If you have gluten-free family members, you will want to file away this recipe for wild rice stuffing!  This dish is filled with flavor and is the perfect holiday side dish!

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 90 minutes 

I have gluten-free family members, and I like to have gluten-free side dishes when we celebrate the holidays together.  I made a Wild Rice Stuffing from a recipe I found online a few years ago, but it turned out dry.  I decided to experiment a little when revamping it, and I found that using 1/2 wild rice and 1/2 white rice makes this stuffing moist and fluffy.

I recommend preparing the ingredients for this stuffing ahead of time and then assembling the stuffing on the day of your holiday celebration.

Why Wild Rice?

Wild rice is a native plant in North America and a popular ingredient among first Americans.  Wild rice is a good source of antioxidants. It also has a lower glycemic index than white rice, which means it can help stabilize blood sugar levels.  Wild Rice has a nutty flavor and cooks up tender.  It is a very healthy grain to add to your holiday table!

Ingredients Needed

Two cups of cooked jasmine Rice or White Rice

Two cups of cooked wild Rice- I like using this wild rice.  You can also choose to use a wild rice blend.  

1-2 cups Chicken Broth or vegetable broth. You can also choose to use chicken broth when you cook the rice.

1/4 cup of chopped yellow onion

One teaspoon of minced garlic or about two garlic cloves

3/4 cup of chopped celery – about 1 or 2 stalks of celery.

One teaspoon of sage

One teaspoon of thyme

Salt and Pepper to taste

Two teaspoons of olive oil

1/2 cup of chopped Granny Smith Apples

3/4 cup of Dried Cranberries

1 pound of cooked breakfast sausage of your choosing

Optional Ingredients:

pecans or walnuts for a topping.  You can also add additional herbs.

Equipment

Instant Pot for cooking your rice- you can also cook your rice in a saucepan, but I highly recommend an Instant Pot.

Skillet for sauting sausage, onions, celery, and spices.  dish

Instructions

Prepare your Ingredients 

1. Cook Wild Rice in your Instant Pot.

You will want to rinse wild rice before cooking it in your instant pot for 30 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.  Set aside.

2. Cook White Rice in your Instant Pot

You will want to use the rice setting on your Instant Pot. Set aside.

3. Cook breakfast sausage in a pan over medium heat.  Set aside.

4. add olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, and herbs in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and state until the onions are translucent.

Assemble Stuffing 

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6. In a casserole dish. Mix the kinds of rice together. Mix the rice mixture with the breakfast sausage, onion mixture, cranberries, and chopped apples.  Pour chicken broth over the rice for extra moisture.

7. Bake in the oven for 30- minutes or until it is warm enough to serve.

8. You can choose to top the casserole with toasted pecans.

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Wild Rice Stuffing

If you have gluten-free family members, you will want to file away this recipe for wild rice stuffing!  This dish is filled with flavor and is the perfect holiday side dish!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked white Rice I used jasmine rice
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1 pound breakfast sausage cooked
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup yellow onion
• 1 tesapoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup chopped and peeled granny smith apple slices
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

Prepare your Ingredients

1. Cook Wild Rice in your Instant Pot.  You will want to rinse wild rice before cooking it in your instant pot for 30 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.  Set aside.

2. Cook White Rice in your Instant Pot. You will want to use the rice setting on your Instant Pot. Set aside.

3. Cook breakfast sausage in a pan over medium heat.  Set aside.

4. Add olive oil, onions, celery, garlic, and herbs in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and state until the onions are translucent.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

6. In a casserole dish. Mix the kinds of rice together. Mix the rice mixture with the breakfast sausage, onion, cranberries, and chopped apples.  Pour chicken broth over the rice for extra moisture.

7. Bake in the oven for 30- minutes or until it is warm enough to serve.

8.  You can choose to top the casserole with toasted pecans.

Can this be made vegan?

Yes! This dish can be made vegan.  Just omit the sausage and use vegetable broth.

Recipe note:  You do not have to bake the stuffing in the oven.  You can also serve this in a large bowl as a ” rice pilaf.”

Storage:

You will want to store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.  You can also freeze your leftovers in your freezer.

If you like this recipe, you should also try:

Sweet potato casserole cookie bars

Crispy Greek Potatoes 

Butternut Squash Apple Cider Soup 

Slow Cooker French-Style Turkey

Brown Butter Cornbread Casserole 

Apple Cinnamon Brussels Sprouts 

Nutrition: Wild rice is not actually rice but wild grass. It is filled with protein, calcium, and fiber. Wild rice is a lower-calorie option when compared to bread stuffing.

You will love the sweet and savory taste of this wild rice stuffing, and you won’t even miss traditional bread stuffing at your holiday gathering this year.