This autumn rice pilaf is the best rice recipe for Thanksgiving or any time! This warm and cozy side dish comes together fast with pantry staples, and it tastes just like fall in a bowl!
Do you ever find a new recipe that you love so much because it just feels perfect for the season, and you want to make it over and over again?
That’s how I feel about this autumn rice pilaf. The smell of cinnamon, the tang of cranberry, and the lovely, healthy green factor…not to mention that it’s all mixed up in the ever so frugal whole grain rice? Yum! It’s like Thanksgiving in a bowl!
We’ve had this dish more times than I have fingers on one hand. Partly to make sure my measurements were right, and partly because it’s so easy. And because I already had everything in the pantry. And did I mention it’s really, really good?
Add this autumn rice pilaf to your next menu plan. You won’t regret it!
WHAT IS RICE PILAF?
So, what is rice pilaf? I asked this question when I saw this dish, which called for barley (and isn’t a pilaf). But when I substituted rice because I didn’t have any barley in the pantry, the name “pilaf” came to mind.
Basically, a pilaf is a rice dish or grain dish where the grain is cooked in broth and then vegetables or meat are added. Using some of the elements of the above recipe, and thinking of all things “fall flavored”, this autumn rice pilaf was born.
Lo and behold, the dish turned out pretty good and Mr. Crumbs gave the go-ahead to make it again. So, I did! After more tweaking, it became what you see here.
My #1 tip for saving money on groceries is to use the food you already have! Use this Substitution Guide to start saving today!
WHY MAKE THIS EASY RICE PILAF RECIPE
This is one of those fall rice recipes that fits perfectly with the season!
- Versatile. Choose what veggies and add-ins you like and have on hand.
- Made with pantry staples. It’s easy to mix up a yummy, simple rice pilaf recipe with ingredients from the pantry.
- Frugal. Rice is one of the most inexpensive side dishes you can make!
- Warm and cozy. The delicious flavors in this yummy rice pilaf recipe make it a perfect comfort food side dish.
AUTUMN RICE PILAF INGREDIENTS
This autumn rice pilaf uses pantry staples and the veggies you have on hand for an easy side dish.
- Rice. You can use long-grain rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice. Or try brown rice, like this Instant Pot Brown Rice.
- Chicken broth. Use chicken broth or vegetable broth instead of water to cook your rice. This adds an extra depth of flavor, and you can even make chicken broth from scraps in your kitchen!
- Butter or coconut oil. You’ll use this to sauté your veggies. Coconut oil keeps this recipe dairy-free.
- Vegetables. I used onions, mushrooms, and kale. You can use just those or substitute other veggies you have on hand. Vegetable rice pilaf is flexible!
- Sunflower seeds. I thought the taste of sunflower seeds worked great with this autumn rice pilaf. Other options for crunch include pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or almonds.
- Dried cranberries. If you don’t stock dried cranberries in your pantry, raisins or golden raisins would make an excellent substitute. (Here’s how to dry your own cranberries.)
- Spices. Here’s where the magic happens. A touch of cinnamon, garlic, salt, and ground black pepper brings this dish to life!
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE BEST RICE PILAF RECIPE
As written, this easy homemade rice pilaf recipe serves 4 without much left over. However, I make 1 ½ times the recipe to allow ample for dinner plus leftovers for a few lunches too.
Step 1. Cook the rice in chicken broth.
To cook your rice on the stovetop: Add chicken stock and rice, bring to a boil, and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed. Fluff the rice with a fork.
You can also cook your rice in a rice cooker or Instant Pot. Here’s my Instant Pot Brown Rice recipe. White rice typically takes 15 minutes to cook and brown rice takes 22 minutes.
Step 2. Cook the veggies. As your rice cooks, heat butter or coconut oil in a large skillet. Sauté your vegetables until the onions are translucent. Add your greens and cook until wilted. Turn the heat to medium or low if you’re still waiting on the rice.
Step 3. Add your spices and nuts and cranberries. Mix well and then fold in your cooked rice, being careful not to overmix so the rice doesn’t become mushy. Serve warm!
MAKE AHEAD RICE PILLAF TIPS
You COULD even use up leftover rice to make this dish. The flavor won’t be quite as full if you didn’t cook your rice in the chicken stock, but it would still be a perfect side dish to use up leftover rice!
For vegetarian rice pillaf, use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock, and replace the butter with coconut oil.
