrooms for a different umami flavor.

Ingredients you Need

This recipe is extremely simple, letting the wild rice and roasted butternut squash shine. It doesn’t take much to pull together so it’s a an easy weeknight dinner side the whole family will love. You’ll need:

• wild rice
• butternut squash
• yellow onion
• almonds
• dried cranberries
• balsamic vinegar
• honey (maple syrup works too)
• thyme, salt and pepper

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Like this recipe? Here are a few others you might enjoy:

Warm Lentil Salad with Sweet Potato
Maple Roasted Squash with Tahini Yogurt Dressing
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple Bacon
Harvest Farro Salad with Roasted Squash