White and Wild Rice Pilaf (GF)

Are you looking for a delicious and flexible side dish for holiday meals or anytime of the year? A bowl of this White and Wild Rice Pilaf can be a vegetarian main course or a lovely side dish to any of your favorite proteins. You can use whatever veggies you like and have on hand. Anything goes!

When I was a child I hated rice because it was boring, white, and cooked in plain water with no flavorings. I wanted flavor and interest, anything that would wake up my taste buds. When I started learning how to cook I discovered that I could use broth instead of water, add a little wine, herbs, and vegetables. Suddenly it became one of my favorite side dishes. 

Today’s Food Network Sensational Sides is all about grains. I am sharing my favorite wild rice pilaf with a ton of veggies. When I was diagnosed and had to go gluten-free, rice became my go-to side dish. This meal saved me because I virtually lived on it when I was trying to figure out what else I could eat.

Today I used Rice Select’s Royal Blend rice which is a blend of white rice, brown rice, wild rice, and red rice. What a beautiful and delicious combination of flavors and textures! And bonus, it is certified gluten-free so it is safe for me and others who have to avoid gluten!

Pilaf is actually a style of cooking rather than a specific dish. The rice is coated with oil and lightly sauteed before adding the liquids and simmering until tender. This adds a lot of flavor and gives the rice a slightly more chewy texture that I love.

Did you know that wild rice is actually the seed of a native North American marsh grass? Yep, first harvested and cultivated by Native Americans, it has become a special occasion treat. But I propose that we incorporate it more often because it gives so much flavor and texture to an otherwise fairly one-note dish.

It is also good for us, providing twice the protein and fiber of brown rice, and is high in B vitamins, manganese, zinc, and potassium. All this and low calorie count makes it a wonderful nutritional choice.

But eating an entire bowl of just wild rice can be pricey and a little challenging for our digestive tract. That is why you will often see it paired with white or brown rices. If you are avoiding gluten, you can make your own blend from scratch and you’ll get great flavor, nutrition, and are sure it is safe for everyone at your table. Wild rice keeps quite a while when stored in a cool, dry place. I store mine in the refrigerator after opening the package, making sure the container is airtight.

If you are using a wild rice blend with other types of rice, you can use all wild rice blend and skip the white rice portion. Just double the amount of rice and liquids and follow the directions for the white rice mixture with the vegetables.

I kept the vegetables pretty simple for this version, just the standard carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers sauteed in butter and oil and some mushrooms and sugar snap peas tossed in near the end for interest and flavor. With the colorful rice and the vibrant vegetables, the colors are beautiful. I devoured a whole bowl of this in nothing flat.

Have you discovered rasp-style graters yet? My favorites come from Microplane and you’ve never seen such beautiful, delicate zest. They are a good investment because they last for many years and you can use them for more than just citrus. I also use mine to grate nutmeg and to shave chocolate! There are a variety of styles and sizes to suit any task you have.

The next time you are looking for a healthy side dish, give this White and Wild Rice Pilaf a try. I know you will find it is the perfect side to enhance any protein or you can serve it as a fabulous vegetarian or vegan main course. And it is easy to make … two saucepans and a mixing bowl and dinner is on the table! It works beautifully for special meals so you may want to consider it for the upcoming holiday feasts. It can be made earlier in the day and reheated for dinnertime. 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!

Ingredients needed for White and Wild Rice Pilaf:

• Wild Rice Blend: GF wild rice blend, low sodium vegetable or chicken broth or water, onion, salt, butter or olive oil (optional)
• White Rice Pilaf: olive oil, butter, onion, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, long-grain white rice, vegetable or chicken stock, dry white wine, salt, thyme, green onions, parsley, lemon zest

 

PRO Tip:

If you want, you can add more vegetables. For those that don’t need much time to cook (yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, etc.) you can give them a quick sauté in a skillet just before the rices are done cooking and add when you combine everything. If you are using veggies that take longer to cook (butternut squash, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.), just cook them longer while the rices are cooking and again add at the end when everything is being tossed together. Make sure that everything you add is cut more or less the same size, small bite-sized pieces.

 

How to make White and Wild Rice Pilaf:

1. Prep all the vegetables you will need for both types of rice at the same time to save extra work. Cook the wild rice blend about 15 minutes, covered, then pull it off the heat and leave undisturbed for another 5 to 10 minutes (or according to package directions).
2. Cook the white rice pilaf by sautéing the vegetables together in a saucepan, then add the mushrooms and sugar snap peas, cooking another few minutes. Add the rice and coat with the oil/butter mixture and cook a few minutes to lightly toast the rice. Pour in the stock and wine, season with salt and thyme. Cook about 15 minutes, move off the heat with the lid in place and leave to rest about 5 to 10 more minutes or according to package directions.
3. Transfer the wild rice and the white rice pilaf to a large mixing bowl. Add the green onions, parsley, and lemon zest. Fluff with a fork to loosen the rice grains, tossing to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot.

 

PRO Tip:

If you are using a wild rice blend like Rice Select’s Royal Blend, the rices have been partially cooked so they will be done much more quickly than working with straight wild rice (which takes about 50 minutes to cook!). Be sure to read the label carefully for directions and use those for the best results. 

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Kitchen scale
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Zester/grater by Microplane
• Two saucepans with lids
• Large mixing bowl

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

* Or the equivalent of water listed in the package directions.

** The major gluten-free organizations have declared that distilled alcohols are gluten free. Wine is also considered safe. For some very sensitive people wine may cause issues. In a few rare cases, wine makers may use barrels that have minute amounts of gluten in the caulk. If you have issues with wine, look for a winery that uses only stainless steel containers to age their wines.

You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more accurate than pounds and ounces.

All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.

 

This recipe is part of Food Network’s Sensational Sides celebration. See the links below for inspiration and great recipes!

• Feed Me Phoebe: GF Almond Butter Overnight Oats
• The Wimpy Vegetarian: Middle Eastern Lentils and Rice Mujadara
• The Heritage Cook: White and Wild Rice Pilaf (you are here)
• Napa Farmhouse 1885: Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto
• Red or Green: Spicy Barley Risotto
• Taste with the Eyes: Brown Rice Noodles paired with Tamarind Fish
• The Cultural Dish: Three Ways to Make Risotto
• Swing Eats: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Chinese Vegetables

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small amount from qualifying purchases without any additional cost to you. This page may contain affiliate links. The author makes no claims regarding the presence of food allergens and disclaims all liability in connection with the use of this site. This post was first shared in April 2015. The article was updated in 2025.