Easy Wild Rice Vegetable Pilaf

This wild rice pilaf with vegetables is a quick and easy side dish for any meal. Start with boxed long grain and wild rice and dress it up with a combination of vegetables. Keep it vegetarian or top it off with crispy bacon!

white serving bowl with wild rice pilaf inside with spoon.

This is a delicious all-purpose side dish for beef, chicken, pork, or fish. It all cooks in one pot and is ready to serve in under an hour.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s the perfect side dish for a dinner party menu or holiday meal. Cook it on the stovetop when your oven is full with other items.
  • It’s a great menu item for your vegan and vegetarian guests.
  • Cook everything in one pot so there’s little to clean up.

Ingredient Notes

  • Boxed Long Grain & Wild Rice mix. This makes things simple to get started. I typically find boxes that are 3 or 4 servings each, so two boxes is necessary for the recipe. Look for Uncle Ben’s or other brands.
  • Fresh vegetables. You can use different variations depending on what’s available or your taste. I use onion and celery as a seasoning base, and then green onion, and red or yellow bell pepper. I don’t suggest you use green pepper because it’s not as sweet and flavorful.
  • Other vegetables. Use frozen corn and fresh or canned mushrooms, drained. Canned corn, drained, also works.
  • Broth. Use vegetable broth for a vegan version, or chicken broth if you want that flavor.
  • Optional bacon. We love adding cooked and crumbles bacon to this just before serving, but for the vegetarians, you can leave it off and simply serve a bowl of bacon on the side.

Quick Tip

Cut the vegetables in a uniform size so they all cook evenly. To save prep time, cut them a day or two in advance and store them in the fridge.

Variations

  • Use these basic ingredients and substitute the rice with couscous, pearl couscous, or quinoa.
  • Use other diced vegetables like carrots, butternut squash, frozen peas, or zucchini.
  • Add crunch on top with lightly toasted pecans or walnuts instead of bacon.
onions and celery cooking in saucepan.
wild rice and seasoning blend with broth in saucepan.

How to Make It

See full directions in the recipe card below.

  1. Sautee the onion and celery.
  2. Add liquid and rice. Stir in corn, mushrooms, and red peppers
  3. Simmer, fluff and serve.
white serving bowl with wild rice pilaf inside with spoon.

If you love rice like we do, I recommend you also try this fruit-nut wild rice recipe for dinners and our easy wild rice dressing for holiday entertaining. It’s equally delicious but has a sweet and savory flavor combination with a bit crunch from nuts.

Quick Tip

Make this an entree by adding in a can or two of beans, drained and rinsed.

What to Serve It With

  • Serve this wild rice side dish with salmon or white fish.
  • Serve this along with a slow cooker turkey breast for the holiday or any time of year.
  • This is excellent with beef, filet mignon, pork chops and tenderloin.
  • These marinated lamb chops are a great combo for wild rice and vegetables.
  • Or serve it with a whole roasted chicken from the deli!

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white serving bowl with wild rice pilaf inside with spoon.

Wild Rice and Vegetable Pilaf

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

This easy wild rice is a delicious side dish for dinner parties and holiday entertaining. It starts with quick cooking long grain and wild rice and gets a flavor boost from vegetables and crunchy bacon. It's perfect to serve with chicken, beef, pork, or fish.

Ingredients

  • 2 boxes (6-oz each) Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
  • 1 ¾ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 ¾ cups cups water
  • 1 ½ cups frozen corn (or canned, drained)
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • ½ cup sliced mushrooms
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion
  • (Optional) 4 strips of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, add the oil and heat over medium-low heat; add chopped onion and celery and cook until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. 
  2. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and seasoning mix and return to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat to low and add corn, diced pepper, and mushrooms. Cover tightly and reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
  4. Stir and transfer to a serving dish. Top with onion and serve.
  5. OPTIONAL: Add bacon or nuts on top for crunch.

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