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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    Published: November 16, 2017 / Updated: November 18, 2021 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    71 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    wild rice dressing for thanksgiving table
    wild rice dressing for thanksgiving table

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans is a hearty Thanksgiving side dish packed with rich fall flavors. It makes a great, healthy alternative to stuffing!

    wild rice dressing for thanksgiving table

    Do you prefer Thanksgiving stuffing or dressing?

    If you're confused about the difference between the two, you're not alone.

    What makes this Wild Rice Dressing dish so special?

    This Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans recipe has so many favorite flavors of fall packed into each bite. It makes enough to serve a crowd of approximately 18-20, if each person takes one heaping serving spoon.

    And it's not stuffing. Stuffing is cooked inside the Thanksgiving turkey; dressing is cooked outside of the turkey.

    That said, you still see the two used interchangeably these days.

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans. Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com

    I'm more of a fan of dressing versus stuffing. I think the Thanksgiving bird tastes better without stuffing, while a dish like Thanksgiving dressing is worthy of its own separate preparation and presentation.

    Tools and Equipment

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans. Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com

    To make this Wild Rice Dressing recipe, you'll need:

    Skillet or sauté pan - to cook the garlic, onion, celery, and other ingredients to be mixed into the dish before baking.

    Oven-safe baking dish

    Ingredients

    bacon fat
    • Wild rice
    • Bacon grease - I add this to boost the flavor and aromas of the dish.
    • Dried cranberries and cherries - They add so much richness and depth to this wild rice dressing recipe.
    • Pecans - for added texture and flavor depth.
    • Bread - I use a hearty seeded wheat bread, which gives the dressing a richer, earthier taste.
    • Vegetable broth - to infuse the rice with more flavor.
    • Celery
    • Onions
    • Garlic
    • Thyme
    • Parsley
    • Milk

    How to make wild rice dressing

    Many of my favorite dishes start with a tablespoon of preserved bacon fat. You don't need a lot; a little bacon fat goes a long way to adding delicious flavor and aromas to every bite of a dish.

    If you don't save your bacon grease like I do (mason jar in the fridge), or if you want to keep this strictly a vegetarian recipe or vegan recipe, you can easily substitute olive oil or butter.

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    The wild rice cooks in a medium pan while you sauté together the celery, onions, and garlic.

    Then you add the pecans, dried fruit, and slowly add the milk in to help soften the mixture while it bakes.

    Finally, you add the cooked rice, sautéed fruit & nut mixture, and cubed bread all together in a large bowl. Spread the mixture out evenly into a large 9 x 13" baking dish, and bake according to directions below.

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    Recipe FAQs

    Dried cranberries and cherries. Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans. Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com
    What's the difference between dressing and stuffing?

    When it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, stuffing is cooked inside the turkey; dressing is cooked outside of the turkey.

    What kind of bread should I use in the dressing?

    You could use regular wheat bread or white bread, but make sure you use day-old bread.

    You can also toast the bread in the oven for 5-7 minutes before mixing it in.

    Or, you could use traditional croutons. Just know that your bread choice will affect the texture and taste of the dressing, so go with a bread you enjoy and you can't go wrong!

    Which dried fruit should I use in the dressing?

    I use both dried cranberries and cherries but you could choose to use either if you prefer one over the other.

    What to serve with Wild Rice Dressing

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    This satisfying side dish is great for the holidays or for almost any dinner. Here are some main dishes that will go well with wild rice dressing:

    • Air Fryer Whole Chicken
    • Citrus Herb Turkey Breast
    • Small Thanksgiving Dinner at Home

    Leftover ideas for Wild Rice Dressing

    If you're not cooking for a huge crowd, you will definitely have leftovers. This dressing is an awesome base for many leftover dishes!

    Here are some ideas:

    • Wild Rice Dressing Scramble - Add a warmed up spoonful on top of scrambled eggs in the morning.
    • Wild Rice Dressing Quiche/Frittatas - Beat some eggs and pour over the dressing in a round baking dish or divide into muffin tins for frittatas. Bake until the eggs are fluffy and cooked.
    • Wild Rice Dressing with Sausage - Cook Italian sausage, add to the dressing for a yummy leftover lunch.
    • Wild Rice Dressing Burgers - Beat an egg or two (depending on how much you have leftover) and add to the wild rice dressing in a bowl. Form burger patties, and refrigerate for about 15 minutes, just to set in the shape. Cook over a skillet, about 2-3 minutes each side. Top each burger with a tower of mixed greens, or eat between hamburger buns and your choice of toppings.
    Dried cranberries and cherries. Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans. Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com

    I keep dried fruit in my pantry to use for cheese & charcuterie boards for holiday parties, to include in food gifts, and there are no shortage of holiday baking recipes that call for yummy dried fruits.

    And of course, for main holiday dishes like this Thanksgiving dressing!

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans

    More side dish recipes

    • Mushroom Marsala
    • Garlic Rosemary Glazed Carrots
    • Garlic Parmesan Knots
    • Garlic Lemon Asparagus
    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans. Recipe on UrbanBlissLife.com

    Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries and Cherries

    5 from 22 votes
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 1 hr
    Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This Wild Rice Dressing with Cranberries, Cherries, and Pecans recipe is a hearty Thanksgiving dinner dish!
    Servings: 8 -10 servings
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup wild rice mix
    • 2 cups 1 14.5 ounce can vegetable broth
    • ¼ cup water
    • 2 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 2-3 cloves)
    • ½ cup onion diced
    • 1 cup celery chopped into small pieces
    • ½ tablespoon thyme leaves chopped
    • 2 tablespoons parsley leaves finely chopped
    • 1 cup chopped pecans
    • salt & pepper
    • 1 cup dried cherries
    • 1 cup dried craberries
    • 1 cup milk
    • 8 cups cubed hearty wheat bread about 9 slices

    Instructions

    • Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13" baking dish with butter. Set aside.
    • Heat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
    • In a medium pot, bring chicken stock and water to a boil. Add wild rice mix, stir, lower heat to low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes until rice is fluffy and liquid is absorbed.
    • While rice is cooking, heat bacon fat or olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
    • Add garlic, onions, and celery to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the onions are softened.
    • Add pecans to the skillet, stir, and toast ingredients for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.
    • Add dried cranberries and cherries, then slowly pour in the milk. Stir everything together for 1-2 minutes, just to heat up the milk and slightly soften the dried fruit.
    • Combine bread cubes, skillet mixture, and cooked wild rice in a large bowl. Gently toss so all ingredients mingle nicely. Slowly pour into the baking dish into an even layer.
    • Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees farenheit for 30 minutes.
    • Uncover, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

    Notes

    VEGETARIAN OPTIONS:
    * use olive oil instead of bacon fat
    * use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock
    DAIRY-FREE OPTION:
    * use almond milk or coconut milk instead of regular milk
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

    Do you prefer stuffing or dressing? Will you be cooking for a crowd this Thanksgiving or bringing a dish to another celebration? 

    PIN IT:

    Wild Rice Dressing

    This post is sponsored by Graceland Fruit, which is my favorite brand of dried fruits. All opinions, recipes, and photos are, as always, my own. 

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Kylie says

        November 22, 2017 at 6:07 pm

        5 stars
        I love this recipe! We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in New Zealand but I think it would be a fabulous dish to try for our Christmas dinner. My daughter absolutely adores cranberries so she would be in heaven :-)

        Reply
      2. Joanna Clute says

        November 17, 2017 at 3:26 pm

        5 stars
        This is a super pretty dish. I think I may just add this to my Thanksgiving dishes list!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:10 pm

          Thanks so much! If you do, let me know how you like it! :)

      3. Eva says

        November 17, 2017 at 1:44 pm

        5 stars
        What a great idea to incorporate wild rice! It's nice to offset the bread with a little something else.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:10 pm

          I like to mix things up! :) Thank you!

      4. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        November 17, 2017 at 11:19 am

        5 stars
        This dressing looks so divine Marlynn - I love your addition of wild rice!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:09 pm

          Thanks so much, Eric!:)

      5. Joanie @ One Dish Kitchen says

        November 17, 2017 at 9:37 am

        5 stars
        I'm definitely a dressing fan. I love the addition of cranberries to your dressing and I bet the bacon fat adds an incredibly delicious flavor!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:09 pm

          It does! Love bacon fat. Thanks, Joanie!

      6. Amanda Rosson says

        November 17, 2017 at 5:45 am

        5 stars
        Oh wow, this is amazing and so delicious!!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:08 pm

          Thanks so much, Amanda! :)

      7. Mary says

        November 16, 2017 at 11:48 pm

        5 stars
        The colors. The textures. The flavors! Everything looks so great in this gorgeous recipe. And I'm with you on stuffing vs. dressing. I'm a dressing girl by far, but I usually use the term "stuffing" because it's more familiar. Whatever you call it, I can't wait until next week. It's my favorite day of the year :)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:08 pm

          I love Thanksgiving, too! Thanks so much for the nice comment, Mary :)

      8. Becky S says

        November 16, 2017 at 10:30 pm

        5 stars
        What's this? More cranberry ideas! Loving the change up for Thanksgiving.
        Okay, I'm really digging the leftover quiche idea. I may have to just cut straight to that rather than just making the dressing.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:07 pm

          Lol. Do it! Quiche is never a bad idea :)

      9. Create/Enjoy says

        November 16, 2017 at 10:14 pm

        5 stars
        I love dried cranberries in savory dishes! Delicious and festive!

        Also, we cook with bacon fat a ton--adds a great extra bit of savory flavor!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:06 pm

          It really is a great addition! Thanks for stopping by! :)

      10. Willow says

        November 16, 2017 at 6:10 pm

        5 stars
        Yum! Sweet and savory is one of my favorite flavor combinations!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 20, 2017 at 10:05 pm

          Mine too! :)

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hey Hey! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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