• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

VegKitchen logo

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking and Sweets
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Wraps
    • Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups, Stews, and Chilis
    • Snacks and Dips
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Canning and Preserving
    • Cheese-y Delights
    • Global Recipes
    • Raw Vegan
    • Slow-Cooker
  • Vegan Living
    • Vegan Substitutions Guide
    • Green Kitchen
    • Healthy Eating Tips
    • Food and Produce Guides
    • Vegan Food Hacks
    • Kid Friendly
    • Vegan Product Reviews
    • More Vegan Living
  • About
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegan Living
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Living
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan Christmas Recipes

    Black Rice with Corn and Cranberries

    Published: Jun 17, 2013 · Updated: Aug 18, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This delectable dish of black or wild rice, corn, and cranberries is a festive eyeful, but it’s too good to save for only special occasions, and too simple not to make for everyday meals. It makes a gorgeous holiday side dish, or, stuffed into small squashes, a great vegan main dish. Recipe from Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. Photo by Susan Voisin.

    Black Rice with Corn and Cranberries

    Black Rice with Corn and Cranberries

    This delectable side dish of black or wild rice, corn, and cranberries is a festive eyeful, but it’s too good — and easy — to save for only special occasions
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Course: Rice side dish / special occasion
    Cuisine: Healthy
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: black rice recipe, rice side dish, wild rice recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 6 to 8
    Calories: 275kcal
    Author: Veg Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup forbidden black rice see note or wild rice
    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 3 to 4 scallions green and white parts, thinly sliced
    • 2 cups thawed frozen corn kernels
    • ¼ cup lemon or lime juice or to taste
    • ¼ to ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves to taste
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ cup dried cranberries
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
    • ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds for topping
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • If using forbidden rice, combine in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. If you’d like a more tender grain, add ½ cup additional water and cook until absorbed. If using wild rice, combine with 3 cups water and cook as directed above.
    • Just before the rice is done, heat half of the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden. Add the scallions and corn kernels and sauté just until warmed through.
    • Transfer the cooked rice to the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium high, then add the  lime juice, cilantro, cumin, oregano, thyme cranberries, and remaining oil. Stir together gently, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • To serve, transfer to an attractive serving platter and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds over the top.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 143IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
    Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

     

    Note: Look for black (forbidden) rice in the specialty grains section of natural foods stores and well-stocked supermarket, sometimes labeled as forbidden rice.

    Black rice with corn and cranberries

    • For more ways to use brown rice, explore Classic Rice Dishes.
    • Return to A Colorful Vegan Christmas  for a complete listing
      of holiday dinner recipes, menus, and desserts.

    More recipes you may enjoy

    • Vegan Christmas Cookies
    • Vegan Hummingbird Cake
    • Vegan Pina Colada
    • Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna says

      December 19, 2012 at 1:34 pm

      If I were going to stuff this in a winter squash, when would I add it?

    2. Nava says

      December 19, 2012 at 1:37 pm

      Donna, you would pre-bake the squash until done but still firm. When cool enough to handle, cut in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. Hollow out the squash halves, leaving a firm shell of about 1/2 inch all around. You can finely chop the squash flesh you've taken out and mix it in with the rice dish. Stuff the squash cavities with the rice mixture, then heat in the oven at 350 to 375 for about 10-15 minutes just before serving, or just until nice and hot.

    3. Erin says

      December 21, 2013 at 3:19 pm

      Can this be made ahead of time? If so, would it be better to heat it on the stovetop before serving or in the oven?

    4. Nava says

      December 21, 2013 at 3:42 pm

      Erin, I'd say you could make this as much as 3 days ahead of time. I wouldn't recommend freezing it. Add the scallions and cranberries when reheating. I'd say either the stovetop or in the oven would work. Just make sure to put in a covered container if putting in the oven, so it won't dry out. Enjoy!

    5. Sharon says

      February 14, 2014 at 2:04 pm

      I just came onto the site to print out the recipe for someone who requested it from me. We served this as a side dish for Christmas Eve, and everyone liked it. Thanks for this & all your wonderful vegan dishes.

    6. Nava says

      February 15, 2014 at 1:36 pm

      Thanks, Sharon. so glad that you and your company enjoyed it!

    7. Jaynie Pontz says

      March 29, 2014 at 5:54 pm

      Does this taste good served cold/

    8. Jaynie Pontz says

      March 29, 2014 at 5:54 pm

      Does this taste good served cold?

    9. Nava says

      March 29, 2014 at 5:57 pm

      Yes, it does, kind of like a rice salad. Just before serving, you might want to add a splash of vinaigrette to make it extra moist and tasty.

    10. Eleanor says

      August 01, 2014 at 8:08 pm

      I make this with brown rice. Because I am not crazy about pumpkin seeds, I use toasted slivered almonds, but otherwise follow the recipe as given. Great vegan recipe. It makes too much for one meal for us, but it keeps just fine in the fridge and can be eaten cold later or reheated without any loss of flavour or texture.

    11. Gladene says

      July 19, 2015 at 4:25 pm

      Thank you for the question of eating it cold as I try not to use the microwave at work. I try to make "salads" of all varieties. The picture is beautiful and the recipe looks yummy. I wasn't sure if black rice would be good cold.

    12. Sandra Wheeler says

      November 09, 2016 at 9:06 am

      5 stars
      Many thanks. For the first time I am trying to do a Vegan Christmas dinner. Bit frightening!

    13. Nava says

      November 09, 2016 at 9:22 am

      Good for you! You can do it, and it will be delicious.

    14. Nichole says

      December 30, 2019 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a delicious recipe!
      I made it this weekend from your book "Vegan Holiday Kitchen" which I found from Susan Voisin's website.

      I had quinoa instead of rice, and didn't add oil for my version.

      Thanks for making the recipe. -Nichole

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

    More about me →

    vegan substitution chart

    Featured Recipes

    • 25+ Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts
    • 11 Best Vegan “Cheese” Recipes
    • Vegan Jalapeno Poppers
    • Vegan Vodka Pasta
    • Vegan Banana Cake
    • Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • Free Vegan Cheat Sheet
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.


    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media

    273 shares