You can also customize this rice pillaf to fit with what you have on hand or if you’re looking for a slightly different flavor.
- Add chopped apples when you add the spinach.
- Use dried blueberries instead of dried cranberries.
- Substitute cubed butternut squash or eggplant for the mushrooms or try quartered Brussels sprouts.
- Add ground sausage or bacon for extra protein if you want to make this a heartier side.
Make ahead rice pillaf is the best rice recipe for Thanksgiving as well and is a great gluten-free alternative to traditional stuffing. For more delicious real food Thanksgiving recipes, check out my Thanksgiving Meal Plan here.
TO SERVE PERFECT RICE PILAF
This rice pilaf is perfect for pairing with a yummy protein and a veggie side!
- Try Lemon Pepper Salmon with Pan-Roasted Broccoli
- How about Almond Crusted Chicken and Instant Pot Steamed Veggies
- Or try Hemp and Herb Crusted Pork Chops and Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard
RICE PILAF RECIPE FAQS
What makes rice pilaf different than regular rice?
Basically, a pilaf is a rice dish or grain dish where the grain is cooked in broth and then vegetables or meat are added. In other words, rice pilaf has stuff in it!
Is rice pilaf healthy?
This rice pilaf is! Brown rice is full of fiber, and we’ve included a few veggies for a boost in nutrition and flavor.
Can you make this rice pilaf recipe in the Instant Pot or rice cooker?
You can use the Instant Pot or rice cooker to cook your rice and broth, but I recommend sautéing the veggies on the stovetop and combining everything afterward. With the longer cooking time for the rice, the veggies get overcooked if you cook everything together.
MORE RICE SIDE DISHES
- Instant Pot Spanish Rice
- Instant Pot White Rice
- Coconut Rice
- Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice
- Vegetable Fried Rice
- How to Make Cauliflower Rice
WATCH HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE AUTUMN RICE PILAF
Autumn Rice Pilaf
This autumn rice pilaf is the best rice recipe for Thanksgiving or any time! This warm and cozy side dish comes together fast with pantry staples, and it tastes just like fall in a bowl!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice, uncooked
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock (how to make homemade)
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ large onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, diced (about 2oz)
- 2–3 loosely packed cups spinach or baby kale
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare one cup of rice according to the directions on the package, substituting chicken stock for water.
- Meanwhile, melt butter (or coconut oil) in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the onions are nearly translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add spinach. Stir often to cook, reducing heat if rice is not done yet.
- Add cinnamon, garlic powder, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. Stir well.
- Fold in cooked rice. Take care to stir well, but not to over-stir so rice doesn’t become mushy.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Vegetarian Option: Substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock, and replace butter with coconut oil.
- Dairy-free Option: Substitute butter with coconut oil.
Inspired by The Organic Kitchen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 789
You have wonderful ideas on saving money. This one on meat reminds me of how many meals I can get out of a chicken. Buying a rotisserie chicken at Sam’s Club or Costco is cheaper than buying a raw chicken. It is just me and my husband now, but I still get several meals out of that chicken. The first night my husband eats the legs and I eat a thigh. I then remove as much meat as I can and put the carcass in my slow cooker along with any vegetable peelings/parts I keep in a freezer bag in my freezer to make chicken broth. I saved the wings for a couple of lunches for me. With what was left, one breast went into the freezer for another meal or two lateron. I then made Chilaquillies for another dinner. Chicken and cheese quesadillas for another. I also made Caesar salad with chicken. Three different dinners. There were leftovers of the chilaquillies and the side of Mexican rice I made to go with them. This will become burritos for another night. These meals were just a little bit of meat, but enough to satisfy my husband, and a lot of vegetables and rice. One tip I haven’t seen you use, save the liquid from vegetables such as corn and beans and freeze to use as vegetable broth or liquid for soups or casseroles.
This has become a Thanksgiving Day staple for me and my friends/family. I usually double the recipe though.
Modified to the following:
Rinse the Rice prior to putting in the instant pot. Add all of the ingredients (except butter) on top of the Rice and broth. Cook using the Rice setting on the Instant Pot. Allow for slow pressure release (I’ve found that if I release it too soon the rice tends to be undercooked, but slow pressure release fixes that). Add the appropriate amount of butter and stir all of the ingredients together.
Thank you so much for sharing, Chris! 🙂
This is delicious! I was looking for a recipe that could replace stuffing at our Thanksgiving meal. I followed it exactly except that I used basmati rice, because I had it on hand for another recipe. It was also my first time cooking basmati rice. It was fluffier than Jasmine, a rice I normally cook with. I totally will double up on the “stuff” as a previous commenter said. It is so yummy. I was thinking next time maybe adding chopped apple. Absolutely delicious! Totally going into my scrap book cookbook so that i can always find it. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Heather!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Adding apple is a great idea! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
I have added cubed butternut squash and am going to try cubed eggplant tonight. the squash was really good. I am thinking that the eggplant would be a great sub for people who don’t like mushrooms (which we do but donn’t always have the on hand).
Great ideas all around Charlotte! Thank you for the ideas and inspiration!
I’ve started to cook all of my rice in an Instant Pot, do you have suggestions on how to make this using that?
Yes! Here’s my IP brown rice recipe: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/instant-pot-brown-rice/
Turned out great!!! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re very welcome!
This was good, but seemed to lack some flavor. I added some lemon zest and squeezed some lemon into it as well. I think it would have been great if I had some dried blueberries to add, so next time I will add them. It was very good this way
Amazing dish, so versitile. I added ground sausage and garnished with scallions. The sweet and savory is over the top delicious!!
I’m so glad you liked this Eleanor!
Amazing!!!! The only thing I did differently was adding chopped spinach instead of adding them as a whole. Soooo good! Thank u for the recipe!
You’re most welcome Diana!
Looking up this recipe to make it again! My favorite fall recipe from last year!
Oh wow! So glad it’s a favorite Amber! And thank you for the reminder to dig it up for myself too. It’s that time of year! 😉
So so very delicious. I served my rice with Moroccan spiced lamb cutlets and sweet potato.
Thanks a bunch! Now added to my faves.
This was SO GOOD! I left out the mushrooms and used toasted pecans and currents. So fantastic. Loved it. Thanks for the recipe. This is a keeper.
So glad you liked it Lily – great substitution ideas too!
We love this recipe and make it at least once a month if not more. I’d like to make it for my family’s Thanksgiving gathering but I would have to make it ahead as we will be rraveling. Any tips for make ahead? We’ve refrigerated leftovers and it’s good, just not as great as “straight out of the skillet.”
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while but my husband isn’t too keen on cinnamon in savory dishes. I came across a Moroccan spice called ras el hanout. It has cinnamon in it but it is more savory. I think that might work!
Ooh, I think that would Melissa. Let us know how it turns ut!
Yum! This I think this will be a new favorite. I forgot to cook my rice in chicken broth, so I added a dollop of “better than bouillon” when I was cooking the onions and mushrooms to add a bit of flavor boost. Not as good as homemade broth, which I have a freezer full of lol!
I stopped before I added all the rice, so next time I will bump up all the other ingredients just a bit. I like a high “stuff” ratio 🙂
Can’t wait to try the leftovers stuffed in acorn squash tomorrow night!
I like a high “stuff” ratio too Z. 😉 This is by far one of our favorite “new” recipes. So easy to throw together, plus the substitutions you can make without affecting the overall taste is AWESOME for the fridge!
So I tend to completely ignore any recipes that include mushrooms since they make my husband sick and I can’t tolerate the texture, but the recipe otherwise looks so good that I’m willing to tailor it – without mushrooms. Is there another ingredient you’d recommend that could take the place of the fungus? Or would it be perfectly adequate just leaving them out?
I made it sans mushrooms (because 1) I didn’t have any and 2) I don’t like them) and it was still very, very good!
Thanks for chiming in Amber! Rachel – it’s totally find to omit the mushrooms. I added them just to increase the veggie content, and when they’re diced (1/4″) no one in my family notices them. 🙂 Brussels sprouts might be good in this, if they’re par-boiled first and quartered. Otherwise, just enjoy without the mushrooms!
Yummmmm! I just made this and it is SO good! Of course, my inability to follow directions and the fact that I was missing some ingredients meant I had to substitute some stuff, but still yummy!
I used regular white rice instead of jasmine (though I need to get jasmine sometime soon!), and swiss chard instead of spinach. I totally left the mushrooms out (didn’t have any, not super fond of them).
I think next time I’m wanting something sweet, I’m going to just put butter, water, and rice into the rice cooker, then add cranberries and cinnamon when done!
Yum………
I will add the extra nuts, seeds & occasionally chicken or bacon and eat as a main.
Many thanks for the recipe Tiff
Yes! That sounds so yum!!