Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing is full of fall flavors like herbs, dried cranberries, and bacon. A delicious gluten free version of the classic!
“This is the BEST RECIPE!!!! I have been making it for years now. Made it again tonight & it seems to get better every time. Thank you!!”
It’s time to think outside the (stuffing) box, with Best Ever Wild Rice Stuffing!
Say goodbye to stale, boxed bread with its mile-long ingredient list, and hello to tender wild rice tossed with all the fixin’s including bacon, mushrooms, herbs, almonds, and dried cranberries – plus a secret ingredient you do NOT want to miss.
This easy, no-bake, gluten free side dish will change the holidays as you know them!
Watch How to Make It
Wild Rice Stuffing vs Bread Stuffing
I think you’re either a bread-stuffing person or you’re not. My family is a stuffing family in that we serve it at Thanksgiving because we feel like the pilgrims of yesteryear would frown upon our holiday gathering if we didn’t have a giant bowl of wet stale carbs on the table, I guess?
This year I challenge you to serve this sophisticated yet simple, totally scrumptious wild rice stuffing that’s full of ALL the fall flavors instead. Like I said, you don’t even need to bake it.
Your friends and family will swoon!
Prep Ahead to Save Time
Since we’re talking the holidays, know that the components in this dish can be prepped a day ahead of time.
- 24 hours ahead of time: chop the vegetables, bacon, and almonds, then freshly grate the parmesan cheese. Store separately.
You can actually fully make the stuffing several hours ahead of time, if need be. Warm it up covered with foil in the oven, or pop the serving bowl in the microwave for a couple minutes.
Your family will be making this scrumptious, wild rice stuffing side dish for many years to come!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Wild Rice blend.
Start by adding a wild rice blend to a medium saucepan with chicken stock or broth, a bay leaf, and a dash of salt.
Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat then turn the heat down to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is al dente, 40-45 minutes. Take the pan off the heat the let it sit with the lid on for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Recipe Tip
I highly recommend Lundberg Wild Blend Rice. If using a different brand, be sure it’s a wild rice/brown rice BLEND, vs straight wild rice or plain brown rice.
Step 2: Brown the bacon.
Meanwhile, brown chopped bacon in a large, 12″ skillet over medium heat then scoop the bacon into a bowl and set it aside, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet.
Step 3: Saute the aromatics.
Turn the heat up to medium-high then melt butter in the skillet and add chopped onion or shallot, mushrooms, and celery. Saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid, the liquid cooks off, and they begin to brown, then season with dried thyme, salt, and pepper.
Once the vegetables are fully tender add chopped fresh sage and minced garlic then saute until the garlic is very fragrant and golden brown, 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Combine the ingredients.
Last step is to add the cooked wild rice and bacon into the skillet along with chopped almonds, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and dried cranberries.
The parmesan cheese is the “secret” ingredient I mentioned. It gives the rice stuffing a totally unique flavor.
Stir well to combine, adding a splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen the stuffing up a bit.
That’s all she wrote — told you it was easy! Garnish with a couple whole fresh sage for a beautiful presentation, then scoop and serve next to all your holiday favorites.
As I mentioned, leftovers reheat wonderfully in the microwave so you can extend the holiday experience for several days afterwards. I hope you love every bite of this flavor-packed, delicious take on stuffing. Enjoy!
More Gluten Free Holiday Side Dishes
- Green Beans and Bacon
- Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes
- Gluten Free Gravy
- Gluten Free Green Bean Casserole
- Healthy Mashed Potatoes
- Gluten Free Traditional Stuffing
- Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing
- Gluten Free Party Potatoes Deluxe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups wild blend rice, Lundberg recommended, see notes
- 2-1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/4 cup chopped almonds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, optional
Directions
- Add the wild blend rice, chicken stock or broth, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt to a medium-sized saucepan then bring to a boil over high heat. Place a lid on top then turn heat down to low and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the rice is al dente. Let the pan sit off the heat with the lid on for 5 minutes then remove the bay leaf, fluff the rice with a fork, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add the bacon to a large, 12" skillet then turn the heat to medium and brown. Scoop the browned bacon into a bowl, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet, then turn the heat up to medium-high. Melt the butter in the skillet then add the shallots or onion, mushrooms, and celery. Saute until the mushrooms have released their liquid and begin to brown then add the dried thyme and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the mushrooms are golden brown and the vegetables are tender, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and fresh sage then saute until the garlic is very fragrant and golden brown, 1 minute.
- Remove the skillet from the heat then add the cooked rice, bacon, chopped almonds, dried cranberries, and parmesan cheese, and stir well to combine. Add a splash of chicken broth if needed to loosen the stuffing up a bit. Taste then add salt and pepper if necessary, and then serve.
Notes
- Be sure to use a wild blend rice, vs straight wild rice, or plain brown rice.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
I’ve made this a couple of times and it’s so delish that I never have left overs.
I have so much to do “day of” a big family meal that I was wondering if you thought it would be okay to make this a day ahead and put in the frig and pop in the oven before the meal?
That’s exactly what we did for Thanksgiving and it turned out absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much!!
We followed the “prep ahead” part of the instructions.
You got it! You can even microwave to reheat!
This is a delicious recipe that I have made multiple times. We have GF and vegetarian eaters in our family so if the vegetarians are eating with us I use veg broth and leave out bacon (but cook some on the side for those who want bacon). Everyone loves it and it is easy to make.
I’m so glad this recipe works for your family, AJ! Great idea to still make the bacon for those who want it – it really makes the dish, imo!
I made this this morning, it was freaking amazing!! I didn’t have bacon, so I subbed Tennessee Pride Hot sausage, just maybe 4 slice, and. Wow!! I will be making this with the bacon next time.
Ooo, that sounds awesome, Carrie! I’m so glad you loved this dish – thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
I made it yesterday and served it today. Very good however when I simmered it on my lowest gas setting the rice stuck to the bottom of the pan. I used the same Lindberg rice. Next time I will add the butter to the chicken broth. At least I caught it before I had burned rice.
I’m glad it still worked out, Kathy!
Just made this recipe with a few tweaks based on what I had on hand. It tastes great! Thanks for sharing I have enjoyed many of your recipes.
I’m thrilled to hear it, Holly! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
My new favorite ???? so yummy
I’m so glad you loved it, Anna!
Can this recipe be doubled?
Sure!
Recipe looks delicious. Can I substitute the sage with thyme?
That should be fine! I’d use a small pinch of dried thyme, as I often find too much thyme can really overpower a dish.
I made this amazing dish at Thanksgiving. There was seriously none left. Best stuffing ever. Then I made it again and stuffed it inside thick pork chops we smoked… Again no leftovers. I am making a double batch for Christmas so maybe I can get some as a leftover. This is a true keeper. Great recipe.
Can the wild rice stuffing be frozen?
The best recipe ever. I used spicy chicken italian sausage instead & my family keeps raving about this stuffing.
Hi, there, have you used this recipe to actually stuff a turkey and then roast? Are there any adjustments needed to make it work? It sounds delicious. Thanks!
Hi Karen! I haven’t stuffed a bird with this recipe before, but I just did a quick Google search of other rice stuffing recipes and they advise fully cooking the dish before loosely stuffing the bird with it. I hope that helps! Happy Thanksgiving!!
I would like to put the rice into the turkey. If I put it in raw, will it be cooked? I’m afraid that if I prepare the rice, it will be mush by the time the turkey is cooked. What do you think? I love the recipe. I haven’t tried it, but I know it is going to be GREAT! :D
Hi Sharon! I haven’t stuffed a bird with this recipe before so I can’t say for sure, but I just did a quick Google search of other rice stuffing recipes and they advise fully cooking the dish before loosely stuffing the bird with it. I hope that helps! Happy Thanksgiving!!