Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cherries & Scallions

Some recipes are reserved for the adults in our house. “Big people” are those old enough for adult-sized shoes — a convenient boundary that also separates the adventurous vegetable eaters from the staunchly anti-veg crowd. I share this knowing kids often resist new foods, but I’ve learned persistence pays: repeatedly offering a dish makes it more likely they’ll try and eventually enjoy it. And honestly, many of these dishes are made because my husband and I want to eat them. We don’t plan to live on hot dogs and tater tots forever.

I do love hot dogs and tater tots, but a varied diet is important.

This pilaf is, without question, our favorite rice side dish. Earthy wild rice and fragrant brown basmati are cooked in stock, then tossed with tart dried cherries that plump in the rice’s steam, sliced scallions, and a generous handful of fresh herbs. It pairs perfectly with fish, pork, chicken, beef, and venison. I love it so much I often make extra to enjoy as leftovers for breakfast or lunch the next day.

Beyond its taste, the pilaf is beautiful: the thin black grains of wild rice contrast with pale brown basmati, while bright green scallions and herbs and the deep red-black of dried cherries make a colorful, inviting bowl that I’m proud to put on the table.

Cook’s Notes:

I prefer using a rice cooker for this recipe. While you can cook it on the stovetop, a rice cooker delivers consistent results with less guesswork. If you cook rice, oats, or other grains frequently, a rice cooker is a worthwhile kitchen tool.
Dried cherries are the star. If you can, choose high-quality tart cherries—Montmorency-style cherries work well and give the pilaf a bright, tangy note. They plump nicely during the steaming step and balance the savory rice and fresh herbs.

Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cherries #SideDish

Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf with Dried Cherries and Scallions

Rebecca Lindamood

Earthy wild rice and fragrant brown basmati rice are cooked in stock and tossed with tart dried cherries, scallions, and plenty of fresh herbs. This pilaf is excellent with fish, chicken, pork, beef, or venison. Inspired by “Ultimate The Rice Cooker Cookbook” by Beth Hensperger.

Ingredients

3/4 cup wild rice
1 cup brown basmati rice
4 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cherries
5 green onions trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or substitute parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley roughly chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno stem and seeds removed, finely diced

Instructions

Rice Cooker Instructions:

Lightly spray the rice cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray or brush with a little oil. Stir together the wild rice, brown basmati, stock, and salt. Start the rice cooker on a Brown Rice cycle. When it finishes, open the lid and fluff the rice quickly with a paddle or spoon. Scatter the cherries, green onions, cilantro, parsley, and jalapeno over the top, close the lid, and let the mixture steam for 10 minutes. After steaming, toss everything together—the cherries will have plumped slightly and the pilaf will be fragrant.

Stovetop Instructions:

In a heavy-bottomed 2–3 quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the brown basmati, wild rice, stock, and salt. Bring to a boil, stir twice, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes without lifting the lid. When time is up, open the lid and fluff the rice. Scatter the cherries, green onions, cilantro, parsley, and jalapeno over the top, replace the lid, and let steam for 10 minutes. Toss to combine before serving.

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.