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 have made this for the 3 years. Everyone loves it, so do I…can I make ahead and freeze?
I’m so, so happy to hear this, Lisa! You could try it – I personally don’t like the texture of thawed, frozen mushrooms, but you could always chop them finely.
I love this recipe! It works for wheat-sensitive folks and is so delicious!
Yes, yes! I’m so glad you love it, Mary – thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
would love to make this but am trying to stay away from saturated fat. what can I replace the bacon with and butter.
Hi Lorraine! You can use whatever products you typically replace bacon and butter with in recipes. The flavor will be different of course, but hopefully that should work for your dietary needs!
Absolutely love this recipe all year long. Main dish, side dish it is just delish! You will not be disappointed and it is worth the effort.
Thank you so much for this wonderful feedback, Jennifer! I so appreciate it!
This is my go-to! We make some minor adjustments (I don’t use bacon, and I add truffle paste to give it an extra mushroomy-kick). I’ve used pecans or toasted pine nuts when I don’t have almonds. No matter what, it’s always wonderful. Thank you for many excellent Thanksgivings and Christmases!
LOVE the truffle paste addition (I am a sucker for truffle ANYTHING)! Thank you so much for your feedback, Lisa!
Absolutely delicious. perfect for our Gluten free family. I have 6 sisters and we are all gluten free. I use this recipe everytime I am cooking a turkey.
I’m so thrilled to hear this is a hit with the entire family, Joanne!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is an outstanding dish. I will never make bread stuffing again. Everyone that tastes this recipe wants it.
Oh my gosh, I’m thrilled you loved it, Craig!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Sounds great! Any make ahead tips?
Hi Haya! I mention in the post that you can reheat this stuffing in the oven (covered 350 for 15-20 mins) or in the microwave.
Made this for thanksgiving for the second time so my celiac family members have a tasty side. One of them is also dairy free so I add a little extra bacon so I have more fat for sautéing the veggies. I omit the Parmesan and add 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast. This is such a great recipe and easy to pull together. I pre-chopped all the veggies and bacon, and cooked the rice in my rice cooker so the day of labor was minimized. I’m going to make it for Xmas too! Thanks so much!
I’m so glad this recipe worked for your family’s needs, Susan! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
As a side dish do I bake on oven
Hi Janet! This recipe doesn’t require any oven time. :)
I’ve never even liked stuffing until I found this recipe. I don’t even have the words, this rice was incredible, and my family told me that it is now my thing at family gatherings. Everyone that tried it loved it!
100% will be making OFTEN
YES!! Thrilled to hear this, Caiden — I can so relate!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Awesome recipe…made it for our Thanksgiving dinner and stuffed Cornish Game Hens with this wild rice stuffing. My sister who is 82 and I shared this meal with my great-niece and both were born away with this gourmet dish.
Thank you and carry on making other great recipes…
That sounds so lovely, Kathy Jo! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
can I make this in a crockpot?
Hi Carla! You can keep it warm in a crock pot if you’d like, but this recipe wasn’t developed to be cooked entirely in the crock pot.
Made this for a church Friendsgiving and it got lost amongst all the other dishes but I loved it and am taking it to family (the gluten free member is delighted). I added some roasted butternut squash.
Oh I’m glad it’ll get a second chance to shine — love the addition of roasted squash, too